Horse camping is the perfect way to enjoy Appleton. If you're an equestrian lover who prefers nature-based adventure, yet still wants comfort, this is the perfect opportunity for you. Camping with horses is a beautiful way to experience nature. At The Dyrt, you can find top-rated spots for horse camping, as reviewed by campers.
An accessible cabin for people with disabilities is available at High Cliff State Park and makes for great camping near Neenah. The cabin can accommodate up to six people and can be rented for a maximum of four nights per year. The cabin is available May through mid-October. The family campground has 112 campsites (32 with electric and two accessible) and eight group sites. Campground hosts stay on site 58 from April through October. Pets are permitted in the family and group campgrounds. A flush toilet/shower building is in the family campground for overnight guests. There are also several vault toilets throughout the campground. The shower building is open seasonally, usually May to mid-October. A sanitary dump station and recycling/garbage station are available and free to use by all registered campers. There is a $10 fee for others to use the dump station.
Mauthe Lake campground has 135 sites, including 51 electrical sites, one shower building with flush toilets in the 300 loop and several vault toilets throughout the campground. The campground is located within the Mauthe Lake Recreation Area. The beach area has playground equipment. Food/drink concessions and kayak/canoe rentals are available seasonally. Campsites accessible to people with disabilities are also available. A sanitary dump station and recycling/garbage station are provided for registered campers. Mauthe Lake campground is open for camping year-round.
$18 - $28 / night
Bay Shore Park is located along the bay at 5637 Sturgeon Bay Rd, New Franken WI approximately 15 miles northeast of Green Bay on State Highway 57, and 30 minutes from Sturgeon Bay (Door Co). We have approximately 110 wooded campsites situated atop the Niagra Escarpment; 90 sites with water and electric hookups, 18 sites with no hookups and 2 group campsites (one with and one without hookups). All sites have asphalt pads, fire rings, and picnic tables. Bay Shore can accommodate travel trailers of all sizes. Amenities include shower facilities, a dump station, firewood, ice, laundry, boat launch, Jump Pillow (hours vary), playground, a set of concrete bag toss boards, and hiking & biking trails on the property. Free WIFI available near ship themed playground and park pavilion.
Online reservations may be made 364 days in advance; however, NO refunds or site changes will be allowed, plan accordingly.
$24 - $38 / night
Located in Manitowoc County, on the western shores of Lake Michigan, Point Beach State Forest is 2,900 acres of rolling dunes and mixed woodlands. Established in 1937, the forest is home to Point Beach Ridges State Natural Area and National Natural Landmark. This area of alternating ridges and swales reveals the lake’s ancient shorelines over the last 8,000 years, with unique and varied woods representing each of the lake’s historic levels. Also located within the park, the Rawley Point Lighthouse is a one-of-a-kind structure that was erected in 1893, and is still operational today. The area is also known for several historic shipwrecks that occurred in the waters nearby.
The campground at Point Beach is the perfect location for exploring many of these natural and historical features—or just kicking back on the lakeshore and soaking up the sun. The campground offers more than 120 wooded sites that can accommodate both tent and RV campers. About 70 sites feature electrical hookups; a few of these also have water. There are two group camps, and one ADA accessible site. Each campsite is equipped with picnic tables and fire pits, and water faucets, flush and vault toilets, and shower facilities can be found throughout the campground. A dump station and recycling center is located nearby. Most campsites can be reserved up to 11 months in advance; some are held for first-come, first-served campers. Dogs are permitted in some areas, and must remain leashed. Seasonal rates are $15–$37/night.
There is plenty to see and do on a visit to Point Beach State Forest. There are several picnic areas located along the lakeshore, all within walking distance from the campground, and a nature center and lodge that offers area info, seasonal interpretive programs, and sells sandwiches and picnic supplies. The forest features 11 miles of hiking, biking and equestrian trails for exploring the dunes, woods and lakeshore, from a 0.5-mile nature trail to a 7-mile ridge trail. Some trails are also open for winter snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. The forest area does not offer a boat launch, but kayaks and SUPs can be launched from the lakeshore. Fishing is permitted in Lake Michigan, and some hunting and trapping is permitted in season. The Rawley Point Lighthouse is not open to the public, but can be seen along the beach.
$20 - $50 / night
We have 54 RV & Tent Sites, all with water and 30 amp electric. Select sites have 50 amp service. Our extra large camping sites are nestled in our beautiful oak forest which offers plenty of shade and privacy. We also offer double sites for groups who want to come camping together.
We are located on 90 acres of scenic rustic countryside near Amherst Wisconsin. In addition to traditional camping activities we offer daily horseback riding trail rides and all kinds of family fun. There's no place like Wild West Campground. Get ready for an unforgettable camping and horseback riding experience. Camping is a great way to spend a few days with us on our working 1850's horse ranch! Bring your RV, camper or tent and live the life of a modern cowboy!
$35 - $50 / night
$60 / night
Traveler
Very nice and and quite! Bathroom only has cold water but shower house has nice hot water. We are here on a Monday and it made us pay for 2 nights so that’s my biggest complaint but this is a very secluded and clean park so I’d stay here again!
GuideWe stayed in the primitive area which wasn't crowded at all just after labor day. The sites were nice and wooded with lots of privacy. It rained most of the time we were there so we didn't get to explore much. Tried to walk down to the lake from our site, but just got to the top of the cliffs on the lake.
The automated pay system insisted we pay for 2 nights since they considered Thursday to be a weekend night. This is just silly. Thursday is NOT a weekend night.
We only spent one night due to the rain.
Traveler
Campground is adequate, it has a functioning shower house and private spots. I used a primitive campsite and it cost me $30 ($15 if your from WI). That was on top of the $11 non resident park entrance fee. So $41 for a primitive tent site, $47.50 if you count the bundle of firewood I bought from them. So yeah, keep that in mind if coming here as a non resident. I’m sure there are cheaper places nearby.
Scout
This was quiet and peaceful. When we needed our fire pit cleaned out theg came pretty quickly. Being able to watch the horses was very calming. We would recomend this place to others and we would go back.
Guide
It was hot and crowded but we had a decent campsite with plenty of shade so we were happy enough. Showers were nice. We spent most of our time fishing at Long Lake, which we liked much better. If you go, make sure to get fresh cinnamon rolls delivered to your site!
Traveler
The campground is clean and organized well, with each space separated by trees/bush/woods. The drinking water is not good so be sure to pack enough. The beaches are very clean and great for walking at different points in the day. Site 28 was a bit small.
Traveler
Decided to get back into camping and decided to check out this semi local State Park. Alot of great walking and hiking spots, it was a bit chilly in mid April and especially windy down by the lake. Once up by the campground wind died down and was pretty nice. Site 53 was flat, had a fire pit, and picknick table. Despite being the closest site to the main road and entrance, didn't feel like it was too busy or distracting. Campgrounds were quiet and friendly. Will definitely come back once it warms up a little bit.
LegendHuge campground, and I guess we were lucky to snag a site mid week in August, as there were only two sites left when we arrived in the early afternoon.
You get a choice of electric or non electric. We paid $25 for a non-electric site (weekends are higher rate). You also have to pay the Wisconsin state park entry fee at $13/day for non residents, or $38 for an annual pass.
The dump station gets really backed up at the end of the weekend, so heads up.
Also, a portion of the beach is dog friendly, so if that’s important to you then try and get a site close to the dog friendly portion (south of the lighthouse), otherwise it’s a good mile walk from the other end of the campground to the dog area. Leashes required at all times, except for when the dog is actively frolicking in the water.
The concession stand here looks really nice, like a full service restaurant. Showers are nice and free. Water spigots throughout campground, or there’s a water fill at the dump station. There’s a little free library here too:)
Campground will be closed until May 24, 2024 for maintenance on the waterlines.
GuideI camped at site #102. There are great views of the lake and easy access to water and bathrooms. The site that I stayed at was actually a teepee site and had a large-ish wooden platform. Parking was right in front of my site but not a drive-in site.
I've become a spoiled baby after hiking the PCT last year, so established campgrounds are hit or miss for me, primarily because of how noisy they are. That said, the hosts were wonderful and the park is clean and very well-maintained. I ended up leaving halfway through my second day because I just didn't want to deal with the noise and traffic.
Overall, I would definitely visit this park again! Next time, I'll aim for dates outside of peak summer camping!
GuideHigh Cliff State Park is close to Appleton and Green Bay and is situated along the Niagara Escarpment on Lake Winnebago. Camping is great however, even though there is a beach, it is not a very nice one and swimming there isn’t the best. The park is great for hiking and low elevation rock climbing.
GuideLoved this park and will return again! I stayed at site 38 which had good privacy on one side, the other site was a little more exposed. Research your spot before booking as some are wide open and others have privacy. There are 100+ site at this park and two shower houses. The shower houses could use some work, however, the hot water was on point! Lots of trails and beach access. Great for bikes and kayaks. This is an older park, with some partying, but I’ll be back. Had a great time.
GuideThis campground is situated across from Lake Michigan, with access to trails, sand-ridged beaches and a lighthouse (the lighthouse cannot be toured, but can be admired from the outside). There is nice lodge and camp store right on the lake, complete with a quaint restaurant where we got breakfast on the weekend as well as ice cream.
We stayed on site 13. Not super secluded from neighboring sites, but it had nice tree cover. A three minute walk to the beach. The shower house and flush toilets were a bit of a hike from our campsite, but pit toilets were nearby.
We camped in late-May and there were no mosquitos and we didn't see any ticks (not to say there weren't any). The area has some interesting natural features, including some wetland-prone areas with frogs, salamanders, etc.
All-in-all everyone in our party agreed that we would stay here again. Happy camping!
ScoutGood
Legend
Open tent sites and well designed riggings and beyond excellent, well-maintained trails, accommodations and hospitality. This was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up, so if you’re looking for this kind of experience, don’t pass it up. In one of the most lush forests in the SE corner of Wisconsin near Milwaukee.
LegendWoodsy camping, multiple hiking altitude options including cliff views of Lake Winnebago, historic burial mounds, preserved lime kilns, equine trails, picnicking area, boating opportunities and a beach for swimming. Spend a day or a week! You’ll never find yourself asking what to do. I grew up in the area and have been here many, many times. To camp, to hike for the day, to trudge into the campground during winter to have a day-fire, coordinate family reunions, train with a backpack on the lime-kiln trail and swimming with the dog. Really, it’s all here. Mostly not super busy and when the traffic is heavier, everyone is very nice. Picnic areas can get buggy as can the lake get green, all depends on the time of year and season. Family and pet friendly. Great spot near the Fox Valley.
LegendAwesome views and tons of sites to pick from, although they are crowded and close together and some even have open paths connecting them. Great fishing and day-camping experiences too.
TravelerWe rolled in just after Labor Day so things were quiet….lots of space. Beautiful wooded areas, beach access, bike trails, quiet, and abundant toilet facilities and laundry.
ScoutThis was my first time camping in a Wisconsin state park and I thought it was great! Our site backed up to a trail along the cliff which was awesome for a family that loves to hike. I felt for a state park most of the sites were spacious, ours was particularly because we had no site behind us. Shower house was clean. Will be back!
LegendMauthe lake is in the Kettle Moraine Northern Unit. It feels remote but we drove through a bunch of rural houses on the way in. The rustic roads made for good cycling. We passed quite a few pedaling up and down the hills.
The campground itself sprawls along one side of the lake. With the loops for each group peeling off, it is easy to lose your way. The signs mark the direction well so go slow. It helps to know your site number.
There was nobody at the entrance office. I’m not sure if it’s just today but make online reservations. It seems to be the 2022 way.
There is a shower house but we made use of the more convenient vault toilets. Water is available in different ways - even a drinking fountain. There seems to be only one garbage collection site on the way out. This was less convenient since we have dog droppings to deal with.
There is a nature trail that goes around the lake. By the beach and picnic area it’s paved. The rest is gravel or dirt. With recent rains we found a few puddles to walk through and mud to avoid. Our dog loved having the trail so close. Most of the trail is in the sun so bring water on hot days.
Swimming isn’t allowed due to a blue algae bloom. This left plenty of empty space for us to sit with our dog under the trees. Folks did make good use of the fishing pier and playground. We also saw kayaks and stand up paddle boards on the lake.
GuideNo bug. Dense forest. Just beautiful.
TravelerI have a self contained van and so like to camp in rustic sites. The full electric sites here are pretty small and tightly packed, but the tent / rustic sites are great. Aim for the 500 loop.
TravelerGreat trails, easy access to backing into spots and the most beautiful views you’ll ever see
ScoutThe park itself is beautiful, and the trails are nice. The tent sites were on the smaller side and kind of close together. The park ranger was good-natured and patient when we accidentally set up on the wrong site.
Make sure to store your food correctly! The two sites beside us were ransacked by raccoons all night long because they left their supplies out. Three raccoons came to smell around our picnic table as soon as we zipped up inside the tents but left quickly after not finding food.
TravelerHigh Cliff was very easy to navigate and the park employee at the entrance was very kind and helpful. The sites in the 30s at the family campground have the cliff and lake as a nearby background (there is a hike trail that runs along the cliff, so if you are looking for lots of privacy, that might not be the spot for you - there seemed to be more private). The vault toilets were nearby and very well maintained - seemingly clean and not too smelly! All in all - I loved this spot!
GuideAnother spacious Wisconsin State Park site. #2 is level and listed as full shade but we had enough sun to recharge our Jackery everyday. It helps that it was blue skies each day! All sites were rented for the weekend and there were just a few no-shows. Even full there wasn’t enough noise to mention. We were near the entrance and enjoyed watching all the cars and campers coming and going. The shower house was fine, a very short walk for us. The camp host was friendly and quick to clean sites. There’s single stream recycling at the dump station and they take glass! Cell reception was good enough (Visible) There’s much to do in the park and in the area. We hiked, fished, golfed, shopped and ate well from what we find. I recommend the Appleton Farmers’ Market, Dick’s Family Foods in Sherwood Nieman’s Southside Market in Appleton.
RangerWent to the state park with my daughter and son-in-law and their two dogs. The hiking was excellent through many different terrains and the scenery was spectacular. We didn't camp there but went by some of the campsites and they looked very nice when well maintained.
GuideA quick last second get away for the first time as a family this season. We stayed in site 201 which was convenient. I wouldn't stay in the site again as it had nothing but swampy muddy low ground around it. It was also right at the entrance. Lots of traffic. However, the kids had plenty of fun running and playing on the hill directly across the street. The weather was great. The easy access to the lake and surrounding hiking trails made for an enjoyable weekend. The Mauthe Lake campground area in the KM forest is a great option for all. Nice and quiet early in the season with beautiful scenery.
Horse camping in Wisconsin offers a unique blend of outdoor adventure and equestrian-friendly amenities, making it an ideal choice for horse lovers looking to explore the state's beautiful landscapes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Appleton, WI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Appleton, WI is High Cliff State Park Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 46 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Appleton, WI?
TheDyrt.com has all 10 equestrian camping locations near Appleton, WI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
