Jeannie B.
Guide
GuideBig Paint Campground — Yellow River State Forest
Beautiful Park
Many different trails for hiking, biking or equestrian. Camp sites are mostly grass. Beautiful park
Equestrian Camping near Bagley, WI
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Frontier Equestrian Campground in Yellow River State Forest and Creekside Equestrian Campground offer horse-friendly camping experiences near Bagley, Wisconsin. Both campgrounds feature electrical hookups with fifty-amp and thirty-amp options suitable for RVs and tent campers. Pets are allowed at both locations, and each site includes picnic tables and fire rings where campfires are permitted. The campgrounds provide sewer hookups and water access for both campers and horses. Trail riders will find direct access to the extensive trail system within Yellow River State Forest. The equestrian campgrounds maintain a clean environment with well-designed facilities that accommodate multiple horses.
Located approximately 30 miles from Bagley in Harpers Ferry, Iowa, these equestrian campgrounds connect to a network of trails through hardwood forests and scenic terrain. The horseback riding paths feature varying difficulty levels suitable for beginners and experienced riders. Both Frontier and Creekside campgrounds require reservations to secure a spot, particularly during peak seasons when availability becomes limited. Drive-in access allows for easy horse trailer parking and unloading. While the campgrounds lack shower facilities and flush toilets, this encourages a more authentic outdoor experience. The surrounding Yellow River State Forest offers excellent wildlife viewing opportunities with many riders spotting deer, birds, and other forest wildlife during their trail excursions.
Best Equestrian Campgrounds near Bagley (7)
1. Big Paint Campground — Yellow River State Forest
"Many different trails for hiking, biking or equestrian. Camp sites are mostly grass. Beautiful park"
"There are two equestrian campgrounds (Creekside and Little Frontier with sites numbered 1 through 34) as well as hike in campgrounds for backpackers. A photo of an area map is included."
from $16 / night
Check Availability2. Six Pines Campground — Backbone State Park
"There are miles of trails. Is hiking your thing? What about equestrian? Maybe mountain bike trails? You can even take the family for a nice leisurely walk on the easier trails."
"Fun activities include fishing, swimming in a lake and also ground fed springs, boat rentals on the lake, hiking also horse trails, rock climbing, caves, playgrounds shelters for events and parties."
from $16 - $25 / night
Check Availability3. Frontier Equestrian Campground — Yellow River State Forest
"In Yellow River State Forest,-Very nice spacious sites for horses/riders including tie-ups, fire rings, tables at each site."
from $20 / night
Check Availability4. Creekside Equestrian Campground — Yellow River State Forest
"Clean, well kept sites with tie-ups, tables, fire rings, manure station and tools, multiuser trails including stream crossings. Trout fishing is good with seasonal stockings."
from $20 / night
Check Availability5. South Lake Campground — Backbone State Park
from $16 - $36 / night
Check Availability6. Reno Horse Campground — R.J.D. Memorial Hardwood State Forest
"There are many hiking trails, including a trail that goes on top of the bluff with views of the forest and of Wisconsin and the Mississippi River."
7. Albany Campground — Volga River State Recreation Area
from $14 - $26 / night
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Drive Time
- 1 hr 6 min from Dubuque, IA
- 1 hr 29 min from La Crosse, WI
- 1 hr 57 min from Waterloo, IA
- 2 hrs 9 min from Cedar Rapids, IA
Equestrian Camping Reviews near Bagley, WI
46 Reviews of 7 Bagley Campgrounds
- Jeannie B.Guide
Six Pines Campground — Backbone State Park
Many things to do here
Backbone is a very diverse area. There are miles of trails. Is hiking your thing? What about equestrian? Maybe mountain bike trails? You can even take the family for a nice leisurely walk on the easier trails. Exploring is fun at this park because there is so much to see. The Trout stream was busy the weekend we were there. You might even want to play a round of Gulf. We have solar on our trailer so we stayed in the Six Pines campground and it was beautiful. We listened to the night animals for hours.
Joanna B.
LegendReno Horse Campground — R.J.D. Memorial Hardwood State Forest
Dispersed camping
5/30/20-5/31/20
We went camping on a whim and headed to the state forest since dispersed camping is open. We backpacked to the quarry and found a large open area, perfect for multiple tents. The sandstone bluffs were in the background. There are multiple handmade rock fire pits, some rock chairs, tables and lots of space.
There are many hiking trails, including a trail that goes on top of the bluff with views of the forest and of Wisconsin and the Mississippi River. There is also hiking within this unit and a horse campground. The bugs weren’t too bad, no ticks, no critters and no road noise. It was very quiet and peaceful. I’d highly recommend this section of RJD forest.
Mary S.LegendBig Paint Campground — Yellow River State Forest
Small campground has nearby hiking and fishing
This review is for Yellow River State Forest's Big Paint Campground which consists of sites 35 through 61. Big Paint is a couple miles from Little Paint, a larger campground with 70+ sites. There are two equestrian campgrounds (Creekside and Little Frontier with sites numbered 1 through 34) as well as hike in campgrounds for backpackers. A photo of an area map is included.
Why did we choose Big Paint instead of Little Paint?
It's smaller and that's just our personal preference. There were only 4 sites occupied early Friday afternoon and a few more were reserved. We liked site 35, the first site on the left as you enter. This site is like being in a garden with trees and flowers surrounding the site. It had rained and more rain was coming, so the gravel parking pad on #35 was appealing. Most of the sites are completely on the grass.
Activities
Stocked trout streams are an attraction for fishermen; see photo of stocking calendar. We enjoyed hiking despite the mosquitoes and humidity in August and were able to make a 5+ mile loop leaving from the campground. You can also hike from Little Paint, and there are equestrian trails. This would also be a good area for X-country skiing and snowmobiling. A photo of the trail map is included. Caution: hunting is allowed in the non-campground area of the state forest.
Amenities
Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. Other than that, you can dispose of your trash and use a vault toilet. There's water at the information center (and a camp host site) outside the campground about 100 yards to the left.
Cost
You're not getting much (and that's not a bad thing) so the $9 fee seems fair. Pay up front at the entrance station, or make a reservation online at last 2 days ahead of time (and pay a reservation fee). There are 7 non-reservable sites at Big Paint. I doubt that Big Paint fills up; just check the reservation site to see if they get crowded.
https://iowastateparks.reserveamerica.com/camping/yellow-river-state-forest/r/campsiteSearch.do?search=site&page=siteresult&contractCode=IA&parkId=610130
James M.LegendFrontier Equestrian Campground — Yellow River State Forest
Very nice equestrian CG near trout streams
In Yellow River State Forest,-Very nice spacious sites for horses/riders including tie-ups, fire rings, tables at each site. Self registration, trails from/ camp including stream crossings in trout streams. Manure station with tools. Some trails are multiuser.
- Ashley D.
TravelerSix Pines Campground — Backbone State Park
Fun for the whole family
This campground has many things to do. This place has tent, rv and cabin camping, you can choose modern or non modern camping. Fun activities include fishing, swimming in a lake and also ground fed springs, boat rentals on the lake, hiking also horse trails, rock climbing, caves, playgrounds shelters for events and parties. I am sure there are even more things to do that I didnt have the time for.
- AAmanda C.Guide
Six Pines Campground — Backbone State Park
Great park!
I tent camped at Six Pines Campground for 3 nights in August. The park has two campgrounds and this one is non electric with pit toilets and water. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring with a really nice grill. The sites are large and flat and the ones on the outside of the loop are well shaded. Two trails can be accessed from the tent campground - Six Pines trail and West Lake trail. There are two shower houses that you can use at the RV campground but it takes about 15-20 minutes to drive across the park to that campground. The park is very large with about 20 miles of trails. There is a spring fed creek and, if you stay away from the trout fishing area, you can play and wade in the creek. It has a sandy/rocky bottom and sandy banks. It felt wonderful on a hot day. There is a swim beach on the lake but it was closed due to E. coli in the water. There’s a small camp store too. At night in this campground there are no lights except in the registration kiosk so it’s perfect for star gazing. The Field of Dreams movie site is just 45 minutes away and makes for a fun side trip. There is a town about 10 minutes away with a couple restaurants and coffee shops. The Six Pines trail can be taken from the campground to the Backbone trail. The Backbone trail is along a rocky ridge. There are side trails down to the base of the cliffs and lots of rock climbing to do. Very fun to explore the side paths and climb up the rock walls.
Lee D.LegendSix Pines Campground — Backbone State Park
Many different camping options
There are two campgrounds at this park (the first state park in Iowa): a primitive one and a “modern” one. The primitive one (Six Pine) only has a pit toilet and each site has a fire grate and a picnic table. The modern campground (South Lake) has 30 amp, 50 amp, and tent sites. The electric sites are very close together (too close for our liking) so we opted for a tent site. We were in a loop with about six sites, and while the site size was generous and spaced a decent distance apart, there was no delineation between sites and no specific place to park your vehicle (and you cannot park on the road). These sites were also decidedly bumpy and not level; it took us about 15 minutes of maneuvering our van around to find a reasonably level spot.
The restrooms were six separate rooms, each complete with toilet, sink, and shower; they were clean.
We drove around the park and saw the balanced rock (meh) and I walked the short distance to the mouth of the cave. There was good signage to find the cave but once there, no information about the cave and its safety (or not) was available so I opted not to explore its dark and wet interior! There are seven trails in the park; the East Lake trail was a treat to hike. It hugs the lake for about two miles and while you can veer off onto the Bluebird Trail, I enjoyed hiking out and back for a different view. You can also hike from the South Lake campground to the beach– about a mile but the trail does start and stop, and you have to walk on the road for a bit. You can rent kayaks, canoes, and paddleboats but we did not take advantage of this. We also did not swim so I cannot speak to the quality of the lake (other reviewers took issue with this). There is also a CCC museum, but it was not open while we were there.
We stayed one night which was sufficient for us. It might have been nice to stay longer if we decided to rent kayaks or hike different trails.
- Nicholas H.Traveler
Big Paint Campground — Yellow River State Forest
Location
The campground name is called big paint. The location is very nice, right next to the river. I wouldn't exactly call it a river though. It's nice and quiet, and very nice trail runs through it as well. The only thing is the sites are very close together
Guide to Bagley
Horseback riding enthusiasts can find dedicated equestrian camping near Bagley, Wisconsin in the rugged driftless region along the Mississippi River valley. This area features unique topography with steep limestone bluffs rising 300-600 feet above river valleys. The region receives an annual average of 32 inches of precipitation, creating lush, forested landscapes with spring-fed trout streams ideal for equestrian trail riding and camping.
What to do
Trout fishing in stocked streams: Yellow River State Forest maintains regularly stocked trout streams ideal for anglers. "Trout fishing is good with seasonal stockings," notes James M. at Creekside Equestrian Campground. The forest provides a seasonal stocking schedule for planning your fishing trip.
Hike the Backbone Trail: This signature trail in the region offers ridge hiking with views of surrounding valleys. "We hiked on the famous Backbone trail - a really fun hike that isn't too incredibly long," shares Rachel H. who visited Six Pines Campground with a Girl Scout troop.
Visit the fire tower: One of Iowa's only remaining fire towers provides long-range views across the Mississippi River valley. "Visited the 3 lookouts including Iowa only Fire tower," writes Tori L. who stayed at Big Paint Campground. The lookout points require moderate hiking to access but reward with panoramic vistas.
What campers like
Spacious equestrian sites: Horse campers appreciate the well-designed facilities at Yellow River State Forest. "Very nice spacious sites for horses/riders including tie-ups, fire rings, tables at each site," notes James M. about Frontier Equestrian Campground, adding that there's a "manure station with tools" for proper waste management.
Clean, updated facilities: Many campgrounds in the area maintain quality restroom facilities. At South Lake Campground, Edward B. found "clean bathrooms, showers and spots." He specifically noted they offer "30/50 power available" but recommends you "must fill water tanks before parking" as there are "no full hook ups" at the South Lake Campground.
Trail access directly from camp: Riders can access trails without trailering horses. "Trails from/camp including stream crossings in trout streams," explains James M. about the equestrian campgrounds. Many trails are "multiuser" allowing for shared experiences between hikers, cyclists, and equestrians.
What you should know
Primitive camping options: Several campgrounds offer primitive sites with limited amenities. "Going in knowing that there were pit toilets and no potable water, I did not have high expectations for this campsite. I was pleasantly surprised to find it very well maintained with spacious sites," explains Tamsyn K. about Big Paint Campground.
Weather and wind exposure: Some campground locations experience significant wind. Connor M. notes at Wyalusing State Park Campground: "The wind is stronger at this spot because it's open. The entire campground is situated on top of a bluff so this compounded our wind issue."
Seasonal availability: Not all campgrounds remain open year-round. "Was very thankful to find a place to overnight in mid-November. Not a lot of free parking options in this part of Iowa," shares Stuart O. about Big Paint Campground, noting "First come first served basis from November through March."
Tips for camping with families
Cave exploration opportunities: Children enjoy exploring the unique geological features in the area. Jennifer B. recalls, "The sand caves are cool, lots of unique hiking features. The nature program was great for our son who was 2 at the time," during her visit to Wyalusing State Park.
Kid-friendly programming: Look for state parks with nature programs specifically designed for children. "Great shady spots," notes Edward B. about camping at South Lake, making it suitable for families needing sun protection.
Safety considerations near bluffs: Several campgrounds sit on steep terrain requiring extra supervision for children. Connor M. warns, "Just keep in mind that it's on a bluff so there are some steep drop-off points that children could take a pretty nasty fall from." Plan accordingly with young children.
Tips from RVers
Electrical options: Many campgrounds offer both 30 and 50-amp electrical connections suitable for various RV needs. Check specific campground availability when planning your trip.
Late season considerations: Off-season camping requires self-sufficiency. Stuart O. shares his November experience: "No water, electric, or dump station, so very much like a parking lot overnight from that perspective. However, the park is situated on the valley bottom of the Yellow River Forest with beautiful tall trees, and there are fire rings. Fee was $12."
Water access planning: Several campgrounds require filling tanks before arrival. "Must fill water tanks before parking," advises Edward B. who stayed at South Lake Campground, as many sites offer electrical hookups but lack direct water connections at individual sites.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Bagley, WI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Bagley, WI is Big Paint Campground — Yellow River State Forest with a 4.5-star rating from 12 reviews.
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equestrian camping near
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What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Bagley, WI?
TheDyrt.com has all 7 equestrian camping locations near Bagley, WI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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