Equestrian Campgrounds

California's Best Equestrian Campgrounds

An index to the best equestrian campgrounds in California. Campers with horses and other trail animals have a variety of campgrounds up and down the state from which to choose. The campgrounds are listed here by county, along with Yosemite and Lassen National parks. Counties are arranged roughly from south to north.

While some equestrian campgrounds only offer basic facilities, many are equipped with corrals, watering troughs, horse washing stations, and other great amenities. Some are designated for groups while others offer individual campsites.

San Diego County

Vern Whitaker Horse Camp - located in Anza-Borrego State Park, individual campsites.
Los Vaqueros Group Horse Camp - located in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park.
Vallecito County Park - 8 campsites for those with horse.
Green Valley Campground - located in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, 15 campsites for those with horses.
Dripping Springs Campground - north of Palomar Mountain, 5 campsites for those with horses.
Sweetwater Summit Park Campground - east of Chula Vista, a dozen excellent equestrian sites with corrals, 15 miles of trails.

Orange County

O'Neill Regional Park's Harmon Equestrian Area - located northeast of Mission Viejo. Five campsites with corrals, water, restrooms, public arena.
Casper Wilderness Park's Starr Mesa Equestrian Area - located northeast of San Juan Capistrano. Twenty-one campsites, corrals, space for large trailers oe RVs. Access to wilderness trails.

Riverside County

McCall Memorial Equestrian Park Campground - a Riverside County Park for large and small equestrian groups.
Black Rock Campground - located in Joshua Tree National Park. While the main campground is rated a gold star, the nearby 20 equestrian campsites have no water and few other amenities.
Ryan Campground - located in Joshua Tree National Park. The equestrian campsites have no water and few other amenities. It is close to the California Riding and Hiking Trail.
Bogart Park Equestrian Campsite - located 5 miles north of Beaumont. A group equestrian site for up to 22 horses with corrals, water. May be used by individuals if not in use by group.
Lake Perris Equestrian Campsites - located south of Moreno Valley. Seven primitive sites, each with 2 corrals.
Lake Cahuilla Park - located near La Quinta in the Coachilla Valley. Twenty equestrian sites for RVs, with adjacent corrals.

San Bernardino County

Rio Group Tent and Horse Camp - located at Silverwood Lake.
Green Spot Group Equestrian Camp - located several miles east of Big Bear Lake.
Big Pine Flat Campground - a group horse camp adjacent to the main campground, located 8 miles north of Big Bear Lake.
Wild Horse Equestrian Campground - near Barton Flats south of Big Bear Lake. Eleven campsites, corrals for 30 horses, good facilites. Trails into San Gorgonio Wilderness.
Heart Bar Equestrian Group Campground - near Barton Flats south of Big Bear Lake. Good group facilities for up to 65 people. Forty-six corrals. Trails into San Gorgonio Wilderness.

Los Angeles County

Horse Flats Campground - located in the Angeles National Forest. Campground is not limited to those with horses.

Santa Barbara County

Sage Hill Group Equestrian Campground, Los Padres National Forest, CA

Sage Hill Group Equestrian Campground - along the Santa Ynez River, 11 miles from Cachuma Lake. Offers nice group facilities for up to 60 people, plus 11 corrals. Loop Trail and Santa Cruz Trail nearby.

San Luis Obispo County

Montana de Oro SP's Islay Campground - located 6 miles south of Morro Bay. Offers 3 horse campsites and 2 group horse campsites.
Lopez Lake's Black Bear Equestrian Camp - located 13 miles east of Pismo Beach. Enjoy a small-group site with 18 corrals, near Lopez Lake Recreation Area.

Inyo County

Horseshoe Meadow Equestrian Campground - located 24 miles southwest of Lone Pine near Cottonwood Lakes.

Madera County

Agnew Meadow Horse Camp - located in the Eastern Sierra, west of Mammoth Lakes.
North Shore Campgrounds - at Millerton Lake, single campsite with large area for vehicles and trailers, several corrals, lake views
Wildcat Campground - located at Eastman Lake northeast of Madera. Both standard campsites and a group equestrian campsite near Cordorniz Campground.

Tulare County

Horse Creek Campground - Camp beside Lake Kaweah only a short drive from the entrance to Sequoia National Park. Find 3 campsites for up to 8 people and one for up to 16.
Shake Camp Campground - corrals are available near the main campground with campsites close to the corrals. Trails lead into Sequoia National Forest.
Eshom Campground - set in remote area of Giant Sequoia National Monument, southwest of Kings Canyon's Grant Grove. Family campground with fenced pasture for those with horses.

Fresno County

Badger Flat Group Campground - located east of Huntington Lake. Not a designated equestrian site, but horse camping is permitted here.

San Mateo County

Jack Brook Horse Camp - located in Sam McDonald County Park in the Santa Cruz Mountains. One of the best equestrian campgrounds in California.

Tuolumne County

Clark Fork Horse Camp - located on the Clark Fork Road off Sonora Pass, Highway 108.
Pine Valley Horse Camp - east of Pinecrest Lake near the Crabtree Trailhead.
Kerrick Corral Horse Camp - east of Pinecrest Lake, off Crabtree Road.

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Yosemite National Park

Wawona Campground - a group horse camp adjoins the main campground in southern Yosemite
Bridalveil Campground - near the main campground on Glacier Point Road, the horse camp has 3 sites, each for up to 6 people and 6 head of stock
Tuolumne Meadows Campground - adjoining the main campground, the horse camp has 4 sites, each for up to 6 people and 6 head of stock

Alpine County

Pacific Valley Campground - off Highway 4 on the west side of Ebbetts Pass. Primitive equestrian campsites at the southern end of the campground.

Calaveras County

Turkey Hill Equestrian Campground - located on Lake Camanche's south shore. Campsites for groups from 8 to 32.

El Dorado County

Loon Lake Campground - located in the Crystal Basin near the Desolation Wilderness. Nine equestrian campsites and one group site.
Wrights Lake Campground - a separate equestrian camp located in the Crystal Basin near the Desolation Wilderness. Nine equestrian campsites and one group site.
Tells Creek Equestrian Campground - a remote location in the Crystal Basin near the Desolation Wilderness. Five campsites.
Sly Park's Black Oak Equestrian Camp - located near Jenkinson Lake, campground is operated by the El Dorado Irrigation District.
Bayview Campground - near Lake Tahoe's Emerald Bay. Horse facilities, including corrals, jumping off spot for Desolation Wilderness

Santa Clara County

Joseph D. Grant Park Equestrian camp, CA

Joseph D. Grant Equestrian Campground - 8 campsites with corrals and good amenities (shown right). Pleasant setting with some shaded sites.
Del Valle Equestrian Campgrounds - individual and group sites, corrals, basic amenities. Good place for staging rides. Gold star rating is for family campsites and the surrounding park, while equestrian campsites are only average.
Henry W. Coe State Park Horse Camps - Two horsecamps, not reviewed here. See the link to The Pine Ridge Association for detailed information about horse camps in the park.

Marin County

Samuel P. Taylor SP Campgrounds - a group camp located at Devil's Gulch in Samuel P. Taylor State Park near Point Reyes. Tents only.
Frank Valley Group Horse Camp - in Mount Tamalpais State Park sbout a mile from Muir Beach, tents only, accommodates groups up to 25 people, corrals for up to 12 horses.

Sonoma County

Liberty Glen Campground - a group equestrian site located at Lake Sonoma

Sierra County

Little Lasier Meadows Horse Camp - near Jackson Meadows Reservoir and many good riding trails, including the Pacific Crest Trail. Eleven sites.

Butte County

Loafer Creek Equestrian Camp, Lake Oroville, CA

Loafer Creek Equestrian Campground - located at Lake Oroville. One of the best equestrian camps in California. Fifteen campsites, complete facilities.

Plumas County

Horse Campground - at Little Grass Valley Reservoir, east of Lake Oroville. 10 campsites.
Snake Lake Campground - located west of Quincy at a remote lake
Last Chance Creek Campground - a group camp located a few miles north of Lake Almanor

Lassen National Park

Summit Lake Campground - a stock corral is located across the road from North Summit Lake Campground. The site has space for up to 10 people and 8 animals.
Juniper Lake Stock Corral - in Lassen National Park, north of Chester (not on the main park road). Space for up to 10 people and 8 animals.

Shasta County

Horse Camp - a primitive camp in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

Siskiyou County

Carter Meadows Campground - a nice group equestrian camp along a fork of the Salmon River. Accommodates 25 people and 25 horses, includes corrals and other good amenities. Access to the Pacific Crest Trail.
Hidden Horse Campground - located near Carter Meadows along a fork of the Salmon River. Six campsites with corrals.
Grider Creek Campground - beside Grider Creek west of Yreka. A multi-use campground with two corrals, but no potable water. Next to the Pacific Crest Trail.

Trinity County

Bridge Camp Campground - located west of Trinity Lake, some facilities for horses, close to Trinity Wilderness
Barlow Group Camp - situated a mile south of scenic Ruth Lake, includes available kitchen, connects to South Fork National Recreation Trail along the South Fork Trinity River.

Humboldt County

Cuneo Creek Horse Camp - located in Humboldt Redwoods State Park. Excellent facilities with standard campsites and group sites. One of the finest equestrian camps in California.