Horse Trail Riding in Nearby States

Iowa

Brushy Creek State Rec Area near Lehigh, Iowa:  Equestrians can enjoy the most modern camp facilities in the Midwest.  Showers, restrooms & electrical hookups!  Hitching rails are at every site & horses are required to be tied to the rails.  There is at least 35 mile of trail.  Note:  if there is rain, the trails are closed.  Check the weather forecast & call before you haul!  Located near Lehigh, IA.  515.543.9298

Elk Rock State Park of Knoxville, IA is located on Lake Red Rock.  Boasts approximately 13 miles of wide, flat trails, and said to be enjoyed by the novice trail rider.  There are 60 equestrian campsites, 1/3 have electricity.  Modern showers, picnic tables & firerings.  There is a riding arena also available.  Call 641.842.6008.

FarmResort website states "the resort offers outdoor recreation including the best trail riding in Iowa."   Contact information:  712-684-2964, 1390 Hwy 141, Coon Rapids, IA 50058, email gresort@pionet.net

Lake of Three Fires, Bedford, IA.  Plan on going to Lake of Three Fires just northeast of Bedford, Iowa (approx. 105 miles from Council Bluffs, IA). The Lake offers approximately 8 miles of wide, well maintained, tree shaded horse trails. There is overnight camping with approximately 8 electrical site hookups, outhouses, running water, hitching posts and a few small holding corrals. Terrain is flat and suited for the beginner rider. There was one small creek crossing which was real fun!!!  This was definitely worth the drive. Contributed by Brenda T.

Shimek State Forest of Farmington, IA.  The horse camp is located in the Lick Creek unit & has about 35 non-modern campsites.  There are hitching posts, primitive bathrooms, fire rings & picnic tables.  Approximately 25 miles of trail.  Call 319.878.3811

Stephens State Forest of Lucas, IA in South Central Iowa.  Riding in both the Lucas Unit & Whitebreast Unit will give riders approximately 30 miles of trail.  Whitebreast has more challenging terrain.  Camping is located in both unites.  Hitching rails, drinking water & shady campsites, as well as primitive rest room facilities.  Call 641.774.5632

Volga River State Recreation Area near Fayette, Iowa:  Located in one of the most scenic parts of the state, Volga River hosts 14 equestrian campsites in the Albany (primitive) campsite.  Vault toilets.  Bring your own water.  (River is close by for watering your horse).  Approximately 23 miles of multi-use trail.  Ph. 563.425.4161

Wabash Trace is a twenty mile round trip from Council Bluffs to Mineola.  Portion of it is equestrian.  Visit website for details. 

Waubonsie State Park, Hamburg, IA is located in the SW corner of Iowa, just across the Missouri River.  There are approximately 8 miles of horse trails; many in shaded area.  Makes for a nice ride in the warmer months.  Over 30 primitive campsites with water available and outhouses.  Very nice horse stalls are available.  The equestrian camp is 1/4 miles east of Hwy 2 & 239.  Waubonsie is just northeast of Indian Cave State Park .  Consider visiting both parks for a nice mini vacation!  Call Waubonsie at 712.382.2786

West Oak Forest, near Omaha/Council Bluffs -- Head east on 370, over the Bellevue toll bridge (it's $2.50 for truck/trailer~4 axles?), go over I-29, once over I-29 you carry on probably less than a half mile.  Turn at the first right after the railroad tracks - I don't know the name of the road, then its about another 2 - 5 miles (there are brown state park signs posted on the right side of the road).  The entrance is on the left though, and its gravel and steep. Submitted by Sharon S.  (Editors Note:I have been told this is a "mini-Waubonsie, but haven't had the opportunity to try it.)

Yellow River State Forest near Waukon, IA:  Enjoy the wildlife in this forest of native timber, limestone bluffs & streams.  The horse camp is primitive with 40 sites, including hitching rails, pit toilets & picnic tables.  Potable water available at headquarters.  There are 20 miles of scenic trail for all levels of riders.  Most trails are old logging roads & fire lanes.  For information, call park manager at 563.586.2548.

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Kansas

Hillsdale State Park: Contributed by Jody:  There is a great park in Kansas that should be listed...It is Hillsdale State Park, near Paola, KS. There is over 30 miles of trails. You can camp primitive or get a site with water and electric. Some sites have pens, some have tie poles. If you want, you can put up your own pens. The trails are beautiful and well marked. Some of the trails are rocky, and I would recommend shoes. There is a swimming beach and restrooms. The park is beautiful and well kept. http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/news/state_parks/locations/hillsdale

Missouri

Golden Hills Trail Rides & Resort, Raymondville, MO is located in the beautiful Ozark Mountains of south-central Missouri. The picturesque ranch is formerly a very large cattle ranch with spring fed streams, forest, massive bluffs, large caves, some so large that you can ride your horse into them. Over 200 miles of privately owned trails -- ride with a group or alone!  The Golden Family provides awesome meals and great family entertainment.  Special events include well known clinicians, cattle drives & team penning!  This is not a party atmosphere -- very quiet and relaxing!  Full electrical hookups, covered horse stalls & even a swimming pool.  We visited in the fall & it was paradise!

Honey Creek Conservation Area, is a 1,148-acre chunk of forested hillsides and open fields next to the Nodaway River. Its 11-mile trail system wanders throughout the landscape on hard-packed double-track roads and ATV-width paths, with a couple of short sections on gravel roads. With its wide trails and mostly easy grades, Honey Creek is perfect for beginners. Only a few short, steep grades dot this network as it winds over and through forested hillsides and wildlife food plots on hilltop and bottomland fields. All intersections are marked with Carsonite posts with horse, hikers, and biker symbols.

Honey Creek is one of the more exceptionally well-maintained parks. Located about 20 miles north of St. Joseph MO. just off interstate I 29. From the Fillmore exit (exit 65) turn south on black top for 1/16 of a mile, take a right on to a dirt rd for 9/16 of a mile to entrance.  Because of the park's location and its equine camping facilities it is an ideal over night stop for any one in transit. No corrals, only solid tie posts. Primitive camping... no electricity, but there is an outhouse on site.

Trail condition: There are more then enough trails to keep even the most serous rider entertained. Trail condition over all are excellent. There are a few short patches up hilly grade, that tend to be rocky, but nothing the average unshod horse can't handle.  I do not recommend riding after a hard rain. The adjective "slippery" doesn't even begin to describe the footing.  Noteworthy: Horseback riding is not allowed during the spring turkey season or during the time frame of October 15 -- January?, (deer season).

There are numerous ponds and creeks along the trails that are easily accessible which can provide drinking water for your horse. You will need to bring water for you and your horse for use in camp and for human consumption out on the trail. Within a mile or so there is a really nice truck stop/ deli / convenience store /antique mall, where you can stock up on goodies just before heading to the campground. It is located at the top of the Fillmore exit (exit 65) where you turn off I29 to Honey Creek campground.

Contact info:
Missouri Department of Conservation, 2901 W. Truman Blvd., Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180, 573/751-4115, ext. 3190.

New Liberty Horse Camp in Winona, Missouri, is next to the Mark Twain National Forest which has approximately 100 miles of horse trails! We have RV hook-ups, water, hot showers, box stalls, and paddocks. Come explore beautiful Missouri on your horse! Nancy & Beau (573) 325-1292 Visit http://www.newlibertyhorsecamp.us/ e-mail DevonfarmWinona@aol.com.

South Dakota

Freibergs Timber Valley Ranch in Cheyenne River Breaks is located on 4,700 acre scenic and historic cattle ranch in cattle country in western South Dakota. The ranch is in a beautiful valley with spring fed stream and timber, wild turkeys and a variety of wildlife. You could spend several days riding around the ranch on the creeks. draws , flats and Cheyenne River breaks in this remote area looking at the beautiful scenery. We are 12 miles west of the Cheyenne River Reservation and 15 miles to the small Indian Village of Bridger on the reservation which you can ride too from the ranch.  A small campground, with only five sites for camping trailers, with a total of nineteen people. Each site includes water & electricity. Tents and tepees for camping sites are available as well as rooms in the old ranch house.  The campground is located 72 miles east of Sturgis, SD on SD State Highway 34 or 106 miles west of Pierre, SD Hwy. 34 to Plainview corner & then 14 miles South on Plainview County Road.  (605) 343-5767 or email louie@louienet.com

French Creek Horse Camp, located in beautiful Custer State Park offers many miles of trails through the Black Hills.  The wildlife you see on these trails is awesome!  The trails are very rocky.  We had our horses shod, but if I were to do it again, I would use pads on the fronts, too.  That is just my opinion.  Our horses are "flatlanders", so it was hard on them!  Buffalo can be scary and know the dangers before you ride out.  The campsites are primitive and each campsite if afforded one pipe corral.  We had 3 horses and they were very crowded.  There is no water for the horses, so you must bucket it up from the stream or take the horses to the water.  There is a nice bathhouse with hot showers.  You will need to make reservations many months in advance.  There is only a limited number of first come/first serve campsites. 

Lewis & Clark Recreation Area, near Yankton, SD, offers Gavins Point Trail Area and Horse Trail Camp.  A sunny swimming beach awaits you at this area. Hiking trails, a rustic horse camp and riding trails are available for those who wish to explore the undeveloped portions of the park. There are 8 equestrian campsites; approximately 4 miles of trail.  SD State Parks,523 E. Capitol Ave.,Pierre, SD 57501, Ph: (605) 773-3391.  Online reservations are available at www.campsd.com

Newton Hills near Canton, SD offers 10 campsites with electricity and a pipe corral. You have to make reservations ahead of time.   The trails are excellent. Well maintained. We had rain 2 nights but still could ride the trails.  Lots of trees, deer and turkeys. Maybe 6 miles of trails. Good place for a week-end. The only bad thing was the corrals were very muddy. Some people hobbled their horses and let them roam the grassy hills around us. We tied to the outside of the corral to give them relief. I questioned about making my own pen but got conflicting answers. So I did any way. From Springfield it was 190 miles of interstate. Very easy drive. 5 miles from Canton if you need any supplies. Contributed by Sharon P.

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