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Mackinaw/Big Oaks Equestrian and Trail Camp
Overview
Mackinaw/Big Oaks Equestrian and Trail Camp offers a rustic escape for those who travel with horses or explore the great outdoors on foot and bike. Located within the vast Mackinaw State Forest, this campground serves as a primary hub for northern Michigan trail enthusiasts. It provides a peaceful, primitive environment where visitors can disconnect from digital distractions and reconnect with nature. The campground is specifically designed to accommodate the unique needs of equestrian travelers while remaining open to all outdoor seekers looking for a quiet retreat.
Location & Surroundings
Situated just north of Atlanta, MI, the park is nestled in a dense canopy of hardwoods and pines. The surrounding terrain is characterized by the rolling hills of Montmorency County, providing a scenic backdrop for every campsite. This area is known for its quiet atmosphere and expansive public lands, making it feel like a true wilderness experience. The park’s position provides direct access to some of the most famous multi-use trail systems in the Lower Peninsula, ensuring that adventure is always right outside your RV door.
Amenities & Park Features
As a state forest campground, the facilities here are simple and functional. There are approximately 26 rustic sites that include fire rings and picnic tables for a classic camping experience. For horse owners, the park features essential infrastructure such as hitching rails and a mounting block to assist with daily rides. While there are no electrical or water hookups at individual sites, guests have access to vault toilets and potable water from a hand pump well. This setup is perfect for those who enjoy self-contained RVing in a natural setting.
Nearby Attractions & Things to Do
The main draw is the High Country Pathway, a 70-mile loop that offers challenging terrain for hikers and mountain bikers. The camp also connects to the Shore-to-Shore Trail, a legendary route that spans the state from Lake Huron to Lake Michigan. Beyond the trails, the nearby town of Atlanta is known as the Elk Capital of Michigan, offering unique opportunities for wildlife viewing and elk spotting. Guests can also visit nearby Clear Lake for fishing and swimming during the warmer months.
Who This Park Is Best For
This destination is ideal for RVers who prefer rustic, backcountry camping over modern luxury resorts. It is specifically tailored for equestrian campers who need space for trailers and horses, but it also suits hikers and bikers looking for a convenient trailhead base camp. If you enjoy a quiet, dark-sky environment and have a rig capable of boondocking without hookups, Mackinaw/Big Oaks provides an unparalleled gateway to the wild interior of the Michigan landscape.
Amenities
- Recreational Facilities
- Policies
- Other Amenities & Services
- Recreation Nearby (within 10 miles)
- Facility
- Hunting Nearby (within 20 miles)
- On-Site Rentals
- Sites
User Reviews
Ramona Lokamas
Lovely campground! I give it 5 stars...But with ATV's and dogs barking and howling ALL day that were left alone in equestrian sites next to us (no horses) it wasn't very relaxing for us or our horses. Especially for $20 a night.
Steve Keim
Rustic campground with 25 nice wide relatively level sites. Some of the sites are paired and pull-thru, others are back-in. Sites have a picnic table and fire ring, but do not have electric hook-ups or on-site water. Upper sites get more breeze on hot days. Most sites have 3 picket posts for highlining. One site is set up with 2 10X10 stalls. Site 18 has a trail down to Avery Lake. Lots of trees. Expect to have acorns hitting your trailer - the campground is called Big Oaks for good reason. Dogs are required to be leashed. Pay at the post. There is an additional non-camping site with a grill. There are several mounting blocks around the campground. Pit toilets are located throughout. There is a hand pump and a pump with a solar generator, so while you don't have water right at your site, you can fill your tanks there rather than haul from home. It took about 10 minutes to fill a 30 gallon tank. There is a trail along the lake to the Avery Lake Campground. There is a trail down to Avery Lake by the solar pump. Avery Lake is easy to explore with your kayak. The water is clear, so you can see fish. There are three small islands. We saw two bald eagles soaring overhead one day and enjoyed watching a loon the next day. The official marked trail system is wide and shared use with ATVs, bikes, horses, and hikers. Areas of those trails may be rocky. The State Forest is open riding. You are not allowed to follow wildlife trails on horseback. There is a system of two-tracks supporting the gas and oil wells that are open to riding. There are also some trails marked with blue ribbon by a local horse rider consisting of parts of the official trails, roads, two-tracks, and single-tracks. Ride these at your own risk as you will encounter areas where the trails are narrow, logs or branches are down on the trail, or there are low branches. We saw deer and elk while riding. These trails are mostly sandy and hilly, with some nice panoramic views of the forest. Use caution if watering your horse as some areas are mucky and you can get stuck. There is also quicksand in the area so use caution if you are not on obvious trails.
Mary La Barge
This is now my Favorite Equestrian Horse camp. Sites are very nice, good size with a fair amount of woods between them. The views are Amazing! The trails are very well marked. A Huge thank you to Heidie McDonald for all the work and personal time involved in marking really great trails. I had a wonderful time riding trails over a 3 day weekend!!
Jacqueline Mousseau
Great place to ride. Atv and motorcycle riders very considered of us horse riders.
Michelle Handrich
Good place to camping and ride
Robert LeVanseler
Great camp grounds. The DNR personal were extremely helpful when filling in the info card for the camp site, and for getting my state park pass.
Barbara Suszek
If you have a horse that has thin soles or tends to have tender feet; bring boots, some pretty stoney spots. Other than that, The place has tremendous views ! Loved it!!!
Hannah May
I have been here twice this year. In May we were the only campers at the entire campground. We chose the buddy site in the far left corner which gave our two 3horse rigs plenty of room. The sites have fire rings, manure bunker, vault toilet and a hitching post at the restroom as well as a hand pump for water. The trails are basically 2 tracks and we did run into jeeps, dune buggy and dirt bikes on the trails but everyone was respectful to us and the horses. The trail map was pretty easy to understand. In July I stayed at a single site which was easy for me to back my 19ft trailer into. Please note - there are not picket posts at every site to the right (single digit sites). Be sure to check! Thankfully my site had them. There is vault toilet on this side of the campground and a manure bunker. Most of the sites were occupied. The trails were very rocky this time and we had to ride on the shoulder/bank most of the ride. We only ran in to a couple jeeps which were very respectful.