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Reviews for Deam Lake S.R.A.
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Borden, In

Overall TRAIL RATING with 13 votes:
Overall CAMP RATING with 13 votes:
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Individual Reviews

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Deam Lake SRA in Borden Indiana is a very nice campground for trail riders. It has sites with horse stalls or sites with hitch-rails. There is plenty of riding, 6 mile loop around the lake. Dry Fork is also a good ride, riding, crossing creeks and just a really nice scenic ride. Dry Fork has had some repair work done on the trail by volunteer group with the help of DNR. "Friends of Clark/Deam Horse Trails" was created 3 years ago to help repair horse trails in Clark State Forest - Deam Lake. Two phases of Dry fork has been completed with Phase Three starting in the summer of 2018. Please visit this campground. It has a lot to offer.
Reviewed by: Ridge rider on 5/1/2018 12:50:18 AM
 Experience: Expert Ride Date: 4/27/2018 Hometown: louisville, KY

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Great stalls, helpful staff and well maintained trails. Will definitely stay here again. Only downside is limit of 2 stalls for your site. Have to pay for an extra site in order to get another stall for horse #3
Reviewed by: Robin on 11/11/2016 12:46:39 AM
 Experience: Not Specified Ride Date: 11/5/2016 Hometown: Goshen, Oh

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Some of the reviews are old and many things have changed for the better at Deam Lake SRA Horsecamp. The stalls are well marked and have not been a problem for the NH sites for the last 2 years (stall sites). It is a beautiful campground with comfort stations (shower houses) that have remodeled a couple of years ago. I have never seen them where they were not cleaned up. As far as the trails go, there is a variety. They have beginner type around the lake loop - 6 miles loop. Dry Fork area is alittle more hills, valleys and ridges a real beautiful trail. And also Mountain Grove Loop was opened up over a year ago. In 2016 late September "Friends of Deam Lake Horse Trails" on facebook, your welcome to join. This group is local clubs that has formed and has been working on the Dry Fork first creek crossing. It will be done here in few days. Please try Deam Lake horse camp out, it will be worth your time. The clubs involved with the trail work are: American Endurance Ride Conference, Daniel Boone Distance Riders, Indiana Trail Riders Association, Pekin Saddle Club and Clark County Horse Patrol.
Reviewed by: trailrider60 on 10/12/2016 8:37:48 PM
 Experience: Expert Ride Date: 10/1/2016 Hometown: Hometown, IN

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We also visited Deam Lake Horse campground for several days. I was very impressed with the campground. What a beautiful place. We had a lake site that came with 2 stalls. The barns are wonderful, no need to worry about your horses, very nice. the Trails were marked pretty good ( we had a map) we had no problem getting around at all. There were some trail closures due to loggers and also Tornado damage/repair from the March 2012 Tornados. Also there was a horse camp host that helped us pick the trails that we rode. honestly do not know why anyone would not like this horse camp. We loved it...
Reviewed by: Debbie Adams on 10/14/2013 10:09:33 PM
 Experience: Expert Ride Date: 9/4/2013 Hometown: Columbus, In

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We went to Deam Lake for the holiday weekend and were very disappointed. The people not paying for stalls were using them and when you arrived the stall was taken and it took until midnight to work it out with the rangers. The drunks were out in full force and 1 had a misbehaving stud which was causing problems. Unfortunately he was one of the drunks and was threatening to turn all the horses loose. My stall had the door latch broken so I had to tie it shut. The stalls were not clean so we had to clean them before we could put our horses in them. With the foul language from the drunks it was not a good place for small children. On top of that they were racing their TWer's up and down the roads in the camp. The shower houses were not cleaned and Monday there wasn't any hot water in the women's showers. There was a storm Saturday night but the trails all drained quickly so it was nice riding Sunday. Some of the trails that were closed were closed last year when we were there. You need to check with the rangers to find out what trails are closed or a short ride will take all day. We didn't find this last year and had a great time but not this year. Signs in the bathrooms stated they were short handed since it was nearing the end of the season. We probably won't go back. What a shame. Could be an enjoyable place with premier facilities if there was management on site.
Reviewed by: B&L on 9/3/2013 5:49:05 AM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 8/30/2013 Hometown: NKY, ky

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Was at Deam Lake over the holiday weekend. What a nice place to ride and camp. Beautiful campground. Fantastic Barns with huge nice stalls that come with a lake site. Our family had a remarkable time here. Staff was very nice and helpfull. They even had a Trail Host set up in the horse camp that was very helpful with Horse Trail maps and directions. The host even loaned us a halter when one of our broke. We will go back many times this summer as time allows.
Reviewed by: Horsesandponies on 6/11/2013 6:41:57 PM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 5/29/2013 Hometown: Smithfield, KY

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Just visited Deam Lake Horse Camp, its one of our favorite trips. But we were really shocked to see the condition of the campsites and grounds. Grass was hardly mowed, with now weed eating done. There was broken beer bottles in almost all of the firepits at the campsites, as well as lots of trash around the sites. Showers were ok, but no hot water ! There was no management people in the entrance buildings..just a sign saying go to the forest office if you needed something. So, we did go to the office for bridle tags, I also ask if we could get some hot water for showers. I inquired as to why the camp was so neglected...the lady in the office said...they got their funding late..still need to hire people. The female employee that I talked to in the office...not so friendly...informed us ..she wouldn't be there during the weekend if they weren't short staffed..oh well !!! She definitely doesn't promote the campground. We had fun, but was definitely disappointed with the conditons and attitudes at Deam lake Horse Camp. SAD !!
Reviewed by: Alberta on 5/20/2013 9:57:18 AM
 Experience: Expert Ride Date: 5/16/2013 Hometown: Union, ky

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This is our favorite place to camp and ride. The trails are clear and most are wide and have decent footing. Our favorite is to take the red trail to the road and from there to the orange along the ridge and then back to camp. (We haven't done the dry ridge loop). The camp is great with paved roads and good pads. We've never seen a state park with stalls like they have here --- Brand new large stalls (bring your own bedding). We come here about 3x a year and feel it is worth the 5 hour drive.
Reviewed by: Paula on 10/15/2012 6:13:55 PM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 10/13/2012 Hometown: , OH

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travelled to Deam Lake in October for 5 days. the campground here at Deam Lake is well thought out. There are many horse campsites - you can either get one with ties or one with 2 stalls. The stalls are huge, well constructed, and most importantly CLEAN!! there are comfort stations throughout the camp - hot water showers are a plus. The showers have timed valves but just require frequent pushes to keep the hot water flowing. The trails are wide and course along the tops of the ridges around the lake and into the surrounding forest. They are well graded, have some steep and challenging areas, and hook into the Clark State Forest north of here. I highly recommend this well kept secret!!!
Reviewed by: RachelV on 10/9/2012 3:20:14 PM
More reviews by RachelV 		Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 10/6/2012 Hometown: Chardon, OH

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The campground is great for the facility but the people working there, not so good. It may become better now that Walt retired over the summer, what a jerk of a guy. Our family group of 2 yrs to 81 yrs old and the manager of the place is a jerk. We have no drinking, loud music etc. Why doesn't Deam Lake allow wagons? Brown County State Park does! That makes our group even bigger. We are courteous on the trails, bring back MORE than we take in picking up after others. A couple years ago, Walt said you can't bring those wagons back here, OBTW, could you bring them for an open house and give rides? Yeah Walt sure. Good trails here, not too rough though, easy for horse rides and wagons if they allowed it. Brown County, thanks,we love your place too, with our wagons!
Reviewed by: GJS on 11/2/2011 11:42:34 AM
 Experience: Expert Ride Date: 8/1/2011 Hometown: Lexington Area, KY

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Went for a day ride. The trails were great. More than half the trails we rode had a good gravel base, so they were good footing even though it was raining. Lots of the trials are really good for gaiting. Rode through the campground and it looked like a nice place to stay. Ample space between campsites and plenty of trees for shade. Looking forward to coming back for a weekend trip.
Reviewed by: John on 9/26/2011 6:04:34 AM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 9/24/2011 Hometown: Harrodsburg, KY

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First time at Deam Lake this place was gorgeous! The trails were nice and wide not rough at all great for kids and green horses. Barns were very nice large and safe stalls. Campground was very shady bathouses were clean and modern could not ask for any better. Several playgrounds and pavilions and the beach was great after a long hot day of riding.
Reviewed by: Mandy Miller on 7/11/2011 12:10:55 PM
 Experience: Expert Ride Date: 7/8/2011 Hometown: Elizabethtown, KY

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Beautiful campground, nice parking pads and hitching rails on each site, or on the other NH sites the horses stay close by in the nice new barns. Shower house was acceptable, not the best nor the worst I've seen. Water near most sites, electric hook ups on every site. Beautiful view of the lake from much of the campground. Some sites are shaded, others are in the sun. Nice variety of trails, from the easy wide gravel loop through the forest around the lake, to the Dry Fork Loop along a ridgeline and through a challenging steep valley, and more. The gravel trail around the lake holds up well during the wet season, other trails may get muddy.
Reviewed by: KN on 6/26/2011 5:54:53 AM
More reviews by KN 		Experience: Expert Ride Date: 5/15/2011 Hometown: Louisville, KY

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Deam Lake Horse Campground has gotten better each year. The trail surface that has been used for the leads out of the horse camp is lime stone and can be ridden in any kind of weather. There are over 100 sites for the horsemen and around 70 plus miles of horse trails. There is electric and hitch rails for all "horse sites". The comfort stations are being renovated and look fantastic with marble walls and nicer sinks and showers. Some construction of Comfort Stations will continue into 2011. Also new for 2011 there are 6 new cabins that can be rented by the Lake NH (Non-horse), these sites around the lake are really pretty. There are 7 horse barns with stalls that horses must go in to rent a lake site or cabin, no horses allowed on the lake sites. At this time the cabins have no electric and are not ready to rent for the 2011 season, but, will be soon. There are easy trails, medium and rougher trails. A variety of 2 - 4 - 6 - and 8 hrs of riding can be easily planned. Lots of beautiful scenic riding. Trails are marked very good with a colored diamond painted on trees that is marked on the trail map. There is a day riding area for folks that can only ride for the day. This is a very nice horse campground.
Reviewed by: bferguson on 1/22/2011 9:55:23 PM
 Experience: Expert Ride Date: 1/10/2011 Hometown: salem, IN