Gibson Prairie Horse Camp – Mount Hood National Forest, Oregon – Moquistang; one little mustang who does it all.

Gibson Prairie Horse Camp – Mount Hood National Forest, Oregon

Jan 2, 2026

An underused camp in Mount Hood National Forest, Gibson Prairie offers both forested and ridgeline trails. The camp is located within two hours of Portland, Oregon and overnight camping is free. Enjoy easy forest trails or venture out onto Surveyors Ridge for a long ride packed with views.

Camp Overview

Campsites: 3 sites with 4-horse corrals, 2 unofficial sites without corrals.
Fees: Free.
Permits: None.
Popularity: Low use.
Elevation: 3,950 feet
Season: May – Early October
Cell Service: Verizon – good coverage. ATT – spotty.

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Getting There

Directions: From Government Camp, OR: Take US Hwy 26 east for 2 miles then head north on OR Highway 35 for 13.5 miles. Turn right (east) on Forest Service Road 44 (Brooks Meadow Road) and follow for 5.7 miles. Go left (north) on Forest Road 17 (Surveyors Ridge) and follow 5.6 miles to the campground.

Google Directions: Map Link
GPS Coordinates: 45.48223, -121.52367
Road Conditions: Paved, then gravel.
Gas Station: Pine Grove Pit Stop – 2385 OR-35, Hood River, OR 97031

Amenities & Camp Details

Stock Containment: Corrals or bring your own.
Stock Water: Yes, stock tank but its a walk out of camp.
Potable Water: No.
Manure Bin: Yes.
Trash/Dumpster: No – pack it out.
Bathroom: Yes – vault toilet.
Day Use Parking: No – use Gibson Prairie Trailhead.

Reserving Your Spot

Reservations: First come, first served.
Check In/Check Out: N/A

Site Specifics:

Site 1: 4-horse, back in
Site 2: 4-horse, back in
Site 3: 4-horse, back in
Site 4: Primitive site.
Site 5: Primitive site.

Nearby Trails & GPX Tracks:

OHT: Surveyors Ridge (Southbound)
OHT: Surveyors Ridge (Northbound)

Additional GPX tracks are needed! If you have ridden this area and have tracks of the Horseman’s Trails please consider sharing so that other users may safely navigate. Upload button below!

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Thank you for helping contribute to the trail catalog. Current and future riders appreciate your help!

Nearby Dispersed Camps

None known.

Backcountry Camp Options

Unknown, if you have backcountry campsite info please email adventure.equines@gmail.com

Specific Trail Map

The Horseman’s Trails unfortunately don’t show on current maps. There was an app that was available for people to download for offline use for these trails but it appears to no longer be available. If you have GPX tracks, please submit them so that are users can safely navigate these trails. Until then – here is a downloadable PDF map of the area.

Gibson Prairie – Horsemans Trails Map Download