Best Equestrian Camping near Tierra Verde, FL

What an amazing State Park - they have multiple camping options. Equestrian, Car/RV camping and there is a back country site on a 7 mile loop trail that runs part of the way along the river.

The Car/RV camping spots are roomy, somewhat private. bathrooms are clean, almost always have camp hosts available.

Access to the back country loop trail and camping is just down the road. Reservations are required and you check in at main gate. camp is about 4 miles in on trail if hiking counter clockwise. There is a space for fire and picnic table at site. This is a nice place for beginner backpackers to try out. Sadly just through the tree line is a golf course and housing community. Note: resident raccoon is very large - you must hang your secure food and trash! You can see lights through the trees at night and hear the lawn equipment in the mornings. This can be comforting to first timers though. The hike along the river is just beautiful.

Equestrian camping group camping area offers 4 sites has stalls and other amenities for horse camping. fire pits and picnic tables. There are 12 miles of trails in the state park

There is also a primitive group camping site for scouts and other similar organizations.

There are many ranger and local outfitter activities and seasonally there are offered full moon horseback and kayak trips that allow you to see the area in a "different light"

Fishing is available also on the river, The "lake" is man made and has little to offer for those wanting a catch.

Make sure you book your reservation early as this park fills up fast!

The Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve is one of the largest contiguous recreation areas in Hillsborough County.

There are lots of different parks and areas all contained within the Preserve with all park sites managed by the Hillsborough County Conservation and Environmental Lands Management Department.

You can only camp within 2 of these areas, the Oak Ridge Equestrian Area and at Dead River Park.

Other parks and trails are located at the Wilderness Park Off Road Loop Trail System, Flatwoods Park, and the Jefferson Equestrian Area. The Morris Bridge Park, Trout Creek Park, and John B. Sargeant Park, offer day use areas and boat/canoe launch ramps.

The multiple purposes of the LHWP are easily overlooked while enjoying the natural beauty of this suburban woodland. Here one can paddle waters of the Hillsborough River amongst wading birds, turtles, alligators, lilies and cypress swamps; explore over 60 miles of forest trails; fish from riverside boardwalks; or enjoy a relaxing picnic or cookout.

Adjoining the Wilderness Preserve is the 3,000-acre Hillsborough River State Park, which in itself is an area of beauty and tranquility known as the Seventeen Runs of the Hillsborough River. This park also has wonderful camping.

Camping

Dead River Park

· Camping fee.

· Campsite available to youth groups by reservation only. Minimum of 6 and maximum of 30 campers allowed. Groups must have their own insurance.

· A 0.25-mile hiking trail for use by campers located adjacent to campground.

· Bathhouse and picnic facilities provided.

The Oak Ridge Equestrian Area has 2 different campgrounds.

The Oak Ridge Primitive Campgrounds and the Washburn Primitive Campground

· Camping free.

· Campsite available by reservation only and is required and must be displayed or available at campground

· Over 16-miles of equestrian/hiking trail for use by campers located throughout the campground.

· Sites have picnic tables, fire rings and/or grills and there are ADA portapotty and non-potable water available.

· The Oak Ridge Campground also has a pavilion

This campground is part of the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve within the Oak Ridge Equestrian Area. You’re a little closer to the road (about ¼ to ½ miles away) than if you stay at the Oak Ridge Campgrounds about 2.5 miles north on SR 597 “Morris Bridge Road”. Although this isn’t a terribly busy road so you shouldn’t hear too much traffic sounds, especially at night. You do need to get a freepermit to camp from the South West Water Management District here. The campground here is also huge as you can use it either as a primitive site or an equestrian site. Although it's nice and open you have a ton of tree coverage. Within the campgrounds themselves you do get a nice mixture of oak and pine tree coverage, so if you want to hang anything from the trees you’ll have plenty of options.

This campground is also a lot harder to find as there is no signage from the road and Google Maps is currently trying to take you to the main entrance which is where the sister Campground “Oak Ridge” and main entrance to the equestrian area is located. The GPS location for the entrance is: 28.1189, -82.2975 or the address is 14501 Morris Bridge Road Thonotosassa, FL 33592. I also have a photo of the street number sign you can see from the road. It’s basically right across the road from the Flatwoods Wilderness Park. I was all alone, and if you camp in the summer you probably will be to as it gets hot, really hot and humid. You need to make sure and bring lots of cold water to drink, because the pump isn’t portable and I doubt you’ll be feeling great after boiling it off. You can also filter it, which isn’t as bad as the water is relatively cool.

Facilities include:

Picnic tables, fire rings, a non-potable water well, and a clean (actually smelled clean) ADA portapot. No trash cans or drinking water.

Over 18 miles of Equestrian/Hiking trails

Very nice facilities. Miles of horseback trails to ride. Very nice horse stalls to put horses in overnight. Perfect place for equine vacation!

Great place to take horses camping

Really enjoyed our stay here, good size lot, #10, with electric, water, picnic table and fire ring. Clean dump station. Natural trees providing privacy between lots. A lot of walking trails for people and horses. A surprise was the amphitheater. Washers and dryers are located outside the bathrooms. Friendly hosts and other campers. Would came again.

This has been our first park Campground and couldn’t ask for a better one to start with. We arrived an hour sooner then the check in time and it was already available so no need to wait. The fire ring was clean as well as the RV spot. Rangers were very helpful getting us around and renting the canoes. Very private and spacious spot for Big Rigs as well as the medium size.. The equestrian rentals were very nice also. The bathrooms and showers are under construction and are located at spots from 1 thru 4 so if wanting more privacy 6 and up are for me much better. Our spot was 10 and we loved the privacy of the nature between every campsite along those areas for bigger rigs. The River is really nice for canoeing as well as for fishing and nature views. Hopefully we find again a spot to come again this year. Clean, well organized and well kept facilities and staff

Small state park, with really large sites and great facilities. The only thing missing are sewer hookups. Widely known in Florida for the mountain bike trails. Not much else to do in the area, but very nice space to chill out. The night sky is far enough away that you can really take in the stars. We have stayed at most of the state parks in Florida. We liked this one a lot.

For Florida this is a great campsite especially for me because it's so close overall a great place for any activity

This is kind of our go to Florida State Park as we live very close and really enjoy the hiking, biking and paddling the river and lake. We typically book last minute as“In-Season” campsites are often difficult to find. In addition, the lower campground is sometimes flooded out or closed for repairs putting even more pressure on the two campgrounds closer to the main park entrance which is further from the lake and general store. 

I may have reviewed this park before but always find different things to share. Their are three main campgrounds:

(1) Old Prairie where we usually stay. This is an older campground with a more rustic, state park vibe. Maybe 20 sites typically hosting smaller trailers, vans and tents etc.

(2) Palmetto Ridge is more more or less across from Old Prairie with a more open and modern looking vibe and where you will see more of your typical RV crowd of Big Rigs and larger trailers

(3) Big Flats is about 3 miles down the road from the entrance close to Lake Myakka where the tour boat, boat ramp, general store etc is found. We have never stayed here as it has been closed for repairs, maintenance and flooding on numerous occasions. Perhaps something to consider if you are booking way in advance. 

The reason Myakka is so popular to Florida visitors is it has outstanding beauty, a real Jurassic Park feel but is very near Sarasota with all the beaches, museums, restaurants and activities literally less than 1/2 hour away. Lots of people vacationing Florida on the cheap like to set up home here“in-season” and jump from site to site and stay as long as they can. Summers are much easier to find a site. 

We are lucky to live so close. We are here more in the summer and swing seasons. This park makes an excellent 2 or 3 day adventure or a great Basecamp for your Florida vacation. You won’t be disappointed. 

NOTE: Some of the public facilities have been closed due to COVID including the “Canopy Walk” which is very cool so you may want to check if that sort of thing interests you.

It is always interesting to me how all the Florida State Parks are a little different as the park manager seems to have some autonomy. Certain parks have public facilities closed like the Canopy Walk here at Myakka but another Florida State Park might have their observation tower open even though the structures are similar. Go figure.

You must reserve a site with Southwest Florida Water Management by website. It is sometimes closed to hunting. There are lakes and multiple varieties of terrain.

Big campground in a beautiful park that really shows you natural Florida. Not enough privacy on each campsite, personally, but still nice. The hiking trails & the boardwalk are awesome, love the long views over the prairie and canopy.

I’m pretty sure this was the first campground I ever went to as a kid, and then every spring break following. Only recently stopped going with my family. As far as Florida camping goes though, this is probably my favorite.

Unfortunately, I went as a little kid so I don't have any amazing pictures to share. But I have FOND memories of this experience, and I couldn't get over the canopy walkway. This place is unlike any other, and teeming with interesting, diverse wildlife. If you're in Florida, you have to make your way out here.

Perhaps the most ecologically diverse state park in Florida, Myakka River State Park has lots of nature viewing opportunities. Located just east of Sarasota you’ll find lots to do without having to leave the park. However, because of the age and condition of the campsites, for an exceptional camping experience, you'll want to choose your campsie carefully.

There are 3 separate and distinct campgrounds at Myakka River State Park. Depending on whether your tent camping or have an RV, you really want to pay attention here. Old Prairie Campground(sites 27– 48) and Big Flats Campground(sites 1– 26) are the oldest. These sites were not necessarily built for large RV’s although you can get into some of them with an RV up to 30 feet. Palmetto Ridge Campground(sites 49– 90) is the newest and will accommodate RV’s of any size and has sewer hookups. The other 2 campgrounds do not. 

We can’t imagine going to another Florida State Park and seeing more of nature than we did here. While riding our bikes along Park and North Drive, and taking a drive early one morning to the Outpost to get some cell service, it was a Florida safari! I’ve never seen so many alligators in the wild. From babies to big daddies, they lined the river and the edge of the lake. We saw black vultures by the dozens, turkey vultures, turkeys, and deer. There was a family of raccoons that visited each night to see what we might have left out for them. They had no luck. And the variety of birds in and around the lake was amazing. There were several that we hadn’t seen before.

To read our complete review visit https://lifestyleover50.com/myakka-river-state-park-campground-review/

The biggest draw with this place is the price - it's pretty cheap for a Florida State park. But it's basically a large field with a small lake in the middle, and campsites scattered around it. No hiking or activities or anything. That said, it was well kept and made for a fine overnight stop for us on our way to Tampa.

If you want to see 'Old Florida', you can't get much better than this - we spent the weekend kayaking along the myakka river and saw more wildlife than we could of imagined. Campgrounds are quiet with lush overgrowth between sites, clean restrooms and plenty to see and do within the park.

Only callout is the need to be mindful making reservations and staying at the park during the rainy season as some roads are awash and difficult to drive.

We arrived at the gate! After hearing of the wilderness preserve we decided to go ahead and get the permit. You drive about a mile down the road from the main state park entrance to find the wilderness preserve entrance which is code protected. After driving back to the parking area, we realized we had the 600 acres to ourselves. We then hiked to the deep hole. There we saw tons of alligators birds and wildlife! A great piece of raw Florida!