The Dyrt can help you find the perfect horse camping site near Lake Helen. Equestrian camping is the best way to experience nature. These scenic and easy-to-reach Florida campsites are perfect for your horse camping excursion.
Wekiwa Springs Camping offers slopes of gently rolling hills supporting longleaf pine among other specialty plants is the Sandhill habitat where the 60 spacious campsites are located. Each wooded site has water and electrical hook-up, a fire ring with grill and a picnic table. Some sites also have sewer hook-ups and a dump station is located at the campground. Accessible camp sites can be requested at the time of reservation. Two accessible restrooms with showers are located in the camping area. Firewood is available at the ranger station. Well behaved pets are allowed in the campground in accordance with our Pet Policy.
$24 / night
Fort wilderness camping features 4 types of campsites accommodate everything from tents to 45-foot and longer RVs, with a maximum of 10 Guests per site. Each campsite is equipped with privacy-enhancing landscaping, water, cable television and electrical hook-ups, a picnic table and a charcoal grill. Most campsites also include a sewer hook-up, and some even permit pets.
$56 - $201 / night
A
$24 - $120 / night
Bulow RV Resort is the perfect location for those who appreciate an unspoiled Florida environment. Nestled on the banks of Bulow Creek, many of our guests enjoy boating, fishing, hiking and cycling. With direct access to Bulow Creek or a short drive to the Intracoastal Waterway, Bulow RV Resort is a water lover's paradise. Staying at an Encore Flagler Beach-Palm Coast RV resort gives you incredible access to a number of outdoor recreational activities in Flagler Beach, Daytona Beach and St. Augustine - including six golf courses nearby. Closer to home, Bulow RV Resort guests enjoy a small-town feeling in our community, complete with an on-site shop, bar and activities center. You'll feel right at home among your friendly neighbors. A water lover's paradise at a Flagler Beach, Palm Coast RV resort Whether you're planning a retreat for the whole family, a group of friends or a getaway for two, there's no shortage of unique activities to explore at Bulow RV Resort. Plan activities upon arrival or visit this page before your departure to plan ahead. Looking for more? Our friendly staff can fill you in on all of the great ways to make your stay a memorable experience.
Bill Frederick Park covers 183 acres of land alongside Turkey Lake, one of the top-five rated fishing lakes in the state of Florida.
The park is designed for nature lovers and provides families, organizations and community groups with several recreational activities and scenic views. Minutes away from some of Orlando’s largest attractions, Bill Frederick Park also serves as the perfect alternative to hotel lodging.
The city has now installed power to the pavilion at the Drone Zone! The upgraded amenity now includes a shelf and multiple outlets allowing participants to charge their battery packs without leaving the site.
$20 - $100 / night
Reservations for camping will be accepted at the park no more than 45 days prior to your stay.
About this property
The Lake George Conservation Area protects more than half of the eastern shore of Lake George and its associated watershed that flows into the lake. Adjacent to property purchased in partnership with Volusia County, the conservation area also protects a wildlife corridor of more than 20 miles along Lake George and the St. Johns River.
The property is primarily composed of mixed hardwood swamp and pine flatwoods and is included in the wildlife management area managed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, enhancing wetlands and upland habitats.
One of the special highlights of this property is its high concentration of eagles’ nests. When it was purchased, this area boasted the highest concentration of bald eagles outside of Alaska. Eagles made their nests primarily in large old pine trees that resided as single trees in the wetlands throughout the property. They are now nesting in trees that were planted outside the wetlands. Access
From U.S. 17, turn west on Georgetown-Denver Road (west of Crescent City); from Seville, turn west on County Road 305 (Lake George Road); north of Pierson, turn west on Nine Mile Road. Wildlife viewing
Please respect Florida’s wildlife and use caution while visiting district lands. These are wild animals. For your safety, do not approach or feed any wild animal. Species found here include Florida black bear, Sherman’s fox squirrel and southern bald eagle (one of the region’s largest concentrations). Other species include the American alligator, gopher tortoise, bobcat, hawk, heron, otter, owl, osprey and white-tailed deer. Recreational activities
Seasonal hunting, fishing, hiking, bicycling, horseback riding, primitive camping at designated sites and wildlife viewing.
Boating opportunities are available on Lake George.
Tent Camping Only (No RV's). Tent Camping is allowed at designated campsites in the Princess Place Preserve.
Princess Place Preserve, with its rich history and 1500 pristine acres, attracts nature enthusiasts from near and far. It provides a glimpse of old Florida. Visitors can take in its splendor while on one of the many hiking trails, fishing the salt marshes along the Matanzas River and Pellicer Creek, or camping out under the stars. The preserve is a popular spot for horse enthusiasts, with an equestrian campsite and plenty of trails that make it is easy to embrace nature while enjoying a ride.
This beautiful 1,500-acre preserve is situated in the northern part of Flagler County. It was purchased by Henry Cutting in 1886 and passed on to his widow Angela Mills Cutting Worden, who eventually married Boris Scherbatoff, an exiled Russian prince. Angela assumed the title of princess and it was then that the once named "Cherokee Grove" came to be known as "Princess Place." The original lodge, built by Henry Cutting, stills stands as Flagler County's oldest intact structure. It is also home to Florida's very first in-ground swimming pool.
Hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Sunday. There are Lodge tours Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. on a first come first serve basis. There is no reservations for the tours, simply meet the Rangers at the Lodge at 2pm. Camping check-in is from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Ranger Station. For more information about camping or pavilion rentals, call Parks and Recreation at 386-313-4020.
$20 / night
This 1,137-acre site is located at the north end of Lake Yale. The major feature is a 600-acre shallow marsh. Approximately 61% of the property is comprised of forested and herbaceous wetlands (692.2 acres) with the remaining 39% consisting of uplands (444.5 acres). The upland community types found on the Preserve include unimproved pasture, shrub/brushland, mesic hammocks, xeric hammocks and pine flatwoods. Wildlife include sandhill cranes, gopher tortoises, pocket gophers, ring-neck ducks, foxes and scrub jays.
Hiking, biking or horseback riding on the Sawgrass Island Preserve allows the visitor an opportunity to experience a natural area far away from the urbanized environment. There are two primitive camping sites located on the Hammock Trial. They consist of a fire ring, picnic table and a post to hang your lantern. There is no water source, so water must be carried in. Camping is available by permit only.
Legend
Can’t beat the convenience & amenities of the Disney parks are on your itinerary. Super cost effective and direct access to magic kingdom and easy access to all the others. Sites were big, clear and clean. Amenities were wonderful. I’d stay here even if we didn’t do a Disney park. There are so many sites and yes there are people around but there’s serious vegetation between all the sites that you have plenty of privacy. Constant ground crews, sanitation work and transportation options. Pools, restaurants, shops and fun activities going on all the time. We loved it.
Traveler
clean, naturally and quiet
no wlan and good mobil connection
restrooms and laundry are o.k.
rangers are super and nice
playground and a small beach to put your feet into water.
Scout
I asked my parents to book this RV site because it has a pool and WiFi. First things first, you have to pay for WiFi. I spent $15 on WiFi for ONE DAY for 7 people because if you make only one account it allows only 3 devices to sign it with it. Doesn’t mention anything about that on their website or on here. The plants here and the views are really pretty. The pool was okay, and the one day and night we stayed there we met some friendly people who were staying there as well. The next morning, (40 minutes before checkout time) they were already calling my mom and asking us when we were leaving. Are you serious? Put an earlier check-out time on your business if you want people to leave earlier. It sucks because I recommended this site to my parents, and they treated my mom very crummy. We won’t be back here again.
ScoutSo much to do you don't even need to go to the theme parks if you don't want to. A little pricey but worth it in my opinion https://youtu.be/3qPP3GaZ_UU
TravelerHad a 2 night tent camp stay here during January. Great option for family reunions, we had my girlfriend’s 30th here, and with our rented golf cart, had no problems escorting our guests to our campsite to enjoy a camp cookout with us at our campsite. Was definitely an authentic Disney experience, with a never ending list of activities with plenty to keep kids and kids at heart busy, which we didn’t partake in since we were enjoying our campsite.
Legend
We have a 36 ft Class A with a Cherokee Trailhawk tow and stayed in site 10 for 3 days in late April. The CG is very clean, well maintained. Most of the sites are fairly well spaced, particularly for a private CG. The CG host is very friendly and helpful. The property is expansive. The CG roads are paved and the pads are concrete.
AT&T coverage was ok, with 5 bars of 5G+ service and speeds up to 5 MB/s. Parts of the CG have a few trees, particularly near the entrance where ours was, but most sites deeper in the CG are open. We did have line-of-site to the DISH satellites and did have a clear view north, so Starlink was awesome, with speeds up to 53 MB/s.
Traveler
This is an excellent place to pitch a tent and spend time in nature without traveling far. Great hiking trails and the Pelicer Creek is available for fishing. Bring a kayak.
The camp sites are huge. The tent sites are elevated which should help keep the soil dryer in case of rain.
Keep in mind that there is no water available at the camping sites or the entire park for that matter. Potable or non potable so you have to bring in all drinking water and water for washing dishes if you plan on doing some cleanup. Also, there are bathrooms but they’re pretty far. The campsites do have nearby porta potties.
GuideI simply can't say enough about Ft. Wilderness. It will always be a part of the magic of our Disney family vacations.
GuidePerhaps the nicest park we've stayed at. We arrived after dark in the midst of a torrential 3-inch downpour, but the next morning there was no mud or standing water. Amazing! Shower facilities are recently remodeled and impeccable, with new wall tiles and epoxy floors throughout. Laundry machines take coin or credit card. They have plastic bag dispensers for dog cleanup. Such features make Lake Louisa particularly suitable for an extended stay. All the RV lots in our loop were L-shaped pads with an extension for the picnic table. Sites are spacious and open. Nice mix of back-in and pull-through sites. Lots of paved roads outside the campsite loops for biking.
GuideI really don't why people like it other than, "it's a campground on Disney property where I can get some perks of being at a Disney Resort." They seem to put minimal effort into it. The bath houses were clean-ish, one of the two toilets didn't work. I logged a work order and it wasn't fixed by the time we left. Generally the resort feels like Disney's heart isn't in it and they just want to do the bare minimum to keep it operating.
RangerSuch a beautiful and clean campground. Our "Premium Meadows" site was huge, directly across the street from the trading post and pool, and backed up to a trail. Classy neighbors and very quiet. Amazing value to be in the middle of Disney for $130/night. A short golf cart ride to the Magic Kingdom ferry, and a similarly short ride to the buses to other parks. Definitely recommend the golf cart rental- so much easier and more fun than waiting for buses. The Hoop Dee Doo was awesome- a ton of food and pretty funny. Both pools were super clean and not crowded- open late too which was fun. This campground is so nicely wooded and full of paths. We can't wait to return.
LegendIf you're like me and think that the most perfect campsite is the one that sits on the water's edge that provides both a simply amazing waterfront view as well as EZ access into the waters that you are just digging to try your kayak and canoe on, then welcome to what is, quite possibly, one of the best waterfront campground destinations in the whole of Florida (and given all of the access to both salt and fresh water access here in the Sunshine State, that's saying something!). Trust me, every once in a while, along comes a very special campground that upon reflection, one thinks that maybe they should just keep this little secret for myself. But then what good are secrets if they aren’t (eventually) shared, me thinks?
Well, here’s one helluva campground find that comes with pristine natural surroundings and, depending upon what type of camping you are looking for, Princess Preserve offers up just about every outdoor possibility that one could conjure up and wish for. As far as Princess Preserve itself is concerned, there are more than 1,500 square acres to explore that will offer the best of sea and land. When it comes to frackish (combo of salt and fresh H20) water, you’ll have the trifecta of salt marshes from the Matanzas River, slow-moving currents of the Moody Creek and abundant fishing of the Pellicer Creek to contend with – all three of which make for perfect kayak, canoe and paddle board exploration (just be on the watch for gators!). Back on land, there’s plenty of hiking trails that provide a bevy of well-cleared fully-functioning foot paths, while on the other hand, you will discover trails that are in dire need of some decent pruning. And if you come with your noble steeds, you'll find simply sublime trails to 'giddy up' on.
The name Princess Preserve comes from the widow Angela Cutting who remarried a Russian prince and assumed the title of princess (although there was no coronation). The entire park is managed by the very good folks from Flagler County Parks & Recreation, who enlist some great support from locals in the community who work together in passionate way to keep this beautiful natural gem in pristine condition. To begin with, Princess Preserve, complete with an endless array of live, ancient Oaks dripping with Spanish Moss every which way you look, features not just 1 single campground to choose from, but rather 5 individual, completely differentiated campgrounds– one just as unique and different from the other as the next. For this particular review, I will be focused on the Moody Campground.
If you, like me, believe that the very best campsites are those that are located waterfront and/ or at least have some view of the water, be it a silent stream, roaring river or the lapping waves of an ocean, then here at Moody Campground, you have hit the outdoor camping lottery jackpot! In addition to being very flat and well-shaded, PPP offers up spacious campsites, which I'm sure you’ll also absolutely fall in love with this very particular campground that places you so incredibly close to waterfront camping bliss that you will be able to open your tent flap door, take 10 paces and launch your kayak or canoe. Seriously, it does not get any better than this! And the view here is simply outstanding. There’s only a small handful of campsites to reserve (5 in total) and most of those sit right in front of the river, so book early and pointedly.
Camping here is fairly basic and primitive with just water spigots, fire ring and designated trash receptacles as well as a port-O-potty, but each campsite has a wooden frame (14 x 14) sandy perimeter to pitch your tent on for the night. Please note that here at Moody Campground you are located in the easternmost in all of Princess Place Preserve and the Equestrian Campground is just a very short distance from where you are (so perhaps you can convince someone over there to let you tie up your horse). Amenities include: no shortage of hiking, biking & riding trails, campfire rings, BBQ grills, canoe / kayak launch, historic sites, interpretive exhibits, picnic tables, pavilions (available for rent), restroom facilities and natural preserves. For those not coming with their own tents or trailers, there are 3 cottages (1 ADA) that are available for rent.
Insider’s tips? Sure, here’s a few: (1) Over at Moody Campground, where most of the campsites sit alongside the river, you’ll want to be aware of alligators and snakes – and one big tip I have for keeping these reptiles at bay is keeping a fire going throughout the night, or if not, when the coal and embers of the fire burn down, use your shovel or trowel to place the still warm coals in a perimeter around your tent – this small amount of warmth will keep reptiles at bay; (2) Everywhere you go the water is non-potable, so be sure to bring your own fresh water to drink; (3) If you are interested in taking advantage of the historic tours that are offered here, please note that they are offered up on a first-come, first-served, so upon arriving here, be sure to check in with a Park Ranger for availability; (4) While the kayaking here at Princess Preserve was nothing short of awesome, after a few days of paddling down the same rivers, we were given well-heeded advice to drop on over to Faver-Dykes State Park, located just due north of Princess Preserve (you can actually paddle over there from PPP, or better, drive over and launch from there); and (5) When you get tired of firing up frank & beans for dinner and don’t mind throwing on a polo shirt, head on over to 386 (only a 20 minute drive from Princess Place Preserve), where they’ll delight you with the best of surf (1 lb rock lobster, Mexican triggerfish and blue crab flounder) & turf (prime filet, pork chop with peach chutney).
Happy Camping!
LegendSite 35 back in 50 amp FHU Good spaces between sites Morning shade Handicapped site with walkway to restrooms, showers, and laundry Paved
Traveler
Stayed at site 019 for 5 nights at the end of April in a 30’ travel trailer. The site backs up to an area of low grasses, bushes and palms with tall pines nearby. There is a ranger trail the runs behind the site as well but we never saw any riding past. There is a road not far away but it’s in a suburban area and I didn’t find it to be a problem. We were usually out hiking and swimming during the day and the nights just had a low hum of far off traffic. You could still hear nature all around. The trails are absolutely gorgeous. Natural palms growing among tall pines. We saw so many deer I lost count and we could hear the males in the distance. Also spotted a young alligator walking on a trail near the spring. The gopher tortoises are out in full force in the mid afternoon. Didn’t spot a bear though. We didn’t want to leave at the end of our trip. And would’ve stayed longer if our schedules allowed. Would highly recommend.
GuideThe sites and facilities are nice. But the campground is huge and they used to have great transportation around the property and to the Disney parks in the area. Now they seem to be cutting costs and transportation is unreliable. Sadly the solution is to rent electric carts at additional expense to an already top dollar charge to stay there. Very dissatisfied.
GuidePerfect camping for Disney vacation. Sites big enough. Bathrooms always clean. Took boat to magic kingdom straight from campground. Quiet.
Scout
Nice sized sites with a cement pad, picnic table, grill and trash can per site. Nice gravel drive for the RV. There are horse events, fun to watch., food truck available for breakfast and lunch day of event. Nice shade snd clean bathrooms. Only $17 if over 55. Right next to the west orange bike trail.
ScoutThese campsites, average about $45 a night. The bathrooms are very clean and upgraded! The laundry room takes credit cards and coins! They have electric and water sites, highly recommend! 
ScoutThe camping here is literally all RVS, theres zero privacy, no walkable trails you have to drive to get there. Clean bathrooms thought I will give them that.
GuideFirst off, this is Disney doing Disney things. Campground is immaculate. Clean is an understatement. The pools are beautiful if aging a bit. I don't have much to add to all the other glowing comments about this place except...
Watch out for the trees in the back of your site. We had an oopsie that I missed while bringing my rig in. It was a bad week for me and trees tbh.
We have had 2 trips here, for my birthday. Using the transport system allows all the adults to party. Drinking around the World at Epcot or Drinking around the resorts, I highly advise making a game of both.
LegendPrivate sites, nice amenities, great park. Perfect!
RangerVery clean, nice park. Super clean facilities, bathrooms, sites. Lovely park. Large hiking trail network. Lots of lakes. Saw at least one gator in the lake by campground so be careful and watch your kids & pups. Most sites have only partial shade at best and it was very hot when we were there (high 80s and into the 90s in Feb). It’s a dryer ecosystem with lower brush and trees than parks that have the big live oaks. Plan for heat. Perhaps it used to be a citrus orchard because there are wild tangerines growing on the hike around the lake. Nice place.
GuideWe stayed at site 1001 which was a premium location right by a bus stop and across from the meadow trading post and pool. The down side is that you are literally at the bus stop which buses run from 7am til midnight which means you can not really sleep until after midnight. It is also right on the road so there are trucks and golf carts driving and beeping all night. I loved the proximity to everything but it is very load and busy.
ScoutClean bathrooms and lots of hiking and biking trails
Legend
As you approach Welaka State Forest, it feels as though you’ve arrived ‘at the end of the line,’ and not in a bad sense either. Here, you’ll feel as though you’ve escaped the crowds, left the commercial world only to discover a truly pristine natural jewel. You’ll be overwhelmed by the incredibly loud silence and solitude of this far-reaching outpost and the moment that you’ve crossed the threshold (or the gravel road) entering Welaka State Forest, you’ll be incredibly grateful for the wide open expanse of the place and the communion with nature that it provides.
Just due south of Welaka – where there’s a minute scattering of local eateries and distractions, this spot is fairly off the ‘beaten path,’ a good half hour south of Palatka in central Florida, along the banks of the historic St. Johns River. This federal turned state park was founded in 1935 (under the Federal Resettlement Administration) and today is both a major conservation area as well as fish hatchery for the State of Florida. In all, there’s 4 miles of river frontage area on the east bank of Little Lake George, making for some decent kayaking and canoeing, although most of this is fairly difficult to navigate as it’s swamp-like, where overgrown Cypress and Pine trees provide a very thick canopy of forested shade throughout.
If you’ve got horses en towe, then you have hit the ‘lottery of equestrian campgrounds’ as Welaka State Forest is perhaps the most perfect place to camp if you’ve brought your four-legged steeds and looking for a place that offers up nearly 20 miles of equestrian trails for plenty of galloping, including the 6-mile Sandhill Horse Trail (part of the Florida Trailtrotter Program: www.fdacs.gov/Forest-Wildfire/Our-Forests/State-Forests/State-Forest-Recreation/Recreational-Activities/Horseback-Riding/Trailtrotter-Program)..) The campground here at Welaka State Park is made for you horse-loving outdoor enthusiasts and provides 2 – I repeat that 2 – 24 stall horse-ready stables, show horse stage, training area, along with 6 primitive campsites along with 5 full hook-up RV drive-through sites.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you are looking to get some hiking in, there’s 2 decent trails (both integrated into the Florida forest Service’s ‘Trailwalker Hiking Program’ with the first, Spring Trail, offering a short 2-mile loop that ends in Mud Springs and the second, John’s Landing Trail, offering either a 3.5 or 4 mile loop; (2) Not interested in hiking? Not a problem, you can follow the scenic Indian Pond Road from the comfort of your own vehicle. Near here there are 2 primitive campsites that you can rent that places you right on the St. John’s River; and (3) While this SP doesn’t have much to offer apart from encounters with nature, if you find yourself missing civilization, in less than a 5 minute drive, you can join a sweltering crowd at either Shrimp R Us or, for amazing river-front gnashing, check out Welaka Lodge & Resort (for more details on this particular campground, check out my review on The Dyrt on this site).
Happy Camping!
Scout
This site is a gated community not a camp ground
ScoutThis campground truly has the magic of Disney in it. The atmosphere is so relaxing and enjoyable. Very clean throughout!
Horse camping in Florida offers a unique way to explore the state's beautiful landscapes while enjoying the company of your equine friends. With a variety of campgrounds catering specifically to horse enthusiasts, you can find the perfect spot to set up camp and ride the trails.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Lake Helen, FL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Lake Helen, FL is Wekiwa Springs State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 65 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Lake Helen, FL?
TheDyrt.com has all 17 equestrian camping locations near Lake Helen, FL, with real photos and reviews from campers.