Do you love the outdoors and horses? If you're looking for a rustic but comfortable experience, horse camping in Venus is the way to go. Finding a place to camp in Florida with your horse is easier than ever. At The Dyrt, you can find top-rated spots for horse camping, as reviewed by campers.
Peace River Campground offers over 100 acres of wilderness camping for your enjoyment. You can make camp anywhere you like, including many places right on the beautiful Peace River's edge. During less busy times you can spend days out of site of other campers. While there are no utilities, picnic tables, or other campground amenities, you are only a short walk to our hot showers, swimming pool, campground store and all the trappings of the "civilized" world.
$16 - $80 / night
FAM
$16 / night
-Parking Fee is $1 per hour or $5 per day
-Dogs are not permitted at this park.
-Alcohol, gasoline powered generators and electric bicycles are not allowed in the park per County Ordinance 18-12 (as amended)
-Collection of plants, animals, shells or other natural and cultural resources is not allowed.
-Helmets are strongly encourage for all mountain bikers and are required by state law for anyone under the age of 16.
-Volunteer Opportunities are available
$15 - $40 / night
The area features boat and airboat ramps, picnic shelters and tables, bathrooms, lights and ample parking. The area also has access to the Hickory Hammock trailhead with primitive camping and parking for equestrian trailers. The site is located on U.S. 98 at the Istokpoga Canal in Highlands County.
Amenities: Two shelters with tables and grills, airboat ramp, dual power boat ramp with finger pier, 14 'street' lights (some dual lights included as 2), and 1 restroom building.
Experience one of the last untouched pieces of Florida wilderness at Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo – an authentic Florida dude ranch that lies just one hour South of Orlando in Polk County, FL – where guests can return to the days of "Old Florida" when the state was home to cowboys and cattle ranchers. The Ranch, which lies on 1,700 acres overlooking the scenic Kissimmee River, completed a multi-million dollar renovation in October 2013 and features horseback riding, an award-winning Saturday night rodeo and much more. It's the ideal destination for an unforgettable family vacation getaway!
$10 - $15 / night
Camp year-round at one of the two designated camping areas. Kowechobe Camp is an open field with easy access for trailers. Hammock Camp is located under an oak hammock with plenty of shade and a vault toilet. You will need to bring your own water. All campers must obtain a free permit/site reservation using the online reservation system or by calling the South Regional Office at (561) 625-5122, during regular business hours only (Mon-Fri, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. ET).
Traveler
The place is gorgeous and if you want shade or sun it offers both. Quiet, relaxing, good trails that lead over to Hickory Hammock campground. Audrey is a excellent camp host.
They keep it very clean and is very helpful in showing you the campsites. It is right off the main road so no dirt road to get there though you have some road noise but you can get back away from most of it. Lots of wildlife in the woods, nothing bothered the campsite.
There are bathrooms but no showers. They are a ways away from the campground. Its still shocking you can camp in Florida like this for free. Hope we can keep it this way for a long time.
Traveler
Well maintained facilities and friendly rangers on-site. Numerous hiking trails with open Prarie landscape. Very limited light pollution at night so great Location to star gaze.
Legend4 miles down washboard sand/gravel road will beat your truck and trailer to death. And the sites are small!! 18’ trailer in site #6 and had to unhitch the tow vehicle as it was sticking in the road. Barely fit 22’ trailer and tow vehicle in site #1 without unhitching. That aside, it is a beautiful quiet spot that is excellent for star gazing. Bath house is clean and lots of hot water. If you are car camping or tent camping or have a camper van, this might be a good spot for you. It is a dark zone, so no lights after dark - use red lights.
Traveler
If you are a traditional camper stay away. This place is mainly for trucks and ATV’s. There is sugar sand everywhere and my car got stuck. After they helped me get out I left.
Legend
Hunt Camp, Okaloacoochee SF: We stayed at the nearby Overflow CG. I expect this would have been the same quiet and peaceful experience, as noticed during our walks by Hunt Camp. (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good
(70 yr olds in 17’ trailer. Our rating of a campground is influenced by the following: The general ambiance- sort of wilderness feel the campground gives us. A selection of campsites which offer some visual privacy and/or view from sites. Cleanliness of whatever facilities are offered is important and usually noted in my review.
Overall Rating: 4.5 for large sites. No natural barrier in between.
Price 2023: $ 10
Security: None
Usage during visit: 1/2 to full.
Site Privacy: No
Site Spacing: Large sites.
Site surface: Gravel
Reservations: Required.
Campground Noise: Quiet.
Road Noise: Adjacent to the road, but there is not much traffic.
Through Traffic in campground: No
Electric Hookup: No
Sewer Hookup: No
Dump Station: No
Potable Water Available: Non-potable water is available at the adjacent horse corals.
Generators: Allowed
Bathroom: Chemical toilets
Showers: No
Pull Throughs: No
Cell Service (AT&T): 1 bar
Setting: Adjacent to prairie with fairly dense low growing trees which obstructs view.
Recent Weather: Sunny
Solar: Great
Host: No
Rig Size: Any
Sites: I like all of the sites. #3 is the best location in the loop.
Guide
Tons to do on property including little stores, bbq restaurant, pizza, ice cream etc. Horseback riding, petting zoo, rock climbing. BUT, my only complaint is the noise level of the area. Lots of boat noise, gas golf carts (big property) & it just happened that my neighbors loved their gas blowers & pressure washing lol. Lots of great sites to choose from. Nice staff. Pet friendly.
TravelerThis is an amazing campground. We stayed in the Astrological Pad so we can see the stars and oh my.. you can see them all!!!! Bring your telescope. The hiking trails are great! Saw alot of Deer, boar and turkeys around the grounds. I did not see any on the trails but that was ok. The campgrounds are clean and bathrooms are easily accessible. Most of the camp is red light only at night so please bring red light flashlights.
Guide
The host was helpful and informative. Great quiet place. Plenty of carts to move your gear and none of the sites are far from the parking lot. I would definitely recommend this place. Biking, fishing, hiking and camping, nothing better. If you’re looking for fish and have a kayak, Telegraph creek is 3 miles away and full of fish and Alligators 😃
GuideSuch a beautiful park! We were greeted by deer, and turkey as soon as we drove in. The staff were all very helpful, and kind, and the premises were beautifully maintained. We stayed on the family side, and there wasn’t as much privacy between the sites as I would’ve liked, but it was still very quiet. The nights sky alone, was definitely worth the visit, the Milky Way stole the show amongst the spectacle of shooting stars and meteors
TravelerBeing from the area I am prepared for the weather. If you aren’t familiar with central Florida summers, which is about 11 1/2 months of the year it’s hot, humid, and loaded with bugs. We also have great wildlife. Use caution around them, especially near the water with small pets.
Scoutmy last visit was great i would have liked to stay longer
GuideWe had a wonderful time staying on our site specifically - there is a line of palms & bush separating the tent area from the parking area, so it felt more remote than it was. There is also such a lovely variety of birds to hear throughout the day, and loved setting up our Eno in the morning for coffee! Unfortunately it was cloudy during the night of our stay, but I would honestly still go back in the same conditions. Definitely check the weather before booking your stay though, because seeing the stars would have been the cherry on top. :)
TravelerBeautiful camping if you wanna see tons of wildlife and a clear view of the stars at night. Good facilities (a washing machine!!!). Saw my first bald eagle here
GuideNo, you can't drive to your site, but really good carts are available to help you with the load, so no RV,s at the campground. The sites are generous with firepits and BBQ's on them and are well shaded. There is a fire ban on at the moment although they will allow charcoal. This is Easter Weekend and I'm surprised it's this quiet. The toilets are clean and there are plenty of rustic shower facilities. $15 a night, but it is primitive, sort of, no electric or running water on the sites. Alva is only 10 minutes away and La belle and Ft Myers Shores are within easy reach if you need supplies. Will I come back....you bet!!!
GuideI camped in the wilderness area which is somewhat disconnected from the main RV site. There are trails which are used by ATV's and up until 10pm its noisy. You also get quite a lot of noise from the divided highway which runs adjacent to the site. Getting to the wilderness area can be a bit challenging if you don’t have 4 wheel drive as the trails that lead you there are comprised of Sugar Sand. If you are a party until the wee small hours kind of camper or RV’r then you might enjoy this site and there are lots of activities to keep kids and adults occupied, however if you are more interested in a laid back quieter time then this probably won’t fit the bill.
ScoutHad an awesome time nice and quiet. Fishing biking swimming. Good times but the only strike for me is totting in and having to leave my car behind. Other than that great place will be back
TravelerWe heard so many great things from friends and boy did this place live them up! This was our first trip here even though we live only 1 hour away. Great primitive camping sites. Amazing trails for ATV use and mudding. Will definitely be back! Staff was friendly and helpful. A must visit!
GuideSuper crowded, busy and loud campground. This isnt a quiet nature get Way its a two stroking music blasting party spot. The kids were all having fun, adults too. Hot showers, food trucks and plenty of dirt trails for exploring.
Guide
There are two units to camp in here. The first is Kowechobe Camp, which is basically a big field with spaced out sites. The second is Hammock Camp, which is the site I’m staying at.
Hammock Camp is in the trees, but spots are MUCH closer together. I mean the site I’m staying at, #10, is a nice clearing underneath some trees - and this clearing is shared between four sites. The flip side to this is that there are far fewer campers in Hammock Camp then Kowechobe.
Note: this place requires reservations up to two weeks in advance through their website. Reservations are free.
GuidePrivate sites on the water. Lots of nature. Trails to walk, river to kayak/fish, 4 wheeling: amazing!!
ScoutThis campground has came so far. I can remember when it was little, but so fun! I couldn't wait to go every couple weeks! I learned how to shake teeth hunt, name snake species, dig up wooly mammoth remains,canoe,4 wheel, mudding,rope swing and last but not least, I learned how to wreck every golf cart my parents rented lol. The owners now passed down to the kids,they are so sweet and always made our stays safe and fun! The kids now take care of it and they've blown it out of the water! Since Hurricane Charley nearly destroyed the place I called my 2nd home, these kids have worked so hard to rebuild it and now it's so more awesome. My mother , now widow,has since retired and lives there year round. She cleans up ,guards the gate, and does gator patrol. I wanna say thanks to the family who opened there lard and home up to so many. We have so many memories,and have made so may friends and memories. If your ever in the area check out the thousands of acres of nothing but fun times!!
TravelerProbably a favorite to camp in my area. You do have to carry all your gear to the campsites, but they have carts near the checkin office. Staff is always friendly and the restrooms are usually always clean. Lots of hiking trails down by the river. Also some really good mtb biking trails (as far as mtb biking is in S. Florida). No power at the sites. Usually there are kids playing in the playground area, so very family friendly.
ScoutWent with my family for a couple of days. Probably the worst experience we have had camping in sometime. The place is filthy. The bathrooms are horrendousand filthy I don't know who cleans them but they do a poor job. On top of that you've got tons of flies Where the garbage dumpsters are. On top of that it's all dirt roads it's a cluster of dust constantly and a noise from all the ATVs and gas golf carts. I would not recommend this place to anyone. I challenge the owners to reply to this because it was a waste of our money. And on top of that super expensive. Overall horrendous experience. I will badmouth you guys all day long. Get your stuff together literally especially in your bathrooms and shower areas that are filthy. What a waste of money.!!!!!!
LegendThe staff was super helpful and very eager to make sure we had a great stay! The grounds are simply amazing! While on a zoom call from a picnic bench by the River a participant said “Looks like you guys are in Hawaii or paradise somewhere”.
RangerGood off-roading nearby ! All the amenities you want. Nice staff
LegendCame back a second time with a new moon. No buggy rides because of Covid. Stayed in horse camo loop. Bathrooms clean. Lots of wildlife. Huge storm blew in and had to leave early.
TravelerOur visit was relaxing and enjoyable. We visited in July and the shade from all the trees around our site helped keep the heat tolerable. The camp site’s aren’t dispersed and a little close together but we didn’t have any immediate neighbors around us so it was perfect. We stayed on site 008 and it was spacious enough for our large cabin tent, picnic table, additional table, dog pool, chairs, etc. Our site is conveniently close to the bathrooms. I liked that there is only one main dumpster and it’s kept a distance from the camp sites. I think this helped keep any raccoons that may have been around away from the campers. AMAZING star gazing location.
Horse camping in Florida offers a unique way to explore the state's beautiful landscapes while enjoying the company of your equine friends. With various campgrounds catering 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 Venus, FL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Venus, FL is Peace River Campground with a 3.8-star rating from 25 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Venus, FL?
TheDyrt.com has all 7 equestrian camping locations near Venus, FL, with real photos and reviews from campers.
