Best Equestrian Camping near Windermere, FL

Well we didn't like the tent and RV sites. They're in an open area on gravel with no shade and hardly no divisions. There are other areas for special groups that are much nicer. But for individual campers. The equestrian area was the nicest to us. But you must have a horse to stay there.

Colt Creek State Park is one of the newest parks in the Florida State Park System. Their RV/Tent Campground just recently opened in early 2018. RV spots are spacious. There is not a lot of privacy between spots but cover will grow in in time. Most sites are in full sun most of the day. Tent camping areas are on grass not gravel. very nice dump and wash area at gate to campground. They also offer equestrian, group, and primitive camping at this location. The equestrian camp is well used and quite large with standard amenities for horses and campers. There are 2 primitive sites along a 10 mile loop trail. Group site does not have a pavilion but does have port o lets ( no water or electric). There are 4 lakes ( no swimming) on the property kayak/canoe rentals, nice fishing ares and a dock. Lots of wildlife. Great for biking as well.

If you’ve got one of those incredibly large mobile homes on wheels, then this particular RV location just off of Highway 414 near Hiawassee may just be the perfect spot for you. OK, there were a few tents here, but you could tell this place was really built for the mobile campers in mind. With 28 ample slanted, elongated parking lanes for your parking pleasure, all of the sites come equipped with the typical 30 / 50 amp electrical hook-ups, waste disposal and water connections. The bathrooms and shower facilities are clean and fairly well-maintained.

There’s the standard picnic table, garbage receptacles and even a community BBQ. The hosts are incredibly nice and offer pricing by the night, week and month. Overall, the community is inviting and friendly and there’s at times some planned activities, with most of those featuring horse shows and competitions of some sort, throughout the week (check with the front desk). While there’s not a ton of amenities to pick and choose from, this location does come with grills, park and shelter as well as all the free glimpses of horses being trained. Of course, should you be here with your noble steed, there’s some 22 miles worth of paths to gallup. Near this RV parking lot, you do have access to Lake Apopka.

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) The real draw to this particular campground is the massive equestrian infrastructure that exists as the fulcrum, so if you are camping, this can be a very nice distraction, in case you come here with the principle idea of racing / showing your horses, then this CG is ideal – and less so if you don’t have a horse and don’t want to camp alongside what could be considered a bit of a circus (especially on show days); (2) Should you grow tired of whipping up franks & beans again for supper and you wanna check out some local fare, you’re going to have to drive a bit north to South Apopka where there’s joints like The Nauti Lobstah, Verona Café, Lechonera Latina and Wings-N-Things; (3) In the event that you need to load up on supplies, there’s both a Sam’s Club and Walmart Supercenter due NE of here; and (4) For some really great hiking & biking, of course, there’s the West Orange Trail, but if you are looking for something a bit different and less trodden, then check out Oakland Nature Preserve, which sits south of Lake Apopka.

 Happy Camping!

Lake Louisa is located on the edge of the Orlando metropolitan region. Close to Disney but accessible to other area attractions and communities, if that's what you are lookimg to do.

We needed a break from life so we went to chill and hang out in the park. What a beautiful park it is. Miles of trails, a small beach, 3 lakes for fishing and kayaking, and 2 fishing piers. They also have equestrian facilities for horseback riding. Including a stable where you can sign up to join a ride.

The park's campground is compact with 2 very clean bathhouse, a small camp store, and 60 sites. The sites are nicely setup with lots of privacy. There are a few sites with both 50 amp electric and sewer service. One issue, especially in the summer, is the lack of shade so make sure you bring your own shade structures and a fan. In addition to traditional sites, the park has glamping tents, eco tents, primitive tent sites, equestrian sites, cabins, and a youth group area.

The park is really beautiful. The riolling hills, pine forests, and pretty lakes. The wild flowers are also very pretty.

We've been to many of Florida's state parks and this is among our new favorites. Just love it! Enjoy!

Sites are spacious with concrete pads. Loops make sure you are never far from a "comfort station" or bathhouse. From water park to horse rides to lots of evening activities, plenty to do here without going to any theme parks. Skip the Bingo and enjoy everything else!!!

This is a nice pleasant location with nothing around but nature. This totally primitive site can be found 12 miles out from the McNeil Trailhead near Colt Creek State Park on Hwy 471. Choose your hiking dates well, the warmer and more humid the more difficult the hike. Trails can get pretty wet in the rainy season also.

Site was clear and open, which was good because there is an abundance of ticks to be found in the brush. There are places for tents and hammocks using tree safe straps. benches, fire ring and even a picnic table. Insect repellent is a must have!

The insects and frogs put on an amazing chorus after a rain. You will need to hang food and trash at night to keep critters away. 

There are 65 miles of trails here, 37350 acres, and you really need to pay attention to the trail signs. there are separate equestrian sites in the area and separate trails as well.

A free reservation is required and must be displayed or available at campground.

Trails can also be access from 13347 Ranch Road in Dade City, Florida

I absolutely love this park! There are so many trails and places to ride our bikes. It was really nice just relaxing on the dock to watch the birds in the lake. Bathhouse was always clean. Our site was really nice. We had a really long driveway. Campers around us were very friendly. I would absolutely go back! We loved riding down to see the horses.

The springs itself are beautiful. Blue waters everywhere, constantly 72 degrees. Has bathrooms. Caverns are beautiful under the water but it is constantly crowded around. Pets need to be put on a leash. Horses are permitted. Many opportunities for hiking, biking, swimming, and kayaking. I recently did a kayaking trip roughly 25 miles from wekiwa Springs to Lake Monroe. Dropping kayaks only costs 2 dollars and made it cheap to enjoy a wonderful trip.

Lake Louisa is located in Clermont Florida and is only 20 miles from Disney in Orlando. It is a newer park and the facilities were really nice. We stayed here in June and bugs were only bad at nightfall. We got good reception with our verizon and only ok with our sprint.

This park is one of our many Trifecta parks, meaning we can hike, bike and kayak. We were easily able to roll our Kayaks to Dixie lake from our campsite. We stayed at a site in Dixie loop sites sites 1-30. Hammond lake was across the road from our campground. The other campground (Sandhill) is equally nice with the same gravel sites, 30/50 amp electricity and water but not quite as close to the lake. There is a dump station and some of the sites have full hookup with sewer. Reserve America does not note which ones have sewer too but when I did some more research I found one review that mentioned that site #’s 16,18,20, 30, 32,33, 34 (ADA), 35,36 (ADA), 37,38,39, &40 are the sites that have sewer too. Note: Only a couple of sites offer a water view due to the foliage and the trees.

In addition to the campground for Rv,tents and trailers....this park has cute little teepees for rent, tent sites, primitive sites,group sites, 20 cabins (no pets allowed) and even an equestrian campground with stalls and a corral. There are kayak,bike and canoe rentals at the Dixie Lake area camp store which is located next to the campgrounds. When you rent a kayak - you will only be able to kayak on Hammond Lake (unless you hand carry it across the street yourself to Dixie lake if the rules allow that) There are also fishing piers at both Dixie and Hammond Lake. You can also fish and boat on Lake Louisa too. There is also a cute hidden lake called Bear Lake that you can bike or drive to and even put in your kayak or electric boat on this more remote lake. However, since there is no public boat ramp access to Lake Louisa -unless you can hand carry or roll your boat to water....you will need to go to the Palatlakaha River Park and Boat Ramp to put your larger boat into the lake (there are no docks at the park for tying up your boat)

This park has totally awesome park roads for biking, trails for mountain biking and hiking, and equestrian trails. Be sure to carry a map, I got a little lost hiking because not all the trails were well marked. We also enjoyed riding our bikes into Clermont.

There is a longer review with links at our website www.travylcouple.com if you want more info than this review and video offers you.

It’s so much fun! If you bring kids make sure you bring bikes and scooters! The Chip and Dale thing they have is great! Roast marshmallows and dance with Chip and Dale. You can bring your golf cart or rent one. There are horses and pony rides. We love the Mickey backyard BBQ if we can afford it. Little kids love dancing with the characters. And all you can eat and drink plus wine and beer. The kids would rather camp there than go to the crowded park.

I like to camp out places where swimming is available. We camp a lot during the summer but since this is Florida it's HOT regularly and sizzling during the summer months. Although the spring is quite a walk, with floats in tow, driving is an option also and there is always lots of parking, and it goes in a curve so your never to far from accessing the springs no matter where you end up parking. Oh and they allow you to use a golf cart also. I'm not all that impressed with the sites, crushed shell, and you have to pitch the tent on it also, would be cooler if they let you pitch it a bit off site so your in the pine straw verse the crushed shell, which sucks to sleep on if you don't have a pad. This campground sees more rigs then tents and thankfully there is electric hook ups so you don't have to here any generators, bc you are close close by each other. Showers were decent if you got one with a shower head and having hot and cold adjustable is nice. We also took advantage of the clothes line they have on site as well as the second loop has a book exchange. LOVE THOSE! We saw tons of wildlife even just chilling at the campground. Turkey, deer, tortouse, friendly squirrels. Your in bear territory but there are no bear lockers which is nbd we are used to keeping our coolers in our trucks at night. Definitely will camp here again. Bring your kids, your floats, kayak, snorkle ... You can even bring your canapy to the water area with lawn chairs and your mini grill and just do the place for the day at the springs it self. They also have a horse coral and a BUNCH of hiking trails.

You can’t get more centrally located that bill Frederick. Located In metro west, this park is close to both the theme parks, and a commutable distance to north Orlando. The campground is at the back of the park up against the lake shore making it quieter than you would think for being so close to the expressway. The bathrooms and shower leave something to be desired. They could be cleaner and the shower drains tend to back up but everything works and is serviced daily. Only campground downside is there are no fire pits by each site. Open fire is only allowed at the grills, in another area of the park.

A nice bike trail circles the whole park. RV’ers must use dump site to get rid of black and grey water. No sewer hookup.

This park fills up when events like renaissance fair or dragon boat racing come through.

This park offers every recreation in the book: boating, fishing, biking, hiking, frisbee golf, wildlife watching (petting farm), jungle gyms, horse boarding, grilling spots, swimming pool. There’s something here for everyone.

We arrived to check in only to fine we were to get the last remaining campsite available. After checking in we drove to our campsite. The campsites are large and well spaced. With a lot of room in between them. A gravel back in drive area that contained a fire pit a grill, electric and water. A short walk to the bathrooms that were well laid out, large and exceptionally clean. After dinner we walked the camp road and enjoyed the night sky. Every star was out and clearly visible. Withe night turning cool and the skeeters emerging we headed into our cozy van camper to read and sleep the night away.

I was up early to see the rain clouds forming, the air was chilled and the liquid sunshine was starting to drip. Quickly making the coffee and tea on the Coleman camp stove proved to be a good decision. Packing up and taking down the pop-up shade awning went smoothly and we ate our breakfast in the van.

Time to explore the whole camp. The Youth camp are was beautiful and large. The Equestrian camp area was well laid out and well kept. On to a very large screened room with toilet facilities at the fishing and boating area. The ramp for putting in your kayak or canoe was great and the dock area was a joy to be on and use.

Colt Creek State Park - 16000 State Road 471 - Lakeland, FL - 33809 (863)815-6761

Great campground with lots to do. Pool is opened during the day with lifeguard. Lake is great to sit by or take a boat. Have to rent it from them, unable you take your own. They have nightly campfires that are Disney themed, Chipmunks. They have lots of paved areas that you can walk or ride bikes or rent a golf cart. They also have things like pool games and archery classes along with horse back riding. They are also on the Disney transportation line so it's free to take a bus around campsite or to Disney parks. Only downside is this place is big so walking to some areas can be daunting unless you have bikes or golf cart. The sites are the cleanest you can have but they come at a price. Unless it's slow season pricing for an rv site can cost over $80 a night. They have tent and pop up sites at a lower cost then you have full sites for travel trailers and bigger rvs and then there is also premium sites that are bigger and also closer to the main areas.

The 750 acre Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort has 847 campsites and 363 cabins(moderate level resort rooms). Campsite fees range from$75 to$189 per night and cabins from$364 to$568 per night. We booked early on their website for our full hookup campsite(50amp electric, water, sewer and cable) https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/campsites-at-fort-wilderness-resort/ If you have difficulty making reservations for sequential nights, check to see if one night at a time is available and then call customer service about 2 weeks prior to your arrival. They are more than happy to ensure your reservation reflects the full number of nights in a single campsite. Disney does not allow you to select your site in advance, instead they assign you a site based on a purchased tier. At check-in you can provide a few preferred sites and they may be able to accommodate your request based on availability. Each loop has inner sites(camper angled toward the road) and outer sites(camper angled away from the road). We prefer the privacy of the outer loops; this gives us more space to enjoy nature. As Fort Wilderness has thousands of campsites, we recommend using either a bike or golf cart as transportation to the outpost(store), restaurants, pools, playgrounds and horse ranch. There are no parking spaces for cars at any of the amenity locations. To get to the theme parks, Disney transportation is a must with the option for bus to Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom or boat to Animal Kingdom. Be sure to try the Ribs from P& J’s Southern takeout!

Secluded campground in natural Florida. Hookup sites were well kept and at the end of the park so there was no thru traffic. To get to the hookup sites it Is an 8-10 minute drive from park entrance. Keep that In mind when running errands (making that drive multIple times a day can be annoying). But the benefit Is a quiet campground. Amenities are very clean. Most sites have 10-30 feet between them. Sunsets are not to be missed here. Lake Louisa area and Clermont is the only hilly area of Central Florida. The pine forests here make you think you might not be in Florida. Great park for people who want Natural Florida without the tourist traps and beach towns.

Ranger Review: Midland – GXT1000VP4 TWO-WAY GMRS RADIO at Upper Hillsborough Preserve — Alston Tract

Campsite:

A free reservation is required and must be displayed or available at campground.

These (this) equestrian and primitive campsite(s) have several of your standard picnic tables under a nice large covered pavilion, fire rings and multiple grills. All nicely nestled into a set of large open areas under an abundance of shade producing oaks and some random pines. There is a portable ADA toilet and a non-potable water pump source available. So, campers will need to bring their own water or filtration system…

You’re situated right off to the side of some immediate access to 16 miles of partially wooded roads (“trails”) marked for multiuse, Biking, Hiking, or Horseback riding.

These “trails” at the Alston Tract of the Upper Hillsborough Preserve meander through pine flatwoods, consisting of both slash and longleaf pine overstory and floodplain swamp along the river.

On the eastern edge of Zephyrhills, the nearly ten thousand acres of the Upper Hillsborough Preserve protect the Hillsborough River as it drains out of the Green Swamp towards its destination in Tampa Bay. This preserve is divided into the Upper Hillsborough Tract and the Alston Tract. The Alston Tract is a gorgeous portion of the Upper Hillsborough tract. Protecting the upper reaches of the Hillsborough River, the river’s floodplain provides natural storage of floodwaters and acts as a filtration system for runoff. The property also serves as an important link in protecting wildlife habitat in the Hillsborough River greenway corridor. Thus, there is an abundant amount of wildlife and many nice views. The property’s roads and trails meander through pine flatwoods, consisting of both slash and longleaf pine overstory, palmetto/gallberry understory and hydric hammock and floodplain swamp along the river. An interesting note is that on a short hike, one can travel through three different counties.

The Alston Tract's hiking trails are nothing more than a series of roads within a labyrinth of other old roads, although because this land is a preserve dedicated to protect runoff from the Hillsborough River portions of the trails may be flooded seasonally. (For more information on this tract, visit Southwest Florida Water Management District's web page) Alston Tract also has dozens of geocache locations

Things to note:

• Depending on where you go you can be in the sun for most of the hike.
• Parts of these trails can be filled with water (large puddles).
• The map has numbers that match small signs posted at trail junctions, making for easy navigation
• The campground and associated trails are closed during different hunting dates. Take note…

Gear Review:

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time - today I am testing the Midland - GXT1000VP4 TWO-WAY GMRS RADIO

With 50 channels, this NOAA weather alert two-way radio gives you maximum output power with Xtreme Range Technology.

• 50 Channels with Up to 36-Mile range communication in open areas with little or no obstruction,120V Charger.
• NOAA/All Hazard Weather Channels with Alert and Weather Scan
• 142 Privacy Codes,Frequency Band: 462.550 - 467.7125MHz
• Vibrate Alert. 9 Levels of VOX for Hands Free Operation
• SOS Siren allows you to send out distress/locator signals in an emergency situation, 10 different call alerts tones to notify you of incoming calls from your group

These “walkie talkie” and their headsets are wonderful. I got over 8 hours of use on a full charge, and they seemed to charge pretty fast on the desk charger.

Once you figure out how to set the radios to VOX then using either the built-in mike or the supplied headset for hands free talking is nice and easy.

The snug fitting earpiece is decent, if you can get it properly placed in your ear. It takes a little bit of wiggling to get right, and that's the only thing I'm not absolutely thrilled about regarding these walkies. Of course, it would be easy to just get a different ear piece, as these support standard earpiece inputs. Could be just me, but from what I experienced, I initially just got a little confusing on the menu when I first started playing around with them. Once you get used to them, they are fine. Remember, a full-featured radio must have some complications.

My main (minor) complaint is that you have to use the charging base with the proprietary adapter plugs, either the wall or car. It would be nice if you could charge the radios directly with a micro USB so there is one less charger to pack.

Some glaring advantages over other brands: (1) They cost less; and (2) Once you figure them out they are an absolute no-brainer to use. They have the simplest buttons and menu/interface plus the nicest large display characters of any of the inexpensive radios I know of. Mastering these units takes maybe 15 minutes reading the manual. Read the manual

The transmit audio was robust and loud, in my video I barely have the volume turned up at all. Whisper mode was interesting, as it really amplified quiet "whispered"….

Overall during several of my different tests audio reproduction was good and accurate, and they didn't clip anyone's speech. Use of whisper mode with a headset dramatically improved reception, as it increased microphone sensitivity as well as gain. When I tested in on the water with my friend the receive volume was good, except in the noisier areas (as we’re going full bore out to our fishing location), like one would expect. However, with the headset, this problem is eliminated.

The radios are durable and well built. Not surprising, since Midland has some great commercial equipment. Battery life is good as well. Easy to use and carry. Weather radio is a plus, very easy to set up. I liked all the features, including the "lock" on the buttons. Overall you will really enjoy using these radios because they are light weight, easy to use, have incredible features and have great reception compared to any other brand I’ve used.

I give the Midland – GXT1000VP4 TWO-WAY GMRS RADIO 4.25/5 Stars!

PROS

• Clear Strong Signal
• Easy To Use: After Learning Buttons
• Great Audio
• Lightweight
• Rugged
• NOAA Weather

CONS

• Dual-function buttons can cause mistaken actions
• Too many features complicate programming
• Lack of a universal charging connector

BEST USES

· Boating / Sailing

· Camping

· Families

· Hiking

· Hunting

· Ski Slopes

I loved this campground. We are not Disney people but our kids wanted to go to universal and I could not find a nice campground with good reviews near universal so we decided to stay at Disney. Honestly, we are not Disney people but Disney definitely goes above and beyond on accommodations so what better place to stay then a Disney resort. This place is great. I really felt like I was at a campground and not at a Disney resort.

Checkin: we drove up to a gate where they asked us our name and then drove into the checkin area. We never had to get out of our car to checkin. The people were very nice and knowledgeable at checkin.

our campsite was 1709. We were walking distance to the pool, arcade, trading post, and campfire/sing along. There were about 20 rv/camping spots in our loop. The area is wooded and quiet with bathrooms off to one side and laundry facilities on the other side. You need bands to uses these facilities and we were given bands on checkin.

My only problem with wilderness camping. There is not a lot of room in the loops to pull your rv into the spot. There is plenty of room between your rv and your neighbor next to you but not a lot of room across from your spot. We have a 27’ rv that is 33’ from top to top. Holy moly did it take a lot to get this into our spot. Our neighbor across from us had to move his truck and several neighbors were helping direct us into our spot. Everyone we spoke with complained about the lack of space to get a big rv into these spot. But... once in it was very nice.

Buses run very frequently and never had an issue getting a bus to the amenities. We took the bus to the marina area for dinner at the buffet, to watch the fireworks/ light show, and to see Cinderella’s horses and carriage. The bus drivers were very nice and knowledgeable about services and amenties in the resort. You can take the bus to the pool are but our lot was close enough to walk.

the Bathroom and laundry facility: the bathroom had 3 toilets and 3 shower / dressing are. They were clean and decorated with butterfly theme. They were nice. The laundry facility had about 6 washers and dryer. It was a laundry room nothing crazy. They did have a vending machine to buy laundry detergent.

The pool, arcade, sing along and trading post:

the pool is a nice size pool with a small water slide. There is a splash area in the back for small kids. The pool was ok. Honestly I expected more from Disney but it was clean, nice, and the kids can swim. I felt the lifeguards are very rude. Disney should look into this because they were rude.

The arcade was small and pathetic. Again expected more from Disney.

The sing along was fun. Chip and dale walk around to everyone. they ask that you don’t leave your spot and they will come to you and really they do. They stopped at every spot to take pictures. The fire pit was small and difficult to roast marshmallows. Again I expected more from Disney. There is a food truck to buy food and if you need marshmallows they are sold in the trading post right there.

My kids love pin trading and none of the employees here wear pins🙁 but from 7-730 the stores open a board and the kids can trade pins.

Overall I would stay here again if I ever go back to Disney.

This lovely state park in Central Florida gives campers the true feel of "old Florida!" Campsites are private, separated by lots of flora. Animals are abundant - wild turkeys, eagles, bobcats, AND the Florida Panther!

While sitting in our screen gazebo, I was awed by the passing of a male panther about 25 yards from our campsite. Wild turkeys visited us daily to hang out by a fallen tree near our site. Deer passed by every evening.

If you are seeking peace, quiet and beauty this is the place!

Be prepared for Florida summer storms going in winter much better.Everything you need accessable.

Unfortunately, we had a LOT of rowdy neighbors who paid little if any attention to the park rules. Quiet time is supposed to start at 11 but, frankly, I don't think rowdy time ever ended. All. Night. Long. on Friday night and spilling over into Saturday morning, Noon and night. I don't think they ever slept. 

Had this been our first visit to a Florida State Park, we might not have gone on to explore a dozen other of the Florida State Parks in the area that accommodate RV's. That would have been a shame because we have enjoyed other Florida parks in the area. 

If this review concerns you, try close-by Lake Louisa State Park or Lake Griffin State Park: an entirely different scene with campers who actually camp as opposed to a mob of people just looking for a place to be drunk. 

About a week after we stay at a Florida park, we get a survey which asks a number of questions. One of them is "Did you feel safe?". The answer here is a resounding"NO!". I arrived right at 3PM and was set up by 4PM, before most of the drinkers arrived to spoil the scene. By 9PM I had basically pulled everything back in the RV for fear of it being stolen or shot at then stayed inside for the rest of the weekend. 

There was zero social distancing, one of the best parts (up until this visit) of camping in the first place. Sites here seemed a bit closer together than other parks but that might have been just my reaction to the scene and those spoiling it for others. 

I had two other bookings in the future for this park which I have canceled. There are just too many great parks in the Florida system. This is not one of them.

I live within a hours drive from this park and have been camping here for 40 plus years. This State Park is Old Florida, sites are secluded from the other sites compared to many other parks. There is a abundance of wildlife and plenty of hiking trails. This park to me is one of the best you will experience in Florida.