Dry Fork Recreation Area provides primitive equestrian camping near Kingdom City, Missouri. The area contains eight basic campsites spaced around a central parking area with enough space for horse trailers. Located about 30 minutes from Kingdom City, these horse-friendly sites operate on a first-come, first-served basis, though equestrian campers receive priority. The elevation ranges between 650-800 feet across the conservation area's undulating terrain.
What to do
Trail riding through diverse terrain: Explore the extensive trail system at Dry Fork Recreation Area that winds through both wooded areas and open fields. "Great primitive campground with old homestead foundation along the trail. Perfect stop during you back packing trekk," notes Curtis M. in his review.
Wildlife viewing and photography: Bring binoculars to spot deer, turkey, and other wildlife throughout the conservation area. As Charlotte B. mentions, "We love hiking this area. There are fields and wooded areas along with a beautiful creek. It's fun to search for mushrooms and you are guaranteed to see deer and turkey."
Fishing at nearby lakes: Drive 25 minutes to Finger Lakes State Park for water activities. "The campground has large campsites and is quiet. The bathrooms are clean and a short walk from most campsites. There is a dock close to the campground for canoeing and kayaking," reports Cody S.
What campers like
Secluded horseback riding trails: The equestrian focus makes this a top choice for horse campgrounds near Kingdom City, Missouri. "Dry Fork Campground... is an equestrian campground that allows non-horse campers, but prefers you check Pine Ridge first," explains Meghan B.
Accessible water features: Local conservation areas offer fishing and paddling opportunities. At Whetstone Conservation Area, "Super well maintained conservation area, 5 camp sites with fire pits and picnic tables. Several ponds and a larger lake but it was currently being repaired so it's very low," says Kayla W.
Affordable camping options: Most conservation area camping near Kingdom City is free or low-cost. Paul K. notes about Dry Fork: "Nice campground, has water and pit toilet available. set up for horses."
What you should know
Prepare for ticks and insects: The dense vegetation harbors ticks, especially in summer. "We had a fine one-night stay while traveling through, but encountered A LOT of ticks on the overgrown trail. BEWARE of ticks and check yourselves and your pets if staying here," warns Meghan B.
Limited facilities at conservation areas: Most equestrian campgrounds near Kingdom City offer only basic amenities. At Daniel Boone Conservation Area, Erik R. explains, "This is entirely primitive camping. No services at all but the grounds are neat and clean. We camped in the RV area. There were a couple of other tents and a popup and aside from the popup running his generator 24hrs a day, it was very quiet and relaxing."
Cell service varies by location: Coverage can be spotty in more remote conservation areas. "No cell service," reports Meghan B. about Dry Fork, while at Daniel Boone Conservation Area, Jessica notes, "The service is okay I have ATT and had 1-2 bars most of the time."
Tips for camping with families
Pack plenty of water: Most horse camping facilities near Kingdom City have limited drinking water access. At Rudolf Bennitt Conservation Area, Ron R. notes, "Stayed for 1.5 weeks. Stay at lake for three days, established area with vault toilet and gravel parking. Has boat ramp and fishing docks."
Bring activities for different age groups: Consider both horse-related and non-horse activities. "Lost Valley happens to be one of our favorite camp grounds. They are extremely family friendly, they have an indoor pool, hot tubs, and sona, an outdoor pool and hot tubs, inflatable jump pillows, concerts almost every weekend," shares Joshua R.
Plan for weather changes: Missouri weather can shift quickly, especially in spring and fall. Jessica from Daniel Boone Conservation Area shares, "It rained and got muddy but the road was dry rocks which was a great place for my dogs to walk without getting my car all dirty."
Tips from RVers
Check site dimensions carefully: Many horse campgrounds have limited space for larger RVs. At Frank Russell Campground, Doug W. cautions, "My only concern is the photos of the sites are a bit deceiving. I thought my site, #6, was dead level. While it was level side to side, it had about 6" of slope front to back. Not a problem for me but some campers may find it a bit much."
Bring leveling blocks: Campsites at equestrian campgrounds often aren't perfectly level. Jan K. was impressed with Frank Russell: "Most impressed by how perfectly level our paved parking pad was. We didn't have to level the rv or even unhook it from the truck."
Pack in/pack out preparation: Limited trash facilities mean you'll need to pack out what you bring. "Others had left some trash around. we picked up what we could. please pack it out if You pack it in," advises Paul K. about Dry Fork Recreation Area.
