The best EQUESTRIAN camping near
Defiance , MISSOURI

A friend discovered this gem a while back and we now frequent it. Super inexpensive for the space that you get. Free firewood. We have only stayed at the largest site as it has good fishing and a place for us to launch our paddleboards and kayaks. We easily fit a dozen people over the 4th of July. Nice hiking trails near. Watch for ticks. Don’t be alarmed if you see cats or the neighbors dogs roaming around the site. They are friendly.

There is a homemade sign that says no camping. I wish we would have known that before we got here. As far as I could tell the website said it’s open.

I've been here many times and it's always a blast! Especially the floating on the beautiful Courtois river!

Some of the spots are close together but it seems to be that way because they kept as many natural trees as possible! We enjoyed the buddy sites so that our front doors faced our friends and the hookups were on the outside of each campsite. They also had group buddy sites that allowed four rigs to all front doors to face each other all being pull through sites.

My family also enjoy the Floating Trees ropes course. It was supposed to be about 2 hours but the instructors let them go an extra 45 minutes without anyone feeling rushed.

Nice area, second camping area at the end of the road. No amenities at the end of the road, but there is a toilet at the first camping area. Beautiful scenery, alot of hunters.

This campground offers no-services tent/RV and RV with electrical.  The electrical spots are all in cut grass areas, many with great shade trees.  The no-service sites are more wooded.  We did not visit the facilities (COVID) but the campground is well kept and nice.  The staff did not wear masks (hence the lower rating).

There are plenty of good walking trails along the river.  We are looking forward to coming back in the spring to walk these nice wooded trails.  We did not see any bike trails.

There is good cell service (ATT) at the campsites.  We did not detect any WiFi from our camping spot.

NOTE. The park is close to some motorsports arena which had loud events (drag racing?)  during the entire weekend we were there.  If you appreciate peaceful days and nights, check out the racing schedule first.

Ozark Outdoors provides our small group with a great environment and a beautiful 10 mile float. Camping was a little cramped, but it was still enjoyable. I want to go again and experience the other amenities that are offered such as high ropes and horseback riding.

We average 3-4 trips a year here! We love it and the 5 mile float is the perfect amount of time on the river! They have fun themed weekends! 4th of July and Halloween are our favorites. There is no cell service but basic WiFi is free 1 hour at a time and this year we have noticed a major upgrade to their system!

Nice camping area. It was not overly crowded. We went beginning of June during the covid crisis/RV buying crisis. It has decent camping sites and they are right next to the river and swimming holes. The hiking trails are a few of my favorites in MO. The park is big and has several picnic and swimming areas.

For those who need to get out of town yet can't imagine not checking the latest tweet, Tik Tok, or Instagram post, this park is for you. Not 2 miles from Six Flags, and 5 minutes from the freeway, you'll find plenty of beauty, creature comfort amenities, and cell service. 

We are looking at 3 primitive campsites(closed at the time of this review), 6 family tent sites, as well as plenty of RV spaces with electrical hookups. 

The park is known for its well-groomed trails, which are used by hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians alike. Plenty of stables surround the area, where you may rent a horse and go for a stroll through the woods. 

The primitive sites are large, with picnic tables and an outhouse, while the family tent ones are near restrooms, showers and a source of water. 

The whole park is rather pretty with plenty to do and see. 

Now, with that said, I was not a huge fan. This is not a place for a person who wants to get away from people. The Family tent sites are very close to the road, as in 10ft from it, so traffic to and from the stables are rather annoying. Being very close, the freeway noise is still present, and you'll find many motorcycles riding by you on their way through the winding roads of Wildwood. It's a nice sight but the noise sucks. The place has A LOT of deer which means that ticks are everywhere-which is not a big deal if you know what you're doing. 

During the time I spent here 2 different homeless looking kids stopped by asking for food, money, to borrow my phone to make a call. One after the other had to be shooed out of my site. That was followed by a STL County Police Officer patrolling the location. That did not settle well, and the night was a bit odd. Keep in mind that I was here alone and during the middle of the week so, chances are, during the weekend you might not have the same experience. 

Overall, this is well maintained park with plenty of activities and close to all the luxuries that a town can offer, lots of amenities nearby or on site. 

You would enjoy it: 

• If you want to be near civilization. 
• If you are a family with children. 
• If you want to enjoy Six Flags and then go camping. 
• If you would like mountain biking. 
• If you need facilities such as bathrooms and showers 

You'd, maybe, not enjoy it so much: 

• If you'd like to disconnect. 
• If you are looking for less noise 
• If you are looking for less cars/traffic 
• If you are looking to be alone with your thoughts.