Horse camping is the perfect way to enjoy Vanzant. If you're an equestrian lover who prefers nature-based adventure, yet still wants comfort, this is the perfect opportunity for you. Camping with horses is a beautiful way to experience nature. Search horse campsites and discover top-rated spots, as reviewed by other campers.
This recreation area is nestled in a hollow along Paddy Creek, a major tributary to the Big Piney River, 1/2 mile away. It provides a picnic area and 23 campsites. It is located adjacent to the east boundary of the Paddy Creek Wilderness and is one of the 3 trailheads for the Big Piney Trail.Paddy Creek flows year-round and is a crystal clear wading creek.
Bar-K Wrangler Camp is a primitive horse camp, with limited picnic tables and fire rings and one vault toilet. Parking to accommodate stock trailers and towing vehicles. Bar-K is located on the west bank of Swan Creek, serves as a Trailhead for the Swan Creek Trail and is open year round. Pack in/Pack out garbage. Click Here for a Recreational Opportunity Guide about this site. For information on the Swan Creek Trail.
Bidwell Point is tucked below towering oak and pines on the shores of Norfork Lake. Lay on the beach or take the boat out for water skiing on the easily accessible waters of Norfork Lake.
Lake Norfork is home to one of the best striped bass fisheries in Arkansas. Black bass fishing is at its best from September through May, and an increasingly popular sport is night fishing with lights for crappie and White bass.
The forest-topped Ozarks are actually a heavily eroded plateau, shaped and carved by hundreds of streams over several thousand years. Norfork Lake is sourced by the North Fork River in northern Arkansas, which winds through the rugged Ozarks before filling up 22,000 acres of Norfork Lake.
Hike the Robinson Point National Recreation Trail for wonderful views of the Ozarks. Just south of the lake, The Ozark National Forest spans 1.2 million acres.
Cancellations up to 2 days before a reservation start date incur a $10.00 cancellation fee.
$50 / night
$48 - $233 / night
Henderson Park is surrounded by the clear waters of Norfork Lake. Spectacular lake views and plenty of secluded coves for water sports and breezy, open stretches for sailing, make Norfork Lake a popular area for recreationists.
Hiking trails in the area lead nature observers and photographers to picturesque overlooks of the Ozarks. A wide array of fresh water game fish are found in the lake, which is fed by the North Fork River and its tributaries. Bass, walleye, crappie, bream and catfish all make their home here.
Norfork Lake covers 22,000 acres with 550 miles of shoreline. Densely wooded hills and hollows surround the lake in the Ozark Mountains. The North Fork River feeds into the lake, and beyond the dam, extends on to connect with the White River.
Including Henderson Park, there are 19 developed U.S. Army Corps of Engineers parks lining the lake for plenty of water sport opportunities. The Robinson Point National Recreation Trail and the David's Trail offer beautiful hiking opportunities and are just a short drive away. Drive just over 10 miles to visit the town of Mountain Home, considered one of the best places to live for sportsmen.
Cancellations up to 2 days before a reservation start date incur a $10.00 cancellation fee.
$24 / night
Swan Creek is an 8,488 acre area that provides for year-round nonmotorized dispersed recreation use as it is a designated Semi-Primitive Nonmotorized (SPNM) Area. There are approximately 20 miles of moderately used riding, hiking, and mountain bike trails available. Swan Creek itself offers swimming, fishing, and a non-potable water supply. For more detail of the trail visit Map of the Trail System. Trail System Map (printable) and Trail System Map GEO Referenced for use with Map Apps
Traveler
No amenities other than composting toilets. There are a few tent sites along the road and there is plenty of grassy area near the creek for RVs/trailers. This is a horse camp with plenty of evidence, but it was only us and a couple of other tent campers.
The creek was obviously spring fed, crystal clear and had a gravelly bottom. There were plenty of places to get in the water...understanding that this is horse camp.
The place was well maintained and mowed and it was super peaceful and quiet. The main annoyance was some trash in fire pits along the creek.
If you consider this as a waypoint, two things:
1. There is about a mile of dusty, gravel road that is a little rough.
2. We had great T-Mobile 10 miles south, but it dropped to zero by the time we drove into camp.
Scout
Site was a little hard to get into and a little tight with the pavillion there providing the only shade. T-mobile cell serve was very good.
Traveler
Great place to camp. Stayed at site 22. Most sites are well shaded and spacious. Good privacy between sites. Parking pads are short and lined with huge boulders. Worked fine for our 16ft TT big rigs probably not so much. Vault toilet clean and stocked. No fee just donations. Dollar General and a gas station located in nearby Roby. No cell service at cg. Had to drive up the hill to get a signal.
ScoutI went here with a group of friends looking for a free campsite that had enough space.
This place is great! When we arrived a few people were sitting in the creek so we moved further up stream and found a nice site with easy creek access. We were likely the only group for at least 2 square miles.
GuideGreat free campground near the river. Volt toilets, trash cans, and picnic tables. All spots have paved pull-in spots. I'd say max length for rigs are 30 feet. I'd stay here again. They have a camp host but they are no bother.
ScoutWe've been camping here for 3-4years now and we are still amazed at how quiet and secluded it is. We love being able to have an escape from the world and forced to not have our electrons since there is no service. Our first time here we got to experience the amazing raccoons which made for a pretty funny story later. We absolutely love it here.
LegendOpen: year round
FREE
FCFS
Pack it in Pack it out
LNT
This a primitive horse camp that is not far off the highway. It is far enough that it is or can be quiet. It is also great for star gazing, hiking, mountain biking and trail rides. Swan Creek runs along side the camp so you will need to be aware of possible flash floods if you are camped right next to the creek. There are picnic table, fire ring and a pit toilet. NO WATER
BTYFI
Travel safe
Traveler
Small town charm and affordable
ScoutI spent the weekend here mid September. It was a nice place. Quiet and secluded. On the creek side, every campsite has trails leading to the creek. There is a vault restroom if needed, each site has a paved parking spot big enough for my truck and 25ft camper. I would say it could fit up to a 35ft trailer. There is a picnic table, Shepard's hook, and a fire pit/grate. I really enjoyed my stay here and will be coming back often.
Traveler
This was a weekender for us. The campground is well organized and very clean. Kids have lots of fun activities waiting for them.
One great feature of this place, is the fact that they separated the 'Family' and 'Activity' areas from the older folks area. Oldies like us can enjoy the kids play and noise, but can get away when it becomes too much. That's great.
Nice hot showers.
LegendBeautiful mature camp. Water abounds for all types of recreational activities. Campground has all the basic needs and is well maintained. Nice bathrooms and showers. Reservations only and if there has been a lot of rain some sites could be under water
Legend
This is a wonderful small campground. Will not handle large rigs. Better suited to smaller trailers or tents. Right on the water so it is great if you have a kayaks or similar. Arkansas is experiencing flooding at this time and we were fortunate that our site was not flooded. We are gets more rain this evening and tonight so many sites here are closed. This is a COE campground and very well maintained. Flush toilets and garbage service but no showers. Not a problem because there are other CIE campgrounds very close and just keep your yellow tag up and just wave to host and drive on in. Mountain Home is close do all the shopping is close.
LegendThis would be five stars except for lack of showers. Beautiful site right on beautiful lake. Short distance from town. Small park mature trees.
ScoutNice long weekend in a relatively primitive campsite. Vault toilets were a plus, but no water source that we saw. Access to swimming, fishing, and hiking trails. We were surprised with how many sites were taken up, but there were still quite a few available. Arrive early for a good spot (We stayed in spot 20 which had its own path to the river). Would definitely camp here again.
There isn't much in the 20 miles before you get to the campgrounds, but there is firewood for sale (self-serve) 10-15 minutes before.
ScoutWe stayed here for a week! We loved it! Nice and beautiful view over the water! Very clean! I’ll be staying here again next year!
LegendFamily style theme campgrounds are always fun. Not really so much about the hiking and outdoors as many other camps in the area but the amenities and attraction of the campgrounds are usually the selling point.
I have seen many Jellystone Parks in the past, and I will say this one is a bit less themed than others. However what it lacks in theming it does make up for in charm as the cast and staff are extra friendly and involved. They ensure that children have interactions with Yogi and that there are plenty of fun activities for the entire family to enjoy!!
They host daily activity times for foam parties, scavenger hunts, interactions and crafts which is really fun and makes for a great family style outing especially for the younger kiddos. Additionally they have a splash pad, swimming pool, hiking areas which are a bit less challenging, playground and ranger station.
Though they do have an all inclusive style approach to entertainment they also have show tickets available for purchase for venturing into Branson itself, a great touch for additional entertainment as there are many things the entire family will enjoy.
Tent camping along with RV camping and Cabins is available but something unique to the park is the RV rental service where you can rent an RV to stay in, something not to many parks in Branson offer.
When I visited the park, some of the amenities and special attractions were currently closed due to the conditions going on in the world, but they still made sure to make it an exciting experience for all staying there.
GuideThis was a beautiful layout and a family friendly camp. They had a bunch of wonderful activities that were perfect for my 10 year old and I felt completely safe allowing my son to play around on his own.
Guide
A really quit and nice place
TravelerQuite and peaceful very nice camp sites.
GuideKayaking, swimming, and fishing were great!
GuideHas great fishing , nice and peaceful and not well known not many campsites , I believe only four but it does have firepits and grills
Traveler
Has great dispresed camping, free, creek is accessible, has equestrian area to camp with horses, bout 45 minutes to a hour from Springfield. No service for ATT.
GuideQuite, friendly area with very primitive camping. Creek is spring fed so water is always cooler then most creeks.
Scout$5 recommendation donation for the night. Stayed at this campground as a halfway point hiking the Big Piney Trail loop. Typical primitive campground with toilets, bear-proof trash cans, and camp sites with fire rings and picnic tables, but not much else. Didn’t see any water faucets near our site.
GuideAwesome staff! Great place to go if you want to be close to Branson but not spend all day every day there and still have activities for the kids to do. Sites are closer together but found that to be fairly typical with yogi campgrounds. This one has beautiful mature trees all over and the staff are continuing to make improvements/upgrades.
We’ll be back
GuideWell taken care of place with lots of activities. Close to lake Bull Shoals, Taneycomo, and Branson if that's your thing.
GuideThis campground exceeded our expectations. Though packed for Labor day weekend, we never felt the crowd. Scheduled activities for the kids over the weekend was amazing. They had crafts, bubble parties, (see photo) pool, hay rides, and more. The staff was friendly, and beyond helpful when needed. The other plus is that it is 20 minutes from Branson. No need to hear or fight crowds until you are ready! Rated it a five bit did wish my particular site was better. It was small, rocky, and starting to wash out. There were many great sites, and we will use one of their executive sites when we return. Look at park and read up before reserving. Half the sites are close to pool and playground, but not many trees. The other half are an easy 2 minute walk and tree covered!
Horse camping in Missouri offers a unique blend of outdoor adventure and equestrian-friendly amenities, making it a perfect getaway for horse lovers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Vanzant, MO?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Vanzant, MO is Rippee Conservation Area with a 4.3-star rating from 3 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Vanzant, MO?
TheDyrt.com has all 7 equestrian camping locations near Vanzant, MO, with real photos and reviews from campers.
