1 campground with availability this weekend
Two national forest campgrounds near Livingston offer horse camping facilities with direct access to marked riding trails. Piney Creek Horse Camp in Davy Crockett National Forest provides primitive camping with vault toilets but no water hookups or electric service. The camp connects directly to the forest's horse trail system with several level areas suitable for small trailers. White Rock Horse Camp, also in Davy Crockett National Forest, offers similar primitive accommodations with vault toilets and access to extensive horse riding trails. The camp has several level areas appropriate for dispersed camping with horses. Both locations accommodate tent and RV camping but require self-containment as no hookups are available.
The forest service maintains approximately 50 miles of marked riding trails throughout Davy Crockett National Forest accessible from both equestrian camps. Trails wind through pine forests and connect to various natural features, though some riders note trail markings can be inconsistent in certain sections. Horse owners should bring their own water, feed, and containment systems as neither camp offers corrals or stalls. Camping areas remain accessible year-round except during hunting seasons when visitation is not recommended for safety reasons. Many equestrians appreciate the uncrowded experience at these locations compared to more developed horse camps in other regions. The forest road access is suitable for smaller horse trailers, though larger rigs may need leveling equipment at the campsites.
"Walking trail around like is near. Not to many fire ant poles. Near by groceries store and town playground close by."
"Deep in the woods and on a nice shallow lake. Fantastic for walks around the lake, playing in the park, and fun trails. Camp grounds are spacious and we'll thought out."
"Located on the west edge of the east Texas piney woods, this state park features excellent RV and tent camping facilities, and a beautiful network of heavily forested trails."
"The sites are spacious as in most Texas state parks, and there are many shaded sites. The waterfront sites are tiered. The upper tier is where you park your rig. "
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $15 - $60 / night
from $39 / night
"Very well-maintained National Forest site just off Texas Highway 7 in the middle of the Davey Crockett National Forest. "
"East Texas weather is so unpredictable. When we arrived at camp it was nice and sunny, so my friend and I decided to walk our dogs. On our walk we got caught in the middle of a down pour!"
Available this weekend
from $15 - $35 / night
"Have 3 little boys who enjoy fishing and they have plenty of creeks and ponds near campsites; it isn’t the most luxurious parks but if your looking for a state park feel this place is a home run!"
"Campgrounds have a variety of amenities to choose from, including screened shelters, which are great if you get caught in a Texas sized downpour or if the mosquitoes are particularly aggressive, a pond"
"Great, well marked Trail system. Be careful during hunting season!"
"Entertains many hike trails. One even for handicap person to follow thru. Good for horses or bikes. You can go for miles even to a dispersed camping lookout point."
"Such a peaceful and beautiful area in the Piney Woods of East Texas. I wish we'd had more than 2 days here to explore."
"If looking to be near a campground but still out on your own then this is the place."
"Several pull off sites right off the lake. No amenities. One large group camping on the other side of the lake playing their music loud. Good internet reception ship."
"Great hiking / horse riding trails around. Would not recommend this area during hunting season. Accessible via car, good roads, smaller trailers. If RVing, will need levelers."
from $10 / night
RangerI was looking for a spot to pull off for the night, on my way further west. This spot was just off the paved road, with a well maintained dirt road to the sites. Several pull off sites right off the lake. No amenities. One large group camping on the other side of the lake playing their music loud. Good internet reception ship.
RangerLots of sites, but still need to make reservations way in advance, suppose due to its proximity to Houston. Very well kept park with clean facilities, and partial as well as full hookups. Close to Huntsville, so if you are needing supplies or just want to go into town and not cook you are golden. Small lake with paddle boats and good fishing. Fairly flat terrain and trails are well maintained, but not terribly scenic.
ScoutHaha! We stayed at Kelly's Pond dispersed camping. Thought wow we found paradise. It was beautiful, then dusk fell, thought nothing of the Coyotes in the background noise. The first night, Coyotes in the distance, and a cat being attacked outside of us sleeping. Second night, Coyotes in background. Third night. Coyotes in background noise until 3 am. Then they were 50 yrs from us. Thank God they are scared of crazy people screaming at them. We packed the next day.. headed to Dallas area.
RangerQuiet, pretty National forest with lots of trails, lake and privacy. Cell signal poor.
TravelerBeautiful little gem. The upkeep is outstanding, you can tell it’s really looked after. The camp sites are close to each other but since it wasn’t busy it felt like we had our own private area. There is a small swim area that you should utilize because there are alligators in the lake so it’s not safe to swim by the campground. The rangers drive around a few times a day. We didn’t do the trail this time around but will try it out next time. It’s great for big groups because of all the space. They have bathrooms with a shower and plenty of toilet paper in case you forget to bring your own. It gets pretty dark at night because there are no lights except what you pack with you. There is also a water spigot and a fire pit.
TravelerWe came to tent camp and wanted to be on a lake shoreline. We stayed at #11 on Lakeside Loop.
The positive:
The tent pad was nice and level and the site was very roomy (we had a tent & canopy) with tons more room to stretch out.
We were about 200 yards from the bathroom facilities and about 30 feet from potable water for washing up.
The traffic was minimal because it’s off the main road, and would have been peaceful if the group of campers at #9 had been courteous and acknowledged quiet hours.
We had incredible weather with a wonderful steady breeze.
Negatives:
We did have a lake view, but the shoreline is so incredibly overgrown making it difficult to fish. Lots of rotted wood and brush blocks a great deal of the view and access.
The burn circle had a grate welded at an angle to the top, so it couldn’t really be used for building up a big fire or cooking.
No one drove around/checked to make sure visitors are keeping to the quiet hours, which meant we were kept awake until about 12:30 am from yelling and loud music.
The restrooms, while near, had not been cleaned before we arrived—toilet paper on the floors and in the shower area with lots of dead june bugs and spiders on the floor the whole weekend.
RangerDown a hard packed gravel road. A few potholes but nothing major. Nice spot in the trees. There are a few fire pits spread out. We were the only ones here.
RangerGreat camping area, sites are a little unlevel, but not too bad. Water is a little bit of a stretch, may need to make sure you have plenty of hose.
Remnants of old sawmill is really cool, lots of wildlife and well maintained and marked trails to explore.
Good fishing, and swim area is very refreshing as well!
TravelerCampground not full. Very quiet, sites not on top of each other (some more private than others), gravel pads for rv, tent, table, lantern post and campfire ring. Water & electric or primitive sites both available. My personal agenda is all things nature related. The land, peace, plants, birds, land animals and TREES, water sources and types. To enjoy all the beauty (in all forms) which our earth provides.
Equestrian camping near Livingston, Texas extends beyond the established horse camps to include several dispersed sites throughout Sam Houston and Davy Crockett National Forests. The region sits at elevations between 200-400 feet with a humid subtropical climate that maintains moderate winter temperatures. Most equestrian trails remain accessible year-round except during designated hunting periods when safety concerns limit recreational access.
Pond fishing with basic equipment: Sexton Pond Dispersed offers uncrowded fishing opportunities with specific feeding patterns. "I got lucky enough had the place to myself for almost 2 weeks, give or take the few groups that tried to tough the biting fish. I will share a tip. They seem to sit dormant at 10pm and 3am for a hour each. No biting," notes one visitor.
Trail riding with marked routes: White Rock Horse Camp provides access to extensive horse trails. "Nice area for dispersed camping. Several level areas. Great hiking / horse riding trails around. Would not recommend this area during hunting season," explains a camper who visited the site.
Kayaking on calm waters: Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area offers multiple water-based activities beyond just fishing. "We took an inflatable kayak out on the lake. Decent little lake. People were in the swimming area," reports a visitor who enjoyed the water activities.
Historical site exploration: The recreation areas contain remnants of East Texas logging history. "Remnants of old sawmill is really cool, lots of wildlife and well maintained and marked trails to explore," shares a camper at Ratcliff Lake.
Uncrowded camping experience: Sexton Pond Dispersed provides isolation from developed sites. "Down a hard packed gravel road. A few potholes but nothing major. Nice spot in the trees. There are a few fire pits spread out. We were the only ones here," reports one camper.
Level camping areas: Finding flat tent or trailer spots ranks high in visitor satisfaction. "The tent pad was nice and level and the site was very roomy (we had a tent & canopy) with tons more room to stretch out," notes a Ratcliff Lake visitor.
Forest immersion with wildlife viewing: Double Lake NF Campground delivers a genuine forest experience. "Campground not full. Very quiet, sites not on top of each other (some more private than others), gravel pads for rv, tent, table, lantern post and campfire ring," mentions a camper who appreciated the natural setting.
Year-round access: Most horse camps maintain accessibility regardless of season. "We have enjoyed our stay at the preserve! Have 3 little boys who enjoy fishing and they have plenty of creeks and ponds near campsites," explains a visitor at The Preserve RV Resort.
Water supply requirements: No potable water exists at dispersed equestrian sites. "Great, well marked Trail system. Be careful during hunting season!" cautions a visitor to Piney Creek Horse Camp, which lacks drinking water connections.
Seasonal hunting restrictions: National forest areas become hunting grounds during designated seasons. "Quiet national forest hunting camp with vault toilet and water, but no amenities at the individual campsites. Bring your own generator and dry camp," advises a Piney Creek Horse Camp visitor.
Shower availability varies: Some recreation areas offer showers while others provide only vault toilets. "There are 4 large private bathroom/shower rooms at this area. The shower was nice and hot and the water pressure was fantastic," reports a camper at Davy Crockett National Forest Ratcliff Lake.
Cell signal limitations: Remote forest locations have minimal connectivity. "Quiet, pretty National forest with lots of trails, lake and privacy. Cell signal poor," notes a visitor to Davy Crockett National Forest.
Swimming area safety: Designated swim zones provide protection from wildlife. "There is a small swim area that you should utilize because there are alligators in the lake so it's not safe to swim by the campground," warns a visitor to Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area.
Lighting preparation: Forest camping means complete darkness after sunset. "It gets pretty dark at night because there are no lights except what you pack with you," advises a Ratcliff Lake camper.
Playground access: The Preserve RV Resort offers family-friendly amenities. "It isn't the most luxurious parks but if your looking for a state park feel this place is a home run!" shares a visitor with three children.
Fishing opportunities for children: Several sites offer easy fishing access for beginners. "We fished off of one of the docks in the evening and caught a little few perch. Enough to make me happy," recalls a visitor to Davy Crockett National Forest.
Extra water hose requirements: Water hookups often sit far from RV pads. "Do bring an extra long hose for the water connection as other reviews have stated," advises an RVer who stayed at Davy Crockett National Forest.
Site privacy considerations: Campground layout affects privacy between sites. "Our spot was nice and open and our neighbors weren't too close," notes a camper at Davy Crockett National Forest.
Leveling equipment needs: Dispersed sites require self-leveling capability. "If RVing, will need levelers," cautions a visitor to White Rock Horse Camp.
RV size limitations: Most forest roads accommodate smaller rigs better than large ones. "Accessible via car, good roads, smaller trailers," explains a White Rock Horse Camp visitor regarding access conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Livingston, TX?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Livingston, TX is Double Lake NF Campground with a 5-star rating from 7 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Livingston, TX?
TheDyrt.com has all 10 equestrian camping locations near Livingston, TX, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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