Best Equestrian Camping near Sherman, TX

Platter Flats Campground features 35 equestrian sites with hookups and 3 equestrian tent sites without hookups near Sherman, Texas. The designated equestrian camping area accommodates riders with horses, though non-equestrians may also camp in this section when the regular camping area is full. Equestrian campers have access to hitching posts, water for horses, and ample space for trailer parking. The campground offers electric and water hookups at most equestrian sites, with a mix of shaded and open areas. Toilet facilities include pit toilets in the equestrian section, with newer bath/shower facilities recently added. The equestrian section has dirt/gravel roads, creating a somewhat dusty environment during busy periods. Horse-friendly campsites accommodate both tent and RV camping, with sufficient space between sites for horse comfort and safety.

A well-marked equestrian trail connects Platter Flats to Lakeside Park across Lake Texoma, providing riders with an extensive riding route that includes secluded swimming spots along the way. Trail maps are displayed at both ends of the route with markers throughout the path. The equestrian camping area allows convenient access to these trails directly from campsites. Most visitors find the trails well-maintained and suitable for various skill levels. During peak visitation periods, particularly weekends, the campground experiences considerable traffic from day visitors, creating dust in the equestrian area. Gates close at 10 PM, though some traffic continues on the south road which leads to the Platter Flats Recreation area that has no gates or closing time. Proximity to a rail freight line means occasional train noise, particularly noticeable after vehicle traffic diminishes.

Best Equestrian Sites Near Sherman, Texas (15)

    1. Isle du Bois Campsites — Ray Roberts Lake State Park

    35 Reviews
    Aubrey, TX
    30 miles
    Website
    +1 (940) 686-2148

    $15 - $60 / night

    "Roberts Lake State Park has two main campgrounds, the Isle du Bois unit and Johnson unit. These are what I would call twins. They are very similar in layout, scenery and activities."

    "Bring your horses for a equestrian trail as well. Great beach for some sand castles and swimming. And don't forget to hit the Dam store and get the dam special. Good burgers there."

    2. Platter Flats

    5 Reviews
    Calera, TX
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (580) 434-5864

    $16 - $50 / night

    "Half of the campground is an equestrian camp. There are great hiking trails and beautiful views. Good shady spots."

    "great place for fishing, and if you are looking for a wonderful sunset, you have found the best place for it. generic campsite but close to the lake."

    3. Johnson Branch Campsites — Ray Roberts Lake State Park

    16 Reviews
    Valley View, TX
    29 miles
    Website
    +1 (940) 637-2294

    $15 - $60 / night

    "One of the more expensive Texas state parks. Standard electric at 25/night. Large bathrooms and lots of trash bins. Actual pay phones (who knew those still existed?)"

    "Couldn't see the parking lot due to brush, but it was a very short walk and that was nice."

    4. COE Lake Texoma Platter Flats

    2 Reviews
    Calera, OK
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (580) 434-5864

    "Amazing and Great for trail riding 

    Sites: 26 family with electric and water 

              35 equestrian with hookups 

                3 equestrian tent sites no hook ups 

                1 day use shelter with"

    5. Lazy Days

    1 Review
    Farmersville, TX
    25 miles
    +1 (214) 815-5488

    $75 / night

    6. Elephant Rock Campground — Lake Murray State Park

    14 Reviews
    Overbrook, OK
    42 miles
    Website
    +1 (580) 223-4044

    "Chose a nice spot adjacent to the Lake where I was visited by a friendly goose for breakfast.

    Took a run around the area on several miles of developed trails and roads."

    "It has great options- some spots are secluded in the trees and some are open in the middle areas if you want to be around people."

    7. East Fork Park Campground

    11 Reviews
    Wylie, TX
    42 miles
    Website
    +1 (972) 442-3141

    $14 - $150 / night

    "We had a nice view of Lake Lavon. Grills and tables vary by site, some are very old, but many have been replaced."

    "I avoided any rough spots in the road and arrived at a LONG and roomie site with a beautiful view of the lake."

    8. Coffee Mill Lake Recreation Area

    5 Reviews
    Telephone, TX
    37 miles
    Website

    $10 / night

    "There was only one other camper, but there is access to the lake at this site with a few cars in the parking lot when we arrived, so you will see people even though it is secluded on the whole."

    "This is a nice campground on the shore of a small man made lake. The lake has a boat ramp and fishing pier."

    9. COE Lavon Lake Lavonia

    8 Reviews
    Wylie, TX
    42 miles
    Website
    +1 (972) 442-3141

    $14 - $30 / night

    "Nothing to knock you socks off, but it’s a great campsite close to home and nice for a quick getaway. Has the feel of being somewhat remote since it’s out by the lake."

    "Doesn’t have a lot of bells and whistles but does have sewer, lake views, wide open spaces, and clean! Great food places nearby."

    10. Lone Oak RV Park and Storage

    1 Review
    Valley View, TX
    33 miles
    Website
    +1 (940) 242-1533

    "They also were doing drive in concerts while we were there!"

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Recent Equestrian Camping Photos near Sherman, TX

2 Photos of 15 Sherman Campgrounds


Equestrian Camping Reviews near Sherman, TX

108 Reviews of 15 Sherman Campgrounds


  • Matt S.
    Sep. 21, 2016

    Isle du Bois Campsites — Ray Roberts Lake State Park

    Bring your horse to Isle du Bois unit - Roberts Lake State Park

    Roberts Lake State Park has two main campgrounds, the Isle du Bois unit and Johnson unit. These are what I would call twins. They are very similar in layout, scenery and activities. They are on opposite sides of the lake.

    Isle du Bois is a little different in that it has legitimate equestrian camp sites with horse pens built into each site. The park has several equestrian trails and is perfect if you like to ride and camp with your horse.

    The rest of the park has several walk-in camp sites and then a section for campers and RV's. It is a good park and I would normally rate this park as a three but I think that all of the equestrian activities and amenities for horses moves it up to a four.

  • B
    Jun. 12, 2018

    Platter Flats

    Great hosts

    The park hosts and volunteers are very friendly, responsive, and work hard with the resources available to them. They deserve 5 stars This 2 star review is on the park only.

    This campground is one part regular campground, one part equestrian campground. Having horses is not a requirement to camp in the equestrian area and that is hany when the "regular" area is filled. The sites are pretty close together and the entire park feels packed together when it comes to camping space.

    The facilities are extremely outdated but there are new bath/shower combos coming online very shortly in the equestrian section. In the meantime there are 2 shower stalls available for men and 2 for women in the entire camp. There are pit toilets in the equestrian area and only 1 flush toilet for men located in the "regular" area until the new ones come up in the equestrian area. Possibly only 2 for women available.

    The worst thing was the traffic. People would drive to swim, fish, use the restroom, visit others in adjacent campsites or just cruise around with no aim from 8 AM to 10PM Thursday thru Sunday afternoon. The outer gates close at 10 PM but some drove around inside the park after that anyway. The equestrian camp area has dirt/gravel road and all the traffic creates a dusty environment. The Main road to the entrance which runs along the south side of the equestrian area also leads to the Platter Flats Recreation area which has no gates nor closing time so there is activity on the road all day and night.

    There is a long equestrian trail that goes over to Lakeside Park across the lake that can also be hiked pretty easily that has a couple secluded spots to swim along the way. The trail is well marked and easy to follow. There are large map signs on each end of the trail and markers along the way.

    I would not recommend visiting this park on a weekend unless traffic doesn't bother you. It should be noted there is a rail freight line and siding not far from the camp and once the vehicle traffic slows down, the trains seem to start. The train horns at crossings may be a bother to some.

  • B
    Jun. 12, 2018

    COE Lake Texoma Platter Flats

    Weekend traffic but the hosts are great.

    The park hosts and volunteers are very friendly, responsive, and work hard with the resources available to them. They deserve 5 stars This 2 star review is on the park only.

    This campground is one part regular campground, one part equestrian campground. Having horses is not a requirement to camp in the equestrian area and that is hany when the "regular" area is filled. The sites are pretty close together and the entire park feels packed together when it comes to camping space.

    The facilities are extremely outdated but there are new bath/shower combos coming online very shortly in the equestrian section. In the meantime there are 2 shower stalls available for men and 2 for women in the entire camp. There are pit toilets in the equestrian area and only 1 flush toilet for men located in the "regular" area until the new ones come up in the equestrian area. Possibly only 2 for women available.

    The worst thing was the traffic. People would drive to swim, fish, use the restroom, visit others in adjacent campsites or just cruise around with no aim from 8 AM to 10PM Thursday thru Sunday afternoon. The outer gates close at 10 PM but some drove around inside the park after that anyway. The equestrian camp area has dirt/gravel road and all the traffic creates a dusty environment. The Main road to the entrance which runs along the south side of the equestrian area also leads to the Platter Flats Recreation area which has no gates nor closing time so there is activity on the road all day and night.

    There is a long equestrian trail that goes over to Lakeside Park across the lake that can also be hiked pretty easily that has a couple secluded spots to swim along the way. The trail is well marked and easy to follow. There are large map signs on each end of the trail and markers along the way.

    I would not recommend visiting this park on a weekend unless traffic doesn't bother you. It should be noted there is a rail freight line and siding not far from the camp and once the vehicle traffic slows down, the trains seem to start. The train horns at crossings may be a bother to some.

  • R
    May. 11, 2021

    Platter Flats

    Love! So fun for kids!

    Half of the campground is an equestrian camp. There are great hiking trails and beautiful views. Good shady spots.

    We had two kids with us and we loved walking around the campground and seeing all the horses! But remember it will also smell like them so camp on that side at your own risk.

    Also there was no attendant and we switched sites for the weekend with no issue 🤷‍♀️🤫

  • Greg C.
    Apr. 22, 2018

    Isle du Bois Campsites — Ray Roberts Lake State Park

    Just far enough

    This place is just far enough from DFW to not be to far. Great place to camp, fish and hike. Bring your horses for a equestrian trail as well. Great beach for some sand castles and swimming. And don't forget to hit the Dam store and get the dam special. Good burgers there.

  • D
    Aug. 23, 2019

    Brockdale Park

    Not a campsite

    Equestrian trail and boat launch. This is big parking lot for a boat launch on Lake Lavon and a large Equestrian trail. No camping sites but we have done a picnic here. It’s a few minutes from our home.

  • NThe Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 1, 2021

    COE Lake Texoma Platter Flats

    Trail Ride Anyone

    Amazing and Great for trail riding 

    Sites: 26 family with electric and water 

              35 equestrian with hookups 

                3 equestrian tent sites no hook ups 

                1 day use shelter with electric 

    Reservations only: 877-444-6777 or recreation.gov 

    No camp host Flush and pit toilets, showers, drinking water, trash, picnic table, dump station, boat ramp, dock 

    Great for horseback riding, fishing, hiking, fishing, hunting, and boating. Beautiful rolling hills with mature trees. Great shade especially in the equestrian area. Well maintained. Wonderful lake views with amazing sunsets. 

    LNT 

    BTYFI 

    Travel safe.

  • Brian
    Sep. 18, 2020

    COE Lavon Lake Lavonia

    Great for something close by

    Nothing to knock you socks off, but it’s a great campsite close to home and nice for a quick getaway. Has the feel of being somewhat remote since it’s out by the lake.

    We’ve camped in the site with the horse stables and put the tents with questionable rain flys in the horse stable.

  • Clari R.
    Oct. 29, 2020

    Johnson Branch Campsites — Ray Roberts Lake State Park

    Beautiful lake, OK campground

    We found Lake Ray Roberts as a nice swimming spot near Dallas to go cool down during the hot Texas summers and we LOVE it to go grill and hang out as a day long activity. So when my husband and I decide to start camping 🏕 we chose this park as our first trial, and we found it a bit inconvenient for Car camping since the spots are walk up and you gotta leave your car behind in a parking lot. Also, is very primitive style, so clean bathrooms and close-by water is not really part of the package. We loved the view from our spot and if you are up for a primitive experience within a park, then this is great. Just not for us and the type of camping we wanna do 😊


Guide to Sherman

Platter Flats Campground sits on Lake Texoma near Sherman, Texas at an elevation of approximately 620 feet. The recreation area offers both regular camping and specialized horse accommodations through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Located about 12 miles northwest of Denison, the campground experiences hot summers with temperatures regularly exceeding 90°F and mild winters where freezing temperatures are rare.

What to do

Lakeside fishing spots: The shoreline access at Platter Flats provides excellent fishing opportunities. "Great place for fishing, and if you are looking for a wonderful sunset, you have found the best place for it," notes Leah P. about Platter Flats Campground.

Horseback riding trails: Riders can access an extensive trail system connecting Platter Flats to other areas around Lake Texoma. "I grew up in the area, my family really loves it here. Nice and peaceful. We prefer the primitive area," shares Hope F. about her experiences at Platter Flats.

Wildlife viewing: The rolling terrain around Ray Roberts Lake State Park offers excellent wildlife spotting opportunities. "Deer will approach your campsite and you're likely to see all kinds of wildlife. A gem of a getaway!" according to Tony C., who visits the park frequently from Dallas.

Swimming access: Several campgrounds offer designated swimming areas with beach access. "There is also a fantastic beach swim area for day use or to visit while your camping. Nice sand and roped off swimming areas with large playgrounds," notes Matt S. about Isle du Bois at Ray Roberts Lake.

What campers like

Privacy between sites: Many equestrian campsites provide good separation from neighbors. "Platter Flats is usually quiet. It's been our favorite campsite for years because of this. We've always been able to find an open spot with a nice view," explains Jessica S. about her experiences at Platter Flats.

Clean facilities: Newer bathroom facilities receive positive mentions from campers. "Beautiful park with views to the lake. Very clean showers, nice trails...very family friendly. Enjoyed our quick overnight," shares Bryan A. about his stay at Isle du Bois.

Sunset views: The western exposure at several camping areas creates stunning evening views. "Great place for fishing, and if you are looking for a wonderful sunset, you have found the best place for it," mentions Leah P. about the scenic qualities at Platter Flats.

Off-season camping: Less crowded conditions make winter and early spring appealing to some campers. "There are few campers here in December. Restrooms were clean. Campsites, large and private," notes Eric R. about Isle du Bois Campsites.

What you should know

Site reservations: Most equestrian camping areas require advance booking through recreation.gov. "Amazing and Great for trail riding. Sites: 26 family with electric and water, 35 equestrian with hookups, 3 equestrian tent sites no hook ups, 1 day use shelter with electric. Reservations only: 877-444-6777 or recreation.gov," advises N.I. about COE Lake Texoma Platter Flats.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Sherman, TX?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Sherman, TX is Isle du Bois Campsites — Ray Roberts Lake State Park with a 4.7-star rating from 35 reviews.

What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Sherman, TX?

TheDyrt.com has all 15 equestrian camping locations near Sherman, TX, with real photos and reviews from campers.