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Reviews for Flying-R-Ranch
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West Plains, MO

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Overall CAMP RATING with 59 votes:
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The Flying R is a great camp, but it is under new ownership and is now call North Fork River Ranch. I spent 4 days there and plan to return. Excellent accommodations and staff. Really fun trails.
Reviewed by: Kchawk46 on 7/29/2021 4:07:57 PM
 Experience: Not Specified Ride Date: 5/13/2021 Hometown: Belle Fouche, SD

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This place is terrible and if this is 5 star then I am the Pope.
Reviewed by: RJ Fleming on 8/11/2017 6:49:40 PM
More reviews by RJ Fleming 		Experience: Expert Ride Date: 7/29/2017 Hometown: Houston, Tx

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This was our second trip to Flying R and it certainly wasn't a disappointment! When we arrived in camp on Saturday there were quite a few campers. When we returned from our Sunday morning ride, camp was empty and we were the only campers until the weekend rolled around again! Camp was quiet and comfortable and has all the amenities for a great experience. Stalls are covered with nice gates and they supply free shavings which is a huge plus! Electric and water at the sites and a dump station as well. There is a large, sand filled round pen for your horses to roll in after your ride and a very large turnout area as well which we used all week! Very nice wash rack and an obstacle course. They also have a very nice bath house with flushable toilets. It is always clean and well managed. Trails are very well marked which is great. Flying R also has their trails marked on PDF maps which makes following the trail a breeze with just your phone and no cell signal! You cannot get lost! We plan 5 days of riding when we ride here which is perfect for us. We do not ride on travel days as this is about a 10 hour drive for us. We are able to ride all the marked trails in 5 days riding. I highly suggest the forest trail! It was a 14 mile ride. Even though the temps were high it was very comfortable in the shade of the trees. Our rides averaged 7-14 miles each day and between 3-6 hours (We ride quarter horses so keep that in mind!). The terrain was varied and offered changes in elevation and deep river crossings. Most levels of confident riders will enjoy these trails. The ground is fairly rocky and I would highly suggest shoes all the way around. We often pad our horses in rocky areas as we have no rocks at home and our horses tend to get tender but we get along just fine at Flying R without pads. Love the camp employees, the ice cream cones in the store and the well maintained trails. We will continue to return to Flying R on a yearly basis, it is well worth the drive.
Reviewed by: Stacy on 7/22/2016 11:58:00 AM
More reviews by Stacy 		Experience: Expert Ride Date: 6/23/2016 Hometown: Palmyra, NE

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owner and staff are second to none. very helpful in any way and very pleasant. make you feel at home even though you are 600 miles away. campground was great. plenty of room for even the big rigs . over all our 6 day stay was relaxing and enjoyable. thanks to flying r and staff for a great time. the meatloaf wasn't bad either.
Reviewed by: barry charlet on 5/9/2016 1:36:43 PM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 5/1/2016 Hometown: white castle , la

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My girlfriends and I recently completed an AWESOME 5 day trip to the Flying R Ranch in West Plains, MO. This group has done 100 mile treks in the Pyrenees in Catalonia, Spain, and many of us are endurance riders who like a challenging trail. The trails were gorgeous and available for all levels of riders, from Jesse James (a challenging, rocky, and pitch steep challenging trail), to the bucolic Annie Oakley trail which passes through pine forests bordering the Mark Twain National Forest, and the beautiful North Fork river. Many water crossings, caves, and in April the dogwoods were in full bloom, making areas of the Annie Oakley trail look like a fairy bower with arching white blooms everywhere. The trail was lined with blue flowering Sweet William and even though the campground was full with a fun and interesting mule obstacle and jumping challenge, the trails were not crowded. With a one ton Dodge and a 34' Lakota LQ trailer, I was also pleased with how spacious the campsites were, with water / electric and many with pull through, adjacent to corrals with deep wood shavings for your horse. After doing the fun obstacle horse - with some great and challenging trail obstacles - you can literally ride hours and miles in all directions without criss crossing the well marked trails, and the ranch provides you with a digital map app for your phone so you never get lost. At the end of a hard day of riding, you can also purchase meal packages and with my gluten, egg and dairy allergies, I was bowled over by how accomodating the staff were to my dietary needs and the great meals they prepared. A highlight of the trip was a steak and potato cookout at night, where we rode down to the North Fork, picketed our horses, and shared good food and good memories with new friends. As an equine attorney, I see a LOT of equine campgrounds. This ranks in my top 3 and I can't wait to come back. Soon!
Reviewed by: denisefarris2 on 4/19/2016 4:26:24 PM
 Experience: Expert Ride Date: 4/18/2016 Hometown: Stilwell, KS

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This place was built by the current owner who really put some thought into it beforehand. Terry Carroll and his staff are extremely nice and helpful. The campsites have electric, water, fire ring, and picnic table. Covered stall next to campsite and has water ,bedding and manure pile close . also has 4 really nice log cabins for rent that sleep about 12 each. There is a fun obstacle course, two round pens and lots of fun trails. You do need to understand how the trails are marked before going out. There is a river that you must cross to get to most of the trails. It is about chest deep on a 14-2H horse. I highly recommend Flying "R" Ranch. The place is very busy so check ahead if you want to go on a weekend.
Reviewed by: remington77 on 4/15/2016 4:00:14 PM
More reviews by remington77 		Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 4/9/2016 Hometown: Waverly, OH

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The campground and facilities are second to none. Fun little obstacle course, great dining hall, superb bath house. They recently opened some new showers & bathrooms in the back of the campground. General store has everything you need. Stalls are great as well. Unfortunately for our group, there just aren't enough marked trails...which is why I knocked a star off. Sure, you can head off into the National Forest, which we did twice, but you can easily follow trails that are barely marked and then likely get lost. Flying R said they can't provide a map of the National Forest trails, which is fine, but that limited the trails we could ride without worrying about getting lost. The trails they do have -- Jesse James, Annie Oakley, Calamity Jane, etc. are very nice. The ride to the old ranch is enjoyable, and it's a good spot to stop for lunch. We've been three times to Flying R and just wish there were more than 3 or 4 days of riding without covering the same trails again. It's definitely a fantastic place to ride for a weekend.
Reviewed by: harmoncollege on 4/12/2016 2:04:05 PM
More reviews by harmoncollege 		Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 10/15/2015 Hometown: Coweta, OK

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We wanted to go to the Ozarks for the past few years. I wasn't sure which campgrounds to pick. Well, we picked the right one. We have camped in 10 different states and this was by far the best camp and trails. The workers went out of their way to make us feel at home. The showers were very clean. They had a variety of trails. The only bad thing, us that it is 770 miles from home. We spent 10 very great days there and can't wait to go back.
Reviewed by: Teabyrdz on 10/11/2015 9:47:14 PM
More reviews by Teabyrdz 		Experience: Expert Ride Date: 9/15/2015 Hometown: FREEDOM, OH

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Just returned from a long weekend at Flyin R. These are the nicest, hardest working people with the best set up we've seen in a long time. They make it comfortable for any level of camper/rider. I have not tried their food yet, but heara it is good.
Reviewed by: Calamityj on 9/28/2015 12:23:59 PM
 Experience: Expert Ride Date: 9/24/2015 Hometown: Ava, MO

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first time we stayed here,we expected a lot from what we heard from others.we got a lot VERY NICE in every way!!!!!
Reviewed by: ranlin on 9/7/2015 6:01:51 PM
 Experience: Expert Ride Date: 9/4/2015 Hometown: long lane, mo

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Nice facilities for horses and us humans. They just added restrooms and showers at the back end of the camp so campers in that area have facilities close. If you like single track trails ride the Jesse James and Annie Oakley trails on the ranch then focus on the Mark Twain Forest trails (easily accessed from the ranch). The staff we encountered at the ranch were all very helpful and made us feel welcomed. The lodge was a great place to play cards, listen to music, etc., in the evening.
Reviewed by: Morning Mist Acres on 5/27/2015 7:32:14 PM
More reviews by Morning Mist Acres 		Experience: Not Specified Ride Date: 5/19/2015 Hometown: Central City, IA

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Wonderful owners, accommodating staff, nice campground with several shady sites. Nice stalls, but they can get wet when it rains. Firewood, shavings, wheelbarrows and fork are provided. Trails are very scenic with several really nice water crossings. These people run a grat horse camp. Only drawback is that there are only 4 marked trails. There are some in the adjoining forest, but you have to figure them out without a map. Have been there 3 times so far and will definitely go back.
Reviewed by: Dia on 5/24/2015 8:50:55 PM
More reviews by Dia 		Experience: Expert Ride Date: 4/18/2015 Hometown: Raymondville, Mo

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Would give Flying R six stars out of five!!! Great owners/staff. Wonderful facilities. Cleanest shower house I've ever seen. Trails are well marked. Home cooked food, free firewood, convenient covered stalls. Round pen to work your horse in and an obstacle course for your horse. They have thought of everything!!! We will be returning time and time again!!!
Reviewed by: sharla higgenbotham on 5/19/2015 4:48:14 AM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 5/14/2015 Hometown: mexico, mo

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This was our first time at the Flying R Ranch. Campground has level sites and the stalls are very close. Hosts were super friendly and even played music and had dancing during the middle of the week for us. Trails are well marked and are beautiful. There are lots of river crossing and sights to see. Would highly recommend the Flying R Ranch.
Reviewed by: esteward on 4/21/2015 3:50:31 PM
 Experience: Expert Ride Date: 4/13/2015 Hometown: Harrington, DE

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Level sites with large covered stalls with shavings. Handy water & manure pits. Lots of free firewood! Bathroom, shower house & laundry are all clean & handy! Music on Fri & Sat night with Teri doing an excellent Ray Price! Excellent map to go with the trails and you can ride private land & Mark Twain National Forest. A lot of interesting sites & history to ride to! It is great to have a choice of cooking or eating good food in their dining hall! Nice tack & more store with the Best Helping Employees!!!! From the moment you pull in their driveway, you'll see all the work that has been done in this newer camp & they're still doing more! The decorations are awesome! Thanks for making it available for us to come from Iowa & enjoy this! Hope to drive thru your front gates again!!!!!
Reviewed by: Linda & Morris Dolph on 10/31/2014 8:12:48 PM
More reviews by Linda %26 Morris Dolph 		Experience: Expert Ride Date: 10/7/2014 Hometown: Waterloo, IA

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This was our 3rd visit to the Flying-R-Ranch and it has easily become our new favorite place to ride. It is definately the Holiday Inn of horse camping. We have a very long trailer and we had no trouble getting into the nice level camp sites. The stalls are all covered and big enough for our very long backed appaloosa. Where we have always camped, the stalls are right to the back of our trailer, so our horses were always within sight of our campsite. Shavings are provided for the stalls so you don't have to worry about carrying those with you. There is also a long hose so that we didn't have to carry water for the horses. Just hook up your bucket, and get the hose. We were also able to use the hose to wet our horses down after returning from our ride on a very hot day. Our horses thank you. Wheel barrels and forks are also provided for use. There is wood conveniently located for campfires too. The whole campground is well maintained and the bathhouse is immaculate. I never found water all over the floor and no bugs in the bathouse. I have never experienced that while horsecamping. We have eatten some of our meals in the mess hall and have never been disappointed. They are very generous with their portions too. The trails are rocky in places and there are steep hills to climb, but that is to be expected since it is the Ozarks. We have been on the Annie Oakley, Zane Grey, and the Calamity Jane trails and have not been disappointed in any of them. Each was challenging enough to make them interesting, but still not so much that we felt our horses were in danger or that it was too much for them even though they are not use to this type of terrain (being from flat Central Illinois). We have not yet tried the Jesse James trail since it is suppose to be a lot more challenging and we felt that our horses need to be in better shape before trying it. The river crossings on all of the trails make it very nice for cooling your horses off and letting them drink. Riding with the longhorns while on the Calamity Jane trail was a bit unnerving at the time, but ended up being a really neat experience. (The longhorns are very use to horses and didn't bother us at all.) Last but not least, all of the people at the ranch have been extremely friendly and helpful. The night before we were to leave home for this particular trip, one of our horses threw a shoe. I called the ranch, and they arranged to have a shoer there early the next morning (we didn't arrive until very late at night) so that we didn't lose any riding time. The owners and all of the staff take a lot of pride in the ranch and work very hard to keep it nice, but they are never too busy to sit and have a conversation with you either. They make you feel like they have known you for years. On this last visit, Terry (not the owner)and his son provided music on Sat. night that was so good we thought it was the radio being played through the speakers. It is easy to tell that everyone on the ranch loves what they do. It is not just a job. We have recommended the Flying-R-Ranch to all of our horsey buddies.
Reviewed by: Linda Forbes on 9/16/2014 9:57:55 AM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 9/4/2014 Hometown: Decatur, IL

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I have been enjoying Flying R Ranch for two and a half years. The owners, Terry and Pam Carroll, are continuously expanding and improving the facilities and the trails. They live on the property and are constantly present to oversee operations and attended to the riders needs and wants. I've been to many horse camps in Missouri, Illinois and Kentucky and I like the passion and involvement of the owners, the culture of the ranch and the assistance provided to both horse and rider. I've always called it my Five-Star Horse Camp and it is. This is a must visit destination. Love the miles and miles of trails, the good food, the accommodations (hookups, bunk rooms and cabins)and most importantly the clean restrooms and showers. They have recently expanded their dining hall and it is just fabulous with a wall of windows overlooking the rolling southern Missouri hills. Just lovely. You've got to see it.
Reviewed by: Renie Tuffli on 8/21/2014 11:41:18 AM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 8/11/2014 Hometown: Labadie, MO

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The Flying R is the best campground and horse trailriding facility I have ever been at. I have been at several throughout Arkansas and Missouri and Colroado. I just love the whole facility and all that it offers. Terry and Pam, the owners are the best. They make you feel so at home.
Reviewed by: Karri Koelling on 3/14/2014 6:41:58 AM
 Experience: Expert Ride Date: 5/16/2013 Hometown: Lake Lillian, Minnesota,

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We have been going to Flying R in June for 5 days for the past 2 years (and have our 3rd trip booked for this year). We have 3 in our group, 1 beginner and 2 intermediate. We have enjoyed all of the trails at the ranch, although our beginner was a little nervous on Jesse James in 2012. We have only gotten lost a little bit and that's saying something for us directionally dysfunctional gals! We always stay in a cabin. We love the views of the river and that we can walk down and sit in it after our rides. The cabins are clean overall but ours really needed a carpet cleaning last year. The beds and pillows are comfortable but you need to bring your own linens and towels. Bathroom could be larger, but such is life. The first year we brought our trailer and horses down to the stalls by the cabin, but that road can be a little dicey and it's hard to carry hay and supplies up the hill to those stalls, so since then we have dropped our trailer and kept the horses up top by the camping area, which works much better for us. They are very accomodating for requests like this. There are 2 round pens to work off the morning snorts and a widely varied obstacle course. Stalls are big, safe and clean, with lots of free available shavings. We paid the $5 a day to have them cleaned for us and were not sorry. Last year we did a 4-hour float trip on the river one day and will probably do that again. The Carrolls are great hosts and I highly recommend you put this place on your trail riding list. We have not made it into the Mark Twain to ride yet but maybe this year. We also need to try the meals from the kitchen, as I hear they are excellent.
Reviewed by: Vicki Germain Tharp on 2/16/2014 5:06:50 PM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 6/5/2013 Hometown: Palatine, Illinois,

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Sorry for the late review, I just found this web site. We have stayed at Flying R several times since they opened. They have improved each time. The campsites are big, level, and easy to get into. Pens are nice, shavings and firewood are free. The staff is super friendly and usually accommodating. The trails are nice and although they can be challenging for a novice navigator, they continue to improve. Our only disappointment is that we had reserved two sites months in advance, and when we arrived we were told that they had been given to someone else in a larger group. We were placed back in an area where there were many open sites. The larger group could have easily been put there but we were told that they cater to larger groups. The sites that had been taken away from us were closer to the bathrooms and shower house so were preferrred. Guess I'm still angry about that, but we will go back. Overall they are great people and we love their trails.
Reviewed by: Ozark Mountain Gal on 12/28/2013 9:05:50 PM
More reviews by Ozark Mountain Gal 		Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 6/19/2013 Hometown: ,

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Had yet another wonderful time and the owner, Terry is wonderful and goes out of his way to make your stay enjoyable. The staff are super nice too!! The trails on the property cris-cross and can be confusing (but I hear they are changing that). When you get over into the Forest, there are many, many trails to ride. The Western weekend was a blast!!It's a great place to got for sure and I will be back!!
Reviewed by: Lori B on 10/9/2013 10:56:13 AM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 9/25/2013 Hometown: Troy, MO

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First time to Flying R. Enjoyed the stay. Friendly staff and very clean facility. The food was beyond great. Even though it rained several inches the first night, we were able to ride the following day. There are rocky hills or more flat riding after crossing the river. Plenty of riding for ability levels. The obstacle course was a lot of fun, so I enjoyed challenging my new young horse each day.
Reviewed by: IL Trailrider on 8/6/2013 5:17:18 AM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 7/29/2013 Hometown: Arcola, IL

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Had a fair weekend, did not like that fat (B) in the store! All of they are so wonderful!! An like to tell you they are.
Reviewed by: came with friends on 7/12/2013 12:39:57 PM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 7/6/2013 Hometown: Home Town, AR

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What a fantastic place! This was our first time visiting and I made reservations for June before I left. The Trails are absolutely beautiful. The campgrounds are very clean and well kept. Safe stalls that are well shaded, free shavings, many picks and wheel barrows at each barn. Water at each barn. The trails are well marked but I still managed to get lost, this is not unusual for me. The meals are fantastic and well prepared, although I thought the price was a little expensive. It was nice not having to cook and clean up. The Lodge has everything you might have forgotten. The bathrooms are very clean and very nice. I can't wait to go back! May just be my new favorite place.
Reviewed by: Gina A on 5/25/2013 7:36:34 PM
 Experience: Expert Ride Date: 5/16/2013 Hometown: St Clair , MO

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My first trip to Flying R and let me tell you this is a top notch, 5-star campground. The owners, Terry and Pam are so friendly and accommodating. I feel like I have new friends. The campsites, stalls, etc are wonderful. Free shaving available and they routinely scoop up the manure piles so there is no smell. Hitching post in front of the stalls and everything is so clean. Chris, the cook, makes a mean breakfast and dinner. And the homemade rolls and desserts are to die for!!! The tack room has everything a horse rider would need. Now the trails....the ones on his property are well marked and pretty easy. If you have a gaited horse, you will love it. Then for the explorers, head to the Nat'l forest, There is more riding there then you can get done in weeks. Can't wait to get back and explore. Wi-Fi available up by the tack store and I was lucky enough to get phone reception in my trailer and everywhere in camp....Made my stay that much more pleasant!! This is a fantastic place to go!!!
Reviewed by: LoriB on 5/20/2013 1:02:18 PM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 5/16/2013 Hometown: Troy, MO

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Flying R is a very well kept campground....Bathrooms are really nice, just wish the shower had a bit more water pressure....Stalls were nice, loved the fact that they provide free shavings, and had lots of really nice wheelbarrows and manure forks and shovels....They also provided free firewood which I also loved....The trails were nice, I guess it all depends on what your prefrence is, I myself like a very challenging set of trails and this place is a little bit more laid back...but still some hills and a bit of challenging places....The only thing that disappointed me was the $35 a night camp fee for 2 people, thats a bit steep for me, I have never been to a place that charges an extra $10 after the first person on the site...All I have to say is thank the Lord I dont have a big family...I'd be broke.....And also they charge a $5.oo fee to dump your sewer...You'd think with that high of a campsite fee they could at least let you dump for free!!!! But all in all it is a very nice, well kept, and VERY clean campground....With the most beautiful office barn you will ever see!!!!
Reviewed by: Shelley on 12/9/2012 9:43:54 PM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 12/7/2012 Hometown: Holden, MO, MO

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This place just keeps getting better and better. We have been coming to Flying-R-Ranch since August of 2011. The trail system is great and keeps expanding with lots of variety and many interesting things to see. The hospitality from Terry, Pam and the rest of the staff is the best around. Love the new hitching rails near the barns,the obstacle course and large arena. The facilities are always clean and well stocked. Don't leave without getting a root beer float from The Hitch-N-Post!
Reviewed by: PHull on 11/1/2012 1:46:36 PM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 10/19/2012 Hometown: Van Buren, MO

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Just a super place! can't wait to go back. Owners very friendly and helpful, facilities are great, and trails were awesome.
Reviewed by: Cindy on 10/29/2012 3:47:30 PM
More reviews by Cindy 		Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 10/15/2012 Hometown: , MO

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Great campsites, stalls and trails! We rode for 5 days and loved every trail. Jerry checked in with us each morning and evening and seemed extremely sincere and concern about our visit. Facilites and extremely clean and neat, loved the look of the western town. We will definitely be back for another visit.
Reviewed by: Chuck & Sue Warren on 10/23/2012 6:49:21 PM
 Experience: Not Specified Ride Date: 10/6/2012 Hometown: Elizabethtown, KY

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Great riding, great people and awesome facilities. We have been back and will be back many times.
Reviewed by: Anonymous on 10/23/2012 1:35:25 PM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 10/3/2012 Hometown: Dittmer, MO

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Great People, great sites, good stalls and trails. Have great 4 day ride and lots of help from Jerry on where to ride.
Reviewed by: Rick on 10/23/2012 11:52:47 AM
 Experience: Expert Ride Date: 10/19/2012 Hometown: Lamar, MO

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The trails are great, from very easy to difficult. The river crossing areDavid C maro great. The camping facilities are very nice. Terry came to our camp sit every nite and morning to see there was any thing we needed. I plain to come back next spring.
Reviewed by: David C Marple on 10/19/2012 6:13:24 PM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 10/7/2012 Hometown: Auburn , KS

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This is the first time my friends and i stayed at Flying R. We have ridden at alot of camps in missouri. This one is excellent. we all will come back again. it is easy to get to with good roads. the campground is very nice. Stalls are large enough for my big mare and very safe and clean. The showers and bathrooms are immaculate. We love the tack for sale and the hand dipped ice cream. The trails are beautiful, fun and just enough challenge to not be boring. They have great maps and terry will show you unmarked trails on his large arial and topo map in the barn. we never got lost and felt it was easy to take an all day ride and not be afraid of getting lost. i would recommend this camp to anyone at any level of riding. They also have several round pens of various sizes to warm up your horse as well as a challenging trail obstacle course in camp as well.
Reviewed by: Jan Stalcup on 10/18/2012 7:13:29 AM
 Experience: Expert Ride Date: 10/8/2012 Hometown: El Dorado, KS

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We had a great time at Flying R. The campgrounds are clean. We originally had booked the bunkhouse rooms but after seeing how tiny they were we opted for a cabin. The owner was great about taking care of that for us. The cabins were awesome, full kitchens with a fun picnic bench in the living area. The cabin was extremely clean with a full bathroom with shower, fully equipped kitchen, and bbq pits outside. The oven didn't work very well but not a big deal. The heater in the cabin wasn't working when we first got there but Terry came down and looked at it, got it working, and brought us space heaters for the bedrooms late one evening. The stalls were well built and secure with water on site and free shavings. The stalls for the cabins are on a hillside and the walk up is a little bit of work to carry hay and such up. We had a heavy downpour one night and found the stalls were soaked due to the water running down the hillside into them. Would be great if they eventually put another set of stalls in the clearing below the stalls. The drive down to the cabins is kind of steep (it's a short drive though) the first time you try it but we got used to it by the end of the stay. Terry came by and checked on us in the evening which was greatly appreciated. We were only able to get cellphone service for a few seconds near the office. The first day we rode the Calamity Jane Trail, which was fairly challenging in some spots. It was well marked on most of it, we did have difficulty finding two portions of that trail. The second day we rode the Annie Oakley trail which was supposed to be about a 3 hour ride. It turned into 5 hours when we got lost (with a GPS). We could have turned around but didn't want to go back through a pretty tricky hillside we had already encountered. We ended up having to do it anyway because we just couldn't figure out the locations of some of the trail markers (rocks and tin cans) used. Terry later told us some of the area is conservation area and can't be marked and another portion was new trail that hadn't been marked yet. We ended up getting back before dark so no harm done. Another group ended up lost in the dark twice while we were there and Terry had to go get them on his four wheeler. Not sure how he found them because we never found a spot with cell service to call for help. (He told us later they were planning to get GPS coordinates for the trails which will be great) Not looking for road signs posted, lol, but don't like the idea of being stuck after dark or not be able to find our way back if somebody gets hurt. The views from our cabin were beautiful, it overlooked the creek, and pasture/hillside beyond. Trails were very pretty. We will definitely return.
Reviewed by: Kelly Tippett on 10/16/2012 8:56:19 AM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 10/12/2011 Hometown: House Springs, MO

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This was my first visit to Flying R and was I impressed. I've visited many horse camps in Missouri and Illinois and Flying R is by far the best ever. You can tell Terry and Pam Carrol, the owners, take pride in their facility. They have grand future plans as well. Loved the stalls, new wheelbarrows, great bedding, good water hoses near the stalls, excellent trailer hookups with level parking areas. I didn't even have to use my levelers. The trails were well marked. I had heard there were not many trails at Flying R but that's not the case at all. It will take me many, many visits to even come close to riding all the trails on the Flying R property as well as the adjacent Mark Twain National Forest. Scenery is exceptional. Got the grand tour with Terry to view the bunk house and riverside cabins. I'm going back this weekend as well for the Best of America ride and celebration at Flying R. I'm so glad I found this place -- don't miss it. Put it on your list of places to visit.
Reviewed by: Renie Tuffli on 10/15/2012 5:13:21 AM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 10/12/2012 Hometown: Labadie, MO

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This camp is fantastic - great marked trails, campsites that are clean with convenient and clean stalls, excellent showers and amenities and most of all a Management Team that cares about their customers. You won't regret picking this site.
Reviewed by: Jim Brian on 10/14/2012 8:59:05 AM
 Experience: Expert Ride Date: 10/7/2012 Hometown: Louisville, KY

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Just returning home from our first stay at the Flying R Ranch! I am so impressed with it all! Terry is there 3 times a day checking to see if you need anything or have any questions! It is a beautiful area and top notch facility! Stalls, hitching post, round pens, water and electric for each site! Some places we have camped you can wait an hour for water to water your horses! Nothing primitive about the campground as we have seen in some horse camps! The horse obstacle course is so neat! The trails are wonderful and marked very well! We will definitely be going back next year!
Reviewed by: Gayle Morris on 10/10/2012 3:30:06 AM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 10/6/2012 Hometown: Farber, MO

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Can not say enough wonder things about this campground!!! The trails are wonderful. For those of you that went early on, the trails are marked better and better every time and the maps have improved. Even I can find my way around and I have no sense of direction. Round pens, wash racks, stalls are always in shade, plenty of hose... just everything you are looking for in a horse campground!!! The staff and owners are very helpful. My friends and I will continue to go back several times a year!!!
Reviewed by: Amy Brock on 10/8/2012 9:17:48 AM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 10/6/2012 Hometown: Clever, MO

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We have just returned from Fly R Ranch. What a great experience. The campsite was clean and very easy to park. We were all parked side by side with the horses in covered stalls right behind the camp. The restrooms and shower house was very clean. The trails were marked and we were able to pick the appropriate trail for the riders. Terry came by everyday to see if we needed anything. This was our first time but we will be back next year.
Reviewed by: FCraig on 10/6/2012 6:32:55 AM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 10/2/2012 Hometown: Harrisburg, MO

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I cannot say enough good things about my trip to Flying R. Camping was easily accessible with a big rig, very nice to have water and electric, plus a picnic table right by the trailer. Stalls were roomy and very clean for my horse. Hitching posts were right by the stalls and water was plentiful to fill buckets or wash off horses, very convenient. The bath and shower house was an added bonus and kept very clean. The trails were some of the best I've ever ridden, and I have ridden all across the country. They were a good mix of challenging climbs, beautiful overlooks, caves, and wonderful places to really move out on my gaited horse. I would recommend hoof protection of some kind due to the many rocky trails...it is the Missouri Ozarks after all! The river crossings were such a treat. Even though it rained really hard one night, the trails were fine the next day. Terry, the owner, was always available to counsel us on the best trails to ride, or help out any way he could. We rode for 3 days on a different trail every day, and didn't even make it over to all the trails in Mark Twain National Forest that the ranch adjoins. I'm anxious to go back and xplore all the other trails available. This will be on my to do list every year...it is a fabulous place to ride and camp.
Reviewed by: Gail on 10/5/2012 4:52:06 PM
 Experience: Expert Ride Date: 9/26/2012 Hometown: New Waverly, TX

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We enjoyed our stay at the Flying R and can't wait to go back. The campground is great, level sites with plenty of shade, water, electricity & close to our horses. The stalls are roomy & clean. The trails are beautiful and range from easy to challenging. We especially enjoyed the river crossings with the cool, crystal clear water. Terry is very attentive and makes sure you enjoy your stay. We thank him and his family & staff for sharing their ranch for us trail riders to enjoy!
Reviewed by: Ray & Sandy Dupy on 10/2/2012 1:26:41 PM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 9/9/2012 Hometown: Enid, OK

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This is a wonderful place to camp and ride. Terry and his staff are courteous, friendly and helpful in every way. The trails are many and challenging with beautiful river crossings, forests, several caves, and lots of wide-open spaces.
Reviewed by: Anonymous on 9/29/2012 7:45:21 AM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 9/24/2012 Hometown: , Select State

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Just returned home from a week of the best camping/riding experience and I can't wait to go back again in a few weeks. From the facilities which were 5 star to the trails which ranged from easy to difficult. Lots of choices of where to ride and easy to move from one trail to another. Lots of water available to cross. Free ranging cattle, my horse wondered what those were, (almost a city horse), lots of places to stop and enjoy the views or lunch on the trails. Every day the owner checked on us to see if we needed anything or had any problems. He suggested places to ride and we learned some of the history of the area. The rest rooms were immaculate, handy store if you needed items either snack or horse related. The staff is so friendly and helpful. Got to see the kitchen, OMG it's awesome and the cleanest kitchen I've ever seen. Great job to the owners and staff, who are continuing to make improvements. You all have a winner! Thanks for a great time.
Reviewed by: Plumbroke Farm$ on 9/25/2012 1:17:19 PM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 9/19/2012 Hometown: , MO

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This is a top notch camping and riding facility. The stalls are large and safe, close to campsites. Water is easily accessible, tie rails located next to the stalls make it convenient to get your horse ready. The sites are level with picnic tables, water and electric hookups, fire rings and firewood. Most of the sites are tucked back into the trees with lots of shade. The store has beverages, tack, ice cream, etc. Friendly staff, hospitable hosts, and fun trails. From easy to challenging the trails are great with plenty of river crossings with good footing. It rained fairly heavily the night we arrived, but the next day the trails were fine and the rain didn't affect our riding at all. We paid the daily fee of $5 for stall cleaning which made it a real vacation. We had a wonderful time and can't say enough good things about Flying-R-Ranch.
Reviewed by: TwoBucksRanch on 9/25/2012 9:57:10 AM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 9/21/2012 Hometown: , KS

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What a great place to visit! VERY clean,large restrooms, VERY easy parking for horse rigs, Covered horse stalls directly behind your level parking pad, & the OWNER checking on you to see if you need anything! The trails are well maintained and the footing is good. From riding thru the hollows to some steep hills, you can ride these trails frontwards and backwards and give your horse(s) a good workout! You can also just walk around and have some great scenery! The river crossings are numerous and wide, crystal clear, and good rock footing for the horses. We have found a new playground!
Reviewed by: Charlie & Kathleen Waymire on 9/24/2012 7:03:37 PM
 Experience: Expert Ride Date: 9/21/2012 Hometown: Spring Hill, KS

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A great place to visit and ride the trails along the beautiful Norfork River. The wildlife and landscape is beautiful. My family and I stayed in the cabin for a long weekend with children and grandchildren. Some of the family was fishing while others were playing in the river, riding the trails or just sitting on the porch enjoying the view and relaxing. Horse stalls are plentiful and the entire site is a great place to ride, vacation, canoe, or just relax. We are planning to book our next visit very soon as this is one of those best kept secrets.
Reviewed by: AJ Rowland on 9/22/2012 11:36:21 AM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 8/4/2012 Hometown: Seward, NE

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Our five night stay at Flying-R-Ranch Thursday-Saturday, 25-30 August 2012 was great; exceeded our expectations. It helped that for four of the nights we had the campground to ourselves since the big crowd didn’t start arriving for the Labor Day Weekend until we left. Every horse campground is different, features vary and what is important to one traveler is different from the next. With that said, we think most would rank Flying R as a Top 5 destination in Missouri and definitely a Top 10 in the country. Our ranking is based on our travels from Florida to South Dakota and Cindy’s 100 nights of Camping with our horses this year; Bob is still retired so his numbers are a lot less. Of special note are the clean level campsites, plenty of room for large trailers, very clean restrooms, days of riding, varying types of trails, safe/roomy stalls and the very friendly owners and staff. Our horses, Dusty and Banjo, were not real comfortable being around longhorn cattle but luckily the cattle are trained to be around horses. We took one day off and spent the day float fishing for Smallmouth Bass on the beautiful, crystal clear, North Fork of the White River; Terry, our host, shuttled us up stream and we floated down to the camp. We were having such a good time (nine hours) Terry got worried and came looking for us; he is a good man. We think riding clubs like ours (Ozark Ridge Riders) would enjoy a long weekend at Flying R and we will work on getting a ride on our calendar for next year. Thanks for a wonderful stay! Bob & Cindy Fauser, Colona, IL.
Reviewed by: Bob & Cindy Fauser on 9/17/2012 6:22:29 AM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 8/25/2012 Hometown: Colona, IL

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We had a great time at the ranch's 4th July Celebration. The trails are well maintained. The facilities are the best that we have ever been too. The food was great. The fireworks display was super! Looking forward to their Labor week.
Reviewed by: Avid Trail Riders on 7/19/2012 9:19:23 AM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 6/7/2012 Hometown: , MO

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Memorial Day, had a good time at the Flying R.Ranch. Enjoyed the get together for pot luck, then staying for the dancing and singing Sat.evening. Poker run was fun, trails are good. We liked the fact that our trailer's were parked together, an horse's stalled behind our trailer's. Looking forward to coming back someday.
Reviewed by: Anonymous on 6/26/2012 11:58:17 AM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 3/26/2012 Hometown: home town, KS

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Had a nice stay over Memorial Day weekend,nice folks,campground is great,only problem we found there was that several campers had dogs running loose in the campground,none that caused problems tho but there is a rule at this camp against that.Trails aren't marked too heavily,but,we had no problem riding the ones that we chose.We will definately go back again.
Reviewed by: Don and Sharmon on 6/24/2012 7:57:20 PM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 5/25/2012 Hometown: , AR

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What a great time my riding buddies and I had at Flying R! This is one of our new top favorites! Trails range from easy to steep climbs. The river riding and crossings are wonderful. Trails are not marked great yet, but they are working on it. Owners are terrific! We even rented kayaks and canoe from camp and spent an afternoon on the river.Campground has great sites and stalls right by your site. I must say, this is the best bath house I have ever been in! My riding group will be back!
Reviewed by: Leigh on 6/24/2012 11:59:14 AM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 6/9/2012 Hometown: Hernando, MS

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The campground is great.Stalls and barns are new with free shavings offered.Trails are pretty,marked fairly well and there are maps provided.There were dogs that were running loose in the camp,however,several of them.Will go back again,but,take your own meals,restaurant not up and running yet and will be expensive to eat 3 times a day at one.
Reviewed by: Anonymous on 5/30/2012 10:31:58 AM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 5/25/2012 Hometown: , Select State

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Camping and horse stall areas are great. Very nice bath house. Trails system needs a lot of work. Trails are marked but very confusing. Not enough miles of trails, easily covered the whole area in two short days. Did not care for riding along pasture edges, lots of fence lines, and too much road riding. When the trails do enter the timber, they wander willy nilly about 50 ft. from one another or just off the edge of a pasture, absolutely no destination. Not well planned through the timber and soil is loose on the hills. We did get off owner's property into the Mark Twain forest and trails were better but they come right back to owner's trails or onto gravel roads.
Reviewed by: Avid Riders on 5/9/2012 4:19:01 PM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 5/7/2012 Hometown: , MO

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Reviewed by: Anonymous on 5/9/2012 4:16:02 PM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 5/7/2012 Hometown: , Select State

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One of the nicest camps I've ever been to. The trails are easy to moderate, can't wait to go back to try the more challenging trails. If you want to road ride there are a lot of roads on his property (no cars, atv's, motorcycles)About the camp; couple owns a gorgeous 800 acres with the South Fork River running thru it. Includes a full restaurant, gift/tack shop, 59 level sites with water and elect, 3 log houses and a few small rooms for rent. Covered stalls, FREE sawdust and firewood. Nice bath house and laundry room. Soda machines. Wonderful place and wonderful people, Terry and friends all have a passion for this place and it definitely shows. I highly, highly recommend. I will be going back again and again.
Reviewed by: KHarding on 4/16/2012 6:01:04 AM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 4/14/2012 Hometown: Jonesboro, AR

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The owner Terry is very friendly and helpful...The campground and bathrooms and showers are clean and well lighted. We enjoyed the smoked meats and chili and burgers that Terry provided at no extra charge, this is a wonderful place for familys! We enjoyed the trails, might mention there is alot of barbwire laying around to watch for...Terry has many plans for improvements and more trails....the only suggestions we would have would be heaters in the bathrooms as it cools off and barbwire along the trails hau led away....Wonderful place to stay, and very reasonable...we will be back!
Reviewed by: VDorsey on 11/1/2011 12:54:01 PM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 10/27/2011 Hometown: Willard, MO

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We enjoyed 4 days camping and riding. The campground and facilities are excellent, beautiful trees, wide trailer sites, great hosts and staff, and this new facility has bunkhouses, cabins on the river, and the nicest shower houses we have ever seen. The stalls are covered. Trails are easy, nothing difficult, ranging from open fields, logging roads, riverside riding, cut trails through forest, and gravel roads. This horse camp really has a future and will become one of Missouri's best camps. THANK YOU for a great stay!
Reviewed by: Coy & Sara Bartlett on 10/22/2011 6:38:56 PM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 10/21/2011 Hometown: Fayetteville, AR

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This campground has a great shower house, lots of room in the campground, and the stalls are very conveniently placed under a canopy of trees. The owners are very friendly and welcoming and helpful. The trails are great-some are very wide and some are single track. You can do a short ride or almost all-day ride. On special weekends, there are pot-luck dinners in the building next to the shower house. It is a terrific place for camping if you have LQ, tent or want to rent a cabin or bunkhouse room. You really need to check out this place and come back again!
Reviewed by: KT Vernon on 7/30/2011 10:30:48 AM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 7/1/2011 Hometown: West Plains, MO

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The horse camp has beautiful sunrises in the morning and beautiful trails with different terrains to travel. I love the facilities, everything is firt class. I can't wait to come back.
Reviewed by: Midge Mayfield on 6/28/2011 5:19:37 PM
 Experience: Expert Ride Date: 6/27/2011 Hometown: Mountain Grove, MO

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We had the pleasure of camping here over the weekend and it was fabulous. The trails are great with a variety of scenery, rolling hills, meadows and lush forests. The camp sites are great with plenty of water and electricity and nice stalls for the horses. I can't wait to go back again. There are even sleeping rooms if you don't own a camper but want to stay for a while. The shower houses are large and very clean.
Reviewed by: Sally Hickman on 6/21/2011 2:03:12 PM
 Experience: Intermediate Ride Date: 6/17/2011 Hometown: Pomona, MO