Ortona Lock Campground

Well, we liked it so much on our way to our friends S of Miami, we booked a week on our way back up Florida! We spent 3 nights in site 13, then moved to waterfront site #23. #23 is lovely! 24 & 26 have a bit of shade. I saw 5 otters in the creek, alligators in the creek & the river and loads of cool birds!
The laundromat in town is filthy... I had read that in a prior review but forgot.
The brewery in town was nice - large dog friendly patio, nice beer & nice views.
Nice book trade too!
Oh for a fun little video on the lock (not the campground): https://youtu.be/0XAGas-BFW0

We stayed here for 3 nights in early April of 2023. Our price reflects what we call "the geezer pass" - half price for seniors. Sites were long enough and were on concrete so level enough. The patio area is coral "gravel" with a covered picnic table. Grassy area and some foliage between sites. Sites definitely far enough apart for us too. Loved being able to walk across the dam to watch boats in the lock, loved the view of the fields back behind us (reminded us of Northern Costa Rica). Clean bathroom with a nice shower! Showerhead was great & decent pressure. As this campground is at the end of the road, there is no extra traffic on the roads, except for the day use fishermen coming in. When we were there, five of the campers played music at the small covered picnic area - was great! Hosts were super nice and it was just a cool campground! Mainly retirees here - only one family with little kids on the weekend. Relatively quiet, but yep the cow poop smell when the wind blew wrong... other than that perfect!

Clean campground with spacious sites. Each site was paved with a gravel pad next to it with a covered picnic table and a fire ring. Bathhouses were cleaned every other day while we were here and stayed fairly clean considering that the east loop of campground's bathhouse is closed. If you're arriving after sunset you should call the park to let them know so you can get the gate combo. The gates are open from 7:30am to sunset. Camp host were nice. The only downfall of this campground was the smell from the cow field on the opposite side of the street and the bugs at night. The smell wasn't noticeable unless the wind was blowing but it'll hit you like a ton of bricks when it does.

Also, if you're looking to do laundry close by DO NOT go to Wash Tub Laundromat in LaBelle. Drive the extra however many miles to another laundry facility. The washers were gross (we picked out the cleanest ones but even those were questionable at best) , trash on the ground, no A/C so the doors are just propped open, and one of the dryers didn't dry our towels at all and there was no attendant so we couldn't even get our money back or tell anyone to at least put a sign up so the next person doesn't waste their money.

This a US Army Corps of Engineer Campground located on the Okeechobee Waterway at the Ortona Lock and Dam. Maximum stay limit is 14 days in a 30 day period. Campground gate is open from 0700-sunset. The campground host provides a combination to the lock if campers want to enter or exit while the gate is locked.

There are 51 sites that are all water & electric. Sites 40-44 are pull through, the rest are back in. RV site 41 and RV site 42 are pull-through sites that share the same camp pad driveway and are recommended for two RVs travelling together. Site 41 may require you to back-in to the site. A dump station is available. Be aware that they do have rules about using the dump station. Arriving campers that require the use of the trailer dump station prior to occupying their campsite will be charged the $20.00 use fee as the waste being dumped was not generated on site. Also, campers are limited to one RV/trailer sewage dump per week of stay, maximum two in a 14-day period. Portable holding tanks may be dumped as often as necessarry during each stay.

There are 2 loops. Sites 1-30 (better water views) and the second loop with 31-51. There are bathrooms with showers located in each Loop. Currently the bathrooms in the loop with sites 1-30 is closed for maintenance. I have mixed feelings about what spot I would want to stay in if I came back. Campsites 21-30 back up to the waterway, which makes for nice views. Spots 1-4 are across the street from the waterway, but do not have RVs blocking the views. It is open with grass and trees. The loop with sites 31-51 have a little more space between the sites and has a better overall feel to me from a campsite perspective.

Campsites are on concrete pads. Next to the concrete pad is a gravel area that has a picnic table with shelter, a grill and fire ring.

Really enjoyed camping here. Campers are allowed to walk across the dam and lock to watch the boats go through. The process takes about 30 minutes. There’s also fishing piers at the campground. Good Verizon signal. Was able to text, search the internet, and stream videos.

Probably one of the nicest COE parks we have stayed in over the last 5 years of full timing. Quiet, clean, well maintained and easy in and out. Gate code for those evenings you get back after sunset. Fishing at the pier as well Half of the park is closed as they install new power pedestals. Has pull through sites and one is a buddy site. I cant say enough good things about the host Loyal and Joyce they were first class.

Another great experience at a Corps park. Very quiet, zero road noise. Plenty of over-the-air tv channels. Quite a bit of pleasure boat traffic through the canal. Several pull-through sites from which to choose. In general, sites 1-30 have the best water views. Only a short drive into LaBelle and all the amenities you could want. Two sets of campground hosts. Property is kept clean, mowed and trimmed. Would definitely recommend this place.

This is a beautiful Corps of Engineers riverfront location. There are fishing piers, birds, long level sites, clean bathrooms and showers. The staff is friendly and helpful. Our site is a shared pull through (with 41). Just a note, 42 has no neighbors on one side. It was great with its own oak tree! Some places in the adjacent section can view the river and Loch (which is so cool).

The only drawback is that there are no trails. It's kinda small, and not too great if you want places to walk your dog.