Photo thanks to USACE / Recreation.gov
Ortona South Campground
A quiet Army Corps of Engineers campground on the Caloosahatchee River at Ortona Lock, with big paved sites, water and 50-amp power for $30 a night.
Moore Haven, Florida · Caloosahatchee River, 8 miles east of LaBelle
Season
Year-round
Winter fills fast; fewer sites open in summer
Elevation
Near sea level
On the Caloosahatchee River
Hookups
Water & electric
30/50 amp; dump station, no sewer
Big rigs
Up to 45 ft
Most sites 40 ft; 3 pull-thru spots
Updated October 8, 2026 · Details checked against Recreation.gov
On the Caloosahatchee at Ortona Lock
The Ortona South experience
A spotless U.S. Army Corps of Engineers campground with 51 paved sites on the Caloosahatchee River, next to Ortona Lock. Every site has water and 30/50 amp power, and nearly half sit on the riverbank.
Water & 30/50 ampAt every site; no sewer hookups
Paved, level padsConcrete; most fit rigs to 40 ft, a few to 45
22 riverfront sitesOn the Caloosahatchee; book these first
Covered picnic tablesPlus a fire ring and grill at every site
Restrooms & showersTwo bathhouses, East and West loops
Dump stationIncluded for campers; 1 dump a week
Fishing piersA big wooden pier, plus a small one across the dam
Picnic pavilionReserved for campers
Pets welcomeLeashed; clean up after them
Wi-Fi (limited)Only near the West Loop restroom
Birding & lock watchingWatch boats lock through on the waterway
Walk or bike the damAcross to the north side, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Life at camp
What campers say
The campground report card
We don’t recycle other sites’ reviews, but the published scores tell a clear story: campers love the clean, roomy sites, the river views and the quiet. The complaints are about how hard a winter site is to get and how little there is to do nearby.
How RVers rate it
Category scores from Campendium reviewers, out of 5
Field notes from RVers
Longest rig RVers report40 ft Oct 2022
Cell signal reportedVerizon 4G/5GAT&T 4G/5GT-Mobile 4G/5G
Last reported nightly rate$15 Aug 2026 · Senior Pass
As reported by Campendium users. The $15 rate reflects a 50% Senior Pass discount; the standard fee is $30. Confirm site lengths and rules on Recreation.gov before you go.
Off SR-80 between LaBelle and Moore Haven
Getting there
Ortona South sits at the north end of Dalton Lane, about 8 miles east of LaBelle on SR-80 and 13 miles west of Moore Haven.
From I-75 at Fort Myers: Exit 141, SR-80 east through LaBelle, then left (north) on Dalton Lane about 8 miles past townFrom Clewiston and Lake Okeechobee: US-27 west to SR-80, then west past Moore Haven Road to Dalton Lane (right)
SR-80 · DALTON LN
Set your GPS
2410 Dalton Ln SW, Moore Haven, FL 33471
To LaBelle*About 15 min
To Lake Okeechobee (Moore Haven)About 30 min
To Fort MyersAbout 1 hr
From Southwest Florida Intl AirportAbout 1 hr 5 min
Arrive before sunset. The entrance gate opens at 7:30 a.m. and closes at sunset; check-in is at noon, check-out at 11 a.m.
Near sea level on the river. Winters are mild (January highs average about 74°); summers are hot, humid and buggy.
*Drive times are from OpenStreetMap routing and are approximate. Locator map is approximate, not for navigation.
Around LaBelle & Lake Okeechobee
Around LaBelle & the Big O
The campground itself is about fishing, birding and boat watching. LaBelle is 15 minutes away for groceries; Lake Okeechobee and Fort Myers make easy day trips.
Photo thanks to Sanibel sun (CC BY 4.0)
LaBelle & the Caloosahatchee
An old Florida river town with a riverside park, antique shops, Walmart and groceries. The Swamp Cabbage Festival fills downtown the last weekend of February.
Photo thanks to Magnolia677 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Lake Okeechobee at Moore Haven
Climb the Herbert Hoover Dike for your first look at the Big O, Florida’s largest lake, and watch boats lock through from the Caloosahatchee.
Photo thanks to SwampElitist (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail
A paved and grassy path on top of the dike that circles the lake for about 110 miles. Pick it up at Moore Haven or Clewiston for a bike ride with big views.
Photo thanks to qwesy qwesy (CC BY 3.0)
Edison & Ford Winter Estates
Thomas Edison’s and Henry Ford’s riverfront winter homes, gardens and lab in Fort Myers. An easy day trip west on SR-80.
More places to stay
Other parks worth a look
The three closest places to stay near Ortona South, by drive time.
Photo thanks to The Glades RV Resort
The Glades RV Resort
A 500-acre resort on the Caloosahatchee with a marina, a 9-hole golf course and two restaurants.
Photo thanks to Crooked Hook RV Resort
Crooked Hook RV Resort
A 186-site RV park on US-27 in Clewiston with a pool, shuffleboard and a tiki hut, a few minutes from the lake.
Photo thanks to Aruba RV Resort
Aruba RV Resort
A canal-front resort in Lakeport with boat docks and a short run to the northwest shore of the lake.
Before you book
Plan your stay
Everything that decides whether Ortona South fits your rig, your dates and your budget, in one place.
Our take: one of the best-value campgrounds in South Florida: big, clean, paved sites with water and 50-amp power on a pretty stretch of river for $30 a night. There’s no sewer, no laundry and not much to do but fish, bird and watch boats lock through, and winter sites go fast, so book the day your dates open.
Campground feesRecreation.gov · checked Oct 8, 2026
Standard site$30 /night
Senior or Access Pass$15 /night
Group shelter site (S01)$35 /night
Dump only (not camping)$20 /use
One fee all year; it covers the site with water and 30/50 amp power for up to 8 people. America the Beautiful Senior and Access Pass holders pay half for standard sites. Stays are limited to 14 nights in any 30 days, shared with St. Lucie South Campground.
Prices are subject to change at any time and may vary by date, season and availability. For the latest pricing, check the Recreation.gov listing or call (863) 675-8400.
Typical January afternoon
Ortona74°
Chicago32°
Snowbird winters: 42° warmer than Chicago in January; July highs reach about 91°.
Is it right for you?
Who it suits, what to consider, and why campers keep coming back.
Open
Site types
$30 a night all year; half price with a Senior Pass.
Open
Rates & policies
Booking window, cancellation, pets, gate hours and stay limits.
Open
Before you book
Questions to ask before you reserve.
Open
Ortona South is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers campground on the Okeechobee Waterway, beside Ortona Lock on the Caloosahatchee River. It’s a quiet, low-key place for RVers who want a roomy, spotless site on the water and don’t need resort extras.
Best for
- Snowbirds on a budget: $30 a night (or $15 with a Senior Pass) for water and 50 amp is hard to beat in South Florida.
- Anglers: bass, bluegill, catfish and tilapia off the big pier; snook at the small pier across the dam.
- Birders and boat watchers: eagles, ospreys and wading birds, plus yachts locking through all day.
- Big rigs: paved, level sites, most 40 ft, with wide interior roads.
Consider this
- No sewer hookups, no laundry and no camp store; LaBelle is 15 minutes away.
- Winter sites book up fast; reservations open six months ahead on a rolling basis.
- Stays are capped at 14 nights in any 30 days, and the gate closes at sunset.
- In summer, only part of the campground is open, and heat, humidity and bugs are real.
Winter in Ortona
Typical January afternoon
74°
Ortona
Ortona Lock 2 (NOAA)
32°
Chicago
Chicago O’Hare
42 degrees warmer than Chicago, with nights near 49°. Normal January highs, 1991–2020.
All 51 sites have a paved pad, water, 30/50 amp power, a covered picnic table, a fire ring and a grill. Prices don’t change by site or season; the difference is the view and the length.
Riverfront $30/night
Sites on the Caloosahatchee bank, many with the best views of boats and birds. They run slightly shorter than interior sites; East Loop views are the most open.
Interior $30/night
Back-in sites away from the bank. Most are 40 ft, and a few take rigs up to 45 ft.
Pull-thru pair $30/night
Two pull-thru sites share one driveway, best for two RVs traveling together; site 41 may need to back in.
Group shelter $35/night
A group site at the picnic shelter. Senior and Access Pass discounts don’t apply to group sites.
Nightly$30Water and 30/50 amp included
Senior Pass$15Half off standard sites
Booking6 months aheadRolling window on Recreation.gov
Stay limit14 nightsIn any 30 days, incl. St. Lucie South
Cancellation$10 feePlus first night if within 1 day
Check-inNoonOut by 11 a.m.
Gate7:30 a.m.–sunsetLocked overnight
Quiet hours10 p.m.–6 a.m.Campground rule
PetsAllowedLeashed and attended
Occupancy8 peoplePer site
Checked against Recreation.gov on October 8, 2026. Fees can change; see the Recreation.gov listing or call (863) 675-8400. Recreation.gov keeps a $10 service fee on any cancellation; cancel the day before or the day of arrival and you also lose the first night.
Good to know before you pull in
Five things that change your booking
Ask these on the phone before you reserve.
- Is my site riverfront? Riverfront sites (21 to 30 and others) are the most popular but a little shorter.
- Will my rig fit? Check the site length on Recreation.gov; most sites are 40 ft, a few 30 to 36 ft.
- What if I arrive late? Ask the host how to get through the gate after sunset.
- Is the West Loop open? In summer only some sites stay open; check which loop you’re in.
- Can I dump on arrival? Dumping before you occupy your site costs $20; once you’re camped, it’s included.
Know before you go
Frequently asked questions
A few details before you hit the road.
Season: Year-round
Ready for a river trip by RV?
Back into a paved riverfront site, cast a line off the pier and watch the boats lock through. Reserve on Recreation.gov as soon as your dates open.
Thank you to the people behind these photos and this video. Please support them by giving their work a look. The campground photos come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Recreation.gov, with our thanks (fishing pier photo by Victor Pillow, USACE). Ortona Lock aerial: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (public domain). Video: Watts On Wheels on YouTube. Area photos via Wikimedia Commons: Sanibel sun (LaBelle; CC BY 4.0), Magnolia677 (Moore Haven; CC BY-SA 4.0), SwampElitist (Herbert Hoover Dike; CC BY-SA 4.0) and qwesy qwesy (Edison & Ford Winter Estates; CC BY 3.0); the images were resized. Other-park photos: The Glades RV Resort, Crooked Hook RV Resort and Aruba RV Resort (see their pages for credits). Review-site logos are trademarks of their owners.
Disclaimer
RV-Roundup is an independent, community-based resource created to help RV travelers and to support and promote the parks we feature. RV-Roundup is not owned by, operated by, or officially affiliated with Ortona South Campground unless otherwise stated.
The information on this page was prepared using the most current details available at the time of publication, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ published materials and publicly available sources. Pricing, availability, rules, policies, regulations, amenities and other details are set by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and may change at any time without notice. Before you travel or book, please confirm all details directly with Ortona South Campground at recreation.gov or (863) 675-8400. RV-Roundup is not responsible for errors, omissions, or changes made after publication.
We will always do our best to keep this page up to date. Thank you to everyone who contributes; we truly appreciate your help and support.