Best Tent Camping In Ocala National Forest

However, black bears are natural tree climbers and determined bears will persist until they find a way to steal your food. Ocala National Forest is a great place to discover your own favorite campsite. Pack your kayak with your camping gear, explore the waterway of your choice, and camp wherever suits you. Backcountry permits are not required to camp in dispersed locations, and no fee is required.

The shady campground has been named one of the Top 100 Family Campgrounds in the United States, and there is plenty of competition for a campsite. While the sites have no hookups, they are heavily shaded and heavily booked. Reserve your site well in advance, and stay on top of cancellations. Ocala National Forest is in central Florida, directly west of Ocala city. Visitors can access the forest easily from several major Florida cities, including Orlando, Jacksonville, and Tampa. The Ocala National Forest is in the heart of Florida and includes more than 600 lakes and rivers.

Best Tent Camping In Ocala, Fl

Pick a previously used site.Dispersed Camping Leave No Trace. One of the most popular stops for backpackers along theFlorida Trail, Hidden Pond is a spring-fed pond in the middle of theJuniper Prairie Wilderness. It sits between two bodies of water, providing cool evening breezes. Dispersed camping is not allowed near developed recreation areas or less than 100 feet from streams and other water sources.

Several waterways draw paddlers to the Ocala National Forest. The most popular is Juniper Run, following the outflow of Juniper Springs through the Juniper Prairie Wilderness. The Paisley Woods Bicycle Trail shares a trailhead at Clearwater Lake with the Florida Trail.

You can also get it in foil pouches, and it is a great addition to rice while camping. Over the years, I have tried to balance weight against cost. I love camping, but I’m not going to buy a $400 tent to save one pound. If you do stray off the main trails, you will want to have a GPS.

Hiking The Ocala National Forest

No adventure is complete without a scenic paddle trail or unpaved road to nowhere. Bob co-founded FloridaRambler.com with fellow journalist Bonnie Gross 12 years ago. If you plan to camp while visiting Ocala National Forest, familiarize yourself with the rules. Breaking regulations can not only result in a fine but also camping access restrictions for future campers.

You can reserve sites at the 14 campgrounds online, while others are available on a first-come, first-served basis. From watching the sunrise to reading and watching the sunset, I enjoyed some peaceful moments @ Hopkins Prairie Campground in Ocala National Forest. 4×4 recommended to get there but I saw several sedans and FWD cars pass through so it’s doable. Just pay attention for deeper sand and come in from the East off of Hwy 19 NOT the west like Google… Fun springs, no bugs to speak of, clean bath and showers. The only ding would be no quiet hours or more specifically generator hours in effect or easily found.

If youre planning a camping trip in the Ocala National Forest Clearwater Lake Campground is a must-visit spot. The campground is a single loop in a stand of Longleaf pine and oak. There are plenty of nearby campgrounds with easy access to Ocala National Forest that have great RV sites. Each is within a recreation area, for which there is a day use fee. With the exception of Silver Glen Springs, these recreation areas also have campgrounds. There are numerous great hiking trails in the forest that provide visitors with an opportunity to enjoy the forest on a more intimate basis.

The Ocala offers the most diverse range of camping opportunities of all three national forests. From Civilian Conservation Corps cabins to primitive camping opportunities, the Ocala has something for everyone. St. Johns River Campground is one of the best campgrounds in the Ocala Forest to enjoy a world-class bass fishing experience. It is located near the shores of the majestic St. Johns River in the quant river town of Astor, an easy 40-mile drive from Ocala, DeLand and Daytona Beach, FL. The Big Bass Campground is the most southerly campground in the forest, close enough to hear road noise on State Road 42. Access to the campground is on an unpaved Forest Service road.

Is It Legal To Camp On The Beach In Florida?

Two major rivers form the east and west boundaries of the forest, and several springs create waterways large enough for kayaking. More than 600 lakes and ponds dot the forest, offering unlimited paddling exploration. Designated campgrounds offer sites with standard amenities near the waterways, and dispersed camping is allowed anywhere in the national forest.

The cabin is near the access points of the 81-mile Ocala National Forest OHV trails that crisscross through the thick pine forest, so you’re not very far from the action. For larger groups, the Lake Dorr and Sweetwater Cabins are great rental options. Both are of classic Civilian Conservation Corps craftwork and can accommodate persons. Nowhere in Florida is truly landlocked as even inland areas are covered in marsh, and several lakes and rivers run through. This is true for Ocala National Forest, located just north of Orlando, which has quick access from many major metro areas, sandy beaches, and of course, theme parks. Still, the National Forest also offers plenty of natural beauty you can only find inside the Sunshine State.

Do Not Feed The Bears

The Ocala National Forest has an outstanding array of natural pools and canoe runs to complement its beautiful landscape. Located near Orlando, Florida, Ocala National Forest has the world’s largest sand pine scrub forest along with its 600 lakes, rivers, and springs. Many people enjoy the solitude and primitive experience of dispersed camping – camping away from developed campgrounds and other campers with few services or facilities.

Grassy Pond is accessible via a blue-blazed side trail north of CR 316 and south of Lake Delancy. Off FR 74 west of SR 19, north of Salt Springs, along the Ocklawaha River. The site was a former steamboat landing, accessible only to backpackers. No reservations needed, and the sites see moderate usage. Whether you want to pitch a tent and go camping, hook-up your RV or stay in a luxury cabin suite, the St. Johns River Campground in the Ocala Forest has it all.

RVers and tent campers alike will find a place of adventure and relaxation with Ocala National Forest camping. These campgrounds are only a handful of the many beautiful sites to visit in the Ocala National Forest in central Florida. Explore the surrounding beauty of the natural landscape on your Ocala National Forest camping trip.

Pipeline Trail ATV trailheadDay use fees are charged at all established recreation areas inside the Ocala National Forest. These provide access to a massive spiderweb of unpaved forest roads stretching from Palatka to Astor, Paisley, and Silver Springs. Our goal here at More Than Just Parks is to share the beauty of our national parks and public lands in an effort to get people to see the true value in land conservation. The definition of boondocking is camping, in an RV, for free, outside of an established campground, without hookups or access to other amenities.

Enjoying the outdoors at a slow pace is something you can look forward to. Private canoe and kayak launches are at a fee and limited to 30 total vessels per day. A few boat launches are off of major highways, and several have improved surfaces. Improved launches are generally inside or near the recreation areas and campgrounds, such as Lake Dorr, Lake Eaton, Mill Dam, and Salt Springs. An easy walk of 2 miles, the Salt Springs Loop in the Ocala National Forest is a popular hike, since it leads to an observation platform on Salt Springs Run. During fall hunting season, designated campsites must be used.

Finding Your Special Place In Ocala National Forest

If you are a coffee drinker, Asian markets also carry all-in-one coffee products with powdered milk, coffee and sugar in a single packet. I don’t take a lot of food and try to keep it simple. Either ready-to-eat foods or something to which I can just add boiling water. Good examples are Knorr side dishes, which serve as a full meal for one person. If the directions call for milk, bring powdered milk. The reward is peace and quiet, something you won’t get in a campground filled with Winnebagos.

Pack out your trash and follow Leave No Trace ethics. Dispersed camping is not allowed during general gun hunting season, so you must overnight in a designated campground. Ocala National Forest provides dispersed campgrounds near water at Davenport Landing on the Ocklawaha River, Trout Pond and Little Lake Bryant. These sites can accommodate paddling groups of 12, 15, and 30, respectively. If your paddling group wants to camp outside of a dispersed campground, you must obtain a group permit.