Map showing campground location near Dade City, Florida

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Withlacoochee River Park

Down a winding back country road 15 minutes from Dade City, Withlacoochee River Park sits within the Green Swamp on 406 acres managed by the Southwest Florida Water Management District. The campground accommodates RVs up to 60 feet with electric and water hookups, plus tent sites and a primitive hike-in option requiring a half-mile walk.

Campers consistently note the quiet atmosphere after dark and well-shaded sites under mature trees. The campground features 12 main RV/tent sites that reviewers describe as roomy but not particularly private from each other. Jennifer L. found "quiet, spacious sites, and really nice trail system" during a weekday visit with few other campers present. Site 6 backs up to a large grass field, while site 10 receives particular praise for its wooded setting.

The property includes multiple hiking trails, a paved bike path, fishing dock, canoe launch, and observation tower that offers elevated views of the surrounding landscape. "Definitely climb the tower for a great view," advises Jennifer L.. The Florida Trail passes nearby. Wildlife sightings include armadillos, turtles, ospreys, deer, and occasional alligators near the water. A historic church on the property houses a lending library, and the astronomy field hosts stargazing events during new moon phases.

The single bathhouse serves the entire camping area with limited facilities - one stall for men, two for women, and one shower each. Campers in self-contained RVs report fewer concerns about this limitation. The dump station includes water hoses for cleaning equipment. Cell service works well with Verizon, though other carriers may vary. No alcohol is permitted on the property.

Reserve ahead, especially for weekends when local scout groups frequently book the group site. The office area can be challenging to navigate with large RVs, so head to your assigned site first before checking in on foot.

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Map & DirectionsWithlacoochee River Park is located in Florida near Dade City

Public Campground

Directions

From Jct US-301/US-98 & River Rd: Go E 2.6 mi on River Rd, then L to stay on River Rd for 1.9 mi, then S 0.2 mi on Auton Rd (L)

Address

12449 Withlacoochee Blvd 0.7 mi from Auton Rd
Dade City, FL 33525

Coordinates

28.34941507 N
82.12799027 W

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Connectivity

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T-Mobile is introducing T-Satellite to extend coverage in the outdoors

T-Mobile5G
Good Coverage
Verified by 5 users
Last on 5/31/26
VerizonLTE
Some Coverage
Verified by 7 users
Last on 5/31/26
AT&T5G
Good Coverage
Verified by 3 users
Last on 5/31/26

Connectivity

Presented by

T-Mobile is introducing T-Satellite to extend coverage in the outdoors

T-Mobile5G
Good Coverage
Verified by 5 users
Last on 5/31/26
VerizonLTE
Some Coverage
Verified by 7 users
Last on 5/31/26
AT&T5G
Good Coverage
Verified by 3 users
Last on 5/31/26

Access

Drive-In
Park next to your site
Hike-In
Backcountry sites.

Site Types

Tent Sites
RV Sites
Standard (Tent/RV)
Group
Cabins
Tent Cabin

Features

For Campers

ADA Access
Trash
Picnic Table
Phone Service
Reservable
Showers
Drinking Water
Electric Hookups
Toilets
Pets
Fires

For Vehicles

Sanitary Dump
Water Hookups
Pull-Through Sites
50 Amp Hookups
Big Rig Friendly

Contact

General Info

Reservations

Make reservation

Drive Time

36 min from Lakeland, FL
47 min from Tampa, FL
55 min from Wildwood, FL

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Reviews12 Camper Reviews - Withlacoochee River Park

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5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

4.5

out of 5

12 Reviews

Campers regularly cited the spacious, shaded sites and quiet atmosphere as major strengths. Limited restroom facilities were a common concern, with only one small bathhouse serving the campground. Staff received positive feedback for being helpful and accommodating.

heather

Scout

Reviewed May. 24, 2023

Quiet campground

We camped in the wooded RV area Saturday - Monday late May and we had the place nearly to ourselves! Loved our site (10) it was big and wooded/shaded. Bathrooms were nice. Liked that you can get to all of the trails right from the campground. Employees were nice and helpful. Great quiet stay!

Site10

Month of VisitMay

Heidi D.

Traveler

Reviewed Jan. 11, 2023

Inexpensive

I called out of office hours and they called me back the next day and are able to get us in for two nights. They were helpful and accommodating, even though we have to move our rig since there’s limited availability. Nice and quiet.

Site10

Month of VisitJanuary

William C.

Guide

Reviewed Nov. 14, 2022

Great Weekend Getaway

We stayed in the recreation field which was great! It was wide open when we were there, quiet, and overall very relaxing. It's $25 a night, for both the rec field and their regular spots. There are 12 or so normal RV spots with a bath house. We didn't check out the bathroom, but the spots seemed fine. Right near a ton of hiking trails and about 10-15 mins from Dade City.

Month of VisitNovember

Steve E.

Traveler

Reviewed May. 2, 2022

Peaceful retreat

We brought a little too much gear for the 1/2 mile hike. But aside from that and the rain, we really enjoyed the tranquil scenery of our site.

Siteprimitive site #1

Month of VisitApril

Ryan S.

Guide

Reviewed Dec. 25, 2021

Wilderness

This is a great free camping area in the Florida wilderness. Plenty of hiking, biking and horseback riding trails. The Florida trail is nearby.

SiteCumpressco camp

Month of VisitDecember

the R.

Guide

Reviewed Aug. 23, 2021

Isolated piece of heaven!

Hottest month in Florida but still we had a lovely time here at this park. It was our first time taking our 2016 class C out on the road as total newbies. We checked in at the office with Duane (very friendly) & all the signs are clearly labeled. #2 RV spot was a little small but #3 is lovely & tucked off from the road & almost all the spots are nicely shaded by trees. We saw armadillos, turtles, large Ospreys, and a small gator by the fishing dock. We didn’t catch any fish but got a few good bites. Picnic table + bonfire area. You can buy wood before coming so make sure to call so you don’t have to go back out. Duane & Russel who worked there were so kind & made our stay very enjoyable. The dump area was clean + had water hoses to clean your sewage hose out. Not a lot to do activity wise but the walking trails were quiet & peaceful. Make sure to visit the viewing tower + lending library in the small chapel. It felt nice to get away from the hustle & bustle to relax.

Site#2 & #3

Month of VisitAugust

(9) View All

Bruce D.

Traveler

Reviewed Nov. 9, 2020

This is a great park

This park has RV sites, regular tent sites, cabins and primitive camping. I like the regular tent sites, not much of a walk in but secluded. The park includes restrooms and showers and seem to be taken care of. There are several trails around, one paved, and I believe the Florida Trail is very close. Quiet at night and peaceful.

(4) View All

Joanne W.

Guide

Reviewed Jul. 10, 2020

Wes and I took are kayaks to attempt the river

The river was an obstacle course but adventurous and challenging. What we were really impressed was the campsites. Very shaded and quiet. One added bonus is the Florida Trail starts there also. She have a you tube channel called trailandcampreport.com. Always great to add new sites.

(7) View All

Jennifer L.

Guide

Reviewed Jun. 25, 2020

Pleasant surprise

I was really impressed with how nice this campground was. Quiet, spacious sites, and really nice trail system. There were only a few people there on a weekday. Definitely climb the tower for a great view. Close to great kayaking on the Withlacoochee River. Restrooms could use updating if you’re not self-contained. The primitive tent area is really nice and far from the RV section. Be aware that the check in office area can be challenging to navigate for RVs and trailers, it’s better to go to your site first and then walk there. No alcohol permitted in the campground. perfect cell service with Verizon.

Site8

Month of VisitMay

Jeanene A.

Legend

Reviewed Apr. 25, 2019

A Hidden Gem

Wow... a few miles from home and one I will visit often! This lovely county run park you will find at the end of a 15 min drive down a back country road. There is so much to see and do here. The campsites are well shaded. (unless grounds were full when you reserved and you took option to camp in adjoining astronomy field). I would have rated a 5+ except that there is only 1 small bathhouse in campground. There are other bathrooms on property though. Staff on phone are not overly friendly - but do not let that dissuade you from booking a spot here!

There are multiple tent camping sites dispersed on property and 1 primitive site that you have to hike into. The group site is very popular with local scouts! The RV/Tent sites are roomy and not too close together - but not very private either. There is a dump station onsite

Next to campground you will find a historic church, a large and small cabin available for rent, 2 playgrounds, shelters, large pavilion with grill/fire pit, fishing dock, canoe launch, paved bike trail hiking trails and an observation tower. On new moon nights the local astronomy club uses neighboring field to gaze at the stars. This place is quiet and dark at night!

Wildlife did not seem to be a problem at camp (but we are very careful with trash). There are lots of birds, deer and fishing was good on the river.

You might have to compete with us for a reservation here - we will be back!

Site4

Month of VisitApril

(18) View All

Rich S.

Guide

Reviewed Jan. 28, 2019

Very nice and quiet, nice trails

Stayed here for a weekend in January 2019. Sites were nice and the area was very nice and seemingly secluded. Park was quiet at night. Lots of hiking trails and a paved trail. Kayak/ canoe launch. Great place for a weekend getaway. Restrooms are very sparse, however. Only one in the entire camping area, with only one stall in the men's, two in the women's and one shower each. If someone is sitting and watching podcasts on their phone when you need to get in there to take care of business, forget it (yes, that happened to me). Overall, I was happy with the sites. We were in site 6, which is very large and backs up to a large open grass area. Plenty of tree cover.

Nate D.

Guide

Reviewed Oct. 8, 2018

small camping area but nice

went a few times to camp here. small camping area has a nice church here. the bathroom is set up for 1 person/ family the way we use it. but there is a chicken farm not far away. so if the wind is right you smell poop in the air. and there isnt too many things to do around the area unless there is something going on in town.

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping facilities are available at Withlacoochee River Park?

Withlacoochee River Park offers diverse camping options including RV sites, standard tent sites, cabins, and primitive camping areas. The main camping area features well-shaded sites, while primitive sites require about a half-mile hike in. Facilities include restrooms and showers that are regularly maintained. The park also has a kayak/canoe launch, multiple hiking trails (including paved options), and access to the Florida Trail. For groups or when regular sites are full, camping is sometimes available in the recreation field. The park's tower provides excellent views of the surrounding wilderness.

Where is Withlacoochee River Park located in Dade City?

Withlacoochee River Park is located down a country back road about 15 minutes from Dade City, Florida. The park sits along the Withlacoochee River in a secluded natural setting, providing visitors with a quiet wilderness experience despite being relatively close to town. You'll find the park at the end of this rural drive, nestled among Florida's natural landscape with access to various outdoor recreational opportunities.

Are RVs allowed at Withlacoochee River Park?

Yes, RVs are welcome at Withlacoochee River Park. The park has approximately 12 designated RV spots with access to a bath house. Sites vary in size—some campers have noted that spots like #2 can be a bit small, while others like #3 and #10 are more spacious and well-shaded. The recreation field is also available for RV camping when regular spots are full, offering a wide-open area that some campers find relaxing. Class C motorhomes have successfully stayed at the park, making it suitable for various RV types. Check-in is straightforward with clearly labeled signs directing you to your site.

How do I make reservations for Withlacoochee River Park camping?

To make reservations at Withlacoochee River Park, call the park office directly. The park staff is helpful and accommodating, even for after-hours inquiries—they typically return calls the next business day. Reservations can be made for specific sites, though availability may be limited during busy periods. The camping fee is $25 per night for both regular campsites and the recreation field. For the best chances of securing your preferred site, especially during peak seasons, it's advisable to book well in advance.

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