In 1848, settler James Alderman built his homestead south of the Alafia River in Lithia. He fashioned a crossing by cutting down the steep banks of the river, creating Alderman’s Ford. This historic site is now home to Alderman’s Ford Conservation Park, a hot spot for hikers and nature enthusiasts. The park's most popular attraction is a 1.9 mile paved loop that follows the north and south prongs of the Alafia River-- one of the most popular canoe spots in the state. The loop, which is hiker, dog walker, and bicycle friendly, links with a boardwalk and foot bridges, leading into shaded woods of gigantic cypress and oak trees. Visit Alderman's Ford Conservation Park and enjoy a day of birdwatching, fishing or hiking the lush woods. The park also hosts four remote campsites for anyone seeking a real wilderness experience without going too far from home.

 Alderman's Ford Conservation Park Primitive Campground 

This location is utterly beautiful! So many different environments can be seen just walking the trials. The 4 primitive campsites we found were along the river and we did not see bathrooms or picnic tables or fire rings. The trails are marked well but not often maintained - so you really get the feel that you are in the middle of nowhere. No traffic was heard at night and I would not camp out there alone on a weekend due to the "local party crowd". This is a hike in and hike out site. We only stayed 1 night. No amenities. Lots of birds and wildlife in the late day and early morning. Parking is a small fenced in area before turn in road - no security/lighting appx 1.5 miles from camping area that we found

I would have given this location a 5 except for the large amount of trash we found on trails (that we carried out) and the obvious disregard for rules of no swimming and no alcohol.

A favorite for the locals

The camp sites are hike in only. I LOVE this. Bring a manageable pack with everything you need. There is no water, power, or restrooms at the sites. There is a restroom facility about a 1/2 mile down the trail. There was firewood for use when I went. Sites were equipped with hammock posts, picnic table, and a fire pit. There was also a trash can. I had a great time, the whole park to myself for the night. Strongly recommend if you enjoy primitive camping.