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Activities

Free Camping Collection

Established Camping

Bayard Conservation Area

Bayard Conservation Area in Florida features flat terrain with a mix of forested areas and open spaces. Temperatures range from the 40s in winter to the 90s in summer. Nearby, visitors can explore the St. Johns River and the historic city of St. Augustine.

Description

National Forest

This conservation area’s importance is magnified by its closeness to the St. Johns River and the Jacksonville metropolitan area. Its riverine bottomland hardwoods, pine flatwoods and sandhill communities protect approximately seven miles of the St. Johns River, which borders the east side of the property. In addition, the property provides storage of flood waters and preserves water and natural resources in the Lower St. Johns River Basin. One of the special highlights of this property is its two campsites within area 1 in the northern section of the property. Both are special spots. The Hammock campground is tucked back into the flatwoods with an ephemeral stream directly to the east of the camp site. The Riverside campsite is located directly along the St. Johns River with fantastic views of the cypress trees that flank the banks of the river. The Riverside campsite and the trail leading to it can be wet due to seasonal flooding.

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Location

Bayard Conservation Area is located in Florida

Detail location of campground

Directions

Entrances and parking are near Green Cove Springs. For details and to get driving directions from your location, see the Google Maps link on this page.

Coordinates

29.96072471848937 N
81.6319126468114 W

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Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site
  • Walk-In
    Park in a lot, walk to your site.
  • Hike-In
    Backcountry sites.

Stay Connected

  • WiFi
    Available
  • Verizon
    Unknown
  • AT&T
    Unknown
  • T-Mobile
    Available

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • Standard (Tent/RV)
  • Group
  • Equestrian

Features

For Campers

  • Picnic Table
  • Firewood Available
  • Phone Service
  • Drinking Water
  • Fires

FREE established camping

Enjoy camping on government land. Limited or no services at this camping area.


PERMIT might be REQUIRED

We curate permit requirements across the US for our PRO members. Try PRO to see if Bayard Conservation Area needs a permit.


Reviews

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4.5

out of 5

3 Reviews

Reviewed Nov. 15, 2021

Quiet, pretty, and peaceful

Great riverside campsite. Hiked in about 3.3 miles, but OnX user beware, trust the trail’s red marks, not the trail marked on most maps! Part of the trail was reblazed to go around a washed out section.

Otherwise, the campsite itself was great. It’s right next to the river, and includes plenty of space, a fire pit with cooking grates, and a picnic bench. Tons of squirrels, osprey, an owl, and I’m sure more if you’re able to hike a little quieter than myself and my 7 and 9 year old boys.

Only problem we had is it was a little tough to find nice dry firewood. Most of the log sized potential firewood was pretty green, but there’s plenty of tinder and kindling to make up for it.

There’s a stop on the way near the other campsite that includes some picnic benches, a (non-potable) water pump, and a bathroom with a roof and toilet paper. What more could you want?

SiteWaterOak Point
Month of VisitNovember
  • Review photo of Bayard Conservation Area by Nate D., November 15, 2021
  • Review photo of Bayard Conservation Area by Nate D., November 15, 2021
  • Review photo of Bayard Conservation Area by Nate D., November 15, 2021
  • (9) View All
Reviewed Mar. 30, 2020

Lots of wildlife

It was dirt roads not really trails ,the bathroom looks like it belongs on a horror movie the river camp spot is beautiful the forest one had deer drinking from the stream

  • Review photo of Bayard Conservation Area by Geoffrey S., March 30, 2020
  • Review photo of Bayard Conservation Area by Geoffrey S., March 30, 2020
Reviewed Sep. 24, 2019

Ranger Review: Pureland 30L Guard Backpack at Bayard Conservation Area

**Campground Review: **

Bayard Conservation Area is located in Green Cove Springs Florida and is maintained by the St. Johns River Water Management District. It is a track of land that has many hiking trails that traverse through shaded pine forests, hammocks, marsh, and river areas. 

We have day hiked here many times, but this trip we were going to do some primitive camping at one of the campsites. There are several areas to park and then hike in. The campsites are a few miles from the parking area. They include a fire ring and a picnic table. The campsites have several different settings, but we chose the river view. On our way to our campsite we were able to spot many animals including: deer, otter, turkey, and wild pigs. 

The area is kept clean and is quiet with the exception of a bit of noise pollution from the surrounding area. However, this does not distract from the experience. We enjoyed our overnight backcountry trip and highly recommend Bayard.

----------------

**Product Review: **

As a Dyrt Ranger I receive products from time-to-time and this time I am testing out the Pureland 30L Guard Backpack sold by Outdoor Element

There are so many things to love about this backpack. The extensive cording and hooks on the outside made attaching extra items a breeze. I was able to store my trekking poles and Jetboil on the back with no problem. The hip pockets were an added plus and fit my cellphone inside of it easily. The room inside of the backpack was able to hold everything I needed for an overnight trip– including my bulky sleeping bag. The only two things that took away from the backpack was the inside zipper and the water pouch. The zipper on the inside of the bag came off the track with only a light pull while the bag was empty. It did not have the integrity that the zippers on the outside had. My 3.0L reservoir would not fit all the way in the provided pouch and hung out the top a bit. After the whole trip, I sincerely love this pack and will be using it for all of my hiking and primitive camping needs!!

  • Review photo of Bayard Conservation Area by Jenn B., September 24, 2019
  • Review photo of Bayard Conservation Area by Jenn B., September 24, 2019
  • Review photo of Bayard Conservation Area by Jenn B., September 24, 2019
  • (8) View All

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the elevation of Bayard Conservation Area?

    Bayard Conservation Area is located at 10 feet.

  • Are fires allowed at Bayard Conservation Area?

    Yes, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, fires are allowed at Bayard Conservation Area, although make sure to check current fire restrictions in the area.

  • Is there cell phone reception at Bayard Conservation Area?

    According to campers on TheDyrt.com, Verizon signal is unknown, AT&T is unknown, and T-Mobile is available.