Blackwater River State Park Campground

We had some rain but wasn't a big deal. The site we had was superb as had plenty of elbow room and with all the trees and bushes, could not even see the camper next to us. Great location if you want to drive into Pensacola. Was nice walk to the river with all the sandbars.

This campground has spacious campsites and not too far from a river. The river has soft Sandy bends, Perfect for swimming in. The campground has electric sewer and water. The restrooms were very clean here.

Blackwater River State Park is a hidden gem.  Yet another one of the state of Florida's fantastic state parks.  You don't need the beach when you've got the pristine white sands of the shores of Blackwater river.  The river and the surrounds are super quiet, peaceful and beautiful.  Tubing, kayaking canoeing are all super here as is the bike riding, if you know where to go, (hint: follow the road to the boat ramp just north of the entrance).

Hospitable staff, nice trails, great scenery and wildlife, clean restrooms with great water temperature and pressure. Very nice sized campsites and some are concrete pads. All look pretty level.

Nice site. It has everything you could want for a paid site, hot showers, river access, electric, water, fire put and picnic table, playground, etc. I had a problem with racoons every single night as soon as it got dark. They fearlessly approached my camp site and didn't hesitate to take anything they could find. Please stop feeding the wildlife

Gravel sites and generally level Clean large bathrooms Water , electric and sewer at campsites Was able to get phone connection with no problem Access to water was beautiful and sand beach’s awsome

Wow... last minute rez to stay here and feels like we won the lottery! Super camp sites. Well spaced, full hookup and cheap! Great swimming and kayaking in the river. Close to shopping. Quiet Campground (for us anyway). Would definitely stay here again.

Highly recommend staying here if you’re thinking about it.

Great private spots, concrete/paved sites, clean restrooms with hot showers, great on site nature trails leading to small river beaches, and just across from the campground is a 6 mile (each way) way nature trail that was so beautiful it felt like we were in a ferry tail

Same day reservations Ada campsite 40 steps to nice showers and restroom. 3 showers 1 very large handicapped shower 2 regular 3 bathroom stalls. 50' Long concrete site fire ring. Grill 8' picnic table partially shaded Check in was quick and easy... Camp host went under our rig and reset a generator breaker. Offered a 5.00 tip he refused it 3 times said he was there to help...

Facilities and campsites were nice. I was impressed with how well the campsites drained as we went during the rainy season. The trails were wet and the river a little too high to do much kayaking. It would have been nice if the hiking trails had more signs.

Blackwater River State Park is a beautiful and very well-maintained 590 acres within the 211,000 acre Blackwater River State Forest. The Forest has several recreation areas to challenge the park, including Krul Lake, Bear Lake, and Karick Lake. But if primitive camping is your thing, the forest has it.

Just north of the entrance to the Park is Boat Ramp Road which runs through the park acreage and then into the forest. At the end of Boat Ramp Road is access to Blackwater River and primitive camping. When I say primitive, I mean you get a piece of dirt. No fire rings, no picnic tables, and no other amenities. However, there is no fee and you may stay for up to two weeks.

Access to the river and stunning views are unsurpassed anywhere.

This place is a real gem. Its very relaxing and offers a boat load of activites. There is a playground, a beach and plenty of hiking and biking trails. The Florida trail runs through a portion of the state park. Also, if you have a canoe or kayak it would be put to great use here on the Black Water River. If you brought your bike too an easy self shuttle option would be to use the boat ramp just north if the park and take out right in the park. That would offer around a nice short float to check out the white sand beaches of the river. The sites are really nice and well taken care of, each site having a fire ring, picnic table and grill. All sites are full hook up, but there is also a dump station. The sites are pretty close together. Two bars of Verizon 4G. For one night to cost was $27.40 which included a reservation fee and local taxes.

Very well kept! Site 25 was my favorite because of the view and wildlife! Our dogs loved watching the deer! ❤️

Very nice park. Clean and quiet.

I’ve been coming here for years. I haven’t camped at the campsite but I’ve canoe camped along the river. If you do the 23 mile paddle, you will barely see anyone for the first half and you can camp on any beach you please. Awesome trip for a big group, but also amazing if you want a primitive experience by yourself or with a partner. I’ve done both. Bathing in the river after sundown with my partner was fantastic. It’s a very leisurely paddle with mostly flat water, but don’t underestimate the obstacles in the river, especially if you’re in an aluminum canoe and inexperienced at paddling. The second half of the trip is loaded with day-trippers and tube floaters so you’ll definitely want to camp before you reach the halfway mark. Overall it’s a magical place and I highly recommend it.

The site was great. Nice and level no trash. Site was gravel as were most. A few sites are concrete. All spots have full hook ups with both 50, 30, and 20 amp outlets. The bathhouse and grounds were kept clean. Camp host was very nice. Located in dense woods so bugs can be an issue. There is a short trail to the river beach access. There is only 1 trash can and it’s small located in the center of all the sites, that being said the camp host drives around each morning to collect trash. Pet friendly, with a leash of course. Only back in sites, no pull through. Paved roads all the way to camp site. Also, near a Naval helicopter training facility so there is helicopter noise throughout the day and sometimes even into the night.

Took the wife and kids through to test out our canoe. Everyone loved it. Wish we were closer to see it again. Loved the little sandy bends in the river. Should have brought my fishing pole!

Very nice campground. Secluded & not many campers when we went (February). Bathrooms were clean & warm.

Beautiful, cold water relaxing

We stayed is site number 28. The sites are rather small and are equipped with table, fire ring, separate grill, clothesline, and some have hammock posts. Sites are gravel. All are full hook up with water, electric, and sewer. Bathrooms were great well stocked and very clean, hot water. Trash gets picked up daily from your site. There are many many trails to walk in this area. The campground has a great boardwalk trail that goes down to a Beach area and the river. There is also a parking area and boardwalk and Beach for day-use visitors. The river is excellent here it is dark clear water with white sandy banks. This park was immaculate everyone was so friendly you can tell they took pride in this park. There was a lot of rain when we went so river levels went way up. We launched kayaks from campground beach but there is also a boat ramp not far. This park is relatively small compared to others. There is not much in area. 30-45 minutes to Pensacola. Dollar general and Piggly wiggly grocery not far from park. Outfitter close to rent kayaks and shuttle on river.

The sites at this park are wonderful! Very relaxing and comfortable place. Very scenic and with water nearby. Great bath houses as well that have fun reading boards full of information.

This small, meticulously maintained campground has 30 full hook up sites split evenly between Magnolia Circle and Titi Circle. My only minor complaints are that the usable site space is all on gravel (very small pieces so it should still be comfortable for tents) and some sites are too close to each other. I prefer a grassy area (and some privacy) with my campsite, but the gravel is better for drainage when it rains. 

Beautiful Setting With Nearby Trails

There are a couple short trails and a swimming beach at Juniper Lake, but I can't get excited about swimming in an area that has alligator warning signs on the trail along a marshy area near the lake. The Florida Trail for long distance hikers is nearby. The Blackwater Heritage State Trail is a paved trail you can access near Milton for biking, skateboarding, etc. It's 8 miles and then there's a 1.5 mile Military Heritage Trail that continues to a Naval Air Station, but then you'll have to turn around and return the same way.

Canoeing, Kayaking and Tubing

Blackwater River is a popular location for these activities. We passed a rental place that had lots of rental equipment.

Site Notes

• See photos for site map as well as several site photos.

• All sites are back in with gravel pads except for concrete on 5, 6 and 19.

• All sites have a picnic table and fire ring on the gravel. There's green space/trees between most sites.

• No separate tent pad but the gravel is small and should be ok for a tent if you have a sleeping pad.

• Magnolia Circle: Sites 3 through 5 on Magnolia Circle back up to sites 16 and 17 on Titi Circle. That's a bit close for me, but no one was behind us. Sites 1/2 and 12/13 have no green space between them. I would avoid them unless you want to socialize with your neighbors.

• Titi Circle: Just stay at 19, 21, 23, 25, 26, 27 or 29 on the outside of the circle of you want some privacy. The other sites are too close to neighbors for my comfort.

• You're not allowed to tie anything to trees. That seems to rule out hammocks but there's a clothesline between 2 posts; I guess you could fit one hammock.

Amenities

• Full hookup, i.e. electricity, water and sewer hookup, at all sites. Our site had 20, 30 and 50 amp outlets.

• Super clean restrooms/showers are located between the two loops. Showers had good water pressure and hot water. Even the sinks had hot water.

• Dump station

• Instead of trash dumpsters, you're supposed to put your trash by your site post between 8 and 11 am. And there's a recycling barrel for aluminum on the way to the restroom.

This campground is peaceful, sandbar is clean

The campground is very clean and well maintained. Campsites are limited so plan ahead. We loved the trails along the river. There is little to no privacy between sites, but I would love to visit again.

This park kicks off the start of the Florida trail. It's the largest state park in Florida with over 200,000 acres of forest. Swimming, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, mountain bike trails, running trails, camping, and geocaching. Pets ok in some areas. Pets NOT allowed in some areas!! Glass NOT allowed on beaches!! Both offenses carry steep fines! Know Florida laws! Make your kids wear life jackets! Even if they are uncomfortable. Yes, it can happen to you! Yes, we have dangerous wildlife. Yes, they can climb fences! Bears are protected. Florida Panthers are too. Panthers don't live in this area. If you see one you MUST report the sighting to Florida FWC. Check with forestry to know if camp fires are allowed in you camping area. Not all areas allow camp fires. Be SAFE, use common sense, when in doubt ASK!

Blackwater River State Park has a small campground. However, the sites are spacious and clean. Nice graveled, level sites. Garbage pick up at campsite which is always nice. This is a beautiful area with lots to do within the park and just outside of park. Swimming, hiking, canoeing/kayaking opportunities abound. The staff is very helpful and friendly. Enjoyed our stay! We have stayed here several times,mostly in Spring and Fall.

This is one of my favorites! There are bugs and normal FL stuff, but the river is awesome! If you love trees especially pines....this is the spot. Also GREAT tubing and canoeing!

A fun fact about the Blackwater River is that it is one of the purest sand bottom rivers in the nation.

We really enjoyed this campground :) The hiking trails were quite near and the hikes were fun. The sites were nice sized. The facilities were clean. The setting was more quiet than expected, but that was a pleasant surprise!