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Established Camping

Cary State Forest

Warning 1 Alert is In Effect

There is 1 alert for this campground. Camp safely!

The Florida Forest Service will close all campgrounds and recreation areas on State Forests if the county where the State Forest is located is placed under a Tropical Storm or Hurricane WARNING by the National Weather Service. Reservations will be automatically refunded for closures related to tropical weather.

Cary State Forest, near Bryceville, Florida, is a peaceful campground that offers a unique blend of spacious sites and natural beauty. With only a handful of sites tucked away in the woods, you can expect a good dose of privacy and tranquility during your stay.

The campground is known for its roomy sites, many equipped with picnic tables and fire pits, perfect for evening gatherings. Visitors have noted that the area is clean and well-maintained, with amenities like electric hookups and a sanitary dump station making it convenient for RV campers. One camper remarked, “Sites are spread out and HUGE!!” which really captures the spacious feel of the place.

If you're up for some exploration, there are hiking trails nearby that let you soak in the natural surroundings. While wildlife sightings can be a bit sparse, the serene atmosphere and the sounds of nature make for a relaxing retreat. Just remember to pack some bug repellent, as the mosquitoes can be quite persistent.

Cary State Forest is a solid choice for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle. Whether you're stopping for a night or planning a longer stay, the combination of spacious sites and a quiet environment makes it a worthwhile destination.

Description

FL Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Florida Forest Service

Cary State Forest

The Cary Campground is located within the Cary State Forest (Nassau County), about 5 minutes northeast of Bryceville, FL. This campground has the following facilities: campsites with electric and water, campsites with water only, dump station, an educational pavilion (Day Use Only) and restrooms with showers. Recreational activities featured here are: hiking, picnicking, horseback riding, wildlife viewing and photography.

***Please be advised. The S. Bryan Jennings Pavilion is for day use only. This area does not allow overnight use or camping.***

  • Removal or destruction of cultural artifacts, plants, or animals is prohibited (with the exception of legal game during scheduled hunts).

  • Wildlife-proof all food.

  • Forest is open for day use visitors from 1.5 hours before sunrise until 1.5 hours after sunset.

  • Drive only on designated open roads. Off-highway vehicles are prohibited.

  • Possession of alcoholic beverages is prohibited.

  • Leashed pets are welcome.

  • It is recommended that trail users wear Day-Glo orange during hunt seasons.

Alcoholic beverages are prohibited.

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Location

Cary State Forest is located in Florida

Detail location of campground

Directions

From I-10 take exit 343 toward Baldwin. Turn left onto US 301 N for 1.1 mi. Turn right onto W Beaver St/Lake City Rd for 0.7 mi. Turn Left onto US 301 N 7.7 mi. Turn right onto Pavilion Rd for 0.3 miles to campground entrance. From I-95 take exit 373 toward Callahan. Head west on FL-200/Florida A1A for 12 mi. Continue straight onto US 301 S for 11 miles. Turn left onto Pavilion Rd for 0.3 mi to Campground entrance.

Address

7465 Pavilion Dr
Bryceville, FL 32009

Coordinates

30.39847632 N
81.92773236 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
    Good
  • Verizon
    Unknown
  • AT&T
    Unknown
  • T-Mobile
    Good

Site Types

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

Features

For Campers

  • Picnic Table
  • Reservable
  • Electric Hookups
  • Toilets
  • Pets
  • Fires

For Vehicles

  • Sanitary Dump
  • Sewer Hookups
  • Water Hookups
  • 30 Amp Hookups
  • 50 Amp Hookups
  • Big Rig Friendly

Drive Time


Reviews

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5 Stars

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1 Star

23%
67%
0%
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12%

4.0

out of 5

9 Reviews

Reviewed May. 12, 2025

Quiet, basic, beautiful

Great quiet spot just outside the city. Good showers, water, and electricity. Has only 6 rv sites, miles of trails to explore. Mosquitos are not bad. Surprisingly, yellow flies are abundant, however.

Sitesite 6
Month of VisitMay
Reviewed Oct. 4, 2023

Very Quiet, level and clean

Camping area has only 6 spread-out spots that are pushed back off the road, so privacy is good. Site 6 is quite large with table, and fire pit with benches.

Note the roads are hard-pack and it is a Florida pine forest so it gets a bit muddy (and mosquito-y) on rainy days. Dump station is not fully paved so it too, gets muddy.

Site6
Month of VisitSeptember
  • Review photo of Cary State Forest by J V., October 4, 2023
Reviewed Aug. 31, 2021

Electrical Issues

We were at site 5. When we arrived and hooked up the 30amp breaker kept flipping. We had just left crooked river and hadn’t had any issues. We told the camp host and she moved us to site 4 for the night. After 2 nights they told us the 30amp breaker was replaced and we could go back to site 5. Site 4 had someone coming. When we went back and began hooking up the breaker once again flipped. We contacted reserve America to see about a refund. It’s over 100 degrees and we aren’t willing to camp without ac. We told the host and ranger that we had contacted them and that we were leaving. The ranger said they didn’t replace the breaker (even though the host text us that they did). They were very friendly and tried to accommodate as much as they could. They did say they will have it checked out again, so hopefully future campers won’t have the problem.

Site5
Month of VisitAugust
  • Review photo of Cary State Forest by Hayley S., August 31, 2021
Reviewed Apr. 3, 2021

Could have been great

Have waited six months into our RV life to start reviews for fair comparisons. Spent 7 nights. This is one of the oddest places we have stayed. On arrival we were thrilled. Less than 10 sites all tucked in the woods, seemed like paradise. Sites are huge and private. But the woods seemed….dead. In our week there we only saw a handful of birds and a squashed dead pygmy rattlesnake. There was something just a bit sad about it. Do have some hiking trails and short boardwalks.

Site5
Month of VisitDecember
Reviewed Aug. 24, 2020

Spacious sites

This campground was an absolute gem. Sites are spread out and HUGE!! Several trails and plenty of room for kids to play on site!!! The only thing preventing me from giving five stars is we got the only site that had electric and water on passenger side so we had to run electric under our rig. If we would have been in a class B or C you could go nose first. They have a dump station on site and access in and out of park is super convenient. We didn’t get to check out bathrooms so I can’t speak to those. Park was super clean and they provide a trash can at the edge of the site. We will definitely be going back when the temperature drops a little!!!

  • Review photo of Cary State Forest by David S., August 24, 2020
Reviewed Jul. 12, 2020

Great for overnight stopping.

Nice concret pad that was very level. Sites are roomy. TAKE BUG REPELLENT... MOSQUITOES ARE BAD. Electric and water hookups with a sanitary dump station. This was a perfect stopping point on our way to the southwest coast of Florida as it was directly on our travel path and very reasonable in pricing. We will definitely remember this Campground and use it in the future due to convenience.

Reviewed May. 31, 2019

Quiet

When we arrived to host greeted us at the pay box. Host showed us around the place. Host is very friendly and knowledgeable. The host did explain the fees because online says on thing and when we arrived price was different. The rest rooms were nice and clean. Showers hot. Very quiet except for some traffic on road near park. We stayed more towards the front. The place is big enough to maneuver a big rig around the areas. We enjoyed it. Stayed 2 days.

  • Review photo of Cary State Forest by Gwoo T., May 31, 2019
  • Review photo of Cary State Forest by Gwoo T., May 31, 2019
  • Review photo of Cary State Forest by Gwoo T., May 31, 2019
Reviewed May. 29, 2019

Diamond in the rough

This campground was arranged by my kids scouts group. It was beautiful but maybe that’s because there wasn’t a lot of human traffic. A few people brought their horses out there which was nice to see. This park seems to still be in development which was perfect for me because we didn’t have a lot of movement. There wasn’t a whole lot of wildlife that I saw personally but I loved listening to the birds singing. I wish I would’ve taken advantage of the trails but I explored just a little way away from my kids and turned back around. During our stay, my only annoyance were the wasps in the bathroom. The spiders we stayed away from lol but found a pigmy rattlesnake that we caught in a bucket and walked it a little further away from the bathroom and camping site. I’d like to go there again.

Month of VisitMay
  • Review photo of Cary State Forest by Sualen L., May 29, 2019
  • Review photo of Cary State Forest by Sualen L., May 29, 2019
  • Review photo of Cary State Forest by Sualen L., May 29, 2019

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Cary State Forest have RV hookups?

According to TheDyrt.com, Cary State Forest has 30 amp and 50 amp electric hookups, water hookups and sewer hookups.

What is the elevation of Cary State Forest?

Cary State Forest is located at 77 feet.

Are fires allowed at Cary State Forest?

Yes, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, fires are allowed at Cary State Forest, although make sure to check current fire restrictions in the area.

Does Cary State Forest have wifi?

No, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, Cary State Forest does not have wifi.

Is there cell phone reception at Cary State Forest?

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

How hard is it to get a campsite at Cary State Forest?

Some campers book as far as 6 months in advance, so on high-demand weekends it can be very difficult to get a campsite at Cary State Forest. If you want to get a last-minute campsite at Cary State Forest, try setting up a text message Alert at TheDyrt.com/alerts

Why is it so hard to get a campsite at Cary State Forest?

There are 6 campsites at Cary State Forest and over 80 million Americans who camp! Try snagging a cancellation by setting up a text message Alert at TheDyrt.com/alerts