Palmetto Ridge Campground, near Sarasota, Florida, is a fantastic spot for those looking to immerse themselves in nature while enjoying modern conveniences. With spacious sites that come with full hookups, it’s perfect for RVs and tents alike, allowing you to set up camp comfortably.

This campground is known for its beautiful, shaded sites and easy access to walking and biking trails. Visitors rave about the wildlife, with sightings of alligators, deer, and a variety of birds adding to the park's charm. One camper noted, “It’s quiet, and there’s plenty of wildlife to be seen,” making it a great place for nature lovers.

The facilities here are well-maintained, with clean bathrooms and laundry options available. Campers appreciate the picnic tables and fire rings, perfect for evening gatherings. As one reviewer put it, “The site was clean, level, and easy to back into,” which is a big plus for those new to camping.

Located within Myakka River State Park, you’re just a short drive from stunning natural landscapes and outdoor activities. Whether you want to hike, bike, or simply relax by the river, there’s no shortage of options. Plus, the park is only about a half-hour from popular beaches like Siesta Key, making it easy to mix camping with a beach day.

With its friendly atmosphere and abundance of wildlife, Palmetto Ridge Campground is a solid choice for anyone looking to enjoy the great outdoors in Florida.

The park features three campgrounds with 90 campsites. Each site is equipped with 50-amp electrical service, water, a fire ring and picnic table. The sites in Palmetto Ridge also have sewer hook-ups. A dump station is located near Old Prairie Campground. Laundry facilities are available to all campers in Old Prairie and Palmetto Ridge campgrounds. All campsites are located within 40 yards of restroom facilities with hot showers.

NOTE:  Non-Potable Water

Effective May 11, 2023: Drinking water is temporarily unavailable at Myakka River State Park. Please remember to bring your own water. Bottled water is also available at no cost at the ranger station from 8 a.m. to sunset.

Sites in Old Prairie and Big Flats are dirt-based. The sites in Palmetto Ridge are gravel-based, except for four ADA paved sites adjoining restrooms. Old Prairie and Big Flats do not have vegetation buffers.

The Big Flats Campground is located near the Upper Myakka Lake, Myakka Outpost, a fishing deck and Wi-Fi.

Old Prairie and Palmetto Ridge campgrounds are located near the State Road 72 park entrance, the Myakka River, the campfire circle, a small playground and Myakka Friends Gift Shop. Well-behaved pets are welcome in these three campgrounds, up to four per site.

There are six primitive campgrounds (Mossy Hammock, Bee Island, Honore, Panther Point, Oak Grove and Prairie) located along the hiking trails for backpackers. These rustic settings provide campers with a fire pit and post to hang items. Each campground has three campsites, and a maximum of four people may be on each site. Only Bee Island, Oak Grove and Prairie have water pumps. Water at these sites is not potable; it requires boiling/chemical treatment. Other sites do not have water; you must bring your own. The terrain is primarily prairie, and dehydration is possible even on the coolest days. 

Myakka River State Park is one of Florida’s largest parks with 37,000 acres of its own. Home to the officially designated “Wild and Scenic” Myakka River, this state park is the perfect destination for outdoor adventurers who are looking to get closer to the natural, diverse Florida wildlife. 

 Choose from one of over 80 campsites while Myakka State Park camping and get ready to explore!

 Bring your kayak and make your way through a variety of waterways where you can spot american alligators, snook, ospreys, and countless species of birds. 

 Embark on one of many hiking trails to explore more of the unique environments found within Myakka River State Park. Trek to the highlands to get a look at Florida’s traditional wetlands where marshes, cypress dome trees, and grazing birds will welcome you. Go even deeper to reach the diverse array of grasses, wildflowers, and vines that grow freely in the park’s protected dry prairies. Don’t forget to bring your camera with you! Short shrubs in the dry prairies allow visitors to see for miles in any direction. 

 You’ll also want to bring the camera atop the Canopy Walkway at Myakka River. Just a short walk from the main road, this suspension bridge provides a panoramic view of the entire park from a unique vantage point above the tree canopy. Every camper can find what they’re looking for at this Florida park.

Palmetto Ridge Campground — Myakka River State Park

Looking for the best campgrounds near Osprey, FL? There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. Ready to plan your adventure? Check out our campgrounds near Osprey and user-submitted reviews.

Osprey

The Best Camping Near Osprey, Florida

Very pleasant , Nice shade trees . The tree canopy walk bridge is great and trails are clean. Great place to bicycle. Nice souvenir shop with small fast food shop. Giant air boat ride and canoe rentals .  Gators to be seen in the river.   Enjoyed the park.

Myakka River State Park, FL

If you want to see Florida Wildlife this is the place to go! From birds to gators, wild hogs and lots of raccoons! wildlife is everywhere. Protect your cooler in the campground and DO NOT LEAVE FOOD IN THE TENTS! The trails are full of amazing sights and there is so many opportunities to see wild things everywhere - you can see turkey and deer form the road (drive slow) and watch for people pulled over - that usually means they are looking at something (and bikes share the road to so be safe!) Air boat tours will get you out on the river where a ranger will tell you all about the local plants, animals and history. Great shops and Cantina! Everything from a hot lunch to beer and ice cream! Rent bicycles and canoes, hike the 36+ miles of trails and bird watch all day! The tower Canopy Bridge is something to see! The campground is almost always sold out in advance on weekends and they pack you in tight! Reserve early and prepare to have a wild time!

Wildlife adventure awaits!

If  you want to see 'Old Florida', you can't get much better than this - we spent the weekend kayaking along the myakka river and saw more wildlife than we could of imagined.   Campgrounds are quiet with lush overgrowth between sites, clean restrooms and plenty to see and do within the park. 

Only callout is the need to be mindful making reservations and staying at the park during the rainy season as some roads are awash and difficult to drive. 

Classic Florida

This a great place to catch a glimpse of tons of different animals. The wildlife in the park is definitely the best part. Make sure not to leave any food in your tent at night!

Also, the amenities are really good as well. Definitely a fun place to spend a weekend!

Great place

Unfortunately, I went as a little kid so I don't have any amazing pictures to share. But I have FOND memories of this experience, and I couldn't get over the canopy walkway. This place is unlike any other, and teeming with interesting, diverse wildlife. If you're in Florida, you have to make your way out here.

Myakka from my Childhood

I visited this park about two years ago while visiting my grand mother. The park was a very interesting place. There were copious amounts of wildlife, and we ended up taking a boat tour on the river which was highly enjoyable. It was kind of annoying though because there were many signs that said "do not enter this part of the trail is closed" and "do not feed the alligators" but you still saw people doing them without interference from the park employees. The lookout tower was beautiful because you could see far across the park and on my particular visit you could see a wildfire smoking across the state. 

Myakka river State Park

Excellent for wildlife viewing in the surprisingly beautiful prairie and tropical Florida area. You can rent bikes or kayaks nearby and make sure to take a tour on the famous fan boats. Pros: wildlife, cabin option, close to towns, clean, pretty large sites, modern amenities like laundry, restaurant, gift/grocery shop on site, very shady campsites, great trails (many boardwalks), huge park, easy to get to from 75. Good mix of locals and tourists to give you more ideas of what to do while visiting. Cons: just the bugs and heat... 


Huge state park, lots of wildlife 

They have great primative sites, with hikes that vary from 2 miles to 14 miles to camp sites. Beware of heat, bring plenty of water. Dont depend on water pumps

Primative Camping

Big campground in a beautiful park that really shows you natural Florida. Not enough privacy on each campsite, personally, but still nice. The hiking trails &amp; the boardwalk are awesome, love the long views over the prairie and canopy.

Great hiking trails

This is one of our fave places in FL because there is hiking, biking, birding, kayaking, much more.
Sarasota has a lot to see and do, also!

Fun Place            

This camp had a lot going for it, but it wasn’t laid out well. It was hard to navigate. The restaurant was nice and thes swinging bridge and watchtower were fun.

Nice

Visited back in 2011 &amp; 2014\. We tent camped on both occasions. Took the boat tour &amp; saw more alligators than we could count. Lots of armadillos around the campsites at night/in the evenings. Being from further North, armadillo are a pretty exciting animal to spot. The park has lots to do, &amp; they've actually got 3 separate campgrounds. I can't recall which we stayed in, but they were decent for all your tent camping needs (can't attest to RV camping though).

The park is really lovely and being that your in FL your still close to beautiful beaches too.

Lots of Wildlife

What isn't there to do at Myakka River SP. First of all, this place is huge. I think it took me about 10 minutes to drive from one end to the other, but it is full of wonderful things to do along the way. There are two entrances to the park because it is so large, but one entrance is not always open, so its important to check that online before heading over. The main entrance has a nice Welcome Center right at the front with a small store shop. There are three different loops to camp in, one is specific to tent camping and is not open year round called Big Flats Campground. Its further back in the park and surrounded by beautiful trees. The other two are tent/RV, one being very shady called Old Prairie and the other having drive through sites called Palmetto Ridge which does not have many trees for shade. There are also cabins and these are remodeled versions of the original cabins that were built back when the park first opened in the 30s.

The activities on site vary. because the park is so large, its great for long morning jogs and bike rides. The view is beautiful only the Myakka river and your bound to run into wildlife (i saw deer, gators, hogs and so many different birds)! There are also 39 miles worth of hiking trails, which all vary in distance. Some even have primitive campsites for those that enjoy backpacking. Along one of the hiking trails, is an observation desk with a canopy walkway. The tower soars 76 feet high so you have a great view of the park! There is also a pretty bird watching area for those that enjoying this activity. Even if you don't the view is amazing and a great place to sit and watch for wildlife.

The last part of the park I want to touch on is the Pink Gator restaurant/gift shop. I think it is one of the largest shops I have ever been in. The food at the cafe was wonderful! I had the chicken salad (way too good!). And they have a small Edys IceCream Parlor. This part of the park also allows access to the river, where you can canoe/kayak or what ever water sport you are into. The one thing that stood out to me is the Airboat ride. This boat hold about 30 people and takes you out on the the lake for a tour. I don't think I have ever seen an air boat that large.

The facilities were all very well taken care of as well and I cannot think of one complaint! I definitely recommend visiting this park.

Beautiful, Large Park

Very nice old Florida state park

This was a great state park. Sites are close together and not much barriers between. Bathrooms were clean, good hot shower. Plenty of wildlife to see. Alligators, birds, wild hogs, deer, and more. If you are a bird lover this is a place you should stop. Hiking, fishing, kayaking, plenty to keep you busy. They have an observation tower and suspension bridge. Park is not far from beaches or city of Sarasota. We stayed 5 days could of stayed longer. Park is busy on weekends, not so bad during week. Park staff were very friendly and helpful. 

So much to do

Hidden cabins, hiking, off-road biking, boating, wildlife...so much beauty and activities to enjoy in this park! The cabins are off the main path, tucked away and private. They are super roomy and comfortable with their own picnic tables and grills. You can launch canoes/kayaks or book a trip on the boats in the park. If you like off-road biking there are several nice trails. Really family-friendly!

Not the Florida you imagine about when you think Florida...

   Let me start by saying that I live very close to Myakka River Sate Park and it has been a place that four generations of my family have been enjoying for over 40 years. It is very large for a state park. You can spends days hiking the trails and paddling the river and lakes. The wildlife is everywhere! What would you like to see? Deer, wild hogs, alligators, birds of all kinds? You will probably see these and more at just about any time of year.  

  

   There is a nice interpretive center, picnic grounds, boat tours, canoe and kayak rentals, and a tram tour through the park. Don't miss the canopy walk. It's a great way to see a part of the park's ecosystem that we normally only see from below. You also get a great view of the park in all directions from the top of the tower. Florida is flat and views like these are hard to come by. There is also a restaurant and store where you can get pretty good food with a view of the lake. My wife wants to make sure you know you can also get ice cream at the restaurant.   

  

    There are three camping areas for tents and RVs. The two older areas are called Big Flats and Old Prairie. The sites in these areas are close to each other and there is little or no under story between them. There is water and electric at each site with clean but older bathroom facilities. Both of the campgrounds are also close to the main road with some sites backing up to the road. There is a convenient dump station inside the park but no sewer hookups in these two campgrounds.  

  

  The third and newest campground is called Palmetto Ridge. This one was obviously built primarily for large RVs with water, electric and sewer connections at every site. The bathroom facilities are more up to date and very nice. They are also not used as much by the campers because this area is mostly filled with huge motor coaches and fifth wheels that all have their own facilities and do not need to worry about their holding tanks because they have full hookups. The sites are pretty roomy and there is plenty of under story in between to keep you from feeling like you are right on top of your neighbors. There are quite a few pull trough sites in this area. They are improved gravel sites and most are very level. The sewer hookups are a little higher than you would expect. It will take some supports to keep a positive flow. If you know how much it rains here in the Summertime you will know why these must be kept above the flood stage level.  

  

   A note about rain: Florida gets a lot of rain in the Summertime. It is not uncommon to get multiple inches of rain in a very short time and this can happen almost any day between June and the end of September. The river and lake do flood and large parts of the park are in their flood plain. the Big Flats campground can be shut down because it is the closest to the lake. This is not a reason to avoid Myakka in the Summertime. We have camped there in June and August and if you find someplace cool to hangout during the day you will be rewarded with very pleasant walks and paddles with lots of wildlife to see in the mornings and evenings. Pro tip: If you are staying in the park, get up really early to see the sunrise from the top of the canopy walk.

  

    There are two other ways to spend the night in Myakka River State Park. There are cabins available to rent and primitive camp sites in the hiking areas. The cabins have recently been rebuilt and I must admit I have not seen the new ones. We did stay in the original cabins before we got our RV and they were very nice for a family getaway. With a kitchen, bathroom and air conditioning they are a very comfortable way to spend some time in the park. The original cabins were built with palm logs by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps). The CCC was a program to create jobs and improve public facilities during and after the Great Depression. Some of that construction can still be seen at one of the picnic areas in the park. There is also a monument to the CCC inside the park. Backpackers can spend a few days hiking the trails and camping at the primitive sites. Haven't done that myself since I was a kid back in the 70s but they were great trips. No noise or light pollution. On a cool, clear night the star gazing in fantastic. My wife wants me to make sure you know that she won't be at the primitive campsites but hopes you enjoy yourself and not to forget about the ice cream.  

  

   For native Sarasotans, Myakka River State Park is a beloved point of pride. Most people never leave the beach when they come here for a visit and miss what the rest of Florida looks like. It is well worth your time to spend a few nights away from the beach and see what else makes this such a special place. This is a very popular spot and the campsites and cabins book up early especially for the Winter months. Reservations can be made 11 months in advance on the reserve America website.

One of Florida's finest attractions

Took my best friends on their first camping trip. We walked 5 miles to our campground. We took many beer breaks but were able to see so much wild life on our walk there. It was in the middle of nowhere, quiet, green, and perfect for our needs. I loved it and will be returning every year for this biological recharge my soul and body needs. 

Best primitive camping ever!

Myakka River State Park is a not to miss Florida State Park. Don't let the proximity to Sarasota Fool You! It is very close to Sarasota which makes it a good stop if you are visiting the area or an outstanding stop if you are from out of town as you can enjoy a little bit of Surf and Turf. 

  

As a Sarasota local who loves the outdoors, I've visited most of Florida's State Parks and this is one of my favorites for sure. We tend to neglect what we can do and see everyday and this is no exception. I'm always amazed. 

  

This time we camped out for the weekend even though we live about 10 miles away and we have never felt so far from home while being so close. Probably my first"staycation". 

  

You can paddle, hike, ride or just chill in this really large state park. Super clean and well run. All the staff are really nice and you can tell they enjoy being there. 

  

This park is the real deal and you will feel you are in another world. Get out and explore! 

  

Sidebar: A lot of people ask me why I share my favorite"secret" places with total strangers and the answer is that the very best places everywhere are under tremendous pressure from growth, development and environmental pressure. Once you see a place like this you will forever be changed and hopefully become an advocate for preserving them wherever you may be.

A True Jurassic Park Not To Miss!

This is a nice state park, with access to some hikes and also kayaking on the river. We saw some gators on the side of the road, which was cool! The campground is very nice, when the weather is good! The bathrooms are clean and well kept. 

Nice Florida camping! 

In the month of May a beautiful bloom erupts in the fields of Myakka River State Park. It is a must see! Also check out the short hike to the Alligator Pit. Permits must be obtained early in the morning. 

Floral Bloom and an Alligator Pit

Went during the summer, half of the park was under water from unusually high levels of rains but the park itself is very quiet and out of the way. Perfect if you want to get away as cell phones don’t always work out there. They have a couple of tours you can take as well. The treetop walk was a really amazing view of the surrounding area. The dear were right out by the road not paying any attention to the people going by. 

Nice quiet area

I’m pretty sure this was the first campground I ever went to as a kid, and then every spring break following. Only recently stopped going with my family.
As far as Florida camping goes though, this is probably my favorite.

My first love.

One of the largest state parks in Florida.  This great Park has full and partial hook ups for all styles of camping to include hammock camping.  There are 6 primitive campgrounds; group camping and Cabins too!  We stayed at the Palmetto Ridge campground which were gravel and had the full hook ups.  The old prairie and big flats were regular ground surface electric/water (no sewer) .  These also had a little less privacy.  You will have 39 miles of hiking trails and off road/mountain biking at your pleasure.  We bike with hybrid specialized bikes and had no problems off road.  We were here in July.  Fortunately, there is lots of shade even while hiking due to the canopy trees and this kept things cooler during in the summer.  We did not have a problem with biting bugs until nightfall.  You will enjoy biking the 7 miles of paved (flat) roads in Park.  There are Rivers and lakes for kayaking/canoe and we enjoyed the fishing and paddling.  Great gift shop and cafe area near boat launch on lake.  There is even a flat bottom boat tour on the Upper Myakka lake.  The visitor center offers a lot of rentals too... from kayaks to tandem bikes.  (For the die hard road bikers it is only 12.5 miles to Legacy Rail to trail).  We had a blast and our video goes into more detail about the park.  Be sure to visit the nearby Crowley Nature Center less than 5 miles away.  (Crowley nature center is a separate video located on our YouTube channel and website)

Camping and Canopy Trees

Reasonable price for so much to see, do and level clean sites. From the friendly rangers to the gravel base campsites, each with fire ring, BBQ and picnic table and full hookup, it's worth the $22 a night. 

Plenty to do!

Myakka is not far from home and a great spot to visit for overnight trips or day trips!  There are bike rentals I have taken advantage of, plenty of walking trails, and you can rent airboats.

  

General store on-site as well.  Walk to primitive camp sites.

Great spot for nature - bike riding, trails, primitive camping, etc.

Beautiful site and campground.  Huge site, very clean, and restrooms were very clean!   We rode our bikes to the river, gift shop, and restaurant.    Had a great time!   Very friendly.

Beautiful 

We stayed here 6 nights in Palmetto Ridge Campground which had full hookups. It is an extremely well maintained park with large roomy sites in the campground we stayed in. There are two more campgrounds available in the park, but they were not sewer equipped and also too small for our 40' 5er. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay here and will definitely be going back in the future. It is about a half hour drive to either Siesta Key Beach or Turtle Beach from the park so it is very convenient for that. 

Beautiful Park

Totally love this majestic camping  site  

We stayed for one night in site 83 in the Palmetto Ridge loop. Absolutely loved this site. It’s HUGE - tons of space in this site with privacy from the neighboring sites. And there are full hookups - just note that the sewer is elevated (4-6 inch block) and all the way at the back of the site, so plan to park accordingly if you’re using the sewer or want to dump before you leave. There is also a dump station if you’re at one of the other loops or prefer that over the sewer hookup. As one other review mentioned, you can’t access the trails or sites directly from the two front campground loops. And this park is very large, so plan to ride a bike or drive to the canopy walk (which we didn’t do - was crowded and we’re social distancing), the bird walk (which was a bit disappointing on wildlife, but pretty and most people wore masks and kept their distance), or the boat tours/gift shop (which we didn’t do - distancing). I’ll also mention that the highlight, and it seems others agreed considering it was always crowded with people, was a bridge where there were always alligators and birds. Not sure if the bridge has a name, but you’ll know it by the people standing in the road. The site was nice and quiet and dark enough to see stars. There were armadillos foraging behind the site though, so we had to keep our dog inside after dark.  We would absolutely stay here again. Good cell coverage as well for remote work. 

Huge park with nice sites

This is an eco experience with much diversity in flora and fauna. From gators to wild pigs, they have it all. Be careful as this campground is run by the racoons!  Store has cool gear and excellent food. Try the Aligator stew! Also wood available for open fires. Lots of rules but worth the visit.

Tons of wildlife, forest and prairie sites

We arrived at the gate! After hearing of the wilderness preserve we decided to go ahead and get the permit. You drive about a mile down the road from the main state park entrance to find the wilderness preserve entrance which is code protected￼￼. After driving back to the parking area, we realized we had the 600 acres to ourselves. We then hiked to the deep hole. There we saw tons of alligators birds and wildlife! A great piece of raw Florida! 

Florida untouched

This is our 2nd time at Myakka River State Park and it doesn't disappoint. We stayed at the PR section with full hookups. Site was spacious and the park even had smiling gators.

Myakka Fun

We were fortunate enough to get here before the hurricanes destroyed parts of this campground. It is so peaceful and naturally beautiful. Plenty of places to walk and ride bikes to. Our site was shady and a really good size. Bathhouse was always clean. Cannot wait to go back. 

The best campground

The campsites are well-shaded and have easy access to walking &amp; biking trails. We've visited Myakka on day trips previously, and just recently camped there for the first time. It's quiet, and there's plenty of wildlife to be seen: Lots of birds, alligators, deer, wild turkeys. Bathrooms with laundry facilities were conveniently located, but we didn't use them. Campsite was clean, level, and easy to back into.

Beautiful "old Florida" park

Great campground for any type of camping. 
All sites at Palmetto Ridge are full hookup and many sites are pull through. 
ATT WiFi is fast enough to stream YouTube and YouTube TV via my Apple TV box tethered to my iPhone. 

Photos of Palmetto Ridge Campground — Myakka River State Park

Real photos from real campers