Green Swamp — West Tract, near Polk City, Florida, is a primitive camping area that offers a unique escape into nature. With its spacious sites and the freedom to enjoy campfires, it’s a great place to unwind and soak in the beauty of the outdoors.

This campground is free to stay at for up to seven days, making it an attractive option for budget-conscious campers. Visitors have noted the lack of potable water, so be sure to bring your own, but the well-kept sites come with picnic tables and fire rings, perfect for evening gatherings. As one camper mentioned, “For a free campsite, I can’t complain.”

If you’re up for some adventure, the nearby trails provide excellent opportunities for hiking and biking. The peaceful surroundings are often filled with the sounds of wildlife, and many have enjoyed the serene atmosphere, especially at the Gator Hole backcountry site, which is just a short hike away. 

While some campers have mentioned that the sites can feel a bit close together, the overall vibe is friendly and relaxed. Whether you’re camping with family or just looking for a quiet getaway, Green Swamp — West Tract has a lot to offer for those willing to embrace its rustic charm.

Equestrian and Primitive Sites:
Separate sites available for equestrians and primitive camping.
Sites have picnic tables, fire rings and/or grills.
A free reservation is required and must be displayed or available at campground.

Backcountry Camping Sites:
High Bluff , Foster Bridge, Concession Stand and Gator Hole.

Restrooms and Water
ADA accessible portable toilets available at campgrounds.
Nonpotable water available at River Road entrance and equestrian and primitive campgrounds.

Green Swamp — West Tract

Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, Dade City, FL has a lot to offer. Dade City is filled with the activities, sights, and experiences to make everyone in your crew a happy camper. Find the best campgrounds near Dade City, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.

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stayed for a weekend with family. has a good shaded area w/o buffers but not a lot of people due to it being primitive camping. again used generator and 50 gals of water.

like this one the best from all of green swamp stays.

You can’t beat Green  Swamp West for nice and quiet free camping area 

Quite place with good hiking trails 

Stayed here for a night in November of 2020. We stayed at the Ashley campsite. It is free but had to register at watermatters.org - (Southwest Florida Water Management). They provide you with a code to unlock the gate once registered. At the campsite there were about 15 sites. Most had non-potable water. All had a picnic tables and fire ring. My site had a covered picnic table. A vault toilet was also provided and was pretty clean. The campsite was about half full when I was here and it was pretty quiet even though you can see your neighbors. You are permitted to collect fire wood as long as it has fallen from the tree. For a free campsite, I can’t complain. I would stay here again. 

Peaceful and free! 

Stayed at Ashley campground, which is free with a reservation through Southwest Florida water management. They provide a Lock code for you to enter upon entering so there’s always a locked gate during your stay. The sites are very well-kept and I’ll have a firing and covered picnic table. The sites are a little close as there are not a lot of trees for privacy but overall a really nice camp spot. Has two vault toilets which were relatively clean. Mixture of equestrian campers and non-equestrian campers. Barely any cell service so wasn’t ideal for my work situation and had to go into town. 1-2 bars of 4G via AT&amp;T. 

Nice free spot 

We hiked out about a mile along the Florida Trail and stayed for a night at the Gator Hole campsite. It was so peaceful, lots of space to explore (we had a 3 year old and two dogs!) and the symphony of Sandhill Cranes and Coyotes as the sun set was a memory I’ll never forget. If you can pack all of your gear and carry it out to this site, I highly recommend for any beginner (or expert really) because of its peaceful beauty! 

Gator Hole Backcountry Site - Incredible! 

This section of the FT is quite a nice walk, and I assume that most individuals looking at a site on the trail, are looking at Gator Hole. As far as backcountry campsites go, you really can't ask for much better than Gator Hole especially as a beginner, or a more leisurely camping group. It is only about 1.5 miles from the trailhead, so you dont need to go far, there is plenty of room for tents, and there is a provided fire ring with two picnic tables(even if one of the legs is held up by a log). The one thing that this ground is missing that could do it much better is a water pump, but I understand that you can install pumps everywhere. You can collect your water a couple hundred feet to the north, and If you're not into filtering your water from the Florida swamp, make sure to pack in some extra. Every time I visit Gator Hole, I am always packing out other people's trash, so please pack it out.

Gator Hole

Stayed in the McNeil primitive camping area. Only downside was our neighbors ran a generator all night long disturbing the peace. Other than that, a great spot for a little getaway. Nice trails for biking. 

Great scenery

We stayed in Cumpressco Campground first, and then Ashley. This campground is free to stay in for 7 days, 6 nights. You can leave for a day and come back but you can only book 30 days per calendar year! 

Not many campers on the Cumpressco side but tons on the Ashley. Beware however of mating season for the caterpillars! They were everywhere!! 
No potable water at either site. Bring your own! There is a Porto at the Cumpressco site and an outhouse on the Ashley campsite. 

Other than that, it’s beautiful! lives on site if you ever need him! Super nice guy! See you next year! 

Photos of Green Swamp — West Tract

Real photos from real campers