Whether you're an RVer or tent camper, Alachua, FL is a great place to post up for the weekend—or longer. Camping, hiking, biking: however you want to spend your days near Alachua, you'll find great campgrounds with The Dyrt. Discover great camping spots near Alachua, reviewed by campers like you.
$18 / night
"sites have water and electric only. Clean bathrooms, pet friendly. Hiking trails, kayaking and playground."
"Campgrounds are shaded by beautiful trees with full hookup,picnic table and fire pits. The Santa Fe River trail was a gorgeous hike with a beautiful suspension bridge to walk over."
$18 / night
"A wonderful state park. The showers and restrooms are exceptionally clean and spacious."
"The park is about 20 min from I75. We've camped in the Magnolia loop. It is a small loop with private sites. They were definitely the size we needed to set up 2 tents, very leveled, and very clean."
$20 / night
"The place is a nice hole in the wall on the side of the road, just past the north entrance of the Springs."
"With the state park close by, you can go tubing, kayaking or just for a swim. The office has pool tables and games for kids to enjoy. The staff are incredibly friendly."
$34 - $58 / night
"Our rig is 42’ w/ 4 slides and had lots of space. Escorted to our site. Nice picnic tables. Pool area was clean and inviting. Big playground. Dog park was up in front by office so long walk when hot."
"Just left STARK FLORIDA KOA. No shade but a huge amount of space between sites and set up on an angle which increased the sense of space. Sites had full hook up, elec, water, sewer."
$20 - $100 / night
"You will pass the Equestrian Trail Head (that connects you to the Florida National Scenic Trail), following a well-paved lane that passes by Sheeler Lake (no fishing or swimming here BTW) on the right"
"Good size campsites with fire ring, picnic table, water and electricity. Our camp site was partially shaded."
"We stayed in the cabins for two nights. Perfect for small family. Right near water and dock. Pool and jacuzzi. Water in cabin was brown - so showering was strange."
"Bar, live music, food, River rentals an more. Best wings in town and they meant 😋 it. Lol. Very friendly staff. Plenty of amenities am lots of different spaces/views to park at."
$35 - $250 / night
"The spring has an over bridge and concrete steps that lead down into the springs. Plenty of shade and Pavilions with grills close to the springs, playground, bathrooms and camp store."
"Very nice bathroom but depending on your site it could be a little walk. They also have 2 washers and 2 dryers available."
$45 - $105 / night
"My son‘s favorite part was riding around on the provided bicycles and playing darts & cornhole by the communal fire pit. I was thoroughly impressed and will definitely be back."
"Located in the town of Trenton, Florida is this gem of a spot loved by the locals and tourists alike."
"They have 5 cabins available. A cute playground, volleyball area and a covered, screened in pool. The spring wasn’t anything amazing but definitely a way to cool off here in the Florida heat."
$20 - $100 / night
"If you don't have a RV and can't stay in a tent, then reserve one of their wonderful camping cabins."
"We stayed here a couple of years ago while visiting family and friends in Lake City, about 20 miles away. I was very impressed with the facilities, very clean and well kept. "
TravelerBest site around. Outdoor kitchen and shower both with hot water! Flush toilets. Adorable tiny cabin rental is available. Social distancing is being practiced. Creativity is bounding. Artists and musicians are highly encouraged to visit. You'll wish you came sooner.
LegendLocated at the southern tip of Rodman Reservoir, which is one of the major water tributaries that you can float around the NE perimeter of the Ocala National Forest, you’ll discover that this backwater camping outpost sits on 7+ acres of heavily forested woods and offers up 3 distinct types of camping opportunities: RV / 5th Wheeler, primitive tent-camping and cabin rentals. While apparently long a bastion of this particular area, dating back to the mid-80’s, Ocklawaha Canoe Outpost has been under new management for the past few years. Unlike many of the CG's in the area, this river-front, nature-embracing outpost is smaller than most with only 22 sites available.
Situated just west of the tiny hamlet of Eureka in Fort McCoy, you will first spot the area designated for RVs, 5th Wheelers and trailers a moment or two before arriving to Ocklawaha Canoe Outpost as this spot sits alongside the roadway with 2-3 gravel pathway access points before actually making your arrival to the main office and beyond it, the main parking area. In all, there’s some 11 slots available with FHUs offering 30 / 50 amp electric, water and sewage connections along with a picnic table and fire ring at each site. Being next to a main artery of Rodman Reservoir, one always needs to be aware of elevation, in case of flooding, so what we noticed immediately, even before arriving to the Ocklawaha main office is that both the RV-designated area as well as the main office sit on more elevated land, which is a bonus in case of flooding. Unlike the cabin and primitive tent camping areas, the RV-designated area does not possess much of any shade. At $40 / night (and $45 / night including bath house) and $240 / week ($270 / week including bath house), we found the pricing here to be just about right.
For those of you thinking about renting one of the 6 log cabins that exist here, what I liked most about this particular set-up is that all of these units are located in close proximity to one another – we’ll call this the cottage enclave – which combined, share the community amenities specific to this community. Bear in mind, these cabins are not pet-friendly, so leave your 4-legged friends at home, or look to one of the other 2 modes of camping here. You have your choice between a one- or two-room cabin, both of which offer heat, A/C, furnished with bedding, towels, dishes, pots, pans, microwave, mini-fridge, small cook top and coffee pot. Each cabin also comes with a porch offering semi-privacy to take your morning coffee as well as brand-new Weber charcoal grill that sits in front of each cabin along with an in-ground fire pit. At $134 / night for the single that sleeps 5 (with 7 being the max) and$154 / night for the double-cabin that also sleeps 5 (with 6 being the max), considering the location of where you are at, combined with the amenities provided and the relative quality of the cabins, I found the pricing to be fairly economical. The prices decrease substantially to $109 and $129/ night respectively if one books multiple nights, which makes this a no-brainer for even a short stay.
With mi tent-pitchin’ bredren in mind, you’ll appreciate that of the 3 available types of camping here, the area reserved for setting up your own non-mobile, semi-permanent nylon camping haven will place you closest to the river, where within 50-60 yards you’ll easily be able to access the Rodman Reservoir from a decent-sized tributary. While obviously that’s a huge plus, you also want to be careful about knowing when it’s going to rain and for how long as this also would be the area that gets the most flooding if there was any. Another bonus is that the tent-sites ARE pet-friendly, so you can smile as those cabin campers stroll past your sites (while your mutt barks at them). As for the grounds themselves, there’s 2 different areas that the pathway to the river’s edge dissects in half with 4-5 sites being available on the one side and only 1-2 sites being available on the other, which will provide you with just slightly more privacy. There’s not a whole lot to these sites, where you’ll simply have a picnic table and fire ring, but you’ll be surrounded by a great tree line and solid brush, albeit you won’t have sheltered views between sites. You’ll also want to take note that, again, the pathway to the river runs through the primitive tent camping area, so while not heavily trafficked, you will certainly experience pedestrians and fellow campers coming and going. Cost per night for tent camping is an acceptable $25/ night (up to 4 people, and $5/ pp after that), which again, scouting the area and staying in a few other places, seems about right.
Additional community amenities not already mentioned include: community bathhouses with impeccably clean restrooms and well-maintained showers, ping pong, recreation room with board games, corn hole, canoe & kayak rentals w/ shuttle service, horseshoe pit, kid’s playground and a small pond that is stocked for simple, yet enjoyable ‘catch & release’ as well as firewood available for sale @ $5/ bundle.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) This CG is right on the Ocklawaha River populated with dense wetlands, marsh and semi-tropical forests sprouting sable palms, swamp maples, the odd pencil-thin towering pines and submerged cypress, so the owners are very smart to have organized a few different river experiences that you should definitely take advantage of with 2 different outfitters being Gores Landing and Rays Wayside, both of which offer up canoe ($52 / $85), solo ($42 / $75) and tandem ($62 / $95) kayak rentals as well as transport ($25 / $60) with respective pricing and seasonal availability. There’s even overnight river trips that Ockalawaha will help you set up, where pricing depends upon the specific drop point and number of nights you might be interested in. Please note that all of the above runs everyday except Tuesdays; (2) While you of course can get on a kayak, canoe or boat to catch some fish, if you don’t want to, you can simply cross the road from Ockalawaha CG and access the Wildlife & Fishing Area that has its own set of public docks and piers that you can cast a reel from – and in fact, these spots are very well-maintained and offer up some magnificent views of the head of the 100-mile Ocklawaha River as she flows southernly from Rodman Reservoir; (3) If you want to indulge in one of Florida’s greatest treasures, you’ll need to visit a natural spring and the good news is that there’s several of the state’s best springs surrounding you here, including: Salt Springs, Homosassa Springs, Deleon Springs, Silver Glen Springs, Alexander Springs, Juniper Springs, Silver Springs and Rainbow Springs; (4) If you’ve got fishing on your mind while in these parts, expect to be hauling in crappie, sunfish, small- and largemouth bass, catfish and bream; and (5) The owners Lance & Theresa are absolutely wonderful people that will do whatever it takes to ensure your stay is flawless!
Happy Camping!
ScoutIf you don't have a RV and can't stay in a tent, then reserve one of their wonderful camping cabins. The one we had is reserved for the disabled and has a large bathroom, a nice size and well equip kitchen, a fire place, and the screened porch with rocking chairs and a swing covers two sides of the cabin. It's only a short walk down a paved walk to the Suwanee River..
LegendGeneral: 59-site campground in two loops plus 10 cabins.
Site Quality: These sites were HUGE. Many were pull-throughs. Our site (51) could easily fit four of our vans! All sites were gravel and level and had water, electric, and (I believe but we didn’t use) sewer hookups, a bbq grill, a fire ring, and a large picnic table. Each loop has a handicap-accessible site near the restrooms. In addition to the size of the sites, there was reasonable separation/privacy between them. Although I did not see the inside of them, the cabins looked beautiful – they were large with huge screened-in porches. One of the cabins was handicap accessible.
Bathhouse: Was very clean. In addition to the men’s and women’s bathrooms, there were two family restrooms, complete with showers, and the showers had plenty of hot water.
Activities/Amenities: There is no swimming or fishing here but you can rent kayaks. Note: the launch area is not within walking distance of the campground. We chose to do an organized tour with Get Up and Go Kayaking with glass bottom kayaks. The launch site for this tour is a quick drive from the campground. There are also several hiking trails that were well marked. There is a museum geared toward school groups that is open to the public only on the weekends (we were there during the week). Although the gate agent said there was no recycling, we saw a recycling bin near the restrooms/dumpster. It was not indicated what materials were accepted so I assumed it was single stream. Other amenities include a dishwashing sink, vending machine, a small lending library, and a washer/dryer.
This state park was a pleasant surprise and we wish we could have stayed longer!
LegendFlorida has many many different camping options. I was looking for something unique and different from what I'd done before and this place popped up on my radar. Definitely Different and Unique for Florida. And the perfect place to review my icemulecoolers.com
Campground Review:
Camp Chowenwaw is located in Green Cove Springs, FL adjacent to the St. John's River and on Black Creek. It was a Girl Scout Camp for 70 years and is now owned and operated by Clay County, FL (https://www.claycountygov.com/departments/parks-and-recreation/camp-chowenwaw-park). There are many different styles of camping available here with lots of privacy between the different sections.
I chose to camp in the Treehouse Point for a weekend where there are 9 Treehouses available for camping. A group of us went and had Treehouse #4 and #5. Each screened in non electric Treehouse slept 4 in bunk beds. There were several central fire rings with a picnic table/benches throughout the unit. A shared bathhouse with toilets, sinks, lights, and hot showers was available in the unit also. There was a central dining hall for all of Treehouse Point with electric, lights, fans, inside fireplace, stove, refrigerator, sink area, and porch with outside charcoal grill and picnic table.
Even with sharing the dinning hall with other campers it was great since it was big enough and everyone was friendly. The Treehouses are spread out with some trees in between so they are semi private. The pool is available but doesn't open til 10 am where as we were all ready to go earlier since it was HOT. It was very enjoyable but HOT in July with no electric in the Treehouses. We had no issues with mosquitoes or yellow flies and the frogs serenaded us every night loudly, so that was a cool experience. We had decided not to take kayaks since there was a bit of a walk into our area and we didn't want to leave them in the parking area on our vehicles, which turned out to be a good decision because the kayak launch was under repairs. They are planning on upgrading a lot so it should be great soon. They recently upgraded and replaced the fishing pier and its awesome. We are planning to go again in the Fall when its cooler. I would recommend this place for a unique experience. On a side note: Green Cove Springs has a pool also in a community park on the St. John's River that is spring fed and would be a cool stop.
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Product Review:
As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get to test products. A Camp Chowenwaw I tested the icemulecoolers.com. I got the ICEMULE Pro XL (33L which equals 24 cans plus ice) in Camo.
1. What I loved about the ICEMULE was that I could wear it like a backpack and be comfortable and free my hands for something else.
2. I loved that the straps were wide and comfortable.
3. I also loved that the chest cross strap could be moved up and down to make it more comfortable for women to use the chest cross strap.
4. The straps had lots of room to make smaller or larger so it will be great fit for a variety of people and body styles.
5. It kept my ice solid for three days in the FL heat.
6. It has a port to add air to enhance the coolers insulation.
7. It holds A LOT!! I had 9 bottles of Propel water and 2 bags of grapes and 1 whole bag of ice. It wasn't too heavy and there was room for much more.
Only draw back I had was that the camo style is fabric and tends to sweat a lot. The other colors are vinyl and don't seem to sweat.
I'm ready to use my ICEMULE Cooler again. I even want to take it kayaking and get some more accessories for it from their site like a dry bag and a waterproof box.
LegendI don’t think there’s anything like Hog Waller Campground & ATV Resort that I’ve ever come across (or even heard about) in all of my travels, so if gettin’ all muddied up is your idea of a yippee-kiyah good time, then look no further than due southwest of Palatka here in north central Florida. Basically, this 1,100 acre outdoor family fun park is for the outdoor recreational enthusiasts of the 4 wheeler type, where you’ll see all shapes, sizes and colors of ATVs and UTVs where everyone is hunkering down to see who can get the muddiest (note: trails are open only 9am to 5pm daily, so apparently no night muddin’!).
Here at Hog Waller, you’ll discover decent bathing and restroom facilities along with several vendors who show up every weekend to provide fresh smoked BBQ, clothing, any type of soda or snack you can think of, as well as, the prerequisite hawkers selling branded clothing and ATV / UTV parts. There’s also a general store (the ‘Hoggy Woggly’), dump station, proper garbage and recycling bins as well as even an on-site restaurant cleverly titled 'Hog Trough' (although the menu is quite limiting). In all, there’s 63 available sites here with 55 areas (not slots, mind you) earmarked for RV pull-through or back-in slots (with typical 20 / 30 / 50 amp electric and water), 9 tent sites and 8 rustic cabins that come with 2 sets of bunk beds (no mattresses included though, which I found odd) that sleep 4 and offer heat/ air, power, inside and outside lighting.
Note for tent campers like myself – Hog Waller is considered ‘dry camping,’ which was a new one for me. Basically, you can camp in any setup – car, bus, tent, dog house, whatever – but you have to stay 25 feet away from everything (roads, mud pit, buildings, etc.). The upside here is that you don’t need to make a reservation – you can just show up, pay the admission price and go find an empty place to camp for the night, but be sure to bring everything with you that you might need (e.g. water supply, generator).
Additional amenities include: complimentary WiFi (that isn’t terribly great, given the remoteness of the place), swimming pool and campfire nights with live music on the weekends. Everywhere is pet-friendly, so bring your four-legged friends. Speaking of pets, as local legend goes, if you hear the squealing of what sounds like a wild boar or hog around the witching hour, have no fear, it's likely the monstrous beast that Hog Waller is named after! The security here, outfitted by Putnam County Sheriff Deputies, is excellent and further complemented by an onsite paramedic and volunteer fire fighters for each event, so you’ll enjoy having fun while feeling safe the whole time.
Insider’s Tips? Here’s a few: (1) When you get tired of mudding it up on your ATV and prefer to go for a nice hike, check out Salt Springs Observation Trail in nearby Fort McCoy; (2) If you haven’t checked out Florida’s natural springs, you’re in luck as nearby Hog Waller is either Rock Springs or Silver Springs, both of which offer up glass-bottom kayak rentals that are pretty amazing if you haven’t had that experience yet; (3) If you come toting your kayak or canoe, you’ll have to go a bit further afield to drop your watercraft in Lake Ocklawaha – I recommend Rodman Recreation Area, just due south of Hog Waller, where they have a proper kayak launch near the dam; and (4) if you get tired of cooking up franks & beans, then head just due west down 310 (the 2 lane highway that runs in front of Hog Waller) and check out Hog Wild Country Café (yes, keeping with the 'hog' theme for as long as I possibly can here!) where I recommend the slab of ribs with cornbread or the smoked beef brisket (don’t miss out on the homemade cole slaw – some of the best I’ve had here in the South).
Happy Camping!
ScoutThis is a friendly campground with canoe/kayak rentals and a shuttle service. The tent area is near the river and very wooded--lots of places to hang a hammock or pitch a tent, and has drive-in access. The campground also has cozy cottages great for families or groups, each with a small porch and a fire ring. The RV area is large and open, each site is spacious but not wooded so there is nothing screening you from your neighbors. There is a fair amount of road noise as the location is near a bridge over the river. Besides the kayaking and riverside location, the best thing about the campground is couple who own the place. They are a delight, friendly, helpful and working hard to make your stay enjoyable.
RangerRanger Review: Wild Zora Bars and Paleo Meals to Go at Hart Springs, Fl
Not far from the city of Gainesville sits the town of Bell, Fl home of many small springs. The spring we visited was Hart Springs. Hart Springs was just the right temperature on a hot summer day and a perfect location to enjoy Wild Zora Bars.
Camp Ground Review:
The Hart Spring has one of the largest swimming area with year-round 72-degree Fahrenheit water temperatures. The spring has an over bridge and concrete steps that lead down into the springs. Plenty of shade and Pavilions with grills close to the springs, playground, bathrooms and camp store. This park also has a splash pad, volleyball and basketball court. Beautiful ½ a mile-long boardwalk along the springs and the Suwannee River. Rentals of canoes and Kayaks available and cave diving is allowed for certified cave divers. The campground is located about 1 mile away from the spring accessible by a paved walking, bicycle or golf cart trail which is shaded by cypress, oak and pine trees. Campground has 71 sites (one loop), full hookups, and bathhouse with hot shower, washer and dryer. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring (no grill). Our site was #8 this site was deep, shaded and close to the bathrooms. Nice pool with bathrooms and a big pavilion with picnic tables and two grills for cooking at the pool. No alcohol. No pets (except at the RV campground) Reservations thru Reserve America website.
Product Review:
As a ranger for The Dyrt, I get to test various products. At Hart Springs I tested two products from Wild Zora: Wild Zora Bars and Wild Zora Paleo Meals to Go.
What I thought about Wild Zora Bars and Paleo Meals to Go:
I would recommend Wild Zora bars to anyone that is looking for a snack for camping, hiking, or just an all-around healthy snack. I would recommend to anyone who likes camping, especially where space is limited, to try the Paleo Meals to go.
LegendSilver Springs Silver Springs SP Beautiful Florida campground with 60 sites, many pullthrus. The sites are huge with lots of space and privacy. Lush surroundings. Water, electricity, fire pit, grill and picnic table on level gravel sites. The bathhouse is modern, clean, good sized. They have family showers too. Nice laundry facility. There is an environmental museum and a Pioneer Village and the grounds. Campgrounds are next to the Silver Springs where you have to take the glass bottom boat tour.$10 pp for seniors. You can also kayak the Springs but watch out for gators!The grounds on the Springs and campground have great trails.
Discover the charm of cabin camping near Alachua, Florida, where nature meets comfort in a variety of scenic settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there RV rental options available at Alachua cabin camping sites?
While cabin rentals are widely available throughout the Alachua area, dedicated RV rentals at cabin camping sites are less common. Silver Springs State Park Campground offers 10 cabins alongside 59 RV campsites with water, electric, and sewer hookups, but doesn't explicitly offer RV rentals. Similarly, Hog Waller Mud Campground & ATV Resort provides camping facilities but doesn't specifically mention RV rentals. Most campgrounds in the area focus on providing sites for visitors who bring their own RVs rather than offering rental units. Consider contacting local RV rental companies if you need both an RV and a place to park it.
Where can I find cabin camping options in Alachua, Florida?
The Alachua area offers several cabin camping options. Grateful Hammock features an adorable tiny cabin rental with outdoor kitchen and shower facilities with hot water and flush toilets. Another excellent option is Trails End Outdoors RV Park & Cabins, which provides comfortable cabin accommodations in north central Florida. For those willing to venture a short distance from Alachua, Ichetucknee Family Canoe and Cabins offers riverside accommodations, and several state parks in the region also feature cabin rentals.
What amenities are included in the standard cabins in High Springs near Alachua?
Cabins in the High Springs area near Alachua typically offer a range of comfortable amenities. At Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park Campground, cabins feature large bathrooms, well-equipped kitchens, fireplaces, and screened porches with rocking chairs and swings. Some even offer accessibility features for disabled visitors. At Ocklawaha Canoe Outpost & Resort, the cozy cottages include small porches and are situated in a wooded setting, making them ideal for families or groups seeking a natural retreat with river access.
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