Best Cabin Camping near Apalachicola National Forest

Lovely area, bring snorkels, kayaks, and bikes. Lots of wildlife. Really neat shorelines with sand and very tall trees, driftwood, dunes. Make sure to explore both sides of the peninsula. About 1.5 hours from Apalachicola National Forest, lots more to do in the area. Watch the sunset! Camp sites have nice privacy, some areas are wooded for shade. Some of my group stayed in the cabins and they were also nice (though sparcely stocked, call to know exactly what to expect). Very clean, great services as described.

Needed to find last-minute reservation and they were able to put me in a cabin only $50 a night! Very clean, very quiet and very friendly staff. Cabins are rustic but they have a full service bath house. Now goes by the name Flat Creek Family Campground

This place is great! A beach within a short walk, palm trees,clean bathrooms, wildlife, sunsets………… And the Florida State Parks system is contactable and friendly!!! There are hike in spots for those with tents who want to. There are very nice screened in cabins available.

You need to book this place way in advance, within minutes of these cabins being available for reservation. Reserve even if you don't know you'll be able to go; cancellation is like $17 or something.

Cell reception is spotty with At&T.

Beach is a pretty hilly 10 min. hike or so - so you will need to be organized and not be hand carrying big coolers; you'll need backpack. But not many people make the hike; you'll often have the beach to yourselves.

Lots of wildlife around - deer, armadillos, etc.

If wind is blowing from the north (shore toward beach, from behind you if you are looking at the gulf) the beach may have nasty biting flies, so drive 45 mins and go to St. George beach. Usually wind comes off the gulf though and keeps the bugs at bay.

We love Cabin #7.Cabin 8 has steps down to the bay; all others are a straight walk out.

Downstairs "beds" are not really suitable for adults; I wouldn't try to put more than 2 adults in a cabin and expect much sleep.

Bring kayaks and SUPs! You will be right on the bay, and St. Joe bay is great paddling with tons of fish and wildlife. We've seen manta rays, tons of cownose rays, huge schools of Jack Crevalle, turtles, and caught many species of fish...redfish, snook, seatrout, etc. Even saw an alligator way out at the end of the peninsula once!

We are very partial to this park! Beautiful views of the lake. Great for primitive camping or rv/camper. They also have cabins that you can rent. Very busy during the summer months but quiet during the fall and winter.

This place is just nature at it's best! Great fishing! Gorgeous dunes! Shells, shells, shells!!! If you have a boat....take it!!! You can walk from the waves across to the calmer water....short distance. Deer frolic in the ponds at sunset. It is by far one of the best beach camping experiences I've ever had! Good facilities. GREAT cabins! Primitive camping too!

Very nice and clean. Tent area has about 6 sites in a circle around a covered area giving each site shade, shelf, a light, electric and water. Sites have picnic table and fire ring. 6 private shower stalls, clean bathrooms, a clean pool, small playground and store. We have stayed here a few times in the tent area but they also have Rv sites and cabins.

There is currently no camping allowed at the campground due to the significant damage caused by hurricane Michael in October 2018. The park is open for day use of the beach, swimming and paddle boating. I urge everyone to please stop by to show continued interest in this beautiful area. In time this will once again be as spectacular as ever and hopefully a decision will be made on reopening the campgrounds. This was one of those places that once visited you will never forget. I’m providing a few pictures from my last visit in 2018 before the hurricane to show what it was and what it will return to over time. 

Here’s the information currently on the Florida State Parks information page and on the Reserve America web site

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T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park T.H. Stone St. Joseph Memorial Peninsula State Park is recovering. The natural communities on the peninsula, such as coastal scrub, have evolved over millions of years and countless storms. Tall dunes provided extra protection. The resilient coastal ecosystems in the park are some of the best suited to rebounding after hurricanes. The south end of the park reopened in January 2019. Staff and volunteers made an incredible effort to clean up debris and make the park safe for visitors. The northern area of the park is currently closed to visitors. Natural sand infill has narrowed the channel created by Hurricane Michael’s storm surge. Across the channel, in the northern half of the park, roads, utilities and several facilities were destroyed and are not accessible. It will be some time before camping or cabins are available. The south end of the park still offers many of the experiences that make St. Joseph a great destination. Swimming, snorkeling and beach-combing are still popular activities. The concession is offering rentals of kayaks and paddle-boards, and a boat ramp provides easy access to St. Joseph Bay. The Division of Recreation and Parks' Office of Park Planning continues to assess the park’s condition. The Office of Park Planning shares opportunities for public comment on their webpage. For the most current information on available amenities and conditions, visit St. Joseph Memorial Peninsula State Park or call 850-227-1327. Please remember, for your safety and to protect the park’s ecosystems, please obey all posted signage. ______________________________________________________________________________

From what I understand, the park is currently closed to camping and cabins due to hurricane damage but some areas are still open. I am reviewing anyway to help encourage public support to rebuild the access to the park and reopen.

This park had smaller sites that were close together; however, the thick vegetation between sites gave each one a very private feel. The ground is dirt/sand (with a paved road leading to sites). The beach is absolutely wonderful. The restrooms were very large, clean, and well kept. There are bike trails leading down boardwalks and paved roads, and a large playground. All of the staff we encountered were very polite and helpful.

As we left, a very heavy storm came and the site flooded as we were packing up. Of course, as most daily gulf storms go, everything dried up rather quickly.

We love this CG. Extremely convenient for the weekend get away.

Great, short walk to beach access. Lots of activities on bayside as well, including kayak rentals and put-ins. Two large, clean bathrooms with showers at Shady Pine campground. Recycling available and dumpsters in good order.

Torreya State Park is tucked away by itself and has a smaller campground at only 29 sites, and it's part of what makes it a great place to get away. 

Small and remote means peace and quiet. The sites aren't very private, but there aren't many and folks seem to keep to themselves. 

The bathrooms are small but decent and well-maintained, and there are 30-amp electric and water on each site. Another nice feature is a very clean laundry area. It only has one washer and dryer, but the campground is small enough that doesn't seem to be a problem. 

Nearby trails, some accessible right from the campground, also make this a good spot to use as a basecamp if you want to get out and explore some of Florida's natural beauty. Also, Gregory House is an 1850s plantation home that you can visit for a guided tour and is within walking distance of the campground.

Ed and Bernices is a hidden gem.  Beautiful park.  Very peaceful.  You have a boat ramp for use with your rental.  The park and bathrooms are very clean.  Staff is very nice and helpful.  A fish cleaning station.  Bring your toys for the river, we had a blast.  Everyone in the park treated us like family.  Our pets were welcome.   Just cant say enough about this park.  I really enjoyed my time there and am going to be back soon.  You’ll love it.

Most of the park, including camping, is currently closed due to damage from Hurricane Michael. The boat ramp and day use area are open. We spend the day swimming, looking for wildlife and enjoying the sun. 

Fish, sea urchins, starfish, deer, and birds were all in the park and viewable during our visit. Be sure to take sunscreen! They have kayak rentals that make the water enjoyable. We are looking forward to when the camping is back open and can further explore this great Park.

This trip, we stayed 2 nights in space 25. It is convenient to the bath house (which is among the cleanest we've ever seen) and has plenty room for our 28' trailer. All of the spaces are very close to their neighbors, some are too close. This park is the tightest Fl State Park in our experience. The road among the sites and the sites are all dirt but level to the eye. Only the handicap space has a concrete pad (#23). The river makes the experience. Boat ramp and swimming area. Fishing. Rental kayaks. Bicycling. Hiking. Mild climate except for late summer heat.

Set back in palms and live oak, the campground is private with some sites very private and others not at all. The best sites seemed to be #7-9 and #18-21 as they have the best privacy, are close to the river, and are completely set back from the main loop. Sites closest to the bathroom have to contend with hearing the bathhouse fan (although light from the bathroom didn't seem to be an issue). Unfortunately I ended up with the last sight available, #26, right next to the end of the bathrooms with the fan. Good thing I travel with earplugs. On the plus side, my site was a pull through so coming and going was very simple. 

There are some really nice trails along both the Ochlockonee and Dead Rivers, as well as a pretty scenic drive that is "paved" with wood chips, which makes it perfect for hiking. While I didn't see any gators, there were signs warning about them. I did see several deer, a raccoon, and some lizards. 

Town is about twenty minutes away if you need anything. There are several bars and restaurants as well as an IGA grocery. You can even find services offering boat rentals.

Quiet small campground, clean and nice amenities, good park. Our site was very private. Overall great Florida state park campground.

I love this place. It’s located in a unmolested part of Florida. Clean bathrooms and friendly staff. We tent camped and had 3 tents on one spot without feeling cramped.

Very family friendly.

Enjoy the beach, snorkel in the bay, rent a kayak at the marina, go hiking, go fishing. One of the BEST Florida parks!

We had a wonderful stay. The place was very clean. The staff at the office were cheerful and very pleasant. The dog park area in back had good grass and was clear of poop and such.

The view. Wow! Just wonderful. This is my new favorite place to stay along the Florida Panhandle coastline.

We’ve been coming to Indian Pass and the area for twenty years and although there has been some areas of overdevelopment, this campground still has the old Florida feel. Friendly staff, beautiful sites right on the water, stunning sunsets and wilderness all around you!

Florida State Parks did a great job redoing this campground after Hurricane Michael in 2018. Brand new facilities, excellent camping pads, and good beach access. You can still see some of the hurricane damage which is a testament to the severity of Michael in the area.