Are you planning a trip to Bristol with your horse? We've got you covered. Camping with horses is a beautiful way to experience nature. The Dyrt can help you find the perfect equestrian sites that are scenic and easy to access.
BH1
$20 / night
Explore a range of different ecosystems and enjoy the stunning views of Lake Talquin on the 1242-acre Fort Braden Tract. This recreation area features two designated Trailwalker trails and one Trailtrotter trail.
Three hiking trail loops range from 3 to 5 miles in length and are moderately strenuous, with steep inclines and narrow footing in some areas.
Two equestrian trail loops each extend 5 to 6 miles in length. Riders should expect an amazing trail that will include low-water crossings, inclines and winding trails. NOTE: All horses must have proof of current negative Coggins test results when on state lands. All children under the age of 16 are required to wear a protective helmet while riding on state lands.
Primitive campsites for both individual and group camping are available. Campers must obtain a State Forest Use Authorization for overnight camping from the Lake Talquin headquarters on Geddie Road.
Facilities include picnic pavilions and a trail head restroom.
$8 - $10 / night
$10 - $30 / night
Traveler
Caverns and trails are a must. Ran out of time to kayak. Campsite was nice and clean, and campground area is very friendly and quiet
Guide
A fantastic stay over all. About a mile hike in. Primitive, which is exactly what we wanted. Fetch your own water from the lake. No modern amenities. Brilliant view of Lake Talquin, right on the water. Thickly treed so hanging hammocks and bear lines was no problem. Brilliant quiet spot, mostly, I’ll get to that in a bit. Even got a visit from your friendly neighborhood alligator in the middle of the night, which when I realized after the fact what the sound was was terrifying. Lol. Steep bank on this sight though so fewer worries about him actually visiting camp. Fabulous spot for fishing and camping. But, and this is the one star off, the camp sites are about 30 feet off the trail. So there is virtually no privacy. Makes… let’s use the euphemism “#2”… a bit challenging. The trail wasn’t heavily trafficked but it was travelled so we had maybe 9 or 10 people pass the site over the course of the weekend. If you can tolerate that I’d say put it on your list.
LegendWe stopped in without a reservation. Heading home to central Florida after polar vortex made camping miserable. Spent Christmas Day here. 21 degrees overnight.
Welcomed. Helpful friendly staff.
Starlink best for download & upload Strong download but week upload are both 5G services, T-Mobile and Verizon
Visible was strong enough for tv streaming
TravelerStayed here with my wife and two daughters. We enjoyed the cavern tours and the hiking, but we did not take advantage of their kayak rentals during this trip.
The Good:
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TravelerVery well kept RV spot 2 miles south of the main cavern attractions but still within the park and walking distance to the blue hole spring. Not a lot of shade but plenty of space between neighbors. Clean bathrooms and shower facilities. Lots of hiking, biking trails.
GuideStayed here in one of the 3 tent only sites. Very peaceful and had bath house with shower right near sites. Pavilion also across from sites which was great when it poured rain on us. A little farther is a small spring which allows swimming the kids loved it on hot days to cool off. They also offer canoe and kayak rentals, and of course a tour of the caverns!
RangerWhat a sweet little campground! Small loop of 32 sites. Plenty of space between sites, although with the hurricane there was very little foliage. We had perfect weather but as it gets warmer you will need the awning and AC. The sites were set up at a 90° angle from the street so very very difficult for anything but tiny rigs to back into on the first try, but we eventually got there with our 24’ trailer. All the sites have FHU but some have an odd placement for the sewer (ours was at the very front of the site by the curb) so either bring long hoses or plan to pull forward and pull the tanks on the way out. Bathhouse was clean and had a great shower and dressing set up with wonderful water pressure. Rangers and hosts were friendly, and there are lots of trails to hike including several right across from the campground with more trailheads at the park Visitors Center. Saw deer and bunnies and heard owls at night! All in all a quaint and QUIET park to relax in nature.
GuideSmall campground with very generous spacing between sites. Sites are wide and have full sewage, electric, and water. They also have hammock posts. Bathrooms were heated and are clean. Washer and dryer are available. Camp hosts were awesome and friendly. You can buy firewood from them. The kids love visiting the caverns, museum, and gift shop. Awesome experience!
ScoutWe started off at the rv / tent campground. Not too private but very clean. We moved to tent only site when one was available. Peaceful, clean facilities, hot showers and a firepit. Poles for hammocks too. Helpful staff and firewood on site to purchase 5$
ScoutWe stayed here right after it reopened after damage from Hurricane Michael. The newly renovated campground is very nice, with water, electricity, and sewer hookups. The sites are nicely spaced and near a beautiful little lake called the blue hole. The restaurants we are at were delicious. One was Mashawy Grill right near the entrance to the park, and they had the best lamb chops! Then we are at Landshark Restaurant, which was about 13 miles away and had some of the best seafood we’ve ever had and we are used to good seafood as we are from Louisiana. The raw oysters were the best we’ve ever had and the fried crab claws and catfish were perfectly cooked and so good!
Traveler
We primitive camped at Tates Hell for 4 nights at the end of March 2021. Our campsite was awesome! We could drive right up to it, it was clean with no junk in the firepit & it was good, level ground, & very private & inexpensive. The bathrooms/showers were less than 6 months old & were very clean. The caretakers were close to the bathroom & were very kind & attentive but very non-intrusive. The water was just a few yards away with a boat launch so we could launch our kayaks. If you like seafood & oysters, there are a few really good, reasonably priced restaurants just a few miles away, along with grocery shopping. Highly recommend & we are planning to return.
ScoutBooked for one night at Tate’s Hell Womack Creek, and we will be back! This is a great location for people who truly love nature, and the water. Don’t take the dirt road all the way there, keep going on hey 68 until you get to Rock Landing on the right, then take that road down to Jeff Sanders, take that left, it’s easier that way rather than taking the dirt road all the way. Campsites are not that big, and moderately close together. However, the facilities were immaculate, and the campground hosts were beyond hospitable, and friendly. Would recommend for people who like to tent/car camp, kayak, fish, boat, anything truly nature related!
RangerAt over 200,000 acres, Tate's Hell is the second largest State Forest in Florida, second only to Blackwater River State Forest in Santa Rose County. That's Hell is located off of U>S> Highway 98 in Franklin County, between the Apalachicola and Ochlockonee rivers. Check out The Ledgend of Tate's Hell on the State Forest webpage, https://www.fdacs.gov/Forest-Wildfire/Our-Forests/State-Forests/Tate-s-Hell-State-Forest.
For roughing it in the woods, nothing I have found beats Tate's Hell. With 36 primitive campgrounds (tent space, fire ring, and picnic table) with multiple campsites and 4 campgrounds with facilities (restrooms and some RV sites) there is plenty of room to camp and explore Tate's Hell.
The Womack Creek campground, where I spent one night, has both RV and tent campsites and a boat ramp with access to Womack Creek.
Recreation opportunities include the High Bluff Coastal Hiking Trail which is part of the Forest Service's Trailwalker Program.
ScoutCamping with a scout troop & it was awesome even though it rained. The caverns were just incredible & the amenities were great. Plenty of room to roam & setup camp.
GuideWomack Creek Primitive Sites- Some have electricity hook ups, and some do not. Only one site on the whole property has water. If you want to get away from it all, this site is for you! Just note that "non-potable water" means that there isn't any, not that you cannot drink it. There is one road in, and its the same road out. Beautiful untouched nature. The bathroom is small but adequate and there is a boat ramp. They are clearly doing some work to upgrade picnic tables and sites.
You'll see lots of stars on a clear night and will not be disturbed by the rest of the world!
LegendThe caverns are a must see in this park. Come early before they open as there is a line. The spring is closed as is the campground and some trails due to hurricane damage. The staff are friendly and very well organized. There is a store. Our guide was very knowledgeable.
GuideWe stayed at Tate’s Hell for a night after spending time at the Saint George Island beach.
We got lost driving in! When going to the dwarf cypress boardwalk, google maps routed us through a swamp! It was helpful to grab a map. Roads can be bumpy so take it slow!
We stayed at pidcock 49 and it was lovely. Beautiful sunset. Grill, table and just the sights!
It was hunting season so we did see/hear hunters! It came out to be a total of ~$15 including transaction fee.
Legend$33 for one night, $22 plus reservation fees & taxes. Hard to find on gps, use directions from your reservation confirmation email. Moving on. Lovely site, this has electricity but fairly rustic apart from that. Would return.
Coordinates are
30.001026153564453, -84.53910827636719
Guide
Marcie is the owner of this rescue ranch. She’s just starting out having RV’s come in (we were her 4th). There’s power and water hookups, but no dumping stations yet. She runs a quaint rescue ranch for various animals. At the time we were there (8/14/20) she had 21 horses, a Bantam rooster, two pot bellied pigs (one that looks pregnant), a pregnant goat, a bull and a dairy cow (also pregnant ) and three dogs; one if which was an adorable Great Pyrenees puppy that she saved from deaths door). She also offers guided trail rides in the adjacent state park (we only spent the night, so we did not do that). You really can’t beat it fir $25.00 a night!Note: the road into her ranch is pretty rough and beat up, so use caution and go slowly. Make sure you bring plenty of carrots and apples for the animals! Feeding them was a big highlight of our stay!
Guide7/23/2020 Closed due to construction until further notice. Includes the caverns.
GuideIf you want to see caves in Florida. This is the place to go. Not much else to do there besides the caves.
ScoutHay
LegendOnly cave in Florida where you can take a tour. I love caves and this was a great tour I was very surprised of the extent of this cave in Florida. There was some pretty good hiking trails and the campground was small but decent. There's a waterway that runs by the campground you can go kayaking.
TravelerThis natural wonder of Florida is amazing. I highly recommend a visit and touring the caverns.
LegendWe took this trip mid summer, and it was ridiculously hot. There was no coastal breeze, in fact there was no breeze at all. The playground was nice but the equipment was too hot to touch.
Luckily we cooled off in the Blue Hole... which, let me warn you, is ICE cold all year long. It felt amazing and the kids loved it!
There are a few hiking trails that are nice, including one with a cave tunnel. The cave itself is wonderfully cool, and although it isn’t very big, it is still quite beautiful. It was easy to navigate for those that are looking to see what a cave looks like without the full crawling and spelunking experience.
The little shop at the cave tours was well stocked (including ice cream!). There is also a museum that gives lots of information about the cave and the area in general; on Sunday they had a reptile/wildlife presentation.
The restrooms were large and clean. Staff were very friendly and knowledgeable. Overall would definitely go back... just during a different time of year!
GuideThis beautiful, and historic Park is one I'd like to revisit. My husband and I spent only one night there, as a pit stop along a long drive between South Florida and Texas.
We were so impressed with the beautiful nature around us. Admittedly, we didn't have time to go into the caverns this trip, and therefore need to go back when we can. We did get to hike around the grounds a bit, and enjoyed every minute of it.
We chose a tent site, which required a very short hike from our car. This is the first time we had done that, and although the city side of us may worry around our car and it's contents, it sure made us feel more in the woods than we were. It was quiet and beautiful, having a campfire surrounded by nothing but sky-high trees.
They did experience damage from Hurricane Michael, but I plan on revisiting once things are repaired!
TravelerWhen plugging into electric, if you need a 20 amp, it is at an angle. It can be easily missed. Ranger was very helpful with issue. lesson learned. Will go back.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Bristol, FL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Bristol, FL is Blue Hole Campground — Florida Caverns State Park with a 4.6-star rating from 32 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Bristol, FL?
TheDyrt.com has all 4 equestrian camping locations near Bristol, FL, with real photos and reviews from campers.
