Best Tent Camping near Bristol, FL

Tent campsites near Bristol, Florida range from established Forest Service sites to primitive hunt camps scattered throughout the Apalachicola National Forest. White Oak Landing Campground and Whitehead Landing NF Campground offer accessible tent camping options with varying levels of amenities, while primitive hunt camps like Cliff Lake and Big Gully Landing provide more rustic experiences for tent campers seeking seclusion.

Most primitive tent campgrounds in this area feature simple setups with limited facilities. Campers should pack their own drinking water, as many sites don't provide potable water sources. Sites typically have dirt or grass tent pads with minimal site preparation. Whitehead Landing offers basic amenities including picnic tables, fire rings and pit toilets, with a small $3 per night fee. Several campgrounds provide trash receptacles, but pack-in, pack-out principles apply at more remote sites. A visitor noted that "even the pit toilets at Whitehead Landing are surprisingly clean," though campers should be prepared for occasional maintenance issues at more remote locations.

Tent-only camping areas around Bristol provide excellent access to natural attractions including the Apalachicola River and Lake Talquin. The surrounding national forest offers extensive hiking opportunities with varied terrain unusual for Florida, including modest elevation changes. Sites tend to be quieter during weekdays, with increased traffic on weekends, especially during hunting seasons. Summer brings hot, humid conditions with abundant insects, making spring and fall preferable seasons for tent camping. Sites near water typically offer more breeze and fewer mosquitoes. A camper commented that "Whitehead Landing is spacious and quiet, with only one other person there on a February weekend, despite nearby campgrounds being full." Wildlife sightings are common, with alligators, deer, and various bird species frequently observed from tent sites.

Best Tent Sites Near Bristol, Florida (28)

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Tent Camping Reviews near Bristol, FL

410 Reviews of 28 Bristol Campgrounds


  • Vince F.
    Mar. 7, 2021

    Tate's Hell State Forest High Bluff Primitive Campsites, FL

    Secluded sites, great night sky

    We camped at Pidcock Road Campsite #49 during the 2020 Leonid meteor shower.  Nice place for dogs (req'd on leash) as no other campsites nearby.  Very quiet, no water or electricity.  Don't trust google map for road directions, you have to approach from the east or north.  Dirt roads could be an issue if wet and for larger RV-type set-ups.  Marginal cell phone coverage (AT&T).

  • Laura M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Feb. 12, 2022

    Tate's Hell State Forest High Bluff Primitive Campsites, FL

    Great!

    There are 3 separate High Bluff Primitive campsites, one at Dry Bridge, one at Rake Creek and one at Pidcock Road.  Each spot is so far away from each other that you feel completely secluded, which is nice.  We stayed at Pidcock Rd.  Even though nobody was around we still kept the dogs on leash because the spot is surrounded by water on 3 sides, and we didn't want to risk any alligator attacks.

    Site wasn't totally clean but definitely not the worst we've seen.  There is a fire ring, picnic table, and grill.  No toilet or garbage facilities so please pack out your waste.

    Road in was bumpy with some huge pits but easily navigable even in our 26ft class c, just watch the road and take it slow.  There was no cell service on the roads once we entered the dense forest but the spot itself was cleared of trees enough that we got service on ATT and Verizon.

    We followed the step by step directions that were in the confirmation email and not google maps' directions and we had no problems.

    Site was $9/night plus tax and fees which brought it to $16.79 for the one night.

  • irena J.
    Aug. 29, 2018

    Tate's Hell State Forest

    Tate's Hell State Forest

    Tate's Hell State Forest is a primitive dispersed camping area slightly north the Gulf of Mexico in the Florida Panhandle region. Instead of a single campground with multiple sites, Tate's Hell provides individual camps sites through out the forest, many of which are along the Carabelle River. Sites offer fire ring, picnic table and cleared tent area. All sites are accessed by dirt roads that are fairly well maintained. Many of these sites can accommodate a popup or RV, but there are no electrical, water or sewage hook ups in the state forest. If you are looking for an authentic backwoods, roughing it camping experience - this is your place!

    Sites can be reserved 1 877 879 3859. The regional ranger station is located at 290 Airport Rd, Carrabelle, FL 32322.

    More info https://www.freshfromflorida.com/Divisions-Offices/Florida-Forest-Service/Our-Forests/State-Forests/Tate-s-Hell-State-Forest

  • D
    Jul. 10, 2018

    Florida Caverns RV Resort

    Awful

    We called ahead to reserve tent sites and ensure they had electric and water on every site. Upon arrival, we were told all sites to the right edge (water side) and right of the road were tent sites. However, the first half of this row has electric for rv’s only. Moving down the row, the sites had no electric or water hookups. The last sites were in complete sun and next to a boat ramp. All the sites had trash on the ground and none had picnic tables. The showers were just curtained off from the bathroom with no privacy, hook or bench. The staff was unwilling to help and we left without staying.

  • L&A C.
    May. 19, 2024

    Three Rivers State Park Campground

    A Great Florida State Park

    Small, well maintained park and sites, with 30/50 amp and water hook ups. A pleasant surprise when we arrived, after miles of rural driving! GPS took us the correct way, but seemed we were lost! Staff greeted us at entrance, gave us a map and explained how to get to our site. It was raining, and our site was back-in and downhill, mostly level with gravel, a picnic table, has a fire-ring with grill grate. Bathhouse is clean and impressed how the trash area and dump station were placed away from campers. The dock/pier, and boat ramp, are at the back part of the campground, The amenities are nice and there is outdoor cleaning sink behind the bathhouse, sitting area overlooking the river, the fish cleaning station, fire pit area, trails, and canoe/kayak drying area. 3 concrete sites, as well as tent sites. Lots of spacing between most of the sites, some are waterfront. Wildlife is plentiful and the trails are a great way to enjoy it all! We will come back! And it’s only $20 a night!

  • Dale W.
    Jul. 11, 2021

    Torreya State Park Campground

    Well maintained and beautifully located.

    Awesome campground with good amenities. Each site has fire ring, picnic table, water and electric. Most sites had good flora between sites, offering a little privacy. Restroom and shower facilities with a coin operated laundry.

    Ranger Rob shared a secret, two campsites cannot be reserved and are always available first come first served. I got to spend two nights in one of those and it was great.

    I found the hiking trails to be quite strenuous and not well-maintained in spots, but that's part of the adventure. I even took a tumble down a steep hill but made it to the primitive camp sites just to see them and get down to the river.

  • Elaine W.
    Jan. 18, 2022

    Eastbank

    Quiet, Clean and Quit Beautiful

    I arrived after lunchtime and set up my tent. There were two tent spaces all the way at the other end from the RVs on the water. They were large had picnic table, grills and fire rings. The bathrooms were a nice little walk and the water and the showers were hot. Nice place to break in my new tent. Oh I took her through a heck of a wind and rain storm. On my found it said the winds were over 60 miles an hour. But my Core tent held up fine.

  • Rachel G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Feb. 18, 2021

    Eastbank

    Friendly COE campground

    This is a great COE campground on Florida Georgia border. Everyone here was so friendly. Sites are large but very open. Three camping loops. We stayed in C 17. Great site all have fire rings, picnic table, lantern pole, charcoal grill, and prep table. Sites are paved or gravel. Several pull through sites. Great for larger rigs. Loops A & C have waterfront sites. Loop B is inner part of campground. Bathhouses have separate showers from restroom area. Campground is right on lake Seminole. Great fishing, boating, and kayaking. Went in February it was cold and very windy coming off lake. Not much to do in area but great for long weekend stay. Ate at local restaurant called Rutabaga cafe which was great. You are right on the time zone switch so your phone will switch from eastern to central several times. There are amenities close by such as grocery, liquor store, Dollar general. Jim Woodruff Dam is across the lake. It was closed to visitors but we drove to the overlook which was cool. Will definitely come back for another stay.

  • C
    Feb. 27, 2021

    Ed and Bernices Fish Camp and RV Park

    Very peaceful place with great people!

    Nice pavilions with a picnic table and new fire rings. We had a flat spot and not needing to bust out the levelers is always a treat! The staff here is so kind and helpful. The others here have great knowledge about the area and we got some tips on what kinds of fish to catch...if you are into that sort of thing! If not, it is a great relaxing place to watch the river float past. Great cell signal and friendly four legged friends came to great us and our pups. Definitely stop here! Fantastic find!


Guide to Bristol

Tent camping near Bristol, Florida provides diverse backcountry experiences in Apalachicola National Forest's varied terrain. The area features several primitive hunt camps and forest service campgrounds with opportunities to explore both riverfront sites and inland lake locations. Winter and spring offer comfortable temperatures for camping, while summer brings high humidity and increased insect activity.

What to do

Fishing access: Cotton Landing offers direct shoreline fishing with minimal competition from other anglers. "Loved my stay at this location... people I met there were great, no drama and bathrooms were decent," reports Katlyn A., who recommends collecting firewood along the dirt road coming in to avoid ticks in the wooded areas.

Hiking trails: Fort Braden Tract Primitive Campsites features three loop trails with modest elevation changes. "Nice elevation changes, refreshing for Florida hiking. There was a group site in between that was very nice and we were told was often used by youth groups," notes Jeanene A., who appreciated the quiet setting.

Wildlife viewing: Camp sites near the water provide opportunities for wildlife observation, particularly bird watching and reptile spotting. "We 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," shares Edward W. from Fort Braden Tract, noting the steep bank provided some security from wildlife encounters.

What campers like

Budget-friendly options: Whitehead Landing NF Campground provides exceptional value at $3 per night with basic amenities. John P. mentions, "Decent Verizon signal, no T-Mobile. Non-potable water spigot. There's a nice little boat ramp on the river."

Uncrowded camping: Many campers appreciate the solitude available at these sites even during peak seasons. "Spacious and quiet camping area. Camped here for a weekend in mid-February and there was only one other person here, despite the free campground just down the road being full," reports one camper at Whitehead Landing.

Water access: White Oak Landing Campground provides convenient boat access with river frontage. "This site is just off hwy 65. It has open areas for more room to spread out, picnic tables and restrooms. This site also has an everflowing water supply that has been there for decades," states Jacob A., noting that while the water contains sulfur, it's clean and cold.

What you should know

Water availability: Bring drinking water to most sites, as available water may not be potable. At Hall Landing, one camper noted, "Water spigots at each site, but we filled up our jug with it and dumped it back out, water had a brownish tinge."

Tick prevention: Several campsites report tick issues, especially during warmer months. Avoid gathering firewood from wooded areas to reduce exposure. One camper at Cotton Landing advises staying on established paths and avoiding "sticker bushes" which harbor ticks.

Cellular coverage: Camp Mack and several other sites have limited cell service. "Small campground in National Forest. 10 sites. Very quiet. We felt very safe," reports a camper, mentioning the area is popular with hunters, which affects seasonal crowding patterns.

Campground cleanliness: Facilities vary widely between sites. At many hunt camps, fire rings often contain trash from previous campers despite nearby receptacles, requiring some cleanup before use.

Tips for camping with families

Unique experiences: Goat House Farm offers a distinctive camping experience with animals. "We had such a fun time camping at the goat farm. Where you literally camp with goats. The male goats hang out right beside you and your tents," shares Abby, warning to "keep your tents closed or they will sleep with you too."

Safety considerations: Sites near water require vigilance with children. The steep banks at some lake sites provide some buffer from wildlife but represent their own hazard for young campers.

Group site options: Several campgrounds offer designated group areas ideal for family gatherings. Fort Braden Tract includes a centralized group site that accommodates larger family units between its two waterfront sites.

Tips from RVers

Site accessibility: Most hunt camps and primitive sites have limited RV access. Hall Landing Campground accommodates some smaller RVs despite being primarily tent-focused. "This campground is for tents only, however, due to a mix up with our reservation at Walker Landing, they moved us to this campground even though we are in an RV. Most sites are big and level enough for an RV," reports Laura M.

Solar considerations: Sites under heavy tree cover present challenges for solar power. "Lots of tree cover so our solar panels were struggling to get enough sun," notes one RVer at Hall Landing, suggesting positioning rigs strategically in the few clearings available.

Dump station access: No on-site dump stations exist at most tent camping areas near Bristol, but county parks may offer alternatives. According to Laura M., "the county operator said we were welcome to use the dump station at Coe Landing since we were Leon County Parks guests."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Bristol, FL?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Bristol, FL is Vilas Campsite with a 5-star rating from 1 review.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Bristol, FL?

TheDyrt.com has all 28 tent camping locations near Bristol, FL, with real photos and reviews from campers.