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Best Tent Camping near Cortez, FL

537 Reviews

The Cortez, Florida area features several tent camping options spread across parks and preserves near Tampa Bay and the Gulf Coast. Terry Tomalin Campground provides spacious tent campsites in a natural setting with trails and amenities, while Myakka River State Park offers primitive tent sites requiring a 2.5 to 14-mile hike from trailheads. Lithia Springs Conservation Park, located about 40 miles northeast of Cortez, provides shaded tent sites with good tree coverage in a natural spring setting.

Most primitive tent sites require hikers to pack in all supplies, while established campgrounds typically offer basic amenities like picnic tables, fire rings, and nearby toilets. At Alderman's Ford Conservation Park, tent campers access primitive sites via short hiking trails with no vehicle access. The campground provides hammock posts at several sites, picnic tables, and fire pits, with toilets located approximately half a mile down the trail. A recent review noted, "This is a great place for families wanting to start out primitive camping with super clean campsites and an easy trail out to the site." Water access varies significantly between locations, with some sites offering drinking water while others require campers to bring or filter their own.

Tent camping experiences in this region of Florida offer diverse environments within relatively close proximity to urban areas. The primitive sites at Myakka River State Park provide deep immersion in Florida ecosystems with pitcher pumps at some locations for water that requires filtering. According to one visitor, "Each campsite has three campsites at it, each with a fire ring and post to hang up your pack." The terrain varies from oak hammocks to prairie landscapes, providing unique tent camping experiences. Tent-only areas like Island Retreat Florida require boat access, offering increased seclusion from crowds. Road noise can impact some locations, particularly at Alderman's Ford, while others provide quieter natural settings with opportunities to observe native wildlife including birds, otters, and seasonally, alligators.

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Best Tent Sites Near Cortez, Florida (12)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Cortez, FL

16 Photos of 12 Cortez Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Cortez, FL

537 Reviews of 12 Cortez Campgrounds

  • Jeanene A.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 9, 2017

    Alderman's Ford Conservation Park Primitive Campground

    A favorite for the locals

    This location is utterly beautiful! So many different environments can be seen just walking the trials. The 4 primitive campsites we found were along the river and we did not see bathrooms or picnic tables or fire rings. The trails are marked well but not often maintained - so you really get the feel that you are in the middle of nowhere. No traffic was heard at night and I would not camp out there alone on a weekend due to the "local party crowd". This is a hike in and hike out site. We only stayed 1 night. No amenities. Lots of birds and wildlife in the late day and early morning. Parking is a small fenced in area before turn in road - no security/lighting appx 1.5 miles from camping area that we found

    I would have given this location a 5 except for the large amount of trash we found on trails (that we carried out) and the obvious disregard for rules of no swimming and no alcohol.

  • Ari A.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 22, 2022

    Flying A Campground — Myakka State Forest

    Peaceful spot

    Nice but small primitive state forest campground. Only 10 sites and one is for the camp host. About half the sites are back-in and can hold small RVs. The rest are tent only although the parking space is large enough to put a van-sized RV in sideways.

    All the sites are quite large and well separated from neighboring sites. With the right mix of campers, you could have a super peaceful night in the forest without having to bushwhack your way in. (Our night included a site with small kids the parents kept yelling at. Ugh.)

    All sites have a fire ring and picnic table

    There are vault toilets available in the loop and there is a potable water spigot at the nearby ranger station (firewood also available there).

    Nearby hiking trails are rated easy and moderate and the trailhead is just a quarter mile down the road.

    The campground is gated (you get the lock code when you reserve a site). Note that this campground requires reservations.

    If you're self-contained and looking for a nice quiet spot to camp, this would be a good spot to choose.

    Cell service on Verizon was ok with a jetpack, better with a MIMO antenna attached. (1 bar without /2-3 bars with but data speeds with MIMO were decent).

    T-Mobile service was good but kept bouncing between 4G and 5G on phone, which made it a bit erratic. On jetpack that only does 4G, had a strong signal with good data rates.

  • J
    Jul. 18, 2021

    Alderman's Ford Conservation Park Primitive Campground

    Great Place!

    The camp sites are hike in only. I LOVE this. Bring a manageable pack with everything you need. There is no water, power, or restrooms at the sites. There is a restroom facility about a 1/2 mile down the trail. There was firewood for use when I went. Sites were equipped with hammock posts, picnic table, and a fire pit. There was also a trash can. I had a great time, the whole park to myself for the night. Strongly recommend if you enjoy primitive camping.

  • Cosmo L.
    May. 31, 2019

    Fort De Soto Campground

    Nice once you get in.

    Reservations months in advance required. Nice dog beach. No alcohol allowed so keep it inside along with music. No hookups.

  • L O.
    Sep. 6, 2020

    Fort De Soto Campground

    Breathtaking beaches, get the low, tent-site numbers.

    Stayed two nights here. Arrived in the afternoon and found site number (38) easily. The tent sites on the outer side of the loops are bedded in sand, and the ones on the inner side are bedded in crushed shells and are nearer the restrooms and facilities. The back side of number 38 leads to a grassy area lined by trees on the far side that block the sunset. Recommend site 30 or below so that the back side of your site leads to the water and beautiful sunsets. Be prepared to deal with mosquitoes and raccoons. On the first night, a raccoon approached the table without regard and tried to open the portable trash can! They're active and large, and can be seen at night throughout the campground raiding the trash bins. Went on a bike ride the following day, and upon returning saw that a raccoon had opened the Coleman 52-gallon cooler, taken out the carton of eggs, cracked all six eggs, and eaten each egg yolk, leaving the whites and the shells strewn about the picnic table and ground nearby. Thankful that it had not touched the Ferrero Rocher chocolates. Resolved to put the cooler inside the car when absent henceforth. There is a campground store near the entrance with everything from ice to wood to tuna, milk, fishing supplies... it's a mini-market. There is a souvenir shop and food shop near the fort part. Didn't go to the fort or museum. Had a delicious fish and chips meal at the food shop. The bike paths are wide along the main vehicular roads. The highlight of the site is the North Beach. It's ample and clean. White sands. Shallow shores. Pleasant, perfect.

  • Sue G.
    Dec. 30, 2024

    Cypress Creek Preserve

    Free camping

    There aren't many free spots in this area of Florida. Of course, they provide nothing other than a spot to camp with fire ring and old table, and an outhouse. We are in a 24' class C and found a nice private area that was surprisingly level. Trailers are accommodated at the equestrian campground. I suggest you arrive before dark as the road is a bit rough and narrow, with no light.

  • Colin R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 4, 2023

    St. Petersburg-Madeira Beach KOA Holiday

    Great time and very clear facilities.

    We tent camped here for two nights. I really enjoyed our stay and the staff were very friendly and helpful.

    We stayed one of the premium tent sites, but unfortunately there is a very bright street light on all night right next to premium camping. The primitive campsites with no hookups are in a much more secluded area and not affected by lighting at night.

    Other than that, everything else was great.

  • Meghan O.
    Jul. 4, 2018

    Fort De Soto Campground

    Busy Campground With Nice Ammenities

    close to the breweries in art district of St Pete Florida, Fort Desoto Campground has everything you could want for a long weekend or quick getaway. There's a general store if you want to stock up on snacks, fishing tackle, pool floats, or ice cream, or just catch a little air conditioning and Wi-Fi. The General Store also has a nice balcony overlooking the water and some oyster beds.

    The campsites are suitable for car camping, hammock camping, tent camping, or RVs. Be sure to bring your rain gear and rain flies, as Florida thunderstorms are brief but no joke. You can rent bicycles down closer to the actual Old Fort where there's also a huge fishing pier and plenty of old military installations to explore. However don't rely on using the bikes to get back to the campground as there's no drop-off on the other side.

    It can be a bit of a long walk from the campground itself to the Old Fort, which shouldn't be a problem unless you didn't pack the right clothes or shoes. If, like me, you find yourself a little under-prepared, there is Lyft and Uber in the area and in a pinch you can use that to get back and forth between the campground and the fort.

    Our neighbors at the next campsite over we're, unfortunately, a bit of a party crowd, which made for a loud night and very little sleep. That said the restrooms were nice and easy to reach and all of the amenities or what you would expect at a bigger busy or campground.

Guide to Cortez

Cortez, Florida, offers some fantastic options for tent camping, allowing outdoor enthusiasts to immerse themselves in nature while enjoying various amenities and activities.

Tent campers appreciate these amenities

  • The well-reviewed Teri Tomlinson Campground features drinking water, picnic tables, and showers, making it a comfortable choice for campers.

Tent campers like these nearby activities

  • At Myakka River State Park, visitors can explore 30 miles of hiking trails, offering a chance to experience diverse landscapes and wildlife.

Some prices for tent camping range from $20 to $30

  • Camping at the highly rated Island Retreat Florida allows for a unique boat-in experience, perfect for those looking to combine water activities with their camping adventure.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Cortez, FL is Terry Tomalin Campground with a 4-star rating from 3 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 12 tent camping locations near Cortez, FL, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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