S
Sheri T.
Scout
ScoutFishermans cove rv resort
Relaxing
My husband and I love spending time here and overlooking the water, the sunsets and taking our boat out spending time with our family ,everyone there is super nice and friendly 😊
Camping near De Leon Springs, FL
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SUMMARY PRESENTED BY
De Leon Springs, Florida provides multiple campground settings that support a range of camping styles throughout Ocala National Forest and surrounding state parks. Blue Spring State Park Campground, located in nearby Orange City, accommodates tent camping, RV hookups, and cabin rentals with amenities including electric and water hookups, picnic tables, and shower facilities. Within a 30-mile radius, campers can find recreation areas like Alexander Springs, Juniper Springs, and Salt Springs, each offering primitive to developed sites near crystal-clear natural springs. Highland Park Fish Camp near DeLand provides lakeside camping with cabin options for those seeking fishing access.
Campground availability remains accessible year-round with Florida's mild climate allowing for camping in all seasons. Most developed sites require reservations, particularly during winter months when northern visitors seek warmer temperatures. The area's campgrounds feature varying levels of amenities - some like Blue Spring offer full hookups while others like Alexander Springs maintain a more primitive camping experience with basic facilities. Roads throughout the region are generally well-maintained, though some forest service roads leading to more remote sites may become rough during wet periods. Several campgrounds provide direct water access to springs, lakes, and rivers. As one visitor noted about Salt Springs Recreation Area, "Located in the Ocala National Forest in Central Florida, with over 150 sites overall this is one of the better campgrounds we have ever visited."
Natural springs represent the defining feature of camping in the De Leon Springs area, with multiple campgrounds offering access to 72-degree year-round swimming areas. Campers frequently mention the crystal-clear water visibility and wildlife viewing opportunities as highlights. Ocala National Forest sites provide more secluded experiences with greater distance between campsites, while state parks tend to offer more amenities but with closer proximity to neighboring campers. One reviewer described Clearwater Lake Recreation Area as having "well-shaded, private and spaced apart" campsites, noting that "Clearwater lake lives up to its name, with water conditions typically providing excellent visibility to the mostly sand-bottomed swimming area." Proximity to hiking trails, including the Florida Trail that traverses the region, provides additional recreational opportunities beyond water activities.
Best Campgrounds near De Leon Springs (295)
1. Blue Spring State Park Campground
"Not a ton of hiking available here but a decent 3.5 mile one way trail through Florida scrub and oak hammock. The rare and endangered Florida Scrub Jay can be found here."
"It was still very hot and buggy in Florida so be warned If this is an issue for you. Large campsites with a picnic table, electric, and water."
from $24 - $95 / night
Check Availability2. Alexander Springs Recreation Area
"This was one of the busier places I have camped in Florida. The facilities were clean and provided showers."
"This is a typical Florida spring."
from $38 - $70 / night
Check Availability3. Tomoka State Park Campground
"From the initial encounter with the ranger at the entrance to the staff running the camp store everyone was super-chill. Campground was well maintained and our neighbors were all well behaved."
"This is my favorite Florida State Park so far. Sites are small. Some are very shallow. There is plenty of greenery between sites. Camp road and sites may be difficult to maneuver into."
from $24 / night
Check Availability4. Clearwater Lake Campground
"Clearwater Lake Recreation is one of the few National Forest Service managed campgrounds located at the southern end of Ocala National Forest. Campsites are well-shaded, private and spaced apart."
"Clearwater Lake Recreation Area was recommended to us as a backup option to nearby and popular Alexander Springs for our small group of scouts."
from $38 / night
Check Availability5. Juniper Springs Campground
"The spring pool is gorgeous and quite, very pretty trails to watch spring boils and turtles. Very sunny during the day and very cool at nigth."
"The Florida Trail runs right through this spot and has a natural spring connection as well. We camped out near the facilities and am happy to report everything was maintained and clean."
from $38 - $70 / night
Check Availability6. Highland Park Fish Camp
"Lots of permanent sites takes away from the typical campground. Staff member was nice and helpful. NO internet and phone service so spotty that hotspot was useless."
"This family run location has bee in operation for over 50 years and is working on their 4th generation! They offer 50 sites with full hookups (some 50 amp), tent sites and hot showers."
from $25 - $32 / night
Check Availability7. Salt Springs Recreation Area
"There are no laundry facilities but if you exit park and drive left there is a laundromat, local food, dollar store, bait tackle."
"Located in the center of the state, you’ll have near equal access to both the Atlantic Ocean to the east as well as the Gulf shores to the west."
from $38 - $70 / night
Check Availability8. Wekiwa Springs State Park Campground
"Close to home and took a drive through one day. Haven't been camping yet this year due to illness but getting ready to get on the road."
"We camp a lot during the summer but since this is Florida it's HOT regularly and sizzling during the summer months."
from $24 / night
Check Availability9. Hontoon Island State Park Campground
"This is really getting away from it all. The only way to reach the island is via the ferry (free, and runs all day) or bring your own boat. There are boat docking facilities."
"Would not recommend walking with all your camping stuff). I came here for my birthday weekend last year and it was a great choice!"
10. Lake Monroe Park
"Had water and electric hook up and the near by walking trail was absolutely awesome. The staff could not have been more helpful. Next time I’m visiting family in Florida, I will definitely stay here"
"Small grounds, beautiful lake that allows fishing and boating. Sites are very close to each other, good for making friends, not good if you like your privacy. Drive up right next to your site."
from $15 / night
Check Availability
Drive Time
- 29 min from Deltona, FL
- 53 min from Orlando, FL
- 1 hr 2 min from Ocala, FL
- 1 hr 13 min from Wildwood, FL
Recent Camping Photos near De Leon Springs, FL
282 Photos of 295 De Leon Springs Campgrounds
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Recent Reviews near De Leon Springs, FL
1282 Reviews of 295 De Leon Springs Campgrounds
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Robbie J.ScoutRiverside Camping — Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area at Flagler Beach
Beautiful and Peaceful
Gamble Memorial RV Park was awesome. The park is very large the scenery is beautiful. They have a butterfly garden, a walking trail and a beach and river as side they Also have river to fish in. Washers and dryers are available. As well as a bath house. They have security as well as 2 camp host. I highly recommend camping at Gamble.
- EElizabeth W.Scout
Tomoka State Park Campground
Great water access
Nicely wooded sites. Has a boat launch, bike trail and very cool grounds with the Timucuan village site. Even a camp store.
- MMorris R.
TravelerCamp Kennedy RV Resort
It’s very family and pet friendly! Clean!
The only reason I gave it 4 stars was for lack of security. It’s not a gated RV park. Everything else is wonderful. Very friendly and accommodating staff. Love the trees and concrete drive thru spaces! Large spaces for your car and bikes. For the fur babies they have lots of disposable spots with bags for clean up. Nice size pool shaded by the trees in the evening from the West Sun. This is our first stay here and it’s been extremely great and quiet. Much more peaceful than we initially thought.
Eric K.
GuideLake Dorr
East side DISPERSED CAMPING
Reading the reviews, people are confused. The east side of Lake Dorr is DISPERSED CAMPING. This dispersed camping area within Ocala National Forest does NOT provide water hookups, restrooms, or picnic tables and does NOT have standard amenities like trash service and campfire permissions.There are two Lake Dorr camping areas. The west side of Lake Dorr is called Lake Dorr Campground. The east side of Lake Dorr is Ocala National Forest Lake Dorr DISPERSED CAMPING. There are NO amenities here. There is soft sand ares due to the ATV use. Spent 4 nights here with no problems.
- RRalph P.Scout
Riverside Camping — Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area at Flagler Beach
Room to Breathe and Relax
Well maintained campsites, grounds and facilities. Rangers and hosts are great. Sites on the riverside are reasonably spaced apart and several offer a privacy on the camping side because they are adjacent to the nature. preserve or are tucked back and away. The car / motorcycle tent camping sites look really nice and cozy. I did not visit the coastal side campground.
Cory R.ScoutLakeside haven rv park
Garbage
WARNING: DO NOT STAY HERE. Absolute Slum Conditions & Toxic Management. If I could give Lakeside Haven RV Resort negative stars, I would. Do not be fooled by the beautiful pictures they post online—those are from years ago when the park first opened. Today, this place is a neglected, hazardous dump run by a toxic, completely unprofessional management team. We moved in on December 27th, renting a lot and an 18-foot camper for $750/month. We were assured it was "move-in ready." That was a blatant lie. On our first day, I opened the fridge/freezer combo, and hundreds of German cockroaches fell out of it like Niagara Falls. It required three separate bug bombs just to make the place semi-livable. On top of that, Mario, the manager, left a whole turkey in the freezer that thawed out and leaked putrid turkey juices all over the appliance. There was also absolutely no hot water because the water heater had a massive crack in it. It leaked so severely that it saturated the floor, causing the kitchen floor to visibly sag. When they finally came to "fix" the water heater, they smashed a massive hole in the side of the camper and just left it wide open. Because of their negligence, my cat escaped, and my girlfriend and I spent three agonizing days waiting for him to return. Thankfully, he did. The windows were also broken and just covered with cardboard and tape, and the sink was completely backed up because the previous tenant had dumped a hoard of pennies down the drain. When I confronted the manager, Mario, about these biohazards and structural failures, he didn't offer to fix them immediately. Instead, he coldly offered a refund. He knew exactly what he was doing—he put us in a position where we either had to live in a roach-infested, broken camper or be homeless. We had to stay and watch them take their sweet time doing bare-minimum repairs. When anyone has a legitimate issue with the park, Mario gets incredibly rude, nasty, and aggressive. If you express how unhappy you are with the conditions, management's official response is literally: "Don't like it? Move." Management is rarely even on-site—maybe once or twice a month—but they sure know how to cause drama. They constantly spread lies around the park claiming we weren't paying our bills, which is defamation. We have every single receipt proving we have paid on time, every single month. Furthermore, the utility situation is a massive rip-off. There is only one meter for the entire park. Management leaves the lights on and the AC blasting at 68 degrees constantly in common areas, and because of the single meter, the tenants are forced to split the bill for their energy waste. You are also paying out of pocket for "amenities" like a laundry room that should be covered. The park looks like absolute shit. The boat dock is in such disrepair it will literally ruin your boat if you try to use it. Worse than the infrastructure is the total lack of safety. They will let anyone move in here, including active drug users and people with violent, dangerous criminal records. To give you an idea of how dangerous this place is, I accidentally butt-dialed the police once. When the cop arrived, he literally told me that they get so many emergency calls for this park—ranging from domestic abuse to drug issues—that they are forced to come out and physically verify everyone is okay, even for a confirmed accidental dial. The police are fully aware of how awful this place is. There is also zero confidentiality. Management acts friendly to get your money, but once you are locked in, they treat you like garbage and spread your personal business. They literally told brand-new tenants intimate, private medical details about a resident living here with cancer. It is deeply disrespectful, unethical, and disgusting behavior. They trap you, lie about you, neglect the property, and treat you like absolute shit. For the love of God, stay the hell away from Lakeside Haven RV Resort and Mario.
Celeste A.TravelerIndian Lake State Forest Campground
Weekend Get-Away
First time at this State Forest campground/park and it was quiet, accessible, and had all the amenities needed for a nice weekend get away. The bathrooms are a little less modern than expected, but they do have a shower which does get hot within seconds. The iron smell is very notable in the water, however.
- WWilliam B.Guide
Encore Sunshine Holiday Daytona
2nd trip under our belt
Like the title says, this is my wife and I second campsite on our trip across America. Our stay was for 10 days from May 22 through June 1st. This site had a different vibe than the first. This park seems to be more residential folks than travelers. Grounds are well maintained with lots of activities. Activities include tennis/pickleball courts, putt-putt, playground for kids, volleyball, and a swimming pool. Conveniently located close to I95 with restaurants and shopping within 10-15 minutes. If you are beach goers, it took about 20 minutes to get to Ormond Beach by car. Also, if you are a racecar fan, the Daytona 500 Speedway is within 20 minutes. The campsite was nice and quiet during both day and night and people stayed to themselves. I will say the site's are close together and depending on how big your rig is will depend greatly on how hard or easy it will be to park. I have a 40ft Thor Challenger class A and I had to maneuver a few times before I fit. The streets are also narrow for bigger rigs. The biggest problem I ran into was when we left you have to make a U turn out of the complex to get back to I95. The big problem was I'm too big to just make a U turn anywher, if at all. I had to go a few miles out of the way to just turn around to head the right way for the freeway. Overall, I enjoyed this campsite other than the minor inconvenience of getting back to the freeway when departing.
Guide to De Leon Springs
De Leon Springs dispersed camping opportunities feature diverse ecosystems across Ocala National Forest and surrounding areas within a 30-mile radius. Many campgrounds combine freshwater access with hiking connections to the Florida Trail, allowing visitors to explore unique habitats year-round. Water temperatures at natural springs remain consistent at 72 degrees regardless of season, while surrounding forest roads may require higher clearance vehicles during wet periods.
What to do
Kayaking at Juniper Springs: Launch directly from Juniper Springs Recreation Area for a challenging paddle through a narrow, winding waterway. The shuttle service costs around $16, but prepare for navigational challenges. As one visitor noted, "The current is pretty strong so you can't stop for a second really to grab a drink or take a photo bc you'll end up somewhere you don't want to be and that could be in the marshy grasses where I saw alligators hanging out."
Fishing opportunities: Highland Park Fish Camp provides direct lake access for anglers. The camp includes a free catch-and-release pond that's regularly stocked. "There is a free catch and release pond that is kept well stocked and a great place for the kids or beginners to learn how to fish," explains a regular visitor who has frequented Highland Park Fish Camp for over eight years.
Swimming at Alexander Springs: The swimming area at Alexander Springs offers one of the largest spring-fed swimming areas in the region. According to a camper, "The spring head is located right in the swimming area, it's bigger than any swim area at a spring that I have ever been too." The recreation area at Alexander Springs provides a spacious swimming experience even during busy periods.
Nature trails: Clearwater Lake Recreation Area features hiking trails that circle the lake and connect to other recreational paths. As one visitor reported, "There is a hiking trail that circles the lake, and the Paisley mountain bike trail head also begins at the campground entrance." The paths offer moderate difficulty suitable for most ability levels.
What campers like
Privacy between sites: Many campers appreciate the natural buffers between campsites at Clearwater Lake. A camper described, "The sites are heavily shaded and large, with plenty of room and natural buffer between sites." This design at Clearwater Lake Recreation Area creates a more secluded camping experience despite being at an established campground.
Clean facilities: Tomoka State Park maintains exceptional facilities according to visitor reports. "Campground was beautiful and clean. The trees between the spaces were good buffers so you weren't looking right into your neighbors campers," noted one camper who rated their experience highly. The park offers hookups while maintaining natural separation between sites.
Wildlife viewing: Visitors consistently mention wildlife sightings as a highlight. At Blue Spring State Park, one camper described their experience: "We spent much of our time kayaking from the park's canoe launch. Here, we were able to see tons of wildlife from all sorts of fish, alligators, and yes, a manatee!"
Sand bottom swimming: Many natural springs in the area feature clear sand-bottom swimming areas. A visitor at Clearwater Lake described, "The swimming area on Clearwater Lake is a gradually deepening sand bottom with very clear water." This natural bottom enhances water clarity and swimming comfort.
What you should know
Seasonal restrictions: Some springs limit swimming during manatee season. At Blue Spring, a camper noted, "During the winter you may not be able to swim because of the manatees." This typically affects winter months when manatees seek warmer waters.
Train noise: Several campgrounds experience train noise. At Lake Monroe Park, visitors mention: "It's close to a power plant and railroad so you hear a lot of noise at night but was perfect for a one nighter." Noise levels vary by campsite location and personal sensitivity.
Ferry-only access: Hontoon Island State Park requires ferry transport. A visitor explained, "All camping supplies must be brought over by boat in wheelbarrows provides by the parks services." The park offers a free shuttle service from the dock to campsites approximately one mile inland.
Spring crowds: Expect busier conditions during weekends and holidays. One visitor advised about Wekiwa Springs: "If you go on a weekend, make sure you go EARLY! Line of car starts around 9am and park will close at capacity." Many springs reach capacity by mid-morning during peak periods.
Tips for camping with families
Kid-friendly swimming: Alexander Springs provides gradual entry points ideal for children. A camper observed, "The spring is wonderful even on busy weekends is very manageable." Wekiwa Springs State Park also offers accessibility features for families, with one visitor noting, "Jane, one of the park rangers informed us about the ramp for wheelchairs, and a lift into the water!"
Playground access: Several campgrounds feature playground facilities. At Hontoon Island State Park, a visitor mentioned, "There was a great playground for the kids and we enjoyed a nice long hike as well." The island setting adds novelty for children while providing structured recreation.
Learning opportunities: Many campgrounds offer educational experiences. At Juniper Springs, trails showcase diverse ecosystems. One visitor described the area as having "crystal springs & the spring fed river meandering all through the park," creating natural learning environments.
Safety considerations: Monitor children closely around water. A parent camping at Salt Springs Recreation Area shared: "We went camping here with two small kids, one of the sites closest to the springs, just a short walk. The campsite was much bigger than I expected." Proximity to water requires constant supervision.
Tips from RVers
Hookup availability: Full hookups are limited to certain campgrounds. At Salt Springs Recreation Area, RV sites feature "FHUs offering up 30/50 amp electric, water and sewage, making this the largest CG of any in the Ocala National Forest and the only one with FHUs."
Site leveling challenges: Some campgrounds require leveling equipment. A visitor at Salt Springs noted, "Sites have paved pads but most are not level." Bringing leveling blocks is recommended, especially for larger rigs.
Reservation importance: Secure sites well in advance, particularly for winter months. At Tomoka State Park, visitors recommend early booking: "The site had good separation from the neighboring sites and was level. The campground was mostly quiet."
Site size considerations: RV sites vary significantly between campgrounds. One Blue Spring visitor cautioned, "Campground sites feel secluded with vegetation but can be challenging for backing up into spots." Many sites accommodate larger rigs but may require careful maneuvering due to trees and vegetation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near De Leon Springs, FL?
What camping is available near De Leon Springs, FL?
According to TheDyrt.com, De Leon Springs, FL offers a wide range of camping options, with 295 campgrounds and RV parks near De Leon Springs, FL and 11 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near De Leon Springs, FL?
Which is the most popular campground near De Leon Springs, FL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near De Leon Springs, FL is Blue Spring State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 47 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near De Leon Springs, FL?
Where can I find free dispersed camping near De Leon Springs, FL?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 11 free dispersed camping spots near De Leon Springs, FL.
What parks are near De Leon Springs, FL?
What parks are near De Leon Springs, FL?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 6 parks near De Leon Springs, FL that allow camping, notably Ocala National Forest and National Forests in Florida.
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