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Best Dispersed Camping near Flagler Beach, FL

13 Reviews

Dispersed camping near Flagler Beach, Florida concentrates primarily in the Ocala National Forest, located approximately 50 miles west of the coastal town. The U.S. Forest Service manages several primitive camping areas including Davenport Landing, Freak Creek, Blue Sink, and spots along the St. Johns River. These sites offer true primitive camping experiences with minimal to no facilities and varying degrees of accessibility. Most dispersed sites in this region require travel on unpaved forest roads and provide direct access to natural water features like rivers and creeks.

Access to many dispersed sites requires careful navigation of rough, unpaved roads with potholes, ruts, and occasional water crossings. Several locations, particularly Freak Creek, demand high-clearance 4WD vehicles and recovery equipment. Davenport Landing features a 2-mile gravel road with divots and potholes leading to a cul-de-sac camping area. No amenities exist at these sites—no picnic tables, fire rings, drinking water, or toilets. Campers must pack in all supplies and pack out all waste. "Most beautiful place to stumble upon. You may need ATV or creative backpacking to get there now. The Forestry Service recently chopped down trees and covered the easy access roads," noted one visitor about Blue Sink.

The camping experience varies significantly across sites. Davenport Landing provides access to the Ocklawaha River with opportunities for fishing, kayaking, and hiking on a 1.2-mile interpretive trail to a historic steamboat landing. Some areas have developed concerning safety issues, with one camper reporting Lake Dorr felt unsafe after speaking with locals. Wildlife sightings are common throughout the region. "Right next to the river and the trees open up so you get a great view of the stars," shared one camper about the St. Johns River spot. Freak Creek offers particularly secluded camping with water access, though one visitor noted: "It's super secluded and quiet. Depending when you stay there's at times people who show up to party and then leave." Campers should be prepared for potential encounters with wildlife including alligators, bears, and even reported panther sightings.

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Best Dispersed Sites Near Flagler Beach, Florida (5)

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Dispersed Camping Reviews near Flagler Beach, FL

13 Reviews of 5 Flagler Beach Campgrounds

  • Stuart K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Dec. 25, 2024

    Davenport Landing

    Magnolia-Shaded Cul-de-Sac Primitive Camping

    Located a hefty trek down a winding gravel road west of Route 19, you’ll have to maneuver around divots and potholes along this narrow gravel, dusty roadway for the better part of 2 miles before arriving to a small sign on the left-hand side of the road that indicates you’ve arrived at Davenport Recreational Area – so finding this place is relatively easy. Unless you make the unwise decision to turn into one of the small handful of options beforehand that would have you drive down a patch of road that likely you are not authorized to, my only advice would be not to exceed 15 MPH on this road as the poor condition of the road could do damage to a lower-lying vehicle. Once you come across the Davenport Recreational Area sign, take a right and slowly (as the road conditions worsen as you get off the main road) follow the narrow tire-rutted pathway to a fork, where on the right you’ll see TRAILHEAD marked on a tree to your right– here you want to turn left instead and follow the pathway to its conclusion, which is a round-about that you will have no other alternative but to stop and park your vehicle.

    Here at literally ‘the end of the road,’ you’ll be greeted by a dozen or so medium-sized Magnolias that blot out the sun’s rays and cast an unusually spooky shadow on this area, made even more dramatic by all of the Spanish moss falling from the tree limbs of these magnificent trees. While the ground here is flat – welcome to Florida, where for the most part, that’s par for the course – but barren and comprised of a combination of dirt and sand silt, which isn’t so bad when it’s dry, but when there’s rain, we’re talking some pretty messy mud-like conditions. As for what you’ll find here at this natural cul-de-sac, there isn’t anything. Literally. No picnic tables. No fire ring. No stand-up grill. No potable(or for that matter, non-potable) water spigot. Nothing. There is what looks to be a small wooden sign that likely was filled with information at some point in time that might have educated you about your stay here, but even that had nothing on it, apart from a single hand-made sign above it, indicating: “You are trash, if you leave trash,” which I wholeheartedly agree with. In all, perhaps there’s 5-6 individual spots that you could make a campsite from.

    If you are a true primitive camper who really wants NOTHING to complement or aid their outdoor survivalist experiment, then you have hit the primitive camping jackpot! Apart from the solid peace & quiet you’ll experience here, there’s an amazing little access point here to the Ocklawaha river that runs through this neck of the woods – which used to be a riverboat stop where steamboats would stop to fuel or disembark enroute to Silver Springs via the St. Johns which this tributary eventually connects to. Apart from being a scenic access point to the river, if you are looking to catch and eat your meals, then this will certainly be an added bonus. The steps down the ravine to the river basin are somewhat steep, but for anyone towing a light-weight kayak or paddleboard, me thinks you could likely manage to bring your watercraft down here and easily access emerald-green waters shouldered with an abundance of spade-shaped lily pads to grab some great oaring.

    When we stopped by, there was a team of fisherman there – not camping, mind you – but having a great afternoon nonetheless of ‘hooking‘ em’ and according to these local anglers, the fishing was great. Apart from this and the shade that the mighty Magnolias provide, the only other amenity that exists out here are the few trails that you can jump on to get a bit of hiking in. One word of caution, from my fishermen friends, is to be on the look-out for ‘Coyo-Dogs’ (a cross between canine species where a dog mates with a coyote) and black bear, both of which have been known to frequent this area, especially at night.

    Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) There’s a 1.2 mile interpretive hiking trail called Davenport Landing Trail that will take to you to the former steamboat landing, which makes for a medium-grade hike with some interesting history; (2) If you have an explorer’s mindset, you’ll be richly rewarded here as there is a small gravesite from the Civil War that you can find along with middens along the Ocklawaha River hiding traces of the Timucuan Indians that once populated this area; (3) For fellow arborists, in addition to finding these amazing Magnolias that seem to be especially planted here for you, additionally there’s sweetgum and red maple trees; and (4) You definitely want to keep your eyes peeled for alligators in this area, where while we didn’t see any right at the ravine’s base, we were told that plenty were sunbathing right around the bend in the river from where we were.

    Happy Camping!

  • M
    Nov. 13, 2023

    Lake Dorr

    Area Unsafe and Had to Leave. Please avoid.

    Attempted to stay at this campground but left because it felt unsafe. Spoke to a local that warned of violence, robbery, and killings in this area of the national forest.

    Got stuck in sand on the way out and had to wait for a tow truck. Tow truck driver carried a gun because of how unsafe the area is and warned us not to stay.

    Please avoid the Ocala NF!

    If you do decide to come to this campground, avoid north part of Ron Paul Drive. You’ll either get stuck in sand or have issues to low/tight trees. Drive further south of the other side of Ron Paul Drive.

  • Destiny R.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 4, 2022

    Blue Sink

    Blue Sink

    Most beautiful place to stumble upon. You may need ATV or creative backpacking to get there now. The Forestry Service recently chopped down trees and covered the easy access roads.

  • Frank E.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 28, 2019

    Davenport Landing

    Generally quiet primitive camping with water access

    Pprimitive, no reservations, gets some traffic visiting historic site.

  • D
    Feb. 4, 2021

    Davenport Landing

    Quiet spot

    Pulled in around 9:30 pm. Big open spot. Last 100 yards driving back in were very bumpy but no problem with our van. Not sure about a larger RV. But great Tent/van spot.

  • TThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 23, 2025

    Davenport Landing

    Cool spot, beware of bears

    I really enjoyed this spot, but I did spot a bear on my way in and scat along the road. I wouldn't recommend this spot to beginners or inexperienced outdoor enthusiasts. There is a campground nearby that charges 10bucks a night that I would recommend for families or beginners. Delancy Campground is accessible from this (FS Road 74) location

  • hThe Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 19, 2025

    Freak Creek Dispersed Camping

    Remote and lifted 4wd needed

    The main road in has huge deep ruts, the other road has a water crossing that was over my bumper on my lifted Mojave. I talked to another person that use to go out there and said she has seen a panther. I’ve yet to see anything. The campground is overgrown, and not many ppl visit due to not being able to get back. If you don’t have 4wd and recovery gear I wouldn’t risk it. There is a nice creek area where you can swim and or fish if you have the right equipment to get back there it can be fun, but if you don't you will be stuck until Some one comes by.

  • Sam S.
    Jan. 14, 2022

    Davenport Landing

    Yes, this is a place to sleep if you need it

    I would not come back here again. There were obviously some long term residents that had set up shack here, and while they did not make the campground feel unsafe, they were trashing up the place. For example, at our site there was a literal burning pit of garbage that we had to set up next to. We had to douse the fire just to not feel nauseous. Suffice to say, we left very early the next morning and never looked back.

Guide to Flagler Beach

Primitive camping near Flagler Beach, Florida exists primarily in Ocala National Forest, with several dispersed sites requiring careful preparation and navigation. Located in USDA Hardiness Zone 9a, this region experiences mild winters with occasional frost and hot, humid summers with average temperatures reaching 92°F from June through September. Annual rainfall exceeds 50 inches, concentrated during summer thunderstorm season from May through October.

What to do

Kayaking and paddleboarding: Access points like St. Johns River dispersed camping spot provide excellent water entry. "Right next to the river and the trees open up so you get a great view of the stars," notes Mike D. about this St. Johns River Dispersed Spot.

Hiking historic trails: Explore the 1.2-mile interpretive Davenport Landing Trail leading to a former steamboat landing. Stuart K. explains, "If you have an explorer's mindset, you'll be richly rewarded here as there is a small gravesite from the Civil War that you can find along with middens along the Ocklawaha River hiding traces of the Timucuan Indians that once populated this area" at Davenport Landing.

Fishing opportunities: Many sites offer direct water access for fishing. According to David P., "Pulled in around 9:30 pm. Big open spot. Last 100 yards driving back in were very bumpy but no problem with our van."

What campers like

Seclusion and solitude: Several sites offer true wilderness experiences far from crowds. Adamm A. shares about Freak Creek: "It's super secluded and quiet. Depending when you stay there's at times people who show up to party and then leave. Sites are primitive. I would not attempt bringing a camper unless it's really small. Great place to put a kayak in the water."

Star-gazing: Limited light pollution makes forest camping ideal for night sky observation. At Freak Creek Dispersed Camping, campers find clear night skies when the tree canopy opens up in certain areas.

Wildlife viewing: The forest hosts diverse wildlife. Hilary G. mentions: "I talked to another person that use to go out there and said she has seen a panther. I've yet to see anything."

What you should know

Road conditions vary dramatically: Many access roads require high-clearance vehicles. "The main road in has huge deep ruts, the other road has a water crossing that was over my bumper on my lifted Mojave," warns hilary G. about Freak Creek. "If you don't have 4wd and recovery gear I wouldn't risk it."

Changing accessibility: Forest management activities can alter access routes. Destiny R. notes about Blue Sink: "You may need ATV or creative backpacking to get there now. The Forestry Service recently chopped down trees and covered the easy access roads."

Safety considerations: Some areas have developed safety concerns. Michael S. cautions about Lake Dorr: "Attempted to stay at this campground but left because it felt unsafe. Spoke to a local that warned of violence, robbery, and killings in this area of the national forest."

Tips for camping with families

Choose established sites: For families, sites like Davenport Landing offer more reliable access. Ethan B. reports: "We didn't see anything bad with this place when we were there. Had no one around and nice and cool in the forest."

Prepare for no facilities: Pack in all water, sanitation supplies, and waste disposal bags. Frank E. notes about Davenport Landing: "Primitive, no reservations, gets some traffic visiting historic site."

Scout during daylight: Arrive with several hours of daylight remaining to assess site conditions and set up. David P. advises: "Pulled in around 9:30 pm. Big open spot. Last 100 yards driving back in were very bumpy but no problem with our van. Not sure about a larger RV."

Tips from RVers

Size restrictions: Most dispersed sites cannot accommodate large RVs. At Freak Creek, Adamm A. advises: "I would not attempt bringing a camper unless it's really small."

Ground conditions: Sand and mud can create hazards for vehicles. Michael S. warns: "Got stuck in sand on the way out and had to wait for a tow truck. If you do decide to come to this campground, avoid north part of Ron Paul Drive. You'll either get stuck in sand or have issues to low/tight trees."

Site selection: Carefully assess sites before committing to parking. "Big open spot. Last 100 yards driving back in were very bumpy but no problem with our van. Not sure about a larger RV," notes David P.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Flagler Beach, FL?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Flagler Beach, FL is Davenport Landing with a 3.1-star rating from 8 reviews.

What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Flagler Beach, FL?

TheDyrt.com has all 5 dispersed camping locations near Flagler Beach, FL, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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