Mary B.
Scout
ScoutFore Lake Campground
Roads are rough, Bathrooms are clean, host seemed like a good guy. Here during off season but the beach looked like fun
Tent Camping near Flagler Beach, FL
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Tent camping options near Flagler Beach, Florida include several established campgrounds with waterfront access and primitive sites. Princess Place Preserve offers spacious tent sites with water views, while Haw Creek Preserve State Park provides a more remote dispersed camping experience. Cedar Creek Campground in Matanzas State Forest and Freak Creek Dispersed Camping offer additional tent camping opportunities within driving distance of Flagler Beach.
Most tent sites in the area require advance reservations, particularly at Princess Place Preserve where waterfront campsites are in high demand. Campsites typically include fire rings, picnic tables, and designated tent pads, though amenities vary significantly between locations. Princess Place Preserve's Moody Campground features wooden tent platforms and nearby porta-potties, while more primitive options like Haw Creek lack standard facilities. Non-potable water is available at some locations, but campers should bring their own drinking water as potable water is limited throughout the region.
The tent camping experience near Flagler Beach offers excellent access to natural Florida ecosystems including salt marshes, blackwater streams, and oak hammocks. Sites at Princess Place Preserve provide direct water access for kayaking and fishing, with spacious, shaded areas under live oaks draped with Spanish moss. According to one visitor at Princess Place Preserve - Moody Campground, "The camp sites are huge. The tent sites are elevated which should help keep the soil dryer in case of rain." Primitive camping at Haw Creek offers greater seclusion with a wooden plank pathway leading to the camping area. Wildlife viewing opportunities abound throughout the region, with campers reporting sightings of deer, osprey, and various bird species. Visitors use The Dyrt to find real feedback on camping near Flagler Beach, Florida.
Best Tent Campgrounds near Flagler Beach (42)
1. Princess Place Preserve
"It’s obvious Princess place is lovingly cared for by the Rangers and administration. Everything is designed to provide a peaceful enjoyable experience."
"There are multiple hiking trails, and plenty of places to fish. Dock Site 2 had water on 2 side of the site, and had a steady breeze during our whole visit."
from $20 / night
Check Availability2. Moody Campground - Princess Place Preserve
"This is an excellent place to pitch a tent and spend time in nature without traveling far. Great hiking trails and the Pelicer Creek is available for fishing. Bring a kayak."
"Self check in process at the Ranger station was a breeze. Found my site easily. Sites are well spaced with a lot of well cared for nature park areas between. Moody sites are all on the water."
from $20 - $25 / night
Check Availability3. Youth Primitive Campground - Tomoka State Park
"There were scattered concrete slabs around various areas of the campground – some with picnic tables bolted into the ground, while others were bare – the latter of which we used to organize our tent kitchen"
4. Cedar Creek Campground — Matanzas State Forest
"It’s more primitive than anything in my opinion. Star gazing out here is absolutely immaculate. The sites here are pretty large. You could fit several tents in these sites. Some limited service."
"Amazing stars -- great view of incredible moon.As one of the other commenters wrote --- its amazing you are 10 minutes from a major highway yet feel like you are 1000 miles from anywhere. "
from $9 / night
Check Availability5. Haw Creek Preserve State Park Dispersed
"So here’s a strong call out to all of those primitive campers that want to rock it out in nature without a SINGLE soul within spitting (or hearing) distance. But you know what?"
6. Matanzas State Forest Group Campground
"Augustine, the group campground here feels like stepping into a slice of Old Florida: untamed, tranquil and blissfully simple."
"Primitive. Secluded. You would never know the highway was 15 minutes away and 20 minutes to town. A nice break from the crowded campsites of Florida."
from $20 / night
Check Availability7. River to Sea Preserve Campground
8. Pellicer Campground - Princess Place Preserve
9. Braddock's Point Group Campground - Moses Creek Recreation Area
10. Buddy Martin Road Campsite - Lake George Forest WMA
"Beautiful campsite right on Lake George. No bathrooms or electrical hookups. Gorgeous views and easy kayak access"
from $15 / night
Check Availability
Drive Time
- 50 min from Deltona, FL
- 1 hr 4 min from Jacksonville, FL
- 1 hr 34 min from Ocala, FL
- 1 hr 46 min from Wildwood, FL
Recent Tent Camping Photos near Flagler Beach, FL
24 Photos of 42 Flagler Beach Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Youth Primitive Campground - Tomoka State Park
Moody Campground - Princess Place PreserveL
Princess Place Preserve
Cedar Creek Campground — Matanzas State Forest
River Road Campground — Lake George State ForestM
Bluff LandingB
Etoniah Creek State Forest Green Camp
J.P. Hall Bayard Conservation AreaN
Black Bear Wilderness Area
Tent Camping Reviews near Flagler Beach, FL
850 Reviews of 42 Flagler Beach Campgrounds
Eric K.
GuideLake Dorr Dispersed
Lake Dorr Dispersed Camping
Spent two nights here again. Sept. 27th and 28th. During the day time there were a lot of Love Bugs. My camping kitty loved chasing them. At night or at sun down I was bombarded with bugs. Even if I tried to attract them to a higher light and I was in the dark, didn't help. So this time of the year, sunset = go inside.
Also, the description above is wrong.
This dispersed camping area within Ocala National Forest DOES NOT provide water hookups, restrooms, and picnic tables along with standard amenities like trash service and campfire permissions.
The campground DOES NOT maintain water availability throughout the site and DOES NOT HAVE ANY clean restroom facilities.
Other than that, I will be back.
- Eric K.Guide
Lake Dorr Dispersed
Lake Dorr Dispersed camping
Spent two nights here again. September 27th and 28th. This is a great dispersed camping area. You only need to know your limits with soft sand. During the day there were a lot of love bugs and the water was great. As soon as the sun sets, at this time of the year the bugs were terrible. Even if you tried to attract them up in the air with a Devos light you will be bombarded. Sunset = go inside. Other than the night time bugs, it's a great place. I will be back.
- BBrian B.Guide
Faver-Dykes State Park Campground
Best state park I stayed in
This place is out nice roads getting in here as a brackish Creek great fishing boats very clean spots are spread out nicely, groomed, fire pits, and picnic tables easy access right off 95
- Stuart K.
LegendMatanzas State Forest Group Campground
Coastal Gem Hidden in the Thick Pines
Nestled within the longleaf pine flatwoods of Matanzas State Forest just south of St. Augustine, the group campground here feels like stepping into a slice of Old Florida: untamed, tranquil and blissfully simple. Managed by the Florida Forest Service, this rustic site lies within the Pellicer Creek Corridor, where the air is thick with pine and salt, and the forest floor hums with life. The drive-in sets the tone where a canopy of oaks shrouded with Spanish moss gives way to open meadows and whispering wetlands before revealing the group camping area, which I must admit, is NOT the easiest place to find, but once you do, you’ll discover a wide, sandy clearing ideal for tents, both large and small as well as, of course, hammocks, which are perfect to absorb the shade that this space offers.
So, insofar as getting to this location is concerned, basically, once you enter Matanzas SF on Double Gate Road from US1, you’ll essentially drive east until you have the opportunity to drive north before you wind up in the NE corner of the forest. There’s a lot of possible pathways you could take that will get you lost, but basically, you would have to be driving down non-cleared roads that have signs indicating you can’t drive on these pathways anyway. Your GPS will work out here and I would suggest you follow the roads on TheDyrt mobile app to guide you to this location as it is spot on. But when you do arrive, you’ll discover a simple parking lot with about 4 different pathways leading in opposing directions – so which one to take? That’s the greatest question you’ll find yourself asking. Here’s what you want to do – just stay in your car and keep driving north down the path that has tire marks on it and within 50 yards, it will drop you off at the Group Campground.
Facilities are modest but well-kept: there’s an oversized fire ring with foldable grill as well as single oversized, double-sided stand-up BBQ grill, about a half dozen picnic tables (with half being delapidated and the other half brand spanking new), a single port-a-potty and no potable water or source of electricity. What this spot lacks in amenities though makes up for in serenity. This is the kind of place where your morning alarm is a woodpecker’s knock and your evening entertainment is a campfire under a sky thick with stars. The surrounding trails and forest roads connect to the Pellicer Creek Aquatic Preserve and the Graham Swamp Trail System, offering plenty of opportunities for hiking, biking, paddling and spotting wildlife like egrets, deer, and the occasional wild turkey.
Although secluded, the campground is only about 20 minutes from Ancient City and 10 minutes from Palm Coast, making supply runs and day trips easy. For essentials, stop by the Publix Super Market on Palm Coast Parkway, the Shell gas station at US-1 and Old Kings Road, or the nearby Tractor Supply for ice and camping odds and ends. There’s no REI or Bass Pro Shop within 10 miles, but Academy Sports+ Outdoors is the best bet for outdoor gear and fishing tackle, although that's going to be a hike (er, long drive) from here.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a handful: (1) The group site’s best tent placement is on the southern edge of the clearing where the pines provide late-day shade and natural wind protection; (2) Bring plenty of water as there’s no potable water here; (3) For kayaking or canoeing, head to the Pellicer Creek launch on nearby Old Kings Road for calm water and beautiful tidal scenery; (4) Trails in Matanzas can flood after heavy rain, so check conditions with the Forest Service before arriving; (5) Wildlife lovers should keep an eye out for gopher tortoises along the sandy roads and hawks circling above the pine canopy – on our visit, we were blessed to see an adolescent black panther; and (6) When it’s time to eat, reward yourself with a laid-back bite of a Surfin’ Cali burrito at nearby Jimmy Hula’s or an elegant dinner of steak pom frites at Le Bouchon Brasserie in the historic district of the country’s oldest city.
Happy Camping!
Thomas B.
RangerAnastasia State Park Campground
Great for Smaller Rigs
Had a short stay at Anastasia and it was a nice, shaded site that was pleasant for August. It is very busy and active and the beach is just a 5 minute walk away. I have a 50ft rig (30 ft trailer, 20 ft truck) and got caught in a really bad spot after going down the wrong road. Rig fits great it the site, just have to be very cautious. Some foliage blocked the sign I was looking for as I tried to accommodate the many cyclists. Also had the unfortunate experience of a neighbor with a highly aggressive dog. The place itself was very pleasant and much cooler than what we have been experiencing.
Jessica S.ScoutDaytona's Endless Summer Campground
Daytona
Beautiful. Friendly and fun
- Stuart K.Legend
Candace R. Strawn-Lake Dias Park
Quiet Lakeside Getaway Near De Leon Springs
Tucked away at 5320 State Road 11 in De Leon Springs, Candace R. Strawn on Lake Dias Park is a modest (read: not a whole lot here), but charming lakeside retreat for tent campers and minimalist RVers who crave calm over crowds. Twenty to thirty wooded acres cradle flat, shaded ground just steps from the peaceful waters of Lake Dias. With fewer neighbors, the sound of wind effortlessly blowing through the encircling pines, an incessant chorus of crickets and the gentle ripples emanating from Lake Dias are your evening soundtrack. My favorite part about the layout here is that there's an interior road that you'll need to access off State Road 11 that creates a sound buffer between you and the traffic swishing by.
The campground is quite basic with just a community boat launch, recently upgraded playground, a few picnic pavilions equipped with standard-issued picnic tables, stand-up adjustable grills, dated, but fairly clean restrooms and RV-friendly parking. No frills, no resorts. It’s not packed with amenities like pools or clubhouses, but instead offers level ground, easy lake access - so if you have fishing on your mind, this place is AMAZING - and a sense of being tucked into nature without all the big crowds. Fishing, kayaking or launching small boats from the ramp are top draws here.
Supplies and dining options are just a short drive away. The nearby town of De Leon Springs offers local grocery markets like Winn-Dixie in De Leon Springs or Walmart Supercenter in Deland and convenience stores on the long winding roads in between the thickly forested wooded wonderland you find yourself surrounded by and civilization. If you’re looking for a bit to eat, cupcakes and brunch await at the nearby Sugar Mill Restaurant located inside of De Leon Springs SP, which if you haven't been to an actual spring before, is DEFINITELY worth checking out. For outdoor gear or camping extras, the closest full-service hardware or sporting shop is in DeLand. And when it’s time for a meal after the campfire, you’ll find good fare at Lillian’s Dutch Bakery & Restaurant in De Leon Springs or Solid Ground Coffee Bar in DeLand for a latte and pastries.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a handful: (1) Choose one of the lake-side sites near the boat ramp for the best morning light and serenity; (2) Launch a kayak or canoe early from the free ramp to enjoy glassy water and quiet wildlife when morning is the most ideal; (3) Bring extra insect repellent as mosquitoes and no-see-ums can be active near the water at dusk and especially during the summer and shoulder seasons; (4) Shade is generous, but if you’re arriving mid-summer, consider pitching closer to the tree line for optimal breeze and cooler temps; (5) The park is pet-friendly, so your dog can enjoy walks along the rack of pines and lakeshore - but do be sure not to tie Fido to a tree or leave him alone for any length of time otherwise he'll make an appetizing snack for the gators; and (6) Weekends may get a little busier from local boaters, so consider arriving mid-week for maximum quietude.
Happy Camping!
Yi S.ScoutRiverside Camping — Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area at Flagler Beach
Just for the night
Just for the night. The view wasn't great, and it cost $45 per night.
Guide to Flagler Beach
Tent campsites near Flagler Beach, Florida nestle within maritime hammocks and hardwood forests where temperatures average 80°F in summer months with high humidity. Primitive camping options range from designated campgrounds with wooden platforms to secluded dispersed sites along blackwater creeks. Camping requires advance planning as summer rain patterns typically bring afternoon thunderstorms from June through September.
What to do
Kayaking at Princess Place Preserve: Launch directly from waterfront sites at Moody Campground where the Matanzas River and Pellicer Creek meet. The access point allows for exploration of salt marshes, creeks, and waterways within the preserve system. According to Taylor at Princess Place Preserve, "I stayed in equestrian site 1 (EQ1) and was amazed by how much space there was and how far we were from others. Surrounded by stunning, natural Florida habitat! We saw deer more frequently than we saw other humans."
Hiking Hominy Trail: This 2.5-mile marked trail traverses through diverse Florida ecosystems with opportunities for wildlife viewing. The trailhead starts near the ranger station and crosses through oak hammocks and palmetto forests. A visitor at Princess Place Preserve - Moody Campground notes, "This is an excellent place to pitch a tent and spend time in nature without traveling far. Great hiking trails and the Pelicer Creek is available for fishing."
Stargazing from secluded sites: The remoteness of camping areas like Cedar Creek Campground provides exceptional night sky viewing with minimal light pollution. Gary G. from Cedar Creek Campground — Matanzas State Forest shared, "Amazing stars -- great view of incredible moon. It's amazing you are 10 minutes from a major highway yet feel like you are 1000 miles from anywhere."
What campers like
Private water access: Many campsites feature personal docks or direct shoreline access for fishing and wildlife viewing. A camper at Princess Place Preserve remarked, "PPP's camp sites have docks where you can pull a boat up if you are fishing. Some of the tent campsites are directly on one of the small rivers that empties into the Intercostal."
Site separation and privacy: Flagler Beach area campgrounds typically offer generous spacing between sites. According to Stuart K. at Haw Creek Preserve State Park Dispersed, "Unlike many other primitive campground sites, this particular spot is somewhat easy to access – in that there's a perfectly fabricated wooden plank pathway to follow...Once you reach the end of the constructed wooden pathway, you'll enter a wide-open swath of pasture, wherein you can throw down any and all of your camping domiciles for the night."
Natural immersion with basic amenities: Tent camping near Flagler Beach combines primitive settings with sufficient facilities. One camper at Cedar Creek Campground noted, "The sites here are pretty large. You could fit several tents in these sites. If you value peace and quiet you will love this campsite."
What you should know
Water availability limitations: Most tent camping areas near Flagler Beach provide non-potable water only, if any. Angie A. at Princess Place Preserve - Moody Campground observed, "Each site has room to drive in as well as plenty of tent space. 2 tables, a grill, and fire ring. The shower house is a short walk and clean for a camp ground. There's also outhouses interspersed for a quicker convenience."
Access challenges: Many dispersed camping locations require careful navigation on unpaved roads. At Freak Creek Dispersed Camping, a camper warned, "The main road in has huge deep ruts, the other road has a water crossing that was over my bumper on my lifted Mojave...If you don't have 4wd and recovery gear I wouldn't risk it."
Seasonal considerations: Summer brings mosquitoes and afternoon thunderstorms while winter offers more comfortable camping conditions. Ellen E. at Hontoon Island State Park advised, "Mosquitos are thick, bring bug spray! Watch for snakes."
Tips for camping with families
Pack extra supplies: Limited facilities at most primitive sites mean families must bring all essentials. A visitor to Hontoon Island State Park Campground explained, "All camping supplies must be brought over by boat in wheelbarrows provides by the parks services. Once on the island there is a small store where you can buy firewood and any miscellaneous items you might have forgotten."
Consider ferry-accessible options: For a unique family adventure, Hontoon Island State Park offers boat-access only camping. Billy A. noted, "This is a unique park to camp in. You can come on your own boat or take the free ferry over (donations are encouraged). The campsites are about a half mile from the docks and they even have a van to take your stuff to your site if you can't take it yourself."
Choose sites with recreational variety: Some campgrounds offer multiple activities in close proximity. Megan K. at Hontoon Island State Park shared, "Staff is super friendly with lots of trail suggestions, lots of hiking options, and very quiet, secluded rustic camping sites."
Tips from RVers
Limited RV accommodation: Most tent camping areas near Flagler Beach lack proper RV hookups or access. Adamm A. from Freak Creek Dispersed Camping cautioned, "I would not attempt bringing a camper unless it's really small. Great place to put a kayak in the water."
Equestrian site advantages: RV campers with smaller rigs should consider equestrian sites. B H. at Princess Place Preserve observed, "Equestrian campsites are nice and spacious, most sites are fairly big-rig friendly. The equestrian campsites have a garbage or two, fire ring, picnick table, 14 x 14 horse pens."
Generator restrictions: Many camping areas prohibit generator use to maintain the natural quiet. Stuart K. at Matanzas State Forest noted, "Whatever you want/need to eat, bring it with you," highlighting the need for self-sufficiency without power sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent
campsite near Flagler Beach, FL?
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Flagler Beach, FL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Flagler Beach, FL is Princess Place Preserve with a 4.9-star rating from 10 reviews.
What is the best site to find
tent camping near
Flagler Beach, FL?
What is the best site to find tent camping near Flagler Beach, FL?
TheDyrt.com has all 42 tent camping locations near Flagler Beach, FL, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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