Withlacoochee State Forest offers numerous pet-friendly camping opportunities around Floral City in central Florida's subtropical region. At an elevation of approximately 40-50 feet above sea level, these campgrounds experience mild winters with occasional frost and hot, humid summers with frequent afternoon thunderstorms. Most sites provide 30/50-amp electrical service and fire rings, with varying levels of shade depending on location.
What to do
Hiking the Citrus Trail system: The Croom Tract contains extensive hiking options with various difficulty levels and lengths. "My group goes to this campground several times a year due to the location to home and for being able to play off road in the surrounding trail system. We ride up on our adventure motorcycles, setup camp then go play all day on the trails," notes a visitor to Mutual Mine Campground.
Kayaking and canoeing: Access the Withlacoochee River system at several points. "We enjoyed the water and the trails in the area. The day time nature is great. Then at night we got to hear different creatures of the night," reports a camper at River Junction Campground.
Cave exploration: Some areas of the forest contain small limestone caves. "The people we met here showed us a great trail you can hike on that brings you to some awesome caves, yes in Florida, that you could explore in," shares a visitor to Holder Mine Campground.
Equestrian activities: Designated horse trails exist throughout the forest. "The stalls are awesome and you can ride right from the campground on to miles of trails in the Withlacoochee forest!" explains a visitor to Tillis Hill Equestrian Campground.
What campers like
Private, secluded sites: Many campgrounds offer good separation between sites. "The spacious, private campsites were a plus. It truly felt like we were camping alone in the forest and the kids loved getting to explore," writes a visitor about Crooked River Campground.
Night wildlife sounds: The forest comes alive after dark with various wildlife. "The coyotes at night is one of the coolest things to listen to at night. Do be scared get out and find adventure," notes a camper at River Junction Campground.
Swimming options: Several campgrounds have swimming areas. "Once done retreat to camp and cool off in the waters of the mine pond," says a reviewer about Mutual Mine Campground.
Convenient access: Most campgrounds are accessible with standard vehicles. "Easy drive down a hard packed gravel road. Lots of shaded options to pitch a tent, facilities (showers) were clean and plenty (3-4 shower stalls)," reports a visitor to Cypress Glen Campground.
What you should know
Weather conditions: Summer temperatures regularly exceed 90°F with high humidity. "We camped here for 4 days. Weekends have a different vibe on the weekdays it's quiet. Each campground has its primitive camp charm all come with a picnic table, parking spot, a wooden pole you can hang your garbage, and a water spout near by. Overall we had a great time it's clean, there's mosquitoes but that is Florida camping bring bug spray and keep the fire going helps," advises a camper at Crooked River Campground.
Road quality: Access roads vary from paved to rough dirt. "The road in called SW 113 ST was hardcore off road muddy driving. We pay for the sites so the road in could have been a lot less treacherous. Potholes all the way to the site," warns a visitor to River Junction Campground.
Security features: Many campgrounds use gate codes. "This was a great spot. We visited during the week and hardly had any neighbors. There is a gate code to get in which made me feel very safe and secure," shares a reviewer about Mutual Mine Campground.
Seasonal closures: Some facilities operate on reduced capacity during off-seasons. "We have camped here several times. Due to Covid there are no camp hosts in the RV camping areas and no one is working at the check-in station. The ranger drives through a couple times a day," notes a visitor to Cypress Glen Campground.
Tips for camping with families
Water activities for cooling off: Children enjoy the water access points. "The walk to the river from our site was so worth it. We loved exploring the trail and then letting the kids play in the water while we tried to catch some bass... no luck there. But we should have known. The kids really loved cooling off in the river and catching frogs, they all agree that this was there favorite part," shares a family at Crooked River Campground.
Site selection for shade: Choose sites carefully for comfort in hot weather. "It was huge and secluded! Our kids were able to run around and be noisy and we weren't worried about annoying our neighbors. My only 'complaints' are that it flooded very quickly during the few thunderstorms we experienced and there was some poison ivy in an easy to run into area. Worth noting," advises a parent about Crooked River Campground.
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Many families enjoy the abundant wildlife. "Wildlife was crazy the night we stayed. Like others have said, make sure to bring in everything you need as it's a hike back to civilization," mentions a visitor to Hog Island Campground.
Quick trips from urban areas: These campgrounds serve as good weekend getaways. "I will definitely be back to camp here for a long weekend when we can't get away for a big trip," notes a camper at Trails End RV Park.
Tips from RVers
Site leveling challenges: Some sites require significant leveling. "We booked site #50. The site was level for us because my trailer is small but some leveling would be required for bigger rig. Some of the outer loop sites Had steep drop offs," advises an RVer at Cypress Glen Campground.
Dump station availability: Check current status of dump facilities. "The dump station is no longer in use so you have to use the bath house or dump elsewhere but don't question Ms. Personality on it....trust me!" warns a visitor to Holder Mine Campground.
Site size considerations: Research site dimensions before booking. "Try to get a sense of the space before picking your site. The photos etc made it look like easy back-in but gets are some sites with trees very close and the lane is super narrow. I had a rough time backing in, even with help because there wasn't room to pull forward to maneuver," suggests an RVer at Tillis Hill Equestrian Campground.
Hookup details: Confirm available utilities before arrival. "Overall a great place to spend some time... This keeps the big rigs out and campers who want to bring their entire house with them. What no electricity really means to us is we can't camp at Hog Island in the Summer because what we do like on weekends is sleep we don't get during the work week. Just too hot without AC for us," explains a visitor to Hog Island Campground.
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