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
Camping near Florahome, FL
240 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
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Florahome, Florida is surrounded by diverse camping environments ranging from state parks to recreational areas and private campgrounds. Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park, located approximately 15 miles northwest of Florahome, offers tent sites, RV spots with electric hookups, and rustic cabins built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Etoniah Creek State Forest Green Camp provides primitive camping options along hiking and equestrian trails. The camping landscape includes several mixed-use campgrounds supporting both tent and RV camping, with some facilities like Rooterville Animal Sanctuary offering unique glamping options in covered wagons.
Many campsites require advance reservations, particularly during peak winter and spring months when northern visitors seek Florida's milder climate. Road access varies throughout the region, with some areas requiring navigation of sandy or gravel roads. A reviewer described Etoniah Creek State Forest as having "campgrounds about 4 miles in on bikeable hard roads" with "six sites that have picnic tables, lots of room, fire ring with grate, BBQ grills, a latrine nearby." Summer temperatures regularly exceed 90°F with high humidity, while winter nights can occasionally dip below freezing. Most campgrounds remain open year-round, though seasonal flooding may affect access to certain areas, particularly after heavy rainfall.
Campers consistently highlight the natural features and wildlife viewing opportunities in the area. Several visitors mentioned the excellent hiking trails, with Gold Head Branch State Park receiving particular praise for its ravine system and spring-fed creek. Based on reviews from The Dyrt, the cabins at Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park are popular with families, with one camper noting it was "great for family camping thanks to the restroom/bathing facilities." Wildlife sightings commonly include white-tailed deer, various bird species, and occasionally black bears. The region's lakes and streams provide fishing and paddling opportunities, with Little Lake Johnson at Gold Head Branch State Park offering swimming, boating, and fishing. Most developed campgrounds provide basic amenities including picnic tables, fire rings, and access to restrooms, while primitive sites typically require self-sufficiency.
Best Campgrounds near Florahome (240)
1. Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park Campground & Cabins
"The Florida State Trail passes through the park and is well marked. The ravines section is my favorite area in the park. In the greener months, it feels like a rain forest."
"The Florida Trail is my favorite part of my visits. The cabin we stayed in was small but nice. The ravines are gorgeous. You can access it with a vehicle, but you must walk down many stairs."
from $20 - $100 / night
Check Availability2. Rodman Campground
"Sites 1-39 are not near the Florida Trail but it was not a bad walk to the other side of the campground to get to the trail. Would stay again."
"This peaceful campground provides a serene setting surrounded by towering pines and lush Florida foliage."
from $12 - $22 / night
Check Availability3. 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 Availability4. Anastasia State Park Campground
"You really can have it all at this campground - with its 'next door' proximity to one of the most amazing beachheads on Florida's Atlantic coastline and quick access to the country's oldest town (St."
"Great location & in close proximity to St. Augustine. One of my favorite places to visit in Florida. If you've never been to St."
from $28 / night
Check Availability5. North Florida Christian Camp
"Tucked away just outside Keystone Heights, North Florida Christian Camp feels like a place designed more for connection than convenience, where winding sandy roads lead you beneath tall pines and into"
"I mostly stayed near the softball field but I saw they had a lot of fun stuff. Zip lines and a incredibly beautiful beach.
Also there was comfy cabins"
6. Etoniah Creek State Forest Green Camp
"Located just about 20 minutes due northwest of Palatka – dubbed ‘Florida’s State Farmers Market’ where you will easily discover that this north central town is teeming with fresh agriculture every which"
"Just off the Palatka-Lake Butler Bike trail. Campgrounds are About 4 miles in on bikeable hard roads. Six Sites have picnic tables, lots of room, fire ring with grate, bbq grills, a latrine nearby."
from $9 / night
Check Availability7. Connors Family Campsite
"You can do anything from buying an RV renting an RV a camper tent if you're not from around there bill will help you out overall great customer service"
8. Rooterville Animal Sanctuary
from $164 - $210 / night
Check Availability9. Starke-Gainesville NE KOA
"Just left STARK FLORIDA KOA. No shade but a huge amount of space between sites and set up on an angle which increased the sense of space. Sites had full hook up, elec, water, sewer."
"KOA - Stark, FL: We spent Christmas Eve here on our way to south Florida. Bill greeted us, took us to our site, guided us in. Very friendly reception."
from $34 - $58 / night
Check Availability10. Lake Oklawaha RV Park
"Neat trails and plan to return for summer and warmer weather and will bring atvs. Pet friendly. Seen a black bear roaming at night. John the firewood guy brought wood around for $10 in evening."
"Pluses: everything was really clean,
- there is a pool available,
- spacious dining hall,
- you have freedom to pick your own spot
- stunning lake view
- nice nature trail"
from $58400 - $120000 / night
Check Availability
Drive Time
- 29 min from Gainesville, FL
- 54 min from Ocala, FL
- 1 hr from Jacksonville, FL
- 1 hr 18 min from Wildwood, FL
Recent Camping Photos near Florahome, FL
354 Photos of 240 Florahome Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Rooterville Animal SanctuaryE
Etoniah Creek State Forest Green Camp
Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park Campground & Cabins
Dude Off Grid's Tent Sites
Cooper Lake RV Community
Free.To.Be- Van Site
Four Littles Farm, LLCJ
Rodman Campground
Lake Oklawaha RV Park
Camp Blanding RV Park
Half Shell Resortl
St Johns Campgrounds
Recent Reviews near Florahome, FL
1278 Reviews of 240 Florahome Campgrounds
Stacey R.
GuideSilver Springs State Park Campground
All amenities on site
Sites have full hookups which is awesome for a state park. Also picnic tables, grills and a fire pit. The sites are big and relatively private. To visit the spring you can hike or drive. Being you camping receipt to get in free. Glass bottom boat tour is $15 for adults but there is a nice walking path and you can see manatees in the spring from the shore. The restaurant was nice, good pizza!
- Stacey R.Guide
Cary State Forest Campground
Private site with thoughtful amenities
The six sites available are spread out in the Cary State Forest. You can see the tops of some RV’s but they’re not close. The site has a very nice picnic table, fire pit,benches around the fire pit, a free standing grill, water, electric and a concrete pad to park on with a tent site behind the pad. Grass is freshly cut and the site is clean!
Jarrod W.ScoutGinnie Springs Outdoors
Thrown out with no warning and no refund
I organized a group camping weekend here October 2 to 4, 2026. My group booked and paid for more than a dozen campsites and approximately 40 people, all next to each other, so the people around my site were my own friends. On Saturday afternoon we were sitting in our chairs when a security officer walked up and demanded that I lower my music. Nobody refused. I was turning it down as I explained that the music was for my whole group and that the neighbors around us were all our people. I also asked who had complained. Instead of answering, he snapped,"You do what I said and turn the music down." I told him I already had. With no attempt to calm things down, he shouted that we were out of there and had 30 minutes to pack up and leave. Nobody in my group raised a voice or got hostile. We were polite and we complied, and we were still treated like criminals. When we went to the front desk to report how he had behaved, the clerk made it clear that our whole group was the issue and that they were watching us and that I had to leave. That told me this was never about one speaker or lowering the music. We were singled out while other groups were left alone. I even heard from others that were allowed to stay, that they heard Spanish music blasting at 1am AFTER QUIET HOURS! So, why were we kicked out? Discrimination! No refund was offered. They kept our money for a stay they cut short. We have held several events here over the years, about 8 visits in the last three years. There will be ZERO in the future. The springs are beautiful, but the way security and the front desk treat paying guests is not. My group is taking our events and our money somewhere else!
- PPaul S.Guide
Ocean Pond Campground
Great Overnight Stay
A fantastic spot for an overnight camping stop in Florida. Beautiful surroundings with great hiking and cycling trails to explore. Perfect for anyone who enjoys the outdoors. Well worth a visit!
- 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
- dd I.Guide
Silver Springs State Park Campground
Enjoyed it
Great little spot, easy access to silver springs. Glass boat tour was cool - just the right amount of cruising time before little ones breaking points! Ice cream afterwards of course and good local pizza joint.
- 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.
Guide to Florahome
Camping spots near Florahome, Florida offer a mix of primitive forest sites and developed campgrounds across varied terrain. The region sits at low elevation with sandy soil that drains quickly after rain. Temperatures fluctuate between 30°F in winter to over 95°F in summer, making spring and fall popular camping seasons.
What to do
Explore local waterways: At Rodman Campground, visitors can enjoy fishing and boating on the reservoir. "We saw deer at dusk meandering through the woods," notes Jeff E., who also mentions that "its proximity to the Ocklawaha River and Rodman Reservoir allows campers to enjoy a variety of activities such as fishing, boating, kayaking, and wildlife viewing."
Practice wilderness skills: Green Camp in Etoniah Creek State Forest provides opportunities for solitude and hiking. "Just off the Palatka-Lake Butler Bike trail. Campgrounds are About 4 miles in on bikeable hard roads," writes Brian K., who adds that "Etonia Creek is a couple miles from camp but a beautiful destination on its own."
Interact with rescued animals: For a unique experience, Rooterville Animal Sanctuary offers camping alongside their sanctuary. Ashley F. describes it as "the country experience of a lifetime" and mentions "the covered wagons and the cute lights that guide you home in the evening." The sanctuary requests that campers not cook meat on property and leave pets at home.
What campers like
Spacious, shaded sites: Lake Oklawaha RV Park receives praise for its generous camping areas. One visitor mentioned that "we enjoyed this campground. We had plenty of room. The campground was quiet," though they noted "the check-in process was unorganized."
Clean facilities: Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park consistently earns high marks for maintenance. According to Gina E., "The bathhouse was clean and well kept. Good size campsites with fire ring, picnic table, water and electricity. Our camp site was partially shaded."
Excellent hiking trails: Many campers appreciate the local trail systems. At Mike Roess, one camper noted it has "very nice hikes and birding abound! Amazing sunrises with the birds at the lakes. It's quiet, and the sites are relatively private." Another visitor called it "very woodsy, plenty of walking trails, even a spring to take a dip in, if you dare!!"
What you should know
Noise considerations: Some campgrounds experience periodic noise. At Rodman Campground, a camper warns: "IF there is an 'ALL HOURS WEEKEND' at the nearby Hog Waller Campground and ATV Resort (right across the river), then the trails remain open 24 hours and you will not have any tranquility or relaxation all night."
Limited amenities at primitive sites: While many campgrounds offer full facilities, primitive sites require self-sufficiency. Brian K. notes that Etoniah Creek sites have "picnic tables, lots of room, fire ring with grate, bbq grills, a latrine nearby."
Seasonal crowds: Salt Springs Recreation Area gets busy during peak times. Stuart K. advises: "Like most natural springs, as the day progresses, the spring will get busier and busier, so I always recommend if you are camping at a spring...that you chose to go either early or later in the day."
Tips for camping with families
Book specific cabins: Reserve early for family-friendly accommodations. Joseph A. described his Gold Head Branch experience as having "great visit. Got 2 sites and had more family start camping with us. Kids loved the scenery for hiking and pictures."
Plan water activities: Springs maintain constant temperatures year-round. "We have stayed here many times. In cabins or in tent. We like to hike which there is plenty of. Canoe which they rent. Firewood is available," notes Jenn B. about Salt Springs.
Consider campground layouts: Some layouts work better for family camping. Gina E. reported that at Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park, "We went camping with the family and dog. The bathhouse was clean and well kept. Good size campsites with fire ring, picnic table, water and electricity."
Tips from RVers
Research RV pad features: At Cooper Lake RV Community, pads come with extensive amenities. According to Stuart K., the campground features "about 50 or so pull-through and back-in RV slots complete with full hook-ups (50 amp electric at every site along with water and sewage)."
Look for shaded sites: Florida heat makes tree cover valuable. Tom & Shar S. describe Cooper Lake as "Quiet, friendly park away from the hustle & bustle. Close to St. Augustine, Gainesville, and Ocala."
Check road conditions: Access roads vary widely in quality. Access to some campgrounds requires careful navigation, especially after rain when sandy roads can become difficult to traverse.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Florahome, FL?
What camping is available near Florahome, FL?
According to TheDyrt.com, Florahome, FL offers a wide range of camping options, with 240 campgrounds and RV parks near Florahome, FL and 7 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Florahome, FL?
Which is the most popular campground near Florahome, FL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Florahome, FL is Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park Campground & Cabins with a 4.5-star rating from 32 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Florahome, FL?
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Florahome, FL?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 7 free dispersed camping spots near Florahome, FL.
What parks are near Florahome, FL?
What parks are near Florahome, FL?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 4 parks near Florahome, FL that allow camping, notably National Forests in Florida and Ocala National Forest.
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