Searching for the perfect place to pitch your tent near Gulf Hammock? Find the best information on tent camping near Gulf Hammock, including sites, reviews, and tips for getting the most out of your camping experience. From remote to easy-to-reach, these Gulf Hammock campsites are perfect for tent campers.
$10 - $15 / night
Wildflower Ranch is situated on 20 acres and offers two private tent campsites and one private cabin. We are dog friendly, and have fencing around the entire property. Campers have a flushing toilet and potable water available.
Wildflower Ranch is close to dozens of crystal clear natural springs and rivers, bike trails, hiking trails, state parks, and more. We are ideally located in North Central Florida, so many of your Florida outdoor bucket list adventures are within reach.
Grab eggs from the coop and produce from the garden to enjoy in the morning with breakfast. Go for a nearby adventure on or in the water in the afternoon, and come back to enjoy the starry night sky. Thanks to our rural setting, we have some of the darkest skies in Florida.
$25 - $35 / night
$10 / night
We are a 12.5 acre campground on the Sante Fe River.
We have cabins as well as primitive car campsites directly on the river as well. See the following distances:
Ginnie Springs - 6 miles
Blue Springs - 9 miles
Ichetucknee Springs - 4 miles
Gainesville - 38 miles
Rum 138 - 8 miles
Lake City - 27 miles
White Springs - 38 miles
Branford - 13 miles
High Springs - 12 miles
Dollar General - 3 miles
Publix - 15 miles
Bobs River Place - 20 miles
$45 - $105 / night
Idlewild was founded in 1992 by William T Davis as a fish camp for those who knew how many bass are swimming and living in the spring-fed waters of Lake Panasoffkee. It’s built on 3 acres with 10 cabins, 10 RV pads. While small, it is not short on amenities. Positioned as a boutique lodge, large groups may find it ideal to host private events. Families will find the amenities to be entertaining while also serving as a unique, but truly “Floridian,” nature experience. Located on the western perimeter of Lake Panasoffkee, Idlewild sits across a 9,911 acre state park preserving Lake Panasoffkee's vast floodplain forest, natural springs, pine flat-woods, freshwater marshes and oak scrub forest.
Recognizing the beauty Lake Panasoffkee has to offer, the current owners revitalized Idlewild in 2022 welcoming residents and tourists alike to enjoy the natural beauty and fishing opportunities Lake Pan has to offer. In addition to cabin renovations and pavered RV sites, Idlewild now features additional premium amenities including pontoon boat rentals, kayaks, bait & tackle, a concrete boat launch, boat slips, vending, recreational area, laundry machines, an on-site café, pool-side cabanas, and the most spectacular views of Lake Pan while sitting around the gas-fired fire pit. For those seeking a bit more adventure, Idlewild is host to Swamp Fever Airboat Adventures. Swamp Fever guests can sign up for the interactive alligator experience and ride an airboat deep into the shallow waters of the Lake Panasoffkee enchanted forest where snakes, turtles, cranes, and alligators are aplenty.
$74 - $255 / night
$18 / night
2.5 acre quiet country parcel is a cleared and maintained corner lot with 2-wells and septic in place. There are several trees still in place on the property for nicely shaded areas. Location-wise, the property is highly convenient to HWY 349 and less than an hour away from the Gulf Coast. Several parks and campgrounds are nearby, as is the Suwannee River for additional fishing and boating options. This property is a great option for those looking to enjoy a quiet countryside location with plenty of outdoor space for FUN! Visit the beach one hour away!
$10 - $20 / night
$15 - $30 / night
A private treelined driveway leads to the back of the property to the primitive campsite where the deer have a regular route along with other forest animals. Goats, chickens (including a rooster), dogs and cats are domesticated nearby.
Birds especially love this area and the serenade gets better each year with a wide variety of bird songs. Owls reside nearby and bats have also been known to fly in the sundowning sky! Make sure to bring your blankets for sitting around the campfire and stargazing as temps still get into the 50s and 60s overnight.
Whether you're in need of forest bathing, a dip in real fresh spring water (always around 70F or 21C degrees year round!) or looking to explore by water or land, this is a great location for a base to launch from and enjoy nearby fresh water swimming, paddling, boating or fishing via public parks and private outfitters. Close to Gilchrist Blue Springs and Ichetucknee State Parks, Rum Island Park, and Ginnie Springs Recreation Park.
You can enjoy this private and serene primitive camping area in a forested riverfront neighborhood with a great public boat ramp a short walk away. The camping site is about one-half acre with cleared areas for tents and vehicles. A picnic table and two fire rings are provided; one has a grill. Spring well water access currently via hose. BATHHOUSE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION!
Check out updated pictures from Moonlit Avenue here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10159430995895957&type=3
Booking includes:
One Car Pass to Rum Island Park available ($5 value). Suggestion: Bring cash if you have additional vehicles that need park access.
Remember, we only accept one reservation at a time so get with your family and friends and book a date for the woods!
THE AREA:
The location provides easy access to all the area's rivers and springs, to paddle, swim or fish as well as great shops and restaurants in nearby High Springs or visit our newest addition, The Collective Food Truck Park in nearby Fort White.
Check out one of our favorite neighbors, Rum 138 @ Rum138.com! They offer rentals for kayaks and canoes, provide shuttle services and have the latest info on best places to visit on the Santa Fe River. They also host live music and a farmers market on Sunday mornings. Whether you're looking for information or even local art work about the area springs and rivers, or just a cold beer on a hot afternoon, Rum 138 has it all!
If you're interested in the Ichetucknee River, visit the state park located near by where tubing, kayaking or just exploring the river forest area great experiences! https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/ichetucknee-springs-state-park
Fort White, Florida was constructed in 1836 as a military fort during the Second Seminole War. The purpose of the fort was to protect the Cow Creek Settlement. Supplies were brought up the Santa Fe River by steamboat and were distributed from Fort White to other nearby forts and settlers.
The Town of Fort White is located directly off several main thoroughfares; US Hwy. 27, US Hwy. 47, and CR 18, near several State Parks, three (3) major rivers, and crystal-clear springs, some with underwater caves all of which provide many recreational opportunities such as boating, fishing, swimming, diving, spelunking, canoeing, kayaking, tubing, bird watching, hiking, biking, etc.
Nearby historic High Springs, with a population of about 6,000, is home to a thriving downtown, community parks and is better known as the gateway to the rivers and springs in the area. The area is also a prized location internationally for underwater cave diving.
Bones of prehistoric mammals and tools of paleo-Indians have been recovered from springs and rivers near High Springs. Hernando de Soto led his expedition through this area around 1539, and in the 17th-century Indian villages and a large Spanish mission flourished near the Ichetucknee and Santa Fe Rivers.
$30 / night
Traveler
Park staff as always super friendly and happy to great campers. Stayed in Hickory Loop which was quiet. Bathrooms ample and clean. Walk to the springs was a short one from our site 74. You will definitely see some manatee but swimming up close is a no no. The springs themselves are cold and dark and look better in pictures(at least this time of year) on a hot summer day could be refreshing. Having bikes or kayaks would have added to the fun. They do rent a tandem kayak around $50 for 2 hours. Brings cash to the concession to avoid paying card fee of a few dollars per transaction. Night walks down to the pier are a must.
Scout
It is too bad that they allow people to bring their airboats. Airboats have zero utility out here unless you want to run on land and water like a swamp. Shired Island is not a swamp, it's a wildlife refuge. Since they have no rules against airboats, the loudness of the machines gives visitors noise pollution where they might otherwise enjoy the sounds of the sea and the waves hitting the shore. If the airboats are there, everything natural is drowned out and, meanwhile, they feel as though they can run up on the land and ruin the habitat on the wildlife refuge. Airboats should definitely be made illegal at this location. Terrible.
ScoutI have trouble walking. I'm at site 38 and no handicap parking for showers. The shower doors and walls are nasty. Also, where I parked with 2 dogs. Was nothing more than a pile of dirt. Both are filthy after 5 days. I was also told that the station had no handicap parking for showers?
ScoutAwesome place to camp but it's closed due to storm damage
ScoutPeaceful secluded campsites. Most have a wooded buffer. There are full hookup sites available. We stayed in site 33. Sites have fire ring and picnic tables.
Scout
I called and was told they don’t allow any tent camping. Just an FYI. Was advised only the state parks in the area allow tent camping.
Scout
It’s a clean park with easy access to boat rentals (kayaks, canoes) and a boat launch if you have your own. Publix and Walmart are ~10 minutes away if you need anything. I came in September after a heavy rain and it was pretty buggy. Bring mosquito repellent. There are a number of long term campers with poorly kept RVs, but everyone is friendly.
Scout
Quiet and friendly place. Better for campers.
ScoutMy wife and I decided last year to full time RV. We were already living in Ocala and we wanted to remain in the area. We discovered Silver Springs RV and are so glad we did. Everyone here, especially the staff, was so welcoming and friendly. SSRV is definitely going to be home for a long time.
Ranger
This campground is really dark, quiet and pretty. The bathhouse was always clean. You can smell the well water in the bathhouse. Brings me back to my childhood memories. We rode our bikes to the observation tower, but we were not lucky enough to see any bison or wild horses. Still nice to see the open prairie. We had a big rainstorm and the back of our site did become a lake, but it was gone overnight. The bugs lit us up all hours, so make sure you different bug sprays.
Scout
Had no problems, calm and cool surroundings.
GuideQuiet, lots of wildlife (wild horses, bison, alligators, deer, birds, turtles); plenty of hiking and biking trails with beautiful sunsets on the lake. Restroom facilities are showing some age but clean. Walk-in tent sites are pretty close to the Restrooms.
Ranger
This campground is the perfect size. Our site had shade about 95% of the day! We had the perfect size of an area behind our RV. Loved hearing all of the birds chirping. You can hear traffic since it’s right off of the highway. There are plenty of trees around. The bathroom was very clean. It’s nice and dark at night!! We did the hike to see the historical part of the Island. That was neat to read about. We also took the biking trail to say we went above i75 on the bridge. That was a round trip of 15.5 miles, if anyone is interested. It’s a really nice campground, especially if like doing trails and biking.
Scout
You have to get called back, not working with international numbers. Form on website won’t solve the captcha.
Sometimes automating everything is stupid.
Guide
The office staff is very helpful and nice.
The location itself is pretty remote and not close to many amenities. The sites are pretty difficult to get into based on the layout. I would not recommend this place to a newbie as it is nearly impossible to get into a lot of these sites without having nearby sites empty to use their space. I struggled even with the adjacent sites being empty. The sites are close together, but the staff does a good job spreading out their reservations. We booked a riverview site, but there is a good amount of marsh between our site and the river, so the view is not that impressive. The single digit sites have a better river view than double digits. The site is pretty level, and I do like that it is rock/gravel and not dirt. The hookups are at the front of the site, which requires you to have an additional 25 feet of hose and power. The staff does warn you prior to arrival of this, so we were well prepared. Wifi is good within the campground, but I couldn't get the cable to work. There is a boat slip and boat rentals available on-site. There is also a pool and hot tub ( the hot tub was not functional during our visit). Good amount of shade within the entire campground, which is nice in the summer months. Depending on what you are looking for, this campground may or may not be for you.
Guide
Campground is basic, very few sewer spots but there is a dump station. Big rig friendly, several pull thru spots, easy paved entry, gravel sites, I think all are 50/30. Plenty of space between sites. Clean bathroom, washer/dryer, soda machine. Very dark at night which I love. No lights except the bath house. Dog poo bag stations. Very friendly staff (Melinda & John, camp hosts were amazing) 1 mile from amazing kayaking. Great, woodsy hiking trails. Maybe 3 miles to Publix/Wawa.
RangerGreat state park well off the main road. Quiet and wooded with limestone pads.
Ranger
Site# 54 Check in: 1pm Check out: 11am Full hook- up Easy to level Gravel back-in (Most, if not all sites are Buddy sites - so be prepared to face a neighbor you do not know. -We were literally looking at each other for ten weeks - with us having two dogs and neighbors having three dogs-complete bark fest). We were so close our awnings would not go out all the way or we would touch.
Lot is Shaded with lots of trees. Not a big lot since you have to share space with your neighbor
Located in the middle of nowhere- Dollar General is four miles away and Walmart is 11 miles (doesn’t seem far but on all back roads, it takes a while) Closest highway (75) is 45 miles away & I-90 is an hour
Zero WiFi or Zero cell service (1 tiny bar but not enough to do a basic internet search) - once we purchased Starlink ($599), we were able to stream. No Cable TV- limited channels No Outdoor kitchen No Outdoor community sinks to clean big pots
They do not pickup garbage at site daily, Must walk to garbage dumpster - not too far
Allowed to ride personal golf carts
Not Able to rent golf carts or pedal bikes from them
Golf cart not really needed- smaller campground
Indoor heated Swimming pool
Natural Spring within park but due to rain & flooding of the Suwannee River over the ten weeks we were there, we were unable to access the spring or experience kayaking or the few amenities of the park. Very disappointing.
Had a Playground
No Bocce ball, shuffleboard, There was basketball court and volleyball court.
Good general store with basics No Activity Center for kids Unsure if there are activities for kids (there were not from January-March). There is not a snack bar/restaurant . Not a Game room, putt putt, or jumping pad for kids No Workout room
Streets are gravel/sand -not great for riding bikes in campground Great places to ride bikes outside of campground (not near this campground) though- look for Nature Coast State Trail
Lots of cabin and tent space Individual bathrooms with own sink, shower, toilet & clean
Laundry machines (one washer & one dryer) per bathhouse- only two bath houses
Dog area - not fenced in - they have a huge field behind the campground that they keep the outside mowed & is a great place to walk dogs
There were not bugs/flies initially but as it has started warming up, it has slowly gotten worse
There were trails to hike off of the campground.
The most disappointing aspect is that they were selling presidential hats in the general store. One - politics and recreation don’t go together and two- if you’re going to sell one candidate but not the other, you’re a biased business
LegendLoved this campground. We had sites 22 & 24. Site 22 has lots of sun; site 24 was full shade all day. I thought site 20 was the best. All campsites are very roomy. Bring your paddleboard or kayak. We drove to Silver Springs park and put in. Lazy river ride for 2 miles where we got out at the River trail. If you do this, bring your kayak wheels as it is a 1 mile walk back to the campground (or 1/2 mile to the River Trail trailhead). Then went to pick up truck where we started. Highly recommend this campground. There are also lots of trails to hike, but it was so hot when we were there we did not do any but the river trail.
Legend
Like the opening for 'Waterboy' (starring Adam Sandler), when you first rock up to Twin Lakes Fish Camp, somehow you feel as though you are visiting family in the very deep south with the likes of Bobby Bocher (pronounced BOO-Shay) greeting you upon arrival with a dilapidated golf cart eager to show you around this fairly minuscule one lane, dead-end campground that is more swamp outpost than pine forested campground. While definitely geared more towards the slightly semi-permanent resident than the overnight camping crowd, you’ll find a mixture of heavily seasoned RV trailers that don’t look as though they’ve moved anywhere in the past several years(or decades) along with a small handful of cabin rentals. Sure, there are a few spots here and there that you might park a 5th wheeler, RV or even see a pitched tent, but those spots are far and few between, if available at all.
As you make your way down this single lane refuge, on the right, you’ll notice fairly tightly packed together RVs or 5th wheelers lining the tree-ensconced periphery, where on the left you’ll spot sites that have a bit more space to them and with less crowded confines. Also on the left, you’ll easily notice a decent inlet that is perfect should you be towing any form of small watercraft with you, be that a kayak, canoe or even small engine boat. As you make your way down this single lane, pass the river inlet boat parking structure on your left, you’ll spot the 4-5 cabins that are for rent before making your way to the very end of the lane, which you’ll discover the manager’s office on the right. It’s here where you’ll check in. Just beyond this spot is where the waterline begins, albeit for the first 20 or 30 yards, completely encased by Spanish moss of every variety hanging from ancient Oaks, Palmettos and the odd Pine. For dramatic effect, there’s even a partially sunken house boat (or two) in the rather shallow waters just off this small inlet, where you can easily walk on and cast a line or two from.
With regards to amenities, apart from the swamp-like, down-home feel to this place, you’ll encounter fully-furnished cabins equipped with Direct TV, a small general store (that was closed when we visited), a tackle shop, WiFi (albeit incredibly weak), a recreation room (that didn’t have much but incredibly well-worn paperback books and a single fold-up table accompanied by the prerequisite ashtray), TV, scattered fire pits, covered picnic pavilion, small laundry room (that was closed while we were there), horseshoe pit, restrooms (that were anything but clean), full hook-ups with 30 / 50 amp electric, water and sewage as well as a designated dump station and a fish cleaning station alongside that fishing boat parking structure.
If you can get past the overall dilapidated condition of this place that transports you to a swamp-like wonderland, the upside is that Twin Lakes Fish Camp places you smack dab right in the heart of some pretty amazing fishing country. With Twin Lakes situated between Lochloosa and Orange Lakes, it’s the mouth of the famous Cross Creek that will return you right back here to Twin Lakes Fish Camp. Nearby, there’s the very quaint town of Micanopy, where you can load up on sundries and groceries as well as, if need be, travel further afield to either Gainesville to the north or Ocala to the south for many more dining and entertainment options.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) Rather than stay here, what I would HIGHLY recommend, whether you have an RV or are looking to pitch your tent, is to instead, seek another location for your camping adventures. If it were me, I would double-back to Paynes Prairie SP and book a spot there and simply come here to Twin Lakes Fish Camp to disembark on a fishing odyssey. Remember, it’s always important to note and differentiate a place that might be nice to visit versus a site that you want to call home for the night!; (2) Should you want to rent a 'jon boat', kayak, canoe or sumptknocker, you can easily do that here for $35/ day (and something tells me, you could probably talk the owner down a bit); (3) This place is fairly economical at $35 per night / $175 per week / $375 per month, but I would definitely recommend you look at the photos I’ve posted as well as do a bit of research on-line before booking anything here; (4) When you grow weary of cooking up ‘franks& beans’ for your next meal, and want to check out some local fare, just down the road is a very nice, quaint and actually somewhat upscale joint called The Yearling that serves up low-country delights like fried green tomatoes, fried gator bites and conch fritters in addition to main entrees like blackened red fish or shrimp & grits; and (5) While you won’t find any decent hiking in or around Twin Lakes Fish Camp, if you double-back to Paynes Prairie SP, you’ll find a ton of really great paths to both hike & bike.
Happy Camping!
ScoutEasy to find, close to I-75 Freeway. Older RV park with many permanent sites. Pull through, full hook ups with cable TV. Not too quiet but building on East side blocks much of the Freewaynoise. Large shade trees. Intermixed temp and permanent sites. Didn't see a store nor sites showers and restrooms. Pool is closed. Looks permanent.
TravelerThere aren’t many bad sites. Great trails and walking. BRING BUG SPRAY. I wish I had time to stay longer to see everything the park had to offer. I will be back!
LegendFHU, gravel site. The sites Very close together and guests pull in all around your site and park their boats, cars, trucks, golf carts. Luckily, we only stayed a weekend. Lots of full time residents. The dog park is big, Pool house, jacuzzi and pool are large and clean. There were activities planned for the kids which was fun! There are tennis courts, which we didn’t use. The playground has many different play areas and was tidy. There are lots of area attractions and a beach with a designated swimming area at the end of the road. If we had come off season, it would have been great. The swing and pond, behind our RV, was a nice touch for our puppy and granddaughter.
Traveler
Nice and quiet campground. Also, a nice short trail.
Scout
Spacious, sites with all services, hot showers, us$63/night not many other options in the area
Traveler
This is the second time that we've been back to the state park and we love it more every time. Bath houses are clean, lots of wooded spaces, plenty of trails for biking or hiking. Appreciated the history of the old town which is within walking distance of the campsites. We also enjoyed the geological mystery of a river vanishing before our eyes!
There are signs at the bathhouse about ticks. Take heed of them! I am sure we are in the height of season, but it was really bad if you went on any of the trails. Thankful the dog is on tick meds!
We cycled from OLeno to Ichetukee Springs. 30 miles round trip! Next time we will leave early, bring swim gear and enjoy a float trip in that area.
TravelerThis is now my top 2 in parks for camping. The tent only spots are nice and secluded. You do have to walk maybe 100-200 ft from your car to the campsite. I was in site #24. Nice and open with a lot of trees for protection. Great fire pit. No power or water at this site… site #25 has those. The whole grounds were well kept and the trails were easy. At the observation tower you can see a lot of the prairie and if you’re lucky you can see wild horses.
Gulf Hammock, Florida, offers a variety of tent camping options that cater to outdoor enthusiasts looking for a peaceful escape in nature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Gulf Hammock, FL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Gulf Hammock, FL is Potts Preserve - River Primitive Campground (North Hooty Point Road) with a 4.3-star rating from 6 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Gulf Hammock, FL?
TheDyrt.com has all 11 tent camping locations near Gulf Hammock, FL, with real photos and reviews from campers.
