Best Cabin Camping near Lake City, FL

One of 5 river camps along the Suwanee River and one of the nicest. This system of river camps currently is first come first served with no fee - but that could change soon and screened sleeping platforms may require reservations. Reservations can be made for groups and are suggested. Suwannee River camps are spaced a days paddle apart and are wonderfully convenient (especially in summer when afternoon rains come daily and bugs are everywhere).

Most of the time you will have a camp host on the property.

River camp has bath house with water and electric, grills, fire pits, tent camping area and screened sleeping platforms with electric, lighting and ceiling fans. Many units also have hooks to hang you hammocks. There are 5 sleeping pavilions typically will hold 6-8 persons and have small corner tables with small bench. Each has picnic table and fire ring. You will find a broom in each shelter - please sweep out and leave clean for next group. Camp host oftentimes has firewood available for sale.

There are trails to explore around springs and sinks. You can learn a lot about Florida's Aquifer and more staying at this and other camps. Spring fed pools around take out area are a refreshing 72 degrees year round!

Tent camping area has fire pit and picnic table to share with others

At high water access to stairs to take out and to camp can be difficult.

Note: Always take paddles, PFD's, fishing equipment, food items and valuables to your camping area - do not leave in boats. There are raccoons and other nocturnal creatures and an occasional bear passing through.

We stayed here a couple of years ago while visiting family and friends in Lake City, about 20 miles away.  I was very impressed with the facilities, very clean and well kept.  Site 19 is a long pull through with plenty of room for a big rig and tow vehicle.  Picnic table and fire ring available.  Beautiful trees with Spanish moss give the park that old Florida feel.  This is Florida, so expect humidity and some bugs.  Not a lot of breeze at our site but very shady.  Staff was very courteous and helpful, work campers rode by occasionally and would carry off trash if needed.  There is a nice museum and camp store/gift shop onsite also.  Cell service was good, didn't try the tv.  There is no big stores nearby, just a Dollar General in White Springs near the entrance.  Definitely a thumbs up.

Electric and water hook ups. Camping sites are large enough for 2 tents. Shaded well. There’s a decent boat ramp with over flow parking for the truck and trailer. Great for kayaking and Small boating. Trails are great for hiking and a few for mountain biking. Neat cemetery back in the grass lands near ranger station, lots of tortoises to see. Pet friendly for domestic pets. Ranger station was very helpful and knowledgeable about trails for longer distance biking. Wood for sale. Hot water bath house as well. Site has picnic tables. Very clean area.

The place is a nice hole in the wall on the side of the road, just past the north entrance of the Springs. They offer canoes, kayaks, rafts and tubes for rent and shuttle you to and from to take all of the work out of it. We paid a reasonable $85 for six of us in two canoes. The service was great, with two different people taking us and picking us back up. The shuttle was an old school van, similar to the Home Alone airport shuttle. 

The canoes were good, but one did take in a little bit of water. Not enough to cause concern. 

The sites are pretty primitive without hookups and they do offer some with electric/water closer to the front. The small cabins are basic, but do offer heat or AC, so are a step up from real camping. The only concern I would have would be toilet use if the park was busy. I would personally plan a visit back during the off season.

Located in the in the rolling sandhills of north central Florida, Mike Roess SP is one of the oldest in the sunshine state’s amazing collection of well-maintained state parks, built back in the 1930’s by the Civilian Conservation Corps(CCC), inspired by one of my personal heroes, Franklin Deleanor Roosevelt’s ‘The New Deal.’ Here, you’ll discover sanctuaries of old-growth longleaf pines amidst a golden sea of grasses providing a shady oasis from an otherwise sunny, humid and unrelenting Florida sunshine, which offers up as a treasure the cold spring water of the Gold Head Branch. The crystalline clear water from the steep lead ravine forms a natural spring here that allows for Gold Head Brand to bisect the park. Nearly 6 miles of Florida’s National Scenic Trail run through this treasured patch of land, where you’ll be able to easily catch a glimpse of white-tailed deer, turkey, gopher tortoise, fox squirrels, pocket gophers, bald eagles and a few black(and even rarer in these parts, brown) bears. 

Fancy swimming, boating, kayaking, canoeing and/ or fishing in a beautiful lagoon (a.k.a. Little Lake Johnson) while camping in some of the best maintained state park facilities? Then look no further than here at Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park. But a quick head’s up: this state park has multiple campgrounds to choose from. In all, there are 6 (yes, that’s right, count them, 6!) campgrounds that you will have to select between, but all are a little bit different, so for this particular review, I will be focused on just the Sandhill Camping Area. This spot is one of two that are closest to the Park Ranger office that you would have entered at the front of the State Park, having arrived either northbound or southbound on State Road #21. 

You will pass the Equestrian Trail Head (that connects you to the Florida National Scenic Trail), following a well-paved lane that passes by Sheeler Lake (no fishing or swimming here BTW) on the right and a Ravine Stairway (you’ll easily see by road signs), where you will take the very first left that you come to. Follow this lane until you reach a fork in the road, where you can either turn right (to Turkey Oak camping area – which I detail in another review) or left to Sandhill Camping Area. Once at this spot, there are exactly 18 sites (#1 - #18) ordered in low to high with alternating sites on either side. It’s a simple, singular loop that posits a fairly well-maintained restroom and shower facility in the middle of the loop, with a trash dumpster offered at the end. There’s decent shrubbery between campsites and a fairly fantastic tree line that encircles Sandhill. 

For a state park, there’s a ton of amenities in addition to primitive, group, regular tent, RV and trailer camping, including, but not limited to the following amenities: geo-seeking, paddling, star-gazing, wedding pavilions, hiking trails, BBQ’s, fire rings, swimming, canoe and kayak launch with beachhead, wildlife viewing, birding, picnic tables, fishing, horseback riding, reunions and group gatherings, walking and running trails, restored historic sites (e.g. Old Mill), meeting & retreats, laundry facilities, restrooms, bathhouses, playgrounds with swings and slides, shower stations, parking, equestrian trails, cabins and a mini-mart at the Ranger’s Station where you can buy ice, kindle and a number of other sundry items. All this and the entire place is pet-friendly. 

Insider’s Tips? Here’s a few: (1) I believe that the best spots are on the external side of the single loop at the corners, providing for maximum privacy, so look at campsites #4 and#6 (seemingly the most amount of space) or #13 and #15; (2) If you would like to get a decent hike in, follow the sign to the Mill Site and when there, follow the Loblolly Loop for a shorter, less arduous hike and Ridge Trail for a longer, more difficult trek (note: both of these loops follow the Gold Head Branch, with the Ridge Trail heading north to the Ravine, where there’s an overlook and picnic area); (3) If you have horses, bring ‘em! This entire park is completely circumnavigated by an outer ring of perfect horse hiking terrain; (4) Tired of hitting SP’s only to realize that there aren’t many picnic tables or places to throw your spread for a nice meal or afternoon of leisure? You won’t have that problem here at Mike Roess – there’s about 50 or so individual picnic tables spread throughout the entire park; and (5) When you get tired of firing up franks & beans or foraging for your next meal in your Cordova roto-molded cooler, head on over to Brooklyn Boy’s (a.k.a. THE PIG) for some solid Italian staples (think pasta and pizza) – where I recommend the fried ravioli, sausage & peppers hero, but the item that steals the show is the seafood Possillipo with a nice Pinot Grigio (BYOB) to wash it all down with. 

Happy Camping!

Located in the town of Trenton, Florida is this gem of a spot loved by the locals and tourists alike. They offer Lodge Rentals, RV Sites, Tent Camping & Cabins, Heated Pool & Great access to Otter Springs and the Suwannee River. There is a day use area, canoe & kayak rentals, basketball and volleyball court, and canoe rentals available. You can fish in the spring run or on the Suwannee River. We chose to camp in site with water and electric so we were in an RV spot but they have a designated tent camping area with water access and no electric.

We enjoyed exploring the over 600 acres, river, springs, nature trails and loved getting ice cream in the store after! The camp store has just about all you might run out of. Be prepared with insect repellent at dawn and dusk. Sites are spacious enough - not too close together but not much privacy either. If you do not like noise choose a sight away from the pool! RV sites have Full hookup: Electric (30& 50 amp.), water, and sewer. Good Sams memberships are accepted.

This is a great place to host a local event and they are VERY Veteran Friendly offering 15% off on daily and weekly camping. There is Wifi is available in the Pool Pavilion. 

Though this place is not brand new and shows some age, it has a wonderful, welcoming feeling. We really enjoyed our stay!

One of 5 river camps along the Suwanee River and the 2nd camp from White Springs. This system of river camps currently is first come first served with no fee - but that could change soon and screened sleeping platforms may require reservations. Reservations can be made for groups and are suggested. Our outfitter American Canoe Adventures makes our reservations for us. The Suwannee River river camps are spaced a days paddle apart and are wonderfully convenient (especially in summer when afternoon rains come daily and bugs are everywhere).

Most of the time you will have a camp host on the property and MAY have firewood for sale. Their site is hte last site past the bathrooms(and they are past all the sleeping pavilions.

This river camp has lots of tent camping space, a small bath house with water and electric, grills, fire pits, and screened sleeping platforms with electric, lighting and ceiling fans. Many units also have hooks to hang you hammocks. Sleeping pavilions typically will hold 6-8 persons and have small corner tables with small bench. Each has picnic table and fire ring. You will find a broom in each shelter - please sweep out and leave clean for next group.

There is a nice beach at lower water levels to pull up your vessel or you can tie boat up under ramp. At high water this ramp can be tricky to unload from in a strong current (we have seen it with no beach visible) Always take paddles, PFD's, fishing equipment, food items and valuables to your camping area - do not leave in boats. There are raccoons and other nocturnal creatures and an occasional bear passing through.

Swimming and fishing are nice here. Lots of places to explore. Make sure you have some bug spray for evenings in summer months