Best Cabin Camping near Lake Placid, FL

If you love camping, wildlife, and stargazing but still want the convenience of amenities (i.e electricity, running water, bathroom, shower) then this is the place for you.

Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park is part of IDA International Dark-Sky Places. The park has little light pollution and also a stargazing pad where you can also camp on.

The campgrounds aren't large but the campsites are good for tents and RVs. The one site we stayed at had water and electric hook-ups and a firepit. We were close to very clean restroom area that also had showers, washer and dryer. They do have primitive campsites for the more rustic individuals. The campgrounds are about 45 minutes from town, but the ranger station sells ice for $2.50 and firewood purchase is by honor system. We also saw other campers with their dogs so pet-friendly as well.

Lots of hiking trails and so much wildlife. We saw deer grazing near our campsite!

Make sure to bring lots of mosquito repellent, especially in the summer months. Otherwise you'll get bit...a lot! But it is Florida after all.

Our visit was relaxing and enjoyable. We visited in July and the shade from all the trees around our site helped keep the heat tolerable. The camp site’s aren’t dispersed and a little close together but we didn’t have any immediate neighbors around us so it was perfect. We stayed on site 008 and it was spacious enough for our large cabin tent, picnic table, additional table, dog pool, chairs, etc. Our site is conveniently close to the bathrooms. I liked that there is only one main dumpster and it’s kept a distance from the camp sites. I think this helped keep any raccoons that may have been around away from the campers. AMAZING star gazing location.

This was our second Thousand Trails stay. Unlike The Oaks at Point South you have to find your own spot. It's a little unnerving. Fortunately, we had a few to choose from as soon as we arrived. There are a few paved roads but others are not. It had just rained a lot due to Hurricane Eta and there are huge potholes. So go slow!!!! We chose D14, back in. All of their sites are back in and they stress that over and over. FHU, no shade at our site, picnic table, fire ring with flip grill, grass pad. Fire rings are close to your neighbors camper b/c of mowing. Just move it. No cable or WiFi. Great Verizon. Pool was suppose to be open but they had to redo the pool deck. It was open the last day we were there and it's very nice. There is road noise, with air on not a problem. The back part of part is closed b/c of drainage issues. The site next to us the electricy didn't work which was great for us. Extra room! The sites are very spacious. In the winter when it's crowded they have a system of getting sites. Our water hookup didn't have a handle. Notified the office and it was fixed. You don't see staff out much at all. In a week, I saw 2 employees drive by.

A new casino is being built beginning Summer 2023 with expected completion in 2025.  We were told the majority of the campsites and cabins will house the construction workers for the casino project.

PROS 

Prearrival text regarding checkin and checkin documents left at campground sign, but it had rained and documents were unreadable 

Deon was very helpful upon arrival 

Security code for bathhouse entry 

Over 65 and veteran discount 

Site 312 concrete pad level 

Site 312 paver patio surrounded by sand and weeds, but most sites had manicured grass. 

Nicely spaced sites. 

Very clean bathhouse during the week. 

5 washers and 5 dryers at $2 each in Park laundromat. Office sells quarters. 

Quiet. 

Saw Seminole police patrolling frequently 

TMobile 4 bars. 

Park had WIFI but we did not connect. 

CONS 

No security gate so LOTS of drive-bys 

30amp breaker overheated and tripped 3 times during our 7 night stay 

Site 312 absolutely no shade 

Not permitted to select site online when making reservations 

Absolutely no bathhouse cleaning Saturday and Sunday so by Sunday evening it was pretty nasty 

Price increase 8/1/22 that we had to pay even tho we made reservations during March 2022 

Need to bring-your-own fire ring, but wasn't informed of this requirement until we arrived 

No picnic table at site upon arrival. Notified camp office who advised one would be provided first thing next morning by park maintenance. 

Day 2. No table. Stopped by camp office right before noon and reported no table delivered to site. Then the excuses started from Jodi, the park manager…only one maintenance man…picnic tables are disappearing overnight and that’s a problem…now have 3 sites that need a picnic table…staff believes other campers see a unoccupied site and drag table to their site…there were 63 tables when the season started… No mention of when picnic table will be delivered to site. We offered to help get it. Told maintenance man is working on it. 

Day 3. No table. 

Day 4. Stopped by office at 9am for an update on when to expect a table. Spoke with Jodi again. She had no update. Same excuses as I heard on Day 2 but she did mention that NEXT YEAR she was going to need to anchor the tables at each site so they don’t disappear. I mentioned seeing 4 tables at the firepit area. She said we are welcomed to take a table from the community firepit area and move it to our campsite but those are needing replacement boards badly(her words). 

Never got a table. Just too heavy for us to drag one from the firepit area to our site, which was a bit more than a half block and the maintenance man never delivered one.

We stayed in the RV side of the campground. Arrived at 745 literally before closing. Called the office ahead to let them know we are almost there , the staff was super nice. Checked in with no issues, staff even gave us an option to checkout another site if we liked more we can take it. We stayed at out booked site. It’s very dark no lights . I wish the sites were marked with a reflective tape. Very quite and chill atmosphere. This is not a party spot. Sites are pretty roomy and you are not on top of your neighbors.Each site comes with fire-rings, full hook up (rv sites), tent sites do not have hook ups and a picnic table. The river is so beautiful in the morning filled with fog. There’s a swimming depot in the park , looks like a man made lagoon. You can rent kayak/canoe and paddle on the river. A new add on was a food truck , looks like a good menu will try next time. There’s a small preserve with a Boardwalk to explore. There’s no pool or playground. This is a no frills campground but i love it because you can disconnect,relax and view wildlife. Reception here is actually amazing. 20 mins away in Labelle there’s a bomb brewery if you wanna explore a nearby town.

Expect a long travel to this remote site.   It’s a couple miles of reasonably decent dirt roads to get there, after several miles of remote highways. The only designated dark sky site in Florida.   It does not disappoint for night sky viewing.   If you’re camping here, please be courteous and keep your outdoor lights to a minimum.  The night sky’s are just breathtaking.   Check www.spotthestation.nasa.gov to see if you’ll get a glimpse of the space station while your there.   Hiking/biking trails are plentiful.   Be aware that there’s a LOT of loose sand.   So even on a mountain bike you’ll have to walk now and then.   Great birding.  Crested cara cara are frequent as are flocks of turkey strolling through the campsites.   Be sure to head out the road you came in back to the first turn and take the trail to the left (as you’re leaving).   There’s a gator hole just 1/4 mile down the trail.  Nature trail is a nice hammock view.  No pets on that particular trail.   

There are 2 camp loops only the first camp loop has a bath house, which is very nice.   The equestrian camp has porta potties.  Many of those folks drive over to the bathhouse.  Even the bathhouse has outdoor red lights.