Best Campgrounds near Micanopy, FL

This campground has lots of shade, a group site and electric sites.

With 16 campsite each being semi private you will love the sounds of t h e wind in the trees and hawks flying over. Each has tent pad, In ground grill and picnic table.

The stay here was amazing. We called the phone to reserve a spot and was told to pick a spot that was available. We picked a spot overlooking the back horse field and what an amazing view! The morning sunrise is beautiful and the evening the sky disappears into the earth. One thing to remember is you can pay by mailing a check or paying cash on site. Also a very quiet community here so you can rest with windows open with no problem.

Wonderful large private sites. Showers, laundry, store, restaurants and glass bottom boats and canoe , kayak rentals. Equestrian section also.

I was completely steered wrong listening to a reviewer saying Tropical was the better campsites. They're not bc virtually every one is a pull thru and those are inherently less private. When I biked through the Sand loop I was completely bummed bc they are huge sites with vegetation all around the sites making them awesome for RVs and privacy. The sites are all pretty big in both loops.   

The fact Tropical loop is marginally closer to anything is irrelevant and I didn't hear any noise when I biked through the Sand loop. I'd prefer privacy over marginal noise. 

Now the kayaking. I have my own so I just used the shuttle service which was like $16. I don't think I'd do this run again bc it's honestly too stressful. The current is pretty strong so you can't stop for a second really to grab a drink or take a photo bc you'll end up somewhere you don't want to be and that could be in the marshy grasses where I saw alligators hanging out. Yeah, yeah, ppl say they won't bother you. They don't until they do, just saying. I've paddled Rainbow River and that was lovely, super pleasant - in both directions. It's just the current here is so strong and it's a gosh darn obstacle course so there's no relaxing, it's not 'pleasant'. I leaned to go under one of the 110 (didn't count but seems about right) leaning trunks into the river and tipped my kayak so I had to jump out. I have my own, remember, so it's a lot more narrow than the barges they rent out which tip over a lot less easily. So all my stuff fell out, yay. So scootching down in my seat became the preferable maneuver as opposed to a slight leaning which would surely cause another tipping situation. I wish they would come along and remove all the tree limbs leaning into the river, but also understand that's probably quite an endeavor. 

Camping was fine, I have solar panels which did their job for a few days but I was pretty low on battery when I left. The tree coverage wasn't too extensive but it rained one day and was cloudy so that was part of the reason batteries didn't charge very well. It's interesting to note that this campground charges more for sites than the state campgrounds which actually offer water and electricity. Hmmmm  This struck me as any other campground with just less amenities and the nearest grocery store was a good 14 minutes away so come prepared.

So thankful for our host he is great as a host ,trys his best but he gets no help from frosest Rangers so good job Ed.hope to see you nest year

This hike-in only campground is but one of two such campgrounds that you’ll find here at Phillips Branch Crossing in Jennings State Forest. To reach Mule Landing Campground, you’ll have to first park in the Phillips Branch Crossing parking lot and from there, you’ll just want to follow the Dunns Farm Trail, passing the first campground (Dunn Farms) after about 1/3 of a mile in, where you’ll need to keep hiking for another mile until you reach the banks of the slow-moving Black Creek. You’ll wind around and ascend a slight incline before reaching Mule Landing, but trust me, if you are looking for one of the best private hike-in campgrounds, you’ve just arrived.

Like every primitive campground I’ve ever experienced, this one is no different and offers very little in the way of amenities, but what this place lacks in accoutrement, it more than makes up for by the simply pristine slice of nature that you’ll find yourself surrounded by. There’s enough room here for 2, maybe 3 small-to-medium sized tents with fairly level ground that is softened by all the downed leaves. There’s a single fire ring with a fold-over grill grate and a handful of logs to use for firewood. You’ll discover that there’s also this really cool bartop table with a matching bench that is perfect for whipping up a cocktail or eating dinner from. You’ll discover what looks to be like a trail heading west and away from the campground, but when I took it, this deadends, which might make me think this was created as a latrine of sorts. There was also a large 10 gallon blue Lowe’s plastic bucket that had been strategically left behind in case you wanted to bring some water from the nearby creek up to cook with or even drink (providing of course that you treat the water first). Oh, and there’s this simply sterling wooden bench (that I think our friends at TheDyrt planted here) overlooking the Black Creek at a place called Osteen Overlook that offers a great vantage point, which reads: “Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few are Dirt.”

Insider’s tips? There’s just a few here:(1) You really want to stay on the trails at all times as there are both deer ticks and rattlesnakes in these parts that, trust me, you don’t want to come into contact with; (2) While you might be thinking about biking on this long trail to make quicker time getting to Mule Campground, you can’t bike on any of the hiking trails here – but even if you could, take my word for it, you wouldn’t want to as the terrain is tough with decent inclines and declines, on top of what can be some rough footing on account of the tree roots; and (3) From this CG to Black Creek is only about 60 or so yards that you’ll have to navigate a set of handcrafted stairs and while we couldn’t find a decent place for a kayak or canoe to land here, I’m sure that there’s a spot nearby if you looked close enough – so rather than hiking in, you might be able to simply float your way here, but I would definitely call the FL State Ranger and inquire about this.

Happy Camping!

This quiet camp is affordable and has complete hookups and canoe rentals. The hosts are very attentive and helpful. All the National Forest camps were full and the Outpost usually has an opening. This is old rural Florida, no glitz. We did a full day trip on the River. Lots of birds, alligators and very quiet and remote. GPS was misleading. The camp is located on the north side of the high bridge over the Oklawaha River on route 316.

The Oaks Inverness is an amazing hidden gem surrounded by grandfather Oaks and palms nestled near the banks of the withlacoochee River!! With ponds, Shaded lots, walking trail, pool house, clubhouse, all inclusive, 15 minutes from I-75, and near many attractions, you just can't beat what The Oaks Inverness has to offer!!

Great location with plenty of dark skies. The spots are well spaced in the woods, with plenty of room. The location is great for visiting the prairie and easy access to Gainesville.

Owners very nice, excellent walking and exploring near pathed walking trail. I tried Verizon, T mobile and AT&T for Internet all sucked. My starlink mini was slow and dropped often they have a lot of shade. Worse part we paid $46 a night water and electricity no sewage but we out in van to explore the town and the owners re rented out spots out! Big hassle but it was an honest mistake they offered other spots but being internet was so bad we thought we had the best spots they refunded us.

This is primarily an RV campground. I’m a tent camper and felt like I was in an RV zoo. However, the facilities are very good with toilet/shower facilities. Electric and water at each site. Shady spacious sites. CG is patrolled by park rangers. Host has firewood for sale. Gate code required (comes with reservation). Best thing about this place is the surrounding area: lots of (walking only) trails but my favorite, the seemingly endless off roading sandy Jeep trails throughout this forest state park - lovely!

Situated in Ocala, this park offers a wonderful get away for bicycling, horseback riding, or hiking Great trails The park itself is open with few trees but an amazing host. Some long timers reside here.

If you enjoy kayaking, canoeing, or just floating down river on a tube in addition to camping, this is your spot. We have stayed at sites 50, which is a long pull through site, and at site 18 which was quite private. We enjoyed both locations. Both times we rented canoes or kayaks and paddled upstream to the headspring. Such a gorgeous river. To see all of the campsites visit https://www.youtube.com/@MapleCamps Make sure to have your gate code at the ready, the gate is unmanned, and it's right off the main road as soon as you turn in. There is only room for one Rv/travel trailer between the gate and the road, so there is nowhere to pull over to the side. Be ready. Not far away there are also some more cycling trails and hiking trails. So plenty to do in the area when you want to wanter away from your campsite.  Here's a blog about Rainbow Springs Campground: https://maplecamps.wixsite.com/blog

We were looking for a place to overnight during the wknd. Office was closed but several residents came to our rescue. They made us feel so welcome. We parked on the overflow (water/30amp hook-up) with views over the lake. Rate was 45$ plus tax at time of our stay (2025)

Older Florida park with roots in the CCC and Forestry Service. Large park with hiking, bike and equestrian trails. Along the Santa Fe River there is a swimming hole, suspension bridge, old buildings and a small museum. Magnolia loop would be the best loop for RVs, but spots can be had. Facilities are clean, albeit old. Camping loops and pads are hard sand. Sites vary in size and level. Separation between sits is not bad but suffered in hurricane damage. Some sites appear a bit tight with overhanging trees.

We had the pleasure of visiting recently, and to my surprise this small campground exceeded my expectations! I traveled with two children, and they had a blast the entire time! This place had everything we needed and more. My daughter says her favorite part was fishing and swimming in the river. My son‘s favorite part was riding around on the provided bicycles and playing darts & cornhole by the communal fire pit. I was thoroughly impressed and will definitely be back. Not to mention, the camp hosts are unbelievably nice and did a fantastic job, keeping the campground clean.