Best Dispersed Camping near Middleburg, FL

Dispersed camping options near Middleburg, Florida include several primitive hunt camps in the Osceola National Forest. West Tower Hunt Camp provides basic amenities including porta-potties, trash bins, and cold outdoor showers. A camp host maintains the area, which has a 14-day stay limit. The sites are well-spaced, offering a sense of seclusion while remaining accessible. According to reviews, the bathroom area includes a book exchange and some electrical outlets.

Seventeen Mile Hunt Camp features primitive sites with no hookups or drinking water. The access roads can be challenging, especially after rain when the ground becomes soft and muddy. Several campers noted the importance of checking ground conditions before parking RVs or trailers. A porta-potty and small trash receptacle are located at the entrance. Cell service is minimal to non-existent at most sites, providing a true disconnect from technology.

Cobb Hunt Camp has experienced periodic closures, but camping is permitted in areas just beyond the official campground. The area includes a small pond and access to the Florida Trail. During hunting season, portable toilets are provided. The campground features open areas suitable for trailers with limited privacy between sites. Verizon and T-Mobile coverage is generally reliable in this area.

Davenport Landing offers a more remote experience with access to the Ocklawaha River. The site is reached via a winding gravel road with numerous potholes; vehicles should maintain speeds under 15 MPH to prevent damage. The camping area is shaded by magnolia trees draped with Spanish moss. Wildlife awareness is essential as black bears and alligators inhabit the region. A 1.2-mile interpretive trail leads to a historic steamboat landing, providing educational hiking opportunities.

Best Dispersed Sites Near Middleburg, Florida (5)

    1. Cobb Hunt Camp

    8 Reviews
    Olustee, FL
    34 miles
    Website
    +1 (386) 752-2577

    "Trash and porta potty’s provided by National Forest."

    "Free no water or electricity, porta-potties . Most campers stay to themselves and there's room for privacy"

    2. 17 Mile Hunt Camp

    7 Reviews
    Osceola National Forest, FL
    35 miles
    Website
    +1 (386) 752-2577

    "Nice primitive campground with well maintained dispersed spots. No picnic tables or fire rings but plenty of space. Nice and quiet. Lots of space for RVs as well."

    "This was our first time boondocking and it was the perfect site to try it out. We have a 26’ travel trailer and we did a few loops looking for a good site."

    3. Davenport Landing

    7 Reviews
    Welaka, FL
    41 miles
    Website
    +1 (352) 236-0288

    "Pprimitive, no reservations, gets some traffic visiting historic site."

    "Pulled in around 9:30 pm. Big open spot. Last 100 yards driving back in were very bumpy but no problem with our van. Not sure about a larger RV. But great Tent/van spot."

    4. West Tower Hunt Camp

    5 Reviews
    Osceola National Forest, FL
    44 miles
    Website
    +1 (386) 752-2577

    "Camp host was nice and they have a 14 day stay limit. Verizon service was pretty spotty. Having a host with no charge threw me for a bit of a loop."

    "Lots of dispersed camping spots throughout, some right out in the open, and others are private. Campsites are scattered with nicely cleared areas within bush palms."

    5. Sandhill Hunt Camp

    Be the first to review!
    Osceola National Forest, FL
    43 miles
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Recent Free Dispersed Camping Photos near Middleburg, FL

6 Photos of 5 Middleburg Campgrounds


Dispersed Camping Reviews near Middleburg, FL

27 Reviews of 5 Middleburg Campgrounds


  • BThe Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 14, 2023

    West Tower Hunt Camp

    Great spot

    This place was very clean and most spots were very well spaced out. Porta potties and trash bins. Camp host was nice and they have a 14 day stay limit. Verizon service was pretty spotty. Having a host with no charge threw me for a bit of a loop. I only did an overnight, but it was a great place and had a nice feeling of seclusion without being too far from civilization. Also very clean.

  • Stuart K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Dec. 25, 2024

    Davenport Landing

    Magnolia-Shaded Cul-de-Sac Primitive Camping

    Located a hefty trek down a winding gravel road west of Route 19, you’ll have to maneuver around divots and potholes along this narrow gravel, dusty roadway for the better part of 2 miles before arriving to a small sign on the left-hand side of the road that indicates you’ve arrived at Davenport Recreational Area – so finding this place is relatively easy. Unless you make the unwise decision to turn into one of the small handful of options beforehand that would have you drive down a patch of road that likely you are not authorized to, my only advice would be not to exceed 15 MPH on this road as the poor condition of the road could do damage to a lower-lying vehicle. Once you come across the Davenport Recreational Area sign, take a right and slowly (as the road conditions worsen as you get off the main road) follow the narrow tire-rutted pathway to a fork, where on the right you’ll see TRAILHEAD marked on a tree to your right– here you want to turn left instead and follow the pathway to its conclusion, which is a round-about that you will have no other alternative but to stop and park your vehicle.

    Here at literally ‘the end of the road,’ you’ll be greeted by a dozen or so medium-sized Magnolias that blot out the sun’s rays and cast an unusually spooky shadow on this area, made even more dramatic by all of the Spanish moss falling from the tree limbs of these magnificent trees. While the ground here is flat – welcome to Florida, where for the most part, that’s par for the course – but barren and comprised of a combination of dirt and sand silt, which isn’t so bad when it’s dry, but when there’s rain, we’re talking some pretty messy mud-like conditions. As for what you’ll find here at this natural cul-de-sac, there isn’t anything. Literally. No picnic tables. No fire ring. No stand-up grill. No potable(or for that matter, non-potable) water spigot. Nothing. There is what looks to be a small wooden sign that likely was filled with information at some point in time that might have educated you about your stay here, but even that had nothing on it, apart from a single hand-made sign above it, indicating: “You are trash, if you leave trash,” which I wholeheartedly agree with. In all, perhaps there’s 5-6 individual spots that you could make a campsite from.

    If you are a true primitive camper who really wants NOTHING to complement or aid their outdoor survivalist experiment, then you have hit the primitive camping jackpot! Apart from the solid peace & quiet you’ll experience here, there’s an amazing little access point here to the Ocklawaha river that runs through this neck of the woods – which used to be a riverboat stop where steamboats would stop to fuel or disembark enroute to Silver Springs via the St. Johns which this tributary eventually connects to. Apart from being a scenic access point to the river, if you are looking to catch and eat your meals, then this will certainly be an added bonus. The steps down the ravine to the river basin are somewhat steep, but for anyone towing a light-weight kayak or paddleboard, me thinks you could likely manage to bring your watercraft down here and easily access emerald-green waters shouldered with an abundance of spade-shaped lily pads to grab some great oaring.

    When we stopped by, there was a team of fisherman there – not camping, mind you – but having a great afternoon nonetheless of ‘hooking‘ em’ and according to these local anglers, the fishing was great. Apart from this and the shade that the mighty Magnolias provide, the only other amenity that exists out here are the few trails that you can jump on to get a bit of hiking in. One word of caution, from my fishermen friends, is to be on the look-out for ‘Coyo-Dogs’ (a cross between canine species where a dog mates with a coyote) and black bear, both of which have been known to frequent this area, especially at night.

    Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) There’s a 1.2 mile interpretive hiking trail called Davenport Landing Trail that will take to you to the former steamboat landing, which makes for a medium-grade hike with some interesting history; (2) If you have an explorer’s mindset, you’ll be richly rewarded here as there is a small gravesite from the Civil War that you can find along with middens along the Ocklawaha River hiding traces of the Timucuan Indians that once populated this area; (3) For fellow arborists, in addition to finding these amazing Magnolias that seem to be especially planted here for you, additionally there’s sweetgum and red maple trees; and (4) You definitely want to keep your eyes peeled for alligators in this area, where while we didn’t see any right at the ravine’s base, we were told that plenty were sunbathing right around the bend in the river from where we were.

    Happy Camping!

  • N
    Nov. 2, 2021

    Cobb Hunt Camp

    Easily accessible

    Depends on what you’re into. Great if you’re here as a hunt base camp maybe, but Cobb is not the idyllic peaceful personal campsite. I camped there with my boys in a tent, and they had a blast just playing in the dirt, but I had to figure out how to explain to them why someone had been there for the last 11 months and why we had to sleep through a running generator all night.

    We hiked in a few miles on the Florida Trail, so we had all our water supplies on our person. There’s a little pond there that we were purifying water out of with no issue, but if you drive in and car camp you can easily bring water with you.

    Not great for the backpacker, but probably pretty great if you’re driving in and hunting out of your tent or camper.

  • Chrischelle N.
    Oct. 8, 2020

    17 Mile Hunt Camp

    Simple but neat

    Nice primitive campground with well maintained dispersed spots. No picnic tables or fire rings but plenty of space. Nice and quiet. Lots of space for RVs as well. Just make sure to check the ground before you park. Very muddy, could get stuck.

  • Will J.
    Jan. 18, 2021

    17 Mile Hunt Camp

    Peaceful, relaxing, easy.

    This was our first time boondocking and it was the perfect site to try it out. We have a 26’ travel trailer and we did a few loops looking for a good site. It was pretty easy to see where the areas for camping are but it’s not as clear as a paid RV park. We ended up loving the site we picked. We were able to pull through instead of backing in (although a lot of the spots looked like you would need to back in), the ground wasn’t too muddy so we didn’t get stuck, and we didn’t even need to level the camper - it was naturally flat. As far as our actual stay - It was really peaceful. There were only a few other people there and we hardly ever saw them. We did have to be extra careful with our little dog tho because we did get the sense that something could try to eat it since the sites are in the middle of the woods. We generally felt safe tho and just made sure to take beat spray when we went out into the woods. There’s a trash receptacle (albeit small and easily filled) and a porta John at the entrance. All in all would definitely recommend this either as a quick overnight stop or to stay a week or two.

  • M
    Nov. 9, 2023

    Cobb Hunt Camp

    Campground Closed But Camping Allowed Just Past Entrance

    We arrived late and saw the campground was taped off and a sign read closed indefinitely. However, we drove just past the campground and found many others camped on the side of the road. Trash and porta potty’s provided by National Forest.

  • Frank E.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 28, 2019

    Davenport Landing

    Generally quiet primitive camping with water access

    Pprimitive, no reservations, gets some traffic visiting historic site.

  • DeziRay M.
    Jan. 9, 2022

    Cobb Hunt Camp

    Awesome

    Free no water or electricity, porta-potties . Most campers stay to themselves and there's room for privacy

  • BThe Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 2, 2023

    17 Mile Hunt Camp

    Nice spot

    Sites are spread out and the road is rough getting in. No water or electric. Porta potty on site. No Verizon cell service.


Guide to Middleburg

Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near Middleburg, Florida, where nature enthusiasts can enjoy serene landscapes and a sense of adventure. With various options available, campers can find the perfect spot to unwind and connect with the great outdoors.

Tips for free and dispersed camping near Middleburg, Florida

  • Many dispersed camping areas, like Cobb Hunt Camp, offer a peaceful environment with minimal amenities, making them ideal for those seeking solitude in nature.
  • Be prepared for a lack of facilities; for instance, 17 Mile Hunt Camp has no toilets or showers, so campers should bring their own supplies and be ready for a primitive experience.
  • Always check for cell service availability before heading out; some areas, such as 17 Mile Hunt Camp, may have limited connectivity, allowing for a true escape from the digital world.

Scenic spots for dispersed campers

  • The tranquil setting of Davenport Landing offers beautiful views and water access, perfect for those looking to enjoy fishing or kayaking.
  • Campers at West Tower Hunt Camp can appreciate the well-maintained sites and the convenience of nearby amenities like a bathroom and outdoor shower.
  • For a more secluded experience, Sandhill Hunt Camp provides a quiet atmosphere surrounded by nature, ideal for wildlife watching and relaxation.

Unique experiences for dispersed campers

  • At Cobb Hunt Camp, visitors can enjoy a quiet retreat with the option to camp just beyond the closed campground, where others have found peaceful spots.
  • The rustic charm of 17 Mile Hunt Camp allows campers to immerse themselves in nature while being mindful of the hunting activities in the area.
  • For those seeking a more social atmosphere, West Tower Hunt Camp features a camp host and a friendly community vibe, making it a great place to meet fellow outdoor enthusiasts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Middleburg, FL?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Middleburg, FL is Cobb Hunt Camp with a 4.1-star rating from 8 reviews.

What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Middleburg, FL?

TheDyrt.com has all 5 dispersed camping locations near Middleburg, FL, with real photos and reviews from campers.