Looking for the best Mulberry tent camping? Find the best information on tent camping near Mulberry, including sites, reviews, and tips for getting the most out of your camping experience. Would you prefer a quiet dispersed site or an established camgpround with amenities? Either way, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect place to pitch your tent.
Just minutes from downtown Tampa, this Hillsborough River State Park Camping offers a refuge from city life with its seven miles of nature trails and ample places to cool off in the water.
Except for occasional reenactments, the cannon and guns are now silent at Fort Foster. No longer do Seminole Indians have to fight to keep a foothold in Florida, and soldiers no longer guard a strategic river crossing. The reconstructed fort and its surroundings are now part of Hillsborough River State Park.
Besides a living history lesson, visitors can kayak or canoe class II river rapids, rare in Florida, hike seven miles of nature trails and swim in an ADA accessible swimming pool.
Tucked away, only a short distance from the bustling city of Tampa, camping is a popular activity at Hillsborough River State Park.
$24 / night
Well-known for its natural spring which flows year-round, cool, clean water into the Alafia River, the Lithia Springs Park was originally purchased by Gardinier, Inc., a mining company that soon became Mosaic Phosphate, Inc. When the company leased the park to Hillsborough County as a recreational area in 1957, the 160-acre site slowly became a popular camping spot.
After setting up camp, hikers can explore the woodsy trails and its diverse plant communities, river cypress swamps, and hardwood hammocks. But it is the natural spring that serves as the park’s major attraction, which---courtesy of the water’s 72 degree temperature---provides an excellent swimming experience all year long. In addition to swimming, visitors can fish and play volleyball. There is also a bath house for the parents to rest and chat, while their kids can play at the park’s playground.
The park’s 44 camping sites---which is also suitable for RVs---include water/shower and electrical services. The campers also have access to picnic shelters and tables, restrooms, and barbecue grills. There are no reservations for these sites; everything is done on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Park rules to know:
-Picnic shelters are not rented for the months April - September. -All shelters, tables and grills and parking spaces are first come first serve -Due to the high demand of the swimming area and current conditions maximum capacity is -No rain checks / refunds
$24 / night
The family campground offers water and electric hookups, a dump station, access to restrooms with shower facilities, laundry and dishwashing areas.
Currently, there is no free Wi-Fi in the campground; however, Wi-Fi is available at the Hammock Inn Concession, which is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during peak season months. During the slow summer season, daily availability and hours of operation may vary for the Hammock Inn camp store. Call 863-402-0061 for details.
Campsites have picnic tables and fire rings. Sites vary from being open and sunny to partially or fully shaded and range in length from 20 to 50 feet. Maximum RV length = 50 feet.
Three paved campsites, designated as American Disability Act sites, are near an ADA-accessible restroom. A maximum of eight people with two tents are allowed per site. RV sites are allowed to have the RV and one tent.
The recreation hall, a park rental facility with a full kitchen, stage, large seating area, restrooms, barbecue grill and playground, is used for family reunions, weddings, parties, meetings and other events. Reservations may be booked through the ranger station 11 months in advance.
The campground is a short walk from the Civilian Conservation Corps Museum and the picnic area. The bike path, nature trails and playgrounds are within proximity and easily accessed. Ranger-guided programs and interpretive walks offered during the busy winter season are suspended during the summer.
$18 - $22 / night
In 1848, settler James Alderman built his homestead south of the Alafia River in Lithia. He fashioned a crossing by cutting down the steep banks of the river, creating Alderman’s Ford. This historic site is now home to Alderman’s Ford Conservation Park, a hot spot for hikers and nature enthusiasts. The park's most popular attraction is a 1.9 mile paved loop that follows the north and south prongs of the Alafia River-- one of the most popular canoe spots in the state. The loop, which is hiker, dog walker, and bicycle friendly, links with a boardwalk and foot bridges, leading into shaded woods of gigantic cypress and oak trees. Visit Alderman's Ford Conservation Park and enjoy a day of birdwatching, fishing or hiking the lush woods. The park also hosts four remote campsites for anyone seeking a real wilderness experience without going too far from home.
A free camping reservation is required and must be displayed.
Ever wonder what it would be like to stay on a deserted island? This is truly an adventure you will never forget. Once you land in paradise you will wander thru the looping trail system to find your campsite. There are (4) campsite with elevated tent platforms tucked back in the trees. Now that you are settled in, time to gather wood and build a fire in one of the (2) 8 foot wide, 2 ton concrete fire pits.
Awake a dawn with a nice kayak/canoe trip on a secluded water trail thru mangrove islands and stop for lunch at River's Edge Bar & Grill across the river from the island. Having too much fun, take a nap in hammock and rock to breeze and sounds of river.
This is an island is accessible via water only so there is some preparation to get here and stay here. Kayaks, Canoes and a shuttle are available if you don't have your own transportation. Please contact prior to booking to ensure you understand the packages, for example, if you want to rent the whole island for yourself and need transportation for your group. We offer tailored quote for package based on your needs.
$50 - $75 / night
Separate primitive camping areas available for individual and equestrian camping. Backcountry camping available. Campsites for cars and primitive cabins available. Groups can reserve tent site or cabins up to 90 days in advance. Reservation and fee are required and can be made up to 30 days in advance.
Traveler
So I will say this site has super clean bathrooms, nice tent campsites and freshly paved roads. The tent sites have hookups and very close to the bathrooms. The only downfall is there isn't a ton to do here so don't expect anything spectacular.
Guide
We tent camped here for two nights. I really enjoyed our stay and the staff were very friendly and helpful.
We stayed one of the premium tent sites, but unfortunately there is a very bright street light on all night right next to premium camping. The primitive campsites with no hookups are in a much more secluded area and not affected by lighting at night.
Other than that, everything else was great.
LegendColt Creek State Park is one of the newest parks in the Florida State Park System. Their RV/Tent Campground just recently opened in early 2018. RV spots are spacious. There is not a lot of privacy between spots but cover will grow in in time. Most sites are in full sun most of the day. Tent camping areas are on grass not gravel. very nice dump and wash area at gate to campground. They also offer equestrian, group, and primitive camping at this location. The equestrian camp is well used and quite large with standard amenities for horses and campers. There are 2 primitive sites along a 10 mile loop trail. Group site does not have a pavilion but does have port o lets ( no water or electric). There are 4 lakes ( no swimming) on the property kayak/canoe rentals, nice fishing ares and a dock. Lots of wildlife. Great for biking as well.
Legend
Wow... a few miles from home and one I will visit often! This lovely county run park you will find at the end of a 15 min drive down a back country road. There is so much to see and do here. The campsites are well shaded. (unless grounds were full when you reserved and you took option to camp in adjoining astronomy field). I would have rated a 5+ except that there is only 1 small bathhouse in campground. There are other bathrooms on property though. Staff on phone are not overly friendly - but do not let that dissuade you from booking a spot here!
There are multiple tent camping sites dispersed on property and 1 primitive site that you have to hike into. The group site is very popular with local scouts! The RV/Tent sites are roomy and not too close together - but not very private either. There is a dump station onsite
Next to campground you will find a historic church, a large and small cabin available for rent, 2 playgrounds, shelters, large pavilion with grill/fire pit, fishing dock, canoe launch, paved bike trail hiking trails and an observation tower. On new moon nights the local astronomy club uses neighboring field to gaze at the stars. This place is quiet and dark at night!
Wildlife did not seem to be a problem at camp (but we are very careful with trash). There are lots of birds, deer and fishing was good on the river.
You might have to compete with us for a reservation here - we will be back!
TravelerThis park has RV sites, regular tent sites, cabins and primitive camping. I like the regular tent sites, not much of a walk in but secluded. The park includes restrooms and showers and seem to be taken care of. There are several trails around, one paved, and I believe the Florida Trail is very close. Quiet at night and peaceful.
Guide
Lots of tent camping and bike trails.
Guide
Nice place, relatively quiet. Little light pollution. Sites are very spacious. Close and clean facilities. Saw a good bit of wildlife: deer and wild boar. Hiking and biking trials. I regular tent sites (which are also hammock friendly). Also have cabins for rent. Prices are on the lower end, $17 a night for tent sites. Only reason for the 4 start is the reservation system has to be done through the county park and rec sites.
Guide
How could being at Disney be a bad thing? Even when tent camping it was amazing. Never a mosquito in sight. Geckos all around. GREAT for bike riding around the campsite.
Scout
Our first camping trip we stayed in Koa for the Cotopaxi Questival. The tent site was well laid out. I was very pleased.
Traveler
I used an RV site last year and booked a tent site this year. It is technically within walking distance to the beach.
LegendWe booked our tent camping trip for Valentine's Day and choose a spot with amenities so we were in with the RV's - and there was not much privacy there - sites have some trees but are fairly close and not much between them. Tent camping area was not much different but do not let this deter you from staying at this AMAZING park! This is a very busy state park because it has so much to offer! The CCC Museum cannot be missed. there is so much history there, you will be glad you took the time to check it out - great for all ages. There are many short loop trails that take you through many ecosystems, giant trees at sizes few have seen before, lots of wildlife to. These short trails are great for families and are all accessible from the roadside. You can drive right up to each one. There are longer trails that can also be explored. This part of Florida is also one of the darkest in the state, perfect for budding astronomers! Don't forget to check out the night sky, especially in the clearer cooler months of the year.
Traveler
Tent camped at a site in loop one. Weather was nice, though we were warned it can get a bit muddy when it rains. Crowds were a bit higher on the trails during Saturday afternoon but Sunday morning was much more quiet and we saw lots of wildlife.
LegendI typically avoid tent camping here in the summer months– early summer the trails are heavy with mosquitoes and summer rains bring a large amount of flooding. Though in the fall winter and spring this park is AMAZING. We were very lucky on this trip to have snagged spot at the high part of the riverside loop. Sites 20 and 21 typically stay dry enough for tents. Sites along the river side of loops are prone to flooding some holding as much as 4-6 inches of water.
This trip was a short overnight to get rid of some pent up cabin fever. We loaded up a tent and the bikes, praying for dry weather. The mosquitoes were not bad, almost none, the the river was near flood stage and inches from overflowing its bank near the campground.
The 2.5 mile loop from main entrance is perfect for biking, be careful near the pool area that is VERY crowded in the summer as many locals visit and it will reach capacity early in the day. You can rent bikes and canoes at the concession area near the stand if you did not bring your own. The grounds are beautifully kept, campground hosts are helpful, bathrooms clean and playground areas are plentiful. There are very nice pavilions and one air conditioned building available for rent for special events. If you are visiting in the summer call to make sure the site you booked is dry.
We did see where one person got his travel trailer stuck on the mud trying to get into his site. There are very few tent campers in the summer so be prepared if you are tent camping to hear neighbors a/c running all night.
I get products to test from time to time- today I am testing the INNO INH540 Bike Rack On first impression upon receiving– this is a heavy duty rack! Shipping weight is nearly 50lbs. and came fully assembled. This bike rack will fit both 1.25 and 2 inch receivers. We first tried to mount on my Jeep Liberty but we need to get a receiver extension as our spare tire prevented installation. So we mounted on our Dodge 1500 truck. I had to have my husband help me slip it into the receiver(was a bit awkward for me to do on my own).
I was very pleased to find the unit came with a hitch lock that was keyed the same as the cable lock for the bikes. Rack came with 2 keys so we each have a key on our ring and can access without looking for it.
The bars are adjustable and the rotating upper and lower cradles are well designed. The support bars also fold down when not in use. Another nice feature is locking pivot at base that will allow you to tilt the rack out of the way of tailgate to enable access without removing the entire rack.
The rack will hold 4 bikes up to 35 lbs each or a total of 140 lbs. We have mountain bikes with less space on crossbars of frame so was a bit tight to get loaded. Loading was much easier once we did it a couple times and got used to where we needed to place the cradles. Street bikes load with no issues,(we borrowed the neighbors bikes to test and to show off our new INNO bike rack– they were jealous)!
Order yours today from https://www.innoracks.com/ You will not be disappointed!
RangerIt was our first trip in our new RV but have been tent camping there before. On this trip we were treated to a night time tram ride because the 26 species of fireflies were out for a 2 week period. The area is beautiful and shady, staff very friendly, lots of critters on the trails.
GuideWhat a lovely campground!
Everything is quiet and even though the sites are close to each other, there's lots of privacy (at least among the tent sites).
There appears to be a lot of people actives on water and on foot.
Staff has been very friendly.
Scout
Really something for everyone. Tent sites are lakefront underneath cypress trees with hanging Spanish Moss. Lots of RV sites with clean bathrooms. 2 pools, 2 hot tubs, on site restaurants, a lakefront beach with free SUP’s. Very family-friendly atmosphere, but not a ton of kids.
RangerReally beautiful area. Sites w/grills that can fit 2 cars. Foliage between sites so they are visually private but can get loud depending on your neighbors. Plenty of space for hammocks.
Camp store on site has firewood, bug spray, sunscreen, all the basics.
We tent camped in July and it was truly the hottest I've ever been. Character building.
Guide
Such a great place for families to camp!! The campground is nice and has bathrooms and showers, plus being able to go to the springs is so much fun and beautiful!! Saw deer at night in our campsite #3 we had a double tent site .. beautiful weather.. Springs of course were cold
GuideTent sites are small. Ground is very hard to put tent stakes in. Bath house is clean. They have washer and dryer. People are loud all night. Unless you have a watercraft of some kind or are going to the beach there's nothing to do at the campground. We left a day early due to the heat. It was nice to have trash cans at the site.
ScoutCheck in is at 1 pm. They had a sign on there door that said be back at 1:15.They finally opened door at 1:33. I asked if we got to check out a half hour late because he was late getting back from lunch , he said no! Check out is at 11am. Just not fair. That’s why I gave them a three. Park is great though. I am tent camping.
GuideSO where to start.. This camp ground is very expensive to stay. For a pop up tent campsite it's going to put you back about $200.. That does NOT include passes to Disney. You DO however have access to the other resorts. The campground itself is very nice.
TravelerHad a 2 night tent camp stay here during January. Great option for family reunions, we had my girlfriend’s 30th here, and with our rented golf cart, had no problems escorting our guests to our campsite to enjoy a camp cookout with us at our campsite. Was definitely an authentic Disney experience, with a never ending list of activities with plenty to keep kids and kids at heart busy, which we didn’t partake in since we were enjoying our campsite.
Traveler
We loved our tent camping experience at Lake Kissimmee. Our site was 22 in Loop 1 and we were pleasantly surprised to discover that we had our own direct path to the bathroom, which wasn’t something featured on the FL State Park booking site. On-site store was only open on specific days of the week and did not carry ice, but they did have small bundles of firewood. We look forward to booking the same spot when we come back to visit during the colder months.
Scout
Horrible for tent camping. Didn't own an RV. I'm just traveling through, and I went off of what information was listed. This place is pathetic. Not as advertised. Trash is not taken out regularly. One table on the ground, and it's not a picnic camping table. Tent campers have no showers or restroom. Freeway is very close and noisy. Campground is not really for campers. I'd stay away. This place is appearing fraudulent. Owner does not run this property accordingly. Seems like just a place to store RVs. Not for camping in tents or RVs. Stay away. There's much better camping across the state, regulated and maintained.
ScoutVery friendly, helpful staff. This place was always clean and well maintained. Tent camped here for 11 days. Water access to the gulf for fishing crabbing claming kayaking etc. The pinellas county trail runs along side KOA and they rent bikes and fun little tricycles to ride the trail or use in campground. Itwas great. Plenty of trees to add shade. Nice clean pool and rec center. They even had a movie night at the pool. Cant wait to go back in my RV. Loved it here
ScoutHighlands Hammock is my go-to campground for trips with kids and/or new campers. We steer clear of the family camping area and stick to the wilderness (tent) area for more peace and quiet, but it does get busy there as well. Shade and privacy can be hard to come by unless you pick the right spot. The sites after the vault toilet and bend in the road (I believe sites 10 and up, as well as the 2 group sites) have better shade and privacy between, BUT they are closest to the main road outside the park so you can hear traffic and even see a house across the street. I personally stick to sites 1-5 as they have still have some shade and are farther from the road, with the compromise being they are quite close together (you'll probably be meeting the neighbors).
The tent sites are only okay, but the park itself picks up any slack remaining. It's huge, has great bike and walking trails (no dogs allowed on the boardwalk areas though), and lots of wildlife. If it gets too hot at the tent sites, we take chairs over to the shaded grassy clearing next to the pavilions and just hang out while any kids in the group enjoy the playground and camp store.
This park has everything for the family or first-time camper, while still satisfying the itch for experienced folks too!
ScoutWe go a couple of times a year and it is the best. We have tent camp, used a pop and driven an RV. They also have cabins for those that do not want to “rough” it. It is a great place to start the camping lifestyle. My kids love it. Best time to go is Halloween and Christmas. Visitors will decorate their sites and it’s a lot of fun to visit. Every night there is a campfire and movie. There is a complete calendar of events that are free and some that require an extra cost.
Tent camping near Mulberry, Florida offers a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in nature while enjoying a variety of outdoor activities. With several well-reviewed campgrounds in the area, you'll find the perfect spot to set up your tent and unwind.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Mulberry, FL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Mulberry, FL is Hillsborough River State Park Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 63 reviews.
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