Best Cabin Camping near Ocala National Forest

Are you in need of a campground near Ocala National Forest, FL? Ocala National Forest is filled with the activities, sights, and experiences to make everyone in your crew a happy camper. Ready to plan your adventure? Check out our campgrounds near Ocala National Forest and user-submitted reviews.

Best Cabin Sites Near Ocala National Forest (84)

    1. Salt Springs Recreation Area

    57 Reviews
    Salt Springs, FL
    6 miles
    Website
    +1 (352) 685-2048

    $37 - $69 / night

    "Located in the center of the state, you’ll have near equal access to both the Atlantic Ocean to the east as well as the Gulf shores to the west."

    "Salt Springs Recreation Area is part of the Ocala National Forest. It’s the oldest national forest east of the Mississippi River and protects the world’s largest sand pine scrub forest."

    2. Silver Springs State Park Campground

    41 Reviews
    Ocala, FL
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (352) 236-7148

    $24 - $110 / night

    "All sites were gravel and level and had water, electric, and (I believe but we didn’t use) sewer hookups, a bbq grill, a fire ring, and a large picnic table."

    "Silver Springs Silver Springs SP Beautiful Florida campground with 60 sites, many pullthrus. The sites are huge with lots of space and privacy. Lush surroundings."

    3. Renegades on the River

    5 Reviews
    Georgetown, FL
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (386) 524-4179

    $80 - $190 / night

    "This is a top notch RV park/marina.....has a full service restaurant with a very nice tiki bar right on the river.  Staff is just the best and the sunsets are beautiful. "

    "Pull through, back in and buddy sites are available. Great access to the lake."

    4. Lake Waldena Resort

    6 Reviews
    Ocklawaha, FL
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (352) 625-2851

    "This is a quiet little park that sits around a lake with some woods.

    Let’s see, the Wifi is poor, but we still were able to stream our favorite show at night."

    "We found the office & lake area & it's great! The boats & kayaks are free for campers. You just have to sign one out at the office. 

     "

    5. Ocklawaha Canoe Outpost & Resort

    5 Reviews
    Fort Mccoy, FL
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (352) 236-4606

    $35 / night

    "In all, there’s some 11 slots available with FHUs offering 30 / 50 amp electric, water and sewage connections along with a picnic table and fire ring at each site."

    "This is a friendly campground with canoe/kayak rentals and a shuttle service."

    6. Rivers Edge RV Park

    2 Reviews
    Georgetown, FL
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (386) 467-7147

    "at Rivers Edge RV Park, which is a little know campground jewel in the rough, but be sure to reach out well in advance, as with only 50 or so slots, this place books up quick."

    7. Lake In The Forest Resort RV'S And Cabins

    3 Reviews
    Ocklawaha, FL
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (352) 625-6275

    $30 - $200 / night

    "This is a very rustic campground with friendly owners. The amenities there are cabins, swimming pool, laundry room, shower rooms and lake activities."

    8. Georgetown Marina, Lodge & RV Park

    2 Reviews
    Georgetown, FL
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (386) 467-2002

    "If your idea of a sublime slice of heaven includes being surrounded by a body of water, complete with docks to tie up your boat so that you can rise early to hook lake trout, smallmouth and largemouth"

    9. Grateful Hammock

    4 Reviews
    Fort Mccoy, FL
    15 miles
    +1 (352) 427-8972

    $40 - $75 / night

    "Best site around. Outdoor kitchen and shower both with hot water! Flush toilets. Adorable tiny cabin rental is available. Social distancing is being practiced. Creativity is bounding."

    "If you are true champions like us and can handle the Florida bugs and heat then the summer is fabulous here too."

    10. Blue Spring State Park Campground

    45 Reviews
    Orange City, FL
    32 miles
    Website
    +1 (386) 775-3663

    $24 - $95 / night

    "It was still very hot and buggy in Florida so be warned If this is an issue for you. Large campsites with a picnic table, electric, and water."

    "As for the pet-friendly campground specifically, each of the 51 sites has its own picnic table, water and electric as well as fire ring, while the ground itself is laden with powdery grey sand (so leave"

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Cabin Reviews near Ocala National Forest

673 Reviews of 84 Ocala National Forest Campgrounds


  • Stuart K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 21, 2025

    Ocklawaha Canoe Outpost & Resort

    Intimate Backwater Canoe Outpost w/ Trifecta of Camping Options

    Located at the southern tip of Rodman Reservoir, which is one of the major water tributaries that you can float around the NE perimeter of the Ocala National Forest, you’ll discover that this backwater camping outpost sits on 7+ acres of heavily forested woods and offers up 3 distinct types of camping opportunities: RV / 5th Wheeler, primitive tent-camping and cabin rentals. While apparently long a bastion of this particular area, dating back to the mid-80’s, Ocklawaha Canoe Outpost has been under new management for the past few years. Unlike many of the CG's in the area, this river-front, nature-embracing outpost is smaller than most with only 22 sites available.

    Situated just west of the tiny hamlet of Eureka in Fort McCoy, you will first spot the area designated for RVs, 5th Wheelers and trailers a moment or two before arriving to Ocklawaha Canoe Outpost as this spot sits alongside the roadway with 2-3 gravel pathway access points before actually making your arrival to the main office and beyond it, the main parking area. In all, there’s some 11 slots available with FHUs offering 30 / 50 amp electric, water and sewage connections along with a picnic table and fire ring at each site. Being next to a main artery of Rodman Reservoir, one always needs to be aware of elevation, in case of flooding, so what we noticed immediately, even before arriving to the Ocklawaha main office is that both the RV-designated area as well as the main office sit on more elevated land, which is a bonus in case of flooding. Unlike the cabin and primitive tent camping areas, the RV-designated area does not possess much of any shade. At $40 / night (and $45 / night including bath house) and $240 / week ($270 / week including bath house), we found the pricing here to be just about right.

    For those of you thinking about renting one of the 6 log cabins that exist here, what I liked most about this particular set-up is that all of these units are located in close proximity to one another – we’ll call this the cottage enclave – which combined, share the community amenities specific to this community. Bear in mind, these cabins are not pet-friendly, so leave your 4-legged friends at home, or look to one of the other 2 modes of camping here. You have your choice between a one- or two-room cabin, both of which offer heat, A/C, furnished with bedding, towels, dishes, pots, pans, microwave, mini-fridge, small cook top and coffee pot. Each cabin also comes with a porch offering semi-privacy to take your morning coffee as well as brand-new Weber charcoal grill that sits in front of each cabin along with an in-ground fire pit. At $134 / night for the single that sleeps 5 (with 7 being the max) and$154 / night for the double-cabin that also sleeps 5 (with 6 being the max), considering the location of where you are at, combined with the amenities provided and the relative quality of the cabins, I found the pricing to be fairly economical. The prices decrease substantially to $109 and $129/ night respectively if one books multiple nights, which makes this a no-brainer for even a short stay.

    With mi tent-pitchin’ bredren in mind, you’ll appreciate that of the 3 available types of camping here, the area reserved for setting up your own non-mobile, semi-permanent nylon camping haven will place you closest to the river, where within 50-60 yards you’ll easily be able to access the Rodman Reservoir from a decent-sized tributary. While obviously that’s a huge plus, you also want to be careful about knowing when it’s going to rain and for how long as this also would be the area that gets the most flooding if there was any. Another bonus is that the tent-sites ARE pet-friendly, so you can smile as those cabin campers stroll past your sites (while your mutt barks at them). As for the grounds themselves, there’s 2 different areas that the pathway to the river’s edge dissects in half with 4-5 sites being available on the one side and only 1-2 sites being available on the other, which will provide you with just slightly more privacy. There’s not a whole lot to these sites, where you’ll simply have a picnic table and fire ring, but you’ll be surrounded by a great tree line and solid brush, albeit you won’t have sheltered views between sites. You’ll also want to take note that, again, the pathway to the river runs through the primitive tent camping area, so while not heavily trafficked, you will certainly experience pedestrians and fellow campers coming and going. Cost per night for tent camping is an acceptable $25/ night (up to 4 people, and $5/ pp after that), which again, scouting the area and staying in a few other places, seems about right.

    Additional community amenities not already mentioned include: community bathhouses with impeccably clean restrooms and well-maintained showers, ping pong, recreation room with board games, corn hole, canoe & kayak rentals w/ shuttle service, horseshoe pit, kid’s playground and a small pond that is stocked for simple, yet enjoyable ‘catch & release’ as well as firewood available for sale @ $5/ bundle.

    Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) This CG is right on the Ocklawaha River populated with dense wetlands, marsh and semi-tropical forests sprouting sable palms, swamp maples, the odd pencil-thin towering pines and submerged cypress, so the owners are very smart to have organized a few different river experiences that you should definitely take advantage of with 2 different outfitters being Gores Landing and Rays Wayside, both of which offer up canoe ($52 / $85), solo ($42 / $75) and tandem ($62 / $95) kayak rentals as well as transport ($25 / $60) with respective pricing and seasonal availability. There’s even overnight river trips that Ockalawaha will help you set up, where pricing depends upon the specific drop point and number of nights you might be interested in. Please note that all of the above runs everyday except Tuesdays; (2) While you of course can get on a kayak, canoe or boat to catch some fish, if you don’t want to, you can simply cross the road from Ockalawaha CG and access the Wildlife & Fishing Area that has its own set of public docks and piers that you can cast a reel from – and in fact, these spots are very well-maintained and offer up some magnificent views of the head of the 100-mile Ocklawaha River as she flows southernly from Rodman Reservoir; (3) If you want to indulge in one of Florida’s greatest treasures, you’ll need to visit a natural spring and the good news is that there’s several of the state’s best springs surrounding you here, including: Salt Springs, Homosassa Springs, Deleon Springs, Silver Glen Springs, Alexander Springs, Juniper Springs, Silver Springs and Rainbow Springs; (4) If you’ve got fishing on your mind while in these parts, expect to be hauling in crappie, sunfish, small- and largemouth bass, catfish and bream; and (5) The owners Lance & Theresa are absolutely wonderful people that will do whatever it takes to ensure your stay is flawless!

    Happy Camping!

  • Donna B.
    Dec. 22, 2020

    Grateful Hammock

    We love the Grateful Hammock

    Best site around. Outdoor kitchen and shower both with hot water! Flush toilets. Adorable tiny cabin rental is available. Social distancing is being practiced. Creativity is bounding. Artists and musicians are highly encouraged to visit. You'll wish you came sooner.

  • Stuart K.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 1, 2023

    Sugar Mill Ruins Travel Park

    New Smyrna Beach Vibe Rollicks in this RV Park

    If you’ve landed on this review hopefully its because of a primary decision to visit one of the greatest beach communities in all of Florida – New Smyrna Beach. This super-slim archipelago boasts some of the most perfect white sugar sand beaches anywhere – plus, the best part is that this beach is a proper ‘drive-on’ beach, so whatever you would normally have to haul in a cart or wheeled by trolley to the beach, you can simply keep in the trunk or bed of your SUV / car / truck. And if you are here, hopefully you have planned to be here for some time – or, upon seeing how simply amazing New Smyrna Beach is, have decided that you need a place to stay ... but unfortunately, you and a couple thousand other people have come to the same conclusion. So what do you do? 

    Well, you look for simple and affordable accommodations nearby, and that’s what will attract you to Sugar Mill Ruins Travel Park, which is conveniently located only 15 minutes drive or so from beachside bliss. While this is definitely an RV-laden outpost, the vibe here is quite contagious, with its main office greeting you immediately upon arrival, where just past this wooden log cabin structure pure hedonism awaits with vibrant bouncing beach balls popping up and down in this overgrown campside Florida shaped-pool bursting with loud southern country music (yee-haw!) and nearly everyone en towe brandishing a coozie with some cheap domestic beer and endless “hey y’all’s” and smiles to boot at the ‘Tiki Hut’ (warning – there’s nothing here that resembles a ’Tiki Hut’ apart from the drinks they pour, although even here, no umbrellas!). This place feels like Spring Break for the adults toting 2-3 kids with them as they dwell in their mobile manufactured temporary housing. 

    With all the proper hook-ups being provided (30 / 50 amp electric, sewer, water), this oversized RV menagerie feels like it’s been carved out of a forest of tall needle-pine trees sheltering its residents from the sweltering heat of NE Florida. The family-friendly restrooms and shower facilities are fairly clean and there’s picnic tables and BBQ grills sporadically littered all over the place. Sugar Mill Ruins also rents out very affordable cabins (12 x 20) with twin bunk beds and fold-out futon (nice) complete with mini-fridge, table, chairs, microwave and even a porch with deck chairs. There’s more than 200 sites to choose from complete with a playground for the kiddos, game room with 2 billiards tables, plus 3 acres of lake fishing along with a cool pavilion with games and events (this is the main building that you’ll first encounter). 

    Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) While not exactly a destination, Sugar Mill Ruins is so dang convenient to some of the best beach experiences you might ever encounter, depending upon your leaning, leave early and spend as much time as you can at New Smyrna Beach; (2) If you’re looking for a different place to soak some suds, I highly recommend Norwood’s Treehouse Bar, which has fantastic cocktails and local live music; and (3) For simply sublime food, check out Outriggers Tiki Bar& Grille, which has a pretty gracious happy hour where you can spot manatees and dolphins while biting down on some of the freshest catch in Florida, but with outstanding accoutrement, like key lime coconut beurre blanc and sticky bamboo rice or pineapple and peppadew rhum butter infused fish entrees. 

    Happy Camping!

  • Stuart K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 6, 2023

    Crescent Fish Camp, RV Resort & Marina | Outdoor Adventure Retreats

    Welcome to the Bass Capital of the World @ this Waterfront Rustic Oasis

    Located in north central Florida just south of Florida’s agricultural heartland in Palatka, you’ll spot 333 Fish Camp if you are driving slow enough on Highway 17 heading north out of Crescent City, but only if you have your eyes peeled looking for the place. Apart from an oversized relatively new roadside sign that somehow sits back from view, an entirely thick shrubbery and tree line and 30 degree downgrading, albeit well-paved lane block this waterfront oasis from passing-by view. 

    The best part about 333 Fish Camp? If you’re an angler or simply want to be out on the water, then this place is a perfect spot as it offers easy-to-maneuver and immediate access to Crescent Lake along with the St. Johns River, which through its many intracoastal waterways, will grant you access to the Atlantic Ocean if you so choose. As for the layout of the place itself, 333 offers up Deluxe Waterfront RV Sites (adjacent to marina and pool, but with direct views of Lake Crescent) and Premium RV Sites (offer both back-in and pull-thru sites and are located further up the hill and further away from the lake, but still offer great views, just a slightly longer walk to the water). All sites offer dedicated BBQ grill, fire pit and 50 amp hookups, except the Premium, which offer 30 and 50 amp. In addition to these 2 types of RV accommodations, 333 offers up (6) Efficiency Cottages, (1) Vacation Home and even a couple Waterfront Tiny Homes (all are perfect for 2 Adults / 2 Children, save the Vacation Homes, which are larger and may accommodate more people), which I thought were particularly amazing. All of these alternative modern housing rentals feature kitchenettes, private restrooms and showers, refrigerators (with freezer), coffee machines, TV’s, A/C and screened in porches. 

    Amenities: Pet-Friendly, General Store (fishing apparel, bait, tackle, rods & reels, lures, baits, basic groceries, sodas, beer, sunscreen, bug spray, etc.), Full Marina (w/ 3 dedicated slots), Lakeview Wooden Dock (w/ pristine, elevated views of Lake Crescent, along with a jumbo TV for watching your favorite game), Hillside Heated Pool (complete with lounge chairs, gazebos and even views of Lake Crescent), River House (offering TV, seating, office space, WiFi, meeting space, kitchen / bar area, bathroom, shower facilities and even a laundr-O-mat), Fishing Pier (there’s even a standing prize for anyone who catches the largest fish on the pier!), Boat Fuel Station, Boat Ramp, Charcoal Grills & Fire Pits, Efficiency Cottages, RV & Trailer Storage and Complimentary Hi-Speed WiFi. 

    Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you are a beginner fisherman like me, I highly recommend booking a pro fishing guide and Cole Hewitt is the on-sight angling ombudsman who will not only educate you on how to fish, but he knows Lake Crescent like the back of his hand, so you’ll benefit from also knowing WHERE to catch bass; (2) While we always go camping with our kayaks and canoes entowe, if you forgot yours or simply want to try out a true angling kayak, then you’re in luck as 333 offer up a handful of rentals, and even if they are fully-booked up, you can head back into town where there’s plenty of spots that will rent you some watercraft; and (3) When you get tired of trying to figure out what’s next for dinner or simply want to try out the local fare, I highly recommend the fun and vibrant 3 Bananas, which basically serves up some fairly decent glorified American bar food, of which I highly recommend the grilled, blackened Mahi Mahi as well as their buffalo wings – but don’t forget to order the fried banana cheesecake– it’s out of this world! 

    Happy Camping!

  • Stuart K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 30, 2023

    Cherry Blossom RV Resort

    Hilly RV Pasture Near Bass Fishing Capital of the World

    Located due north of Crescent Lake here in Putnam County within north central Florida and just off Highway 17, you’ll come across a very well-appointed RV gated community that sits atop a rolling hill with tons of tall needle pines, palms and ancient oaks shrouding this unassuming hidden oasis in both privacy as well as shuddering it from the nearby highway traffic. In fact, if you’re driving too fast, you might just miss this little hidden gem … but something tells me, that’s not really a concern for the good folks here at Cherry Blossom, who were completely booked up when we stopped by one sunny afternoon in January. 

    As for the layout of this place, it’s quite simple. To begin with, the moment you turn onto Cherry Blossom’s main entrance, you will be greeted by perfectly paved roads that feature on the right, the main office building, where you’ll check in, along with this RV resort's beautiful in-ground heated swimming pool as well as main restrooms and shower facilities (which are as immaculate as they come!), indoor and outside laundry facilities behind and to the side of the building. On the left, there’s a newly planted pickleball court, open air gazebo with freshly poured concrete (although you’ll have to bring your own chairs, table and BBQ), 2 sets of cornhole, which is all fenced in, providing for a nice doggie park environ. You’ll also discover a full-on propane service area before arriving to the key-guarded lift gates that provide a huge plus-up in security for this RV haven, which is located right on a fairly busy highway. 

    Once inside the compound, there’s a simple long and narrow loop to follow that is dissected in the middle, so after passing by the administration office, keep heading towards the right and you’ll circumnavigate the entire place. At the top of the loop, you can turn right, which is essentially a short lane with a dozen or so RV slots on the left and a half dozen cabin lodges on the right. While most of the slots on the periphery of the loop and the lane are fairly well-shaded and offer very good (not great) privacy, those slots located on the interior of the loop are fairly open with scant brush, save a few isolated palms or oaks, so needless to say, you and your camp will be in complete view of the entire campground. My personal recommendation, if you have the opportunity to do so (note below, there is no reserving specific sites, which seems absolutely Proletarian to me!), is to pick one of the RV slots that is located on the lane at the top of the loop – these are deluxe sites, have more space as well as greater privacy. 

    Prices for Standard RV slots are$55 ($350 / wk and $575 / mo), whereas the Deluxe RV sites are$60 ($400 / wk and $675 / mo), with the only difference being Standard has grass & gravel w/ cement patio, whereas the Deluxe features asphalt pads and in addition to picnic table and BBQ, offers up a fire ring. Me thinks for $5 more, it’s a deal go Deluxe and drop anchor on a solid patch of land, plus, who doesn’t love a fire ring?! All slots come with 30 / 50 amp, metered electric and complimentary cable TV& WiFi. Don’t have an RV? Not a problem, Cherry Blossom will rent you one of their 1BR/ 1BA lodges for $1,050 by the month (but read the fine print: no pets, no smoking, no kids and only 2 adults (so no fun!).

    Amenities: Back-In and Pull-Through RV Sites w/ Full Hook-Ups (30 / 50 electric, water & sewage), Doggie Park, Corn Hole, Pickleball Courts, Heated In-Ground Swimming Pool w/ Patio & Chaise Lounge Chairs, Indoor & Outside Laundr-O-Mat, On-Site Market, Club House with Foosball, Billiards Tables, Game Room and Exercise Room, Playground, Propane Fueling Station, Turtle-Gazing(there’s 3 beautiful tortoises named Browser, Crush and Rafael who guard Cherry Blossom RV Resort day and night!), Designated Trash & Recycling Bins 

    Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) When you book at Cherry Blossom, they won’t guarantee you a specific site – you will only know exactly where you are staying when you arrive and are assigned a specific spot. My HUGE recommendation would be to arrive as early as you can so that you can understand what spots will become available that day, have yourself a little tour of the place and then go back to office and let them know which spot(s) you prefer; (2) You should note that the fee you’ll be paying for the night covers 2 people only and after this, a $2.50 per day or $30 per month fee charge is incurred; (3) There are no cancellation refunds here – once booked, you are immediately charged and that money is gone forever; but if you do need to cancel or postpone, you are offered a camping credit - major bummer IMHO!; and (4) When you get tired of trying to figure out what that next meal is and want to sample some local fare, just head due south to Crescent City, where there’s a few decent restaurants to choose from like 3 Bananas, Crescent City Diner and Palmeras. 

    Happy Camping!

  • Brenda S.
    May. 1, 2018

    Lake Griffin State Park Campground

    Fun marsh trail!

    Tight roads, nice big campsites full hookups with picnic table and fire ring. Restrooms clean but need some touch ups. Two nice trails and playground. Pet friendly. Boat ramp. Great for kayaking and fishing.

  • Tammy P.
    Nov. 18, 2019

    Lake Oklawaha RV Park

    Don’t follow GPS! And def NO wifi

    We ended up deep in the ocala national forest. Make sure you look at a map before you go. Once you reach the forest you will lose all reception on phones. Campground states free WiFi but plan to be without. No WiFi worked while we were there. Neat trails and plan to return for summer and warmer weather and will bring atvs. Pet friendly. Seen a black bear roaming at night. John the firewood guy brought wood around for $10 in evening. Nice bathhouse if you need it.

  • Stuart K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Dec. 3, 2023

    Ocean Grove RV Resort

    South Side Ancient City Roadside RV Resort

    What I love about Ocean Grove is that it puts you smack dab due south of St. Augustine (a.k.a. Ancient City), but far enough away where you can get away from the noise, traffic and otherwise touristy area of the country’s oldest city. While the downside is that this roadside RV stand is, well, located roadside and in fact, right on the AIA, it does place you within a few minutes’ drive to some of the best beaches, like Crescent Beach, which is only 4 blocks away. Given that this is a fairly well-known attractive area known for its beaches and southern way of seaside life, there’s also no shortage of tiki bars, fish shacks and taco stands to choose from, all within walking distance. 

    As for the RV Resort itself, Ocean Grove lives up to the word ‘resort’ given all the amenities that you’ll find here, especially the very well-maintained, amazingly massive heated in-ground pool, gargantuan paved patio deck (with separate area for dining) complete with patio chairs, umbrellas and lounge chaises, along with the overgrown group-sized bubbling hot tub, in addition to offering a very well-stocked market store, restaurant and bar (can anyone say “Mai Tais poolside, por favor?!”) as well as perhaps its most impressive asset, offering direct water access to the Intracoastal (along with kayak rentals, in case you forgot yours). 

    Additional amenities include: basketball and bocce ball courts, coin-operated laundr-O-mat (complete with community book exchange / library), billiards and foosball tables, propane refilling station, pull-through and back-in RV slots complete with full hook-ups (30 / 50 amp electric, sewer and water), perfectly level paved RV pads to park on, picnic tables, horseshoe ring, fishing pier on the San Julian river, lagoon with turtle watching, children’s playground, doggie park with designated dog run, boat ramp, RV / boat / jet ski storage area, complimentary WiFi, large picnic pavilion, cable TV (additional charge), golf cart parking, designated dumpsters, community fire pit (the only place on the premises where fires area allowed), recreation hall with A/C and oversized wall-mounted TVs, heated and air-conditioned bath houses with showers. Extra points here for Ocean Grove providing a gated entry point with actual staff that adds additional layers of security, important given the proximity to the AIA. 

    Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) IMHO the best spots here at Ocean Grove are those that are waterfront: F138–F141 next to the fishing pier or J100–J126; (2) One of the very few detractors at this place is that of the 208 RV slots available, you will notice that Ocean Grove attempts to make every square inch count, so no matter where you are parked, there won’t be a ton of privacy and your hook-ups will feel very crowded (sewage line right next to the picnic table, hmm, not very enticing to say the least!); (3) When you get tired of trying to figure out what that next meal is going to be when staring down at your mini-fridge or cooler, then check out some local haunts, like Salt Water Cowboy (where anything from the Land, Sea and Swamp section like fried Alligator is pretty amazing), World Famous Oasis Restaurant or Connolly’s Shore Grill for fresh caught seafood; and (4) If you are looking for a decent place to do some great hiking, then look no further than due southwest of Ocean Grove where you can check out Matanzas State Park, that has miles and miles of unspoiled hiking trails with virtually the entire place to yourself (save the deer and gators that you might come across). 

    Happy Camping!

  • Kippy N.
    Aug. 3, 2018

    Princess Place Preserve

    Private Campsite with your own Dock!

    This campground has 2 dock sites. We stayed at Dock Site 2 in May. The site has a place to launch kayaks or a canoe. All sites are pet friendly. There are multiple hiking trails, and plenty of places to fish. Dock Site 2 had water on 2 side of the site, and had a steady breeze during our whole visit. Our site had multiple picnic tables, a fire ring, and a charcoal grill. Sites are reserved well in advance, especially for the weekends so book early.


Guide to Ocala National Forest

Cabin camping near Ocala National Forest offers a unique blend of nature and comfort, making it an ideal getaway for outdoor enthusiasts and families alike.

Some prices for cabin camping range from $50 to $150

  • At Lake Dorr Cabin, you can enjoy a rustic experience with a private boat slip and fishing opportunities right from your doorstep.
  • Grateful Hammock provides a cozy cabin experience with amenities like a community kitchen and outdoor shower, perfect for those seeking a peaceful retreat.
  • For a more luxurious stay, Runaway Bay Lodge offers glamping options with private chefs available for meals, ensuring a memorable experience.

Cabin campers appreciate these amenities

Explore local attractions near cabin camping sites

  • Just a short drive from Renegades on the River, you can enjoy the scenic beauty of the Ocklawaha River, ideal for fishing and kayaking.
  • Rivers Edge RV Park is conveniently located near the St. Johns River, providing excellent fishing opportunities and nature walks.
  • Visit the nearby Welaka State Forest while staying at Welaka Lodge & Resort for hiking trails and wildlife viewing, making it a great addition to your cabin camping experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do cabins in Ocala National Forest cost?

Cabin prices in and around Ocala National Forest vary based on amenities, size, and location. Grateful Hammock offers an adorable tiny cabin rental that typically ranges from $70-$95 per night, featuring access to outdoor kitchen and shower facilities with hot water. Princess Place Preserve - Cottages provides more spacious accommodations with prices generally between $100-$150 per night depending on the season. Throughout the forest area, basic cabins without plumbing typically start around $50-$70 per night, while those with full amenities (bathroom, kitchen) can range from $85-$200+ per night. Many locations require a two-night minimum stay, especially during weekends and high season.

Where can I find cabin rentals in Ocala National Forest?

Ocala National Forest offers several cabin rental options for visitors seeking rustic comfort. Ocklawaha Canoe Outpost & Resort provides cabins near the southern tip of Rodman Reservoir, perfectly positioned for exploring the northeastern perimeter of the forest. For those wanting to be within the forest itself, Salt Springs Recreation Area is centrally located and offers some of the best-maintained facilities in the Ocala National Forest. Additionally, Lake In The Forest Resort near Ocklawaha provides cabin accommodations with convenient access to forest attractions. When planning your visit, book well in advance, especially during peak seasons (spring and fall), as cabin availability is limited throughout the forest.

What alternative lodging options like glamping or yurts are available in Ocala National Forest?

Beyond traditional cabins, Ocala National Forest and surrounding areas offer unique lodging experiences. Lake Oklawaha RV Park provides alternative accommodations near forest trails, though be prepared for limited connectivity once you enter the forest. For a more upscale experience, Cherry Blossom RV Resort offers well-appointed glamping options in a gated community surrounded by pines, palms, and oaks. While traditional yurts are less common in this area, several private properties around the forest boundaries offer glamping tents with raised platforms, outdoor shower facilities, and communal gathering spaces. These alternatives typically provide greater comfort than standard camping while maintaining a connection to the natural surroundings that make Ocala National Forest special.