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.
Blue Spring State Park has 51 campsites (recreational vehicles up to 40 feet long) located in the sand pine scrub and are within walking distance to the spring. Each site is equipped with a picnic table, water, electricity and a grill. A dump station is available in the park. Pets are welcome in the Blue Springs camping area in accordance with our Pet Policy. ADA Accessible sites at Blue Springs State Park camping are offered on Reserve America and two new bathhouses are complete with accessible showers and bathroom stalls. Conservation measures can produce astounding results. In 1970, two years before Blue Spring State Park was established, researchers tracked 14 manatees in the spring run. By 2005, after years of park improvements and manatee protection efforts, wintering manatee numbers exceeded 200 and by 2018, that number skyrocketed to a record 485. Besides "sea cows," fish abound in the spring run, and these attract a variety of wading birds, ospreys, eagles and kingfishers. To see the park’s wonders, visitors can hike along the spring run or on the 4.5-mile Pine Island Trail. Visitors can also launch a canoe or kayak (rentals are available at the park) or take a guided river boat cruise.
$24 - $95 / night
Wekiwa Springs Camping offers slopes of gently rolling hills supporting longleaf pine among other specialty plants is the Sandhill habitat where the 60 spacious campsites are located. Each wooded site has water and electrical hook-up, a fire ring with grill and a picnic table. Some sites also have sewer hook-ups and a dump station is located at the campground. Accessible camp sites can be requested at the time of reservation. Two accessible restrooms with showers are located in the camping area. Firewood is available at the ranger station. Well behaved pets are allowed in the campground in accordance with our Pet Policy.
$24 / night
LG01
$18 / night
PPCG
$18 / night
Rainbow Springs State Park’s campground is located along the Rainbow River. Rainbow River camping takes place at a separate facility a few miles from the main headspring and day use area. Rainbow Springs camping sites have water and electric (20, 30, and 50 amp), and are equipped with sewer hook-ups. Maximum RV length = 103 ft. ADA accessible restrooms are available. A dump station is located between the upper and lower campgrounds. Pets are welcome in the campground but are not permitted in swimming areas or buildings. Amenities include a recreation hall, showers and restrooms, laundry and playground. Access the river from the campground to fish, swim or paddle. Canoes and kayaks are available for rent from the campground office.
$30 / night
TURK
$20 - $650 / night
Located on beautiful Lake George across from Silver Glen Springs and Juniper Springs. We are just 1 hr west of Daytona Beach and 1 1/2 hr north of Orlando. RV Site rentals with daily, weekly, & monthly rates. RV Units on sites with daily, weekly, & monthly rentals available. Boat ramp, boat slips, fuel, ice, live bait & tackle shop and bar open daily.
$55 - $85 / night
With 1,500 linear feet of Atlantic Ocean beachfront for your enjoyment, Beverly Beach Camptown RV Resort is one of the few RV resorts situated directly on a seawall along the beach. Located directly in the middle of St. Augustine, the nation’s oldest city 32 miles to the north, and Daytona Beach, 30 miles to the south, there are nearby attractions for everyone. We are truly a year-round premier camping destination.
Grateful Hammock is on 8 acres of land in the beautiful Ocala National Forest. This is an intentional, progressive community of music lovers. Grateful Hammock offers primitive tent sites as well as RV/Trailer camping. There are 6 total sites, with up to 6 guests per site. The nearby Silver River offers opportunity to see lots of wildlife including wild monkeys, alligators and a myriad of birds. The Ocklawaha River is also a great place to go for fishing. Horseback riding is available at Captain Jacks.
$40 - $75 / night
Scout
Quiet and friendly place. Better for campers.
Traveler
Friendly staff and well maintained Park and facilities with great fishing and an amazing view of Lake George.
ScoutMy wife and I decided last year to full time RV. We were already living in Ocala and we wanted to remain in the area. We discovered Silver Springs RV and are so glad we did. Everyone here, especially the staff, was so welcoming and friendly. SSRV is definitely going to be home for a long time.
Ranger
This campground is really dark, quiet and pretty. The bathhouse was always clean. You can smell the well water in the bathhouse. Brings me back to my childhood memories. We rode our bikes to the observation tower, but we were not lucky enough to see any bison or wild horses. Still nice to see the open prairie. We had a big rainstorm and the back of our site did become a lake, but it was gone overnight. The bugs lit us up all hours, so make sure you different bug sprays.
Legend
Here at Sand Pine Campground inside of Blue Springs State Park, you’ll find that while this is a fairly large campground, the substantial amount of vegetation, along with the flow of how the campground is organized, the individual campsites give off a vibe of privacy, intimacy and solitude. Upon entry to this SP, you’ll meet likely some of the friendliest park rangers of any FL state park (although, honestly, the very GREAT rangers @ Rodman Campground ultimately win the battle!), who will provide you with all of the great information you need to have a great experience here.
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 your boots or flip flops at the door of your tent or RV). The individual slots are somewhat tight and narrow to navigate, but most RVs should be OK to back into these sites. What you will appreciate the most about Sand Pine is that just about every site offers a substantial amount of privacy with solid, thick Floridian jungle putting decent distance between you and your neighbors. The only downside is that it is a solid hike from this campground to the spring itself, which will require you to drive there or take a decent bike ride.
The amenities are pretty amazing with the two bathroom and laundry room facilities appearing to be nearly brand new and there are designated dump stations scattered throughout making disposal of trash and recyclables EZ. The restroom facilities had vending machines as well. As for the sand pine scrub nature you are surrounded by, but the real gem here of course is the fresh crystal spring that is teaming with manatees, which are best to view and swim alongside between the winter months of November and February. For my float-seeking friends, there’s a solid kayak / canoe launch and if you don’t want to get some oaring in, you can partake in a guided river boat cruise.
If you’re looking to get away from it all and enjoy some privacy, then this is a great little campground for you to consider. And if you miss anything from the non-natural world, have no fears, a short drive into town to grab a pizza or load up on groceries is easy enough to manage. What I love most about camping here at Blue Springs SP is that during heavier tourist season, a reservation will guarantee you access to the spring, which sometimes gets full and therefore requires the rangers to stop traffic flow into the park, so if you've got a place guaranteed for the night, then, well, you need not worry about the morning rush when most will just worry about getting in the park.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you find yourself out-of-luck in finding an available campground site to reserve, try your luck at booking one of the 6 often overlooked cabins, which BTW, come with their own set of parking spaces; (2) When you grow weary of digging through your onboard mini-fridge or roto-molded Cordova cooler, then check out some of the local fare where nearby in town, there’s a sweet little Argentinian joint called Rincon del Sabor, classic pie palace called Blue Springs Pizza and another ethereal dive called Taste of Soul – neither of which you’ll wanna write home about, but will definitely give you a break from ‘frank & beans’ for the night. And if neither of those places do the trick for you, there is also a few other restaurants you might wanna check out like Gram’s Kitchen for low country breakfast cooked up all day, Mi Tierra Authentic Mexican as well as Fire on the Bayou for some nice, spicy Cajun; (3) Should you need to stock up on any supplies, nearby Blue Springs SP has a 'grade A' Publix as well as a Walmart nearby, so you should have no problems being stocked up while staying here; and (4) When the kiddos get restless and the pristine nature that you find yourself surrounded by isn’t enough of a distraction, then head due east to Family Fun Town, which is a family-friendly amusement center with batting cages, mini-golf, arcade games and go cart racing. Yahoo!
Happy Camping!
GuideQuiet, lots of wildlife (wild horses, bison, alligators, deer, birds, turtles); plenty of hiking and biking trails with beautiful sunsets on the lake. Restroom facilities are showing some age but clean. Walk-in tent sites are pretty close to the Restrooms.
RangerGreat state park well off the main road. Quiet and wooded with limestone pads.
Guide
Beautiful place, nothing to complain about
Scout
I asked my parents to book this RV site because it has a pool and WiFi. First things first, you have to pay for WiFi. I spent $15 on WiFi for ONE DAY for 7 people because if you make only one account it allows only 3 devices to sign it with it. Doesn’t mention anything about that on their website or on here. The plants here and the views are really pretty. The pool was okay, and the one day and night we stayed there we met some friendly people who were staying there as well. The next morning, (40 minutes before checkout time) they were already calling my mom and asking us when we were leaving. Are you serious? Put an earlier check-out time on your business if you want people to leave earlier. It sucks because I recommended this site to my parents, and they treated my mom very crummy. We won’t be back here again.
Scout
Was there 5/20. Not much privacy, other campers close. The deer, yellow flies ate me alive, even with heavy duty bug spray. Not on the lake, so no breeze. Have to take a boat on Dead River to see the lake. Neighbors were loud and fighting well past midnight. The famous oak tree is up front by highway. Was a nightmare. Left early.
TravelerThere aren’t many bad sites. Great trails and walking. BRING BUG SPRAY. I wish I had time to stay longer to see everything the park had to offer. I will be back!
TravelerThis is now my top 2 in parks for camping. The tent only spots are nice and secluded. You do have to walk maybe 100-200 ft from your car to the campsite. I was in site #24. Nice and open with a lot of trees for protection. Great fire pit. No power or water at this site… site #25 has those. The whole grounds were well kept and the trails were easy. At the observation tower you can see a lot of the prairie and if you’re lucky you can see wild horses.
Ranger
If you’re tent camping in the tent-only walk-in sites, site 60 is definitely the most private (farthest from the lot but still a short walk in on a paved path). Bathrooms are two single stall/shower combos, but never too crowded. Campground is good for paddling, especially for renting from the concessions (they have single and tandem kayaks, SUP, and canoes). It’s a drive and a separate entrance to get to the head springs area of the park, though there is a small roped off swim area by the boat ramp. We went before tubing opens (April 1 each year), so the Rainbow was less crowded and stunningly clear and emerald.
GuideVisited to see Manatees from the land. Cooler temps best for manatee numbers.
Campground sites feel secluded with vegetation but can be challenging for backing up into spots.
Had electric and water but trash is upon exit along with dump station
Nice paved road around campground and short trail to main park area. Canoe and kayak rentals available.
RangerThis secret little spot is the perfect escape into the jungle of Florida. You will see wildlife and enjoy being in a remote spot in nature. Great hiking trail!
Traveler
We stayed in site 12 with a beach view. It was an awesome stay! The bath house isn't the cleanest, but it gets the job done.
LegendBlue Spring State Park Campground(Sand Pine Scrub), Orange City, FL: A great park for viewing manatees this time of year. There are many very nice private sites . (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good
(70 yr olds in 17’ trailer with a desire for a campsite that has at least some visual privacy - after the trailer is in the spot.)
Overall Rating: 4.5 Usage during visit: Pretty full, just following Thanksgiving weekend SECURE GATE : Arriving after hours: call for the code. Site Privacy: Exceptional Site Spacing: Good Site surface: Blacktop Reservations: Yes Campground Noise: Quiet Road Noise: None, removed from even the day use access road Through Traffic in campground: None Electric Hookup: Yes Sewer Hookup: No Dump Station: Yes Potable Water Available: At sites Bathroom: Flush toilets Showers: Yes Cell Service (AT&T):Pretty good Setting: Thick low growth forest Weather: High 50s on this day, but warming up. Bugs: None Host: Yes Rig size: 40’ or so max Sites: Most sites are exceptionally private sites especially those sites found on the outside of the loop. Here are some of the better sites we would be very happy with: 1,2,3,5,6,9 - 17, 18*, 19-22, 24, 25,26,27*,34,36,38* 43,45. .
ScoutLove it it prefect
LegendPROS
Site 49 level and xtra wide. Picnic table, metal fire ring with cooking grate and pedestal BBQ grill
Non-climate controlled bathhouse 20 steps away from Site 49
Saw a wild turkey walking thru the campground a couple times.
Fairly good night sky viewing as many camper turned off ALL their exterior lights fairly early in the evening.
Firewood sold at Park Store along with other essential camping items
2 bars TMOBILE
CONS
Entrance gate closed upon our 2pm Monday arrival and emails from the park stated it closed at sunset No gate code had been provided in any of the emails we received from the park. We tried to call the park office, but no answer. So there we sat blocking the only entrance to the campground and no place to turn around. Luckily a registered camper came in behind us, walked up and used his code to open the gate.
Park Office Building Laundry. Filthy. 4 washers and 4 dryers. One washer full of water and unplugged.
Site 49. 100% gravel and weeds with no shade or privacy from any other site or roadway.
Picnic table wooden top and one side bench in unusable condition.
Bathhouse for 17 campsites were 3-piece rooms(toilet/shower/sink), on for females and one for males. Bathhouse in Park Office closed for repairs our entire 7 day stay.
Park Map. I had to specifically request a park map and was provided hand drawn map which was of only the campground.
No other information provided for the park such as hiking trails, etc.
No park WiFi
LegendPROS
Dark sky friendly-no street lights in campground
100% gravel site
Metal fire ring with cooking grate
Moveable wood and metal picnic table
2 hook lantern pole
Security gate that closed at dusk with code provided for entrance
Some privacy from neighbors
Coin washers/dryers at the campground bathhouse
3 bars T-MOBILE
CONS
No senior or military discount
No campground WIFI
Site 11 very unlevel
Gravel roads to and thru campground
Tight campground road
Horrible traffic noise from US 441
LegendLocated in the in the rolling sandhills of north central Florida, Mike Roess SP is one of the oldest in the sunshine state’s amazing collection of well-maintained state parks, built back in the 1930’s by the Civilian Conservation Corps(CCC), inspired by one of my personal heroes, Franklin Deleanor Roosevelt’s ‘The New Deal.’ Here, you’ll discover sanctuaries of old-growth longleaf pines amidst a golden sea of grasses providing a shady oasis from an otherwise sunny, humid and unrelenting Florida sunshine, which offers up as a treasure the cold spring water of the Gold Head Branch. The crystalline clear water from the steep lead ravine forms a natural spring here that allows for Gold Head Brand to bisect the park. Nearly 6 miles of Florida’s National Scenic Trail run through this treasured patch of land, where you’ll be able to easily catch a glimpse of white-tailed deer, turkey, gopher tortoise, fox squirrels, pocket gophers, bald eagles and a few black(and even rarer in these parts, brown) bears.
Fancy swimming, boating, kayaking, canoeing and/ or fishing in a beautiful lagoon (a.k.a. Little Lake Johnson) while camping in some of the best maintained state park facilities? Then look no further than here at Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park. But a quick head’s up: this state park has multiple campgrounds to choose from. In all, there are 6 (yes, that’s right, count them, 6!) campgrounds that you will have to select between, but all are a little bit different, so for this particular review, I will be focused on just the Sandhill Camping Area. This spot is one of two that are closest to the Park Ranger office that you would have entered at the front of the State Park, having arrived either northbound or southbound on State Road #21.
You will pass the Equestrian Trail Head (that connects you to the Florida National Scenic Trail), following a well-paved lane that passes by Sheeler Lake (no fishing or swimming here BTW) on the right and a Ravine Stairway (you’ll easily see by road signs), where you will take the very first left that you come to. Follow this lane until you reach a fork in the road, where you can either turn right (to Turkey Oak camping area – which I detail in another review) or left to Sandhill Camping Area. Once at this spot, there are exactly 18 sites (#1 - #18) ordered in low to high with alternating sites on either side. It’s a simple, singular loop that posits a fairly well-maintained restroom and shower facility in the middle of the loop, with a trash dumpster offered at the end. There’s decent shrubbery between campsites and a fairly fantastic tree line that encircles Sandhill.
For a state park, there’s a ton of amenities in addition to primitive, group, regular tent, RV and trailer camping, including, but not limited to the following amenities: geo-seeking, paddling, star-gazing, wedding pavilions, hiking trails, BBQ’s, fire rings, swimming, canoe and kayak launch with beachhead, wildlife viewing, birding, picnic tables, fishing, horseback riding, reunions and group gatherings, walking and running trails, restored historic sites (e.g. Old Mill), meeting & retreats, laundry facilities, restrooms, bathhouses, playgrounds with swings and slides, shower stations, parking, equestrian trails, cabins and a mini-mart at the Ranger’s Station where you can buy ice, kindle and a number of other sundry items. All this and the entire place is pet-friendly.
Insider’s Tips? Here’s a few: (1) I believe that the best spots are on the external side of the single loop at the corners, providing for maximum privacy, so look at campsites #4 and#6 (seemingly the most amount of space) or #13 and #15; (2) If you would like to get a decent hike in, follow the sign to the Mill Site and when there, follow the Loblolly Loop for a shorter, less arduous hike and Ridge Trail for a longer, more difficult trek (note: both of these loops follow the Gold Head Branch, with the Ridge Trail heading north to the Ravine, where there’s an overlook and picnic area); (3) If you have horses, bring ‘em! This entire park is completely circumnavigated by an outer ring of perfect horse hiking terrain; (4) Tired of hitting SP’s only to realize that there aren’t many picnic tables or places to throw your spread for a nice meal or afternoon of leisure? You won’t have that problem here at Mike Roess – there’s about 50 or so individual picnic tables spread throughout the entire park; and (5) When you get tired of firing up franks & beans or foraging for your next meal in your Cordova roto-molded cooler, head on over to Brooklyn Boy’s (a.k.a. THE PIG) for some solid Italian staples (think pasta and pizza) – where I recommend the fried ravioli, sausage & peppers hero, but the item that steals the show is the seafood Possillipo with a nice Pinot Grigio (BYOB) to wash it all down with.
Happy Camping!
Scout
Should be zero stars! I totally agree with Mr. Acquavella's negative review. This is our honest review of what we experienced; we would not waste our time if it were not so.
The review is for informational purposes only and not to try to ruin anything, purely your decision. You have been warned.
We totally agree with another reviews that warns of being nickel and dimmed to death. What appeared at first to be a competitive price turned pricey. I repeat competitive not a bargain.
The key to the restroom/showers was an extra $100.00. We were told that it costs $100.00 PER MONTH' to have the restroom/showers cleaned. Wait, what? Ok, so every camper pays $100.00 when it only costs $100.00 PER MONTH to have it cleaned.
Brochure lies Wi-Fi is NOT FREE. Our hookup wasn’t working; found out it costs $50.00 to turn it on at our RV site.
As an electrical concern we told them about the light fixture on top of the marker post was lying on the ground, they put it back on top but didn't reattach it to any wiring, later it fell off.
We were charged $60.00 for four hours to rent a boat& trolling motor; ok that seemed competitive. Then the motor broke a few hours into our trip; the owner had to come and tow us home. We were told the motors were old and were shown the new ones that just arrived, then we had to fight to get a refund for not being able to use the boat & motor.
While cutting the grass they ran over, cut and broke our black water drainpipe. They DENIED doing it but, HELLO I showed them the grass cutter tire mark and cut across the pipe. Yet another fight, finally; they offered a dollar store replacement hose they use when they do damage a pipe. Wait, what? They deny damaging pipes but have replacement pipes for when you do. I said I was going to a RV store and buy the proper one. They would not pay for it.
We had heavy rains, the water from the catch basin behind our RV starting to overflow, coming out of the lid. We didn't say anything for fear of being charged to have the basin cleaned.
No fire ring at the site, there is only a community fire pit.
Roads are full of potholes; some are fairly deep.
Turning and backing in is super tight, sites are on top of and right behind each other.
The owner had the nerve to respond with a candy-coated' BS reply. Instead of fixing their problems they tried to spin the comment saying I was lying. LYING? Ten problems I lied about; you can’t make these things up. Just ignore the reply, it is, pure gibberish and save your money and stay away. God bless everyone and please be safe.
TravelerBooking was easy, all staff members are ready to assist you with all your needs, and what’s best than feeling the sand between your toes every time you walk outside. One of the best RV camps around if is not the best.
Traveler
Stayed at site 019 for 5 nights at the end of April in a 30’ travel trailer. The site backs up to an area of low grasses, bushes and palms with tall pines nearby. There is a ranger trail the runs behind the site as well but we never saw any riding past. There is a road not far away but it’s in a suburban area and I didn’t find it to be a problem. We were usually out hiking and swimming during the day and the nights just had a low hum of far off traffic. You could still hear nature all around. The trails are absolutely gorgeous. Natural palms growing among tall pines. We saw so many deer I lost count and we could hear the males in the distance. Also spotted a young alligator walking on a trail near the spring. The gopher tortoises are out in full force in the mid afternoon. Didn’t spot a bear though. We didn’t want to leave at the end of our trip. And would’ve stayed longer if our schedules allowed. Would highly recommend.
Traveler
Nice campground, kind of like a condo community, lots of large RVs. Paved patios, clean restrooms/ showers. Nice laundry facility. There is a pool but it appears you pay extra to use it. Also, a little snack area by the pool, didn't go there. Lots of people winter here from the north. A little too crowed for me, the rv slots are really close to squeeze more in.
GuideI love these big, well shaded spots. 30 or 50 amp depending on the site. No sewer but there is a dump station. Water pressure at the site was a little low. The bathrooms & showers were clean with super hot water. Tons of trails to hike and see the wild horses and bison. There’s a boat launch to the lake with tons of fish. Very nice rangers. Super dark at night & was very quiet when I was there. Lots of wildlife. Close to Gainesville shopping.
Traveler
This campground is located on Private property, and is gorgeous! If you find it and come, please be respectful and Bear aware. It’s a small community and we are grateful for it. Sometimes you want to camp in a nice and quiet place. It’s 30minutes to Juniper Springs or Salt Springs where you can swim in crystalline waters.
“Beauty isn’t about having a pretty face, it’s about having a beautiful mind, heart and soul”
We found out tribe ♥️☮️🧚🏽♂️
Camping near Ocala National Forest, Florida, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking to pitch a tent or park your RV, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.
Camping near Ocala National Forest, Florida, offers a variety of experiences for everyone. Whether you're looking for adventure or relaxation, there's something for you in this beautiful area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Ocala National Forest?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Ocala National Forest is Blue Spring State Park with a 4.4-star rating from 45 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Ocala National Forest?
TheDyrt.com has all 32 glamping camping locations near Ocala National Forest, with real photos and reviews from campers.
