Best Tent Camping near Panacea, FL

There are 3 separate High Bluff Primitive campsites, one at Dry Bridge, one at Rake Creek and one at Pidcock Road.  Each spot is so far away from each other that you feel completely secluded, which is nice.  We stayed at Pidcock Rd.  Even though nobody was around we still kept the dogs on leash because the spot is surrounded by water on 3 sides, and we didn't want to risk any alligator attacks.

Site wasn't totally clean but definitely not the worst we've seen.  There is a fire ring, picnic table, and grill.  No toilet or garbage facilities so please pack out your waste.

Road in was bumpy with some huge pits but easily navigable even in our 26ft class c, just watch the road and take it slow.  There was no cell service on the roads once we entered the dense forest but the spot itself was cleared of trees enough that we got service on ATT and Verizon.

We followed the step by step directions that were in the confirmation email and not google maps' directions and we had no problems.

Site was $9/night plus tax and fees which brought it to $16.79 for the one night.

Tate's Hell State Forest is a primitive dispersed camping area slightly north the Gulf of Mexico in the Florida Panhandle region. Instead of a single campground with multiple sites, Tate's Hell provides individual camps sites through out the forest, many of which are along the Carabelle River. Sites offer fire ring, picnic table and cleared tent area. All sites are accessed by dirt roads that are fairly well maintained. Many of these sites can accommodate a popup or RV, but there are no electrical, water or sewage hook ups in the state forest. If you are looking for an authentic backwoods, roughing it camping experience - this is your place!

Sites can be reserved 1 877 879 3859. The regional ranger station is located at 290 Airport Rd, Carrabelle, FL 32322.

More info https://www.freshfromflorida.com/Divisions-Offices/Florida-Forest-Service/Our-Forests/State-Forests/Tate-s-Hell-State-Forest

Awesome campground with good amenities. Each site has fire ring, picnic table, water and electric. Most sites had good flora between sites, offering a little privacy. Restroom and shower facilities with a coin operated laundry.

Ranger Rob shared a secret, two campsites cannot be reserved and are always available first come first served. I got to spend two nights in one of those and it was great.

I found the hiking trails to be quite strenuous and not well-maintained in spots, but that's part of the adventure. I even took a tumble down a steep hill but made it to the primitive camp sites just to see them and get down to the river.

There are about 10 sites total at this free campground.  There is a tent-only side with about 4 sites, with a pit toilet.  The tent sites are much nicer than the RV sites.  They are among the trees, they are more spread out, and on the water.  The RV sites are all lined up in a row in an open field with no shade.  The RV sites have a concrete pad as well as a fire pit and a grill and a picnic table.

We were here over a weekend and it was really, really quiet.  There was only one other RV camper here besides us and no hooligans coming through, surprisingly.

Good cell service with ATT and Verizon.  There are garbage bins (no recycling).

Not a fancy place but great for free.  You need to make reservations in advance with the Northwest Florida Water Management District.

At over 200,000 acres, Tate's Hell is the second largest State Forest in Florida, second only to Blackwater River State Forest in Santa Rose County. That's Hell is located off of U>S> Highway 98 in  Franklin County, between the Apalachicola and Ochlockonee rivers. Check out The Ledgend of Tate's Hell on the State Forest webpage, https://www.fdacs.gov/Forest-Wildfire/Our-Forests/State-Forests/Tate-s-Hell-State-Forest.

For roughing it in the woods, nothing I have found beats Tate's Hell. With 36 primitive campgrounds (tent space, fire ring, and picnic table) with multiple campsites and 4 campgrounds with facilities (restrooms and some RV sites) there is plenty of room to camp and explore Tate's Hell.

The Womack Creek campground, where I spent one night, has both RV and tent campsites and a boat ramp with access to Womack Creek. 

Recreation opportunities include the High Bluff Coastal Hiking Trail which is part of the Forest Service's Trailwalker Program.