Best Campgrounds near Welaka, FL

Wonderful large private sites. Showers, laundry, store, restaurants and glass bottom boats and canoe , kayak rentals. Equestrian section also.

Beachside sites are tight with no sewer hookups. Only a few sites are big-rig friendly. T-Mobile reception was good. Relatively clean. Staff were very friendly

I was completely steered wrong listening to a reviewer saying Tropical was the better campsites. They're not bc virtually every one is a pull thru and those are inherently less private. When I biked through the Sand loop I was completely bummed bc they are huge sites with vegetation all around the sites making them awesome for RVs and privacy. The sites are all pretty big in both loops.   

The fact Tropical loop is marginally closer to anything is irrelevant and I didn't hear any noise when I biked through the Sand loop. I'd prefer privacy over marginal noise. 

Now the kayaking. I have my own so I just used the shuttle service which was like $16. I don't think I'd do this run again bc it's honestly too stressful. The current is pretty strong so you can't stop for a second really to grab a drink or take a photo bc you'll end up somewhere you don't want to be and that could be in the marshy grasses where I saw alligators hanging out. Yeah, yeah, ppl say they won't bother you. They don't until they do, just saying. I've paddled Rainbow River and that was lovely, super pleasant - in both directions. It's just the current here is so strong and it's a gosh darn obstacle course so there's no relaxing, it's not 'pleasant'. I leaned to go under one of the 110 (didn't count but seems about right) leaning trunks into the river and tipped my kayak so I had to jump out. I have my own, remember, so it's a lot more narrow than the barges they rent out which tip over a lot less easily. So all my stuff fell out, yay. So scootching down in my seat became the preferable maneuver as opposed to a slight leaning which would surely cause another tipping situation. I wish they would come along and remove all the tree limbs leaning into the river, but also understand that's probably quite an endeavor. 

Camping was fine, I have solar panels which did their job for a few days but I was pretty low on battery when I left. The tree coverage wasn't too extensive but it rained one day and was cloudy so that was part of the reason batteries didn't charge very well. It's interesting to note that this campground charges more for sites than the state campgrounds which actually offer water and electricity. Hmmmm  This struck me as any other campground with just less amenities and the nearest grocery store was a good 14 minutes away so come prepared.

We ended up Camping 1 weekend at this site. I called to make the reservation and reserve a plot.

The rep did give me a gate code and bathroom code. However, I'm not sure if you can "drive" to the campsite. None of the other campers had their cars near, and with the set up of Campsites, it's unclear where you would resononably park.

That being said, the bathrooms were clean and stocked, and while a bit of a distance, not terrible if you didn't wait to use them.

The firepits and grill provided are a bit old and rusted, so expect to use pots and pans and not the provided grill.

Our fire pit was a bit uneven, so we used metal stakes to level it.

We were pretty happy with the privacy, but to be honest, if other campers were present, we questioned how one would leave plot 6 and not walk through campsites 5 and 3.

So thankful for our host he is great as a host ,trys his best but he gets no help from frosest Rangers so good job Ed.hope to see you nest year

If you stumble across this hidden RV compound – which BTW is under new management and was previously run under the name Pine & Palm RV Park – it will be either because of sheer luck or due to the fact that you have gotten yourself lost. About a 30-minute drive off I-95 just due north of nearby Bunnell on US1, this heavily forested – complete with tall toothpick thin pines – camping roadside layover has 76 RV slots serving up all the typical hook-ups (water, sewage and 30 / 50 amp electric). When we stopped by, the owner and on-site manager Christy was completely hospitable and showed us around on her very own golf cart pointing out different areas that might make for a perfect layup. She took the time to not only highlight all of the areas that made the place unique, but also introduced us to some of the fellow residents who couldn’t have been nicer and more welcoming. If you’re looking for a place to lay-up your RV for a short spell or longer and are looking for a warm, family-like welcoming environ, this place will do that in spades.

Before arriving, you will want to take note of all the construction that is going on in front of Palm Coast RV Park as the 4-lane US1 was undergoing refurbishment when we stopped by. Once you enter, you’ll be greeted by a long winding road (beware of the divots in the pebble-strewn pathway) that brings you to a decent swath of parallel parking RV slots separated by 2 lanes. At the top of the lane (furthest from US1) is where you’ll find the restroom, shower and laundry room facility – and while the laundry was in pretty good condition, the restroom and showers were definitely in need of a complete makeover, although Christy mentioned that the entire facility was in the process of being refurbished. You will want to take note that when there’s a tropical rain or passing by hurricane, the place is prone to flooding, so pick out your patch of paradise carefully. And if you don’t mind not having any FHUs, you can park your RV, trailer or 5th wheel on the pristine, vacant grassy parcel in the northern perimeter of Palm Coast in order to have an experience that will put you closer in touch with nature. And just around the corner and directly north of the laundry & bathing facility is a great little doggie park.

Insider’s tips? Try these out: (1) There’s a nice little pond that sits in front of the property that even has a community boat that you can borrow in order to drop a line to catch some of the recently stocked fish supplies, but you do want to watch out for 1 of the 2 gators that call this fishing hole home; (2) If you’re looking to grab a nice slice of nature while you’re here at Palm Coast RV Park, check out Haw Creek Preserve, located just due southwest where you’ll find some pretty decent hiking trails, along with several nice inlets to drop your canoe or kayak; (3) As far as spots go, I recommend grabbing one as far away from US1 as possible, to avoid hearing the constant swooshing of passing traffic, as well as further back, you’ll be embraced by more and more of the forested land – in fact, while not advertised, Christy mentioned that there’s a second patch of vacant land on the property’s westernmost perimeter behind the RVs and boats being stored there that provides an even more private and peaceful setting; and (4) The Tomahawk Restaurant that was a local axe-throwing culinary treat has shut down, but a new steak house is in the plans to take its place which will provide you with an on-site restaurant option and should open shortly in the beginning of 2025.

Happy Camping!

This hike-in only campground is but one of two such campgrounds that you’ll find here at Phillips Branch Crossing in Jennings State Forest. To reach Mule Landing Campground, you’ll have to first park in the Phillips Branch Crossing parking lot and from there, you’ll just want to follow the Dunns Farm Trail, passing the first campground (Dunn Farms) after about 1/3 of a mile in, where you’ll need to keep hiking for another mile until you reach the banks of the slow-moving Black Creek. You’ll wind around and ascend a slight incline before reaching Mule Landing, but trust me, if you are looking for one of the best private hike-in campgrounds, you’ve just arrived.

Like every primitive campground I’ve ever experienced, this one is no different and offers very little in the way of amenities, but what this place lacks in accoutrement, it more than makes up for by the simply pristine slice of nature that you’ll find yourself surrounded by. There’s enough room here for 2, maybe 3 small-to-medium sized tents with fairly level ground that is softened by all the downed leaves. There’s a single fire ring with a fold-over grill grate and a handful of logs to use for firewood. You’ll discover that there’s also this really cool bartop table with a matching bench that is perfect for whipping up a cocktail or eating dinner from. You’ll discover what looks to be like a trail heading west and away from the campground, but when I took it, this deadends, which might make me think this was created as a latrine of sorts. There was also a large 10 gallon blue Lowe’s plastic bucket that had been strategically left behind in case you wanted to bring some water from the nearby creek up to cook with or even drink (providing of course that you treat the water first). Oh, and there’s this simply sterling wooden bench (that I think our friends at TheDyrt planted here) overlooking the Black Creek at a place called Osteen Overlook that offers a great vantage point, which reads: “Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few are Dirt.”

Insider’s tips? There’s just a few here:(1) You really want to stay on the trails at all times as there are both deer ticks and rattlesnakes in these parts that, trust me, you don’t want to come into contact with; (2) While you might be thinking about biking on this long trail to make quicker time getting to Mule Campground, you can’t bike on any of the hiking trails here – but even if you could, take my word for it, you wouldn’t want to as the terrain is tough with decent inclines and declines, on top of what can be some rough footing on account of the tree roots; and (3) From this CG to Black Creek is only about 60 or so yards that you’ll have to navigate a set of handcrafted stairs and while we couldn’t find a decent place for a kayak or canoe to land here, I’m sure that there’s a spot nearby if you looked close enough – so rather than hiking in, you might be able to simply float your way here, but I would definitely call the FL State Ranger and inquire about this.

Happy Camping!

This quiet camp is affordable and has complete hookups and canoe rentals. The hosts are very attentive and helpful. All the National Forest camps were full and the Outpost usually has an opening. This is old rural Florida, no glitz. We did a full day trip on the River. Lots of birds, alligators and very quiet and remote. GPS was misleading. The camp is located on the north side of the high bridge over the Oklawaha River on route 316.

Great for overnight or visit to the area for a few days. We camped next to camp hosts. Mike & Helen were very nice. The young lady park ranger seemed a bit lacking in knowledge re: disabled veterans/persons. The other camp hosts began blowing sites off on both sides of us while we were packing up. They were loud gas powered leaf blower and she was 10 ft from me. It was blowing dirt and dust all around the site. They were doing the road in front of our site and the site next to us. I asked if they could wait a few minutes until we were done packing up. She shut it off, turned to her husband (who also had a blower) and said "too loud". I said I appreciated it very much, twice. They just walked away w/o responding. I mentioned it to the young lady ranger, and she just said they had to finish their job before a certain time. She didn't seem too concerned about disturbing campers. Roads were dirt and gravel and many sites were very tight. Site 7 was quite undeveloped. Thanks to Anderson levelers we were fine. 30 amp at our site. Lots of road noise, sirens. If all of the camp hosts were as considerate as Mike & Helen, would be nice.

Great location with plenty of dark skies. The spots are well spaced in the woods, with plenty of room. The location is great for visiting the prairie and easy access to Gainesville.

Owners very nice, excellent walking and exploring near pathed walking trail. I tried Verizon, T mobile and AT&T for Internet all sucked. My starlink mini was slow and dropped often they have a lot of shade. Worse part we paid $46 a night water and electricity no sewage but we out in van to explore the town and the owners re rented out spots out! Big hassle but it was an honest mistake they offered other spots but being internet was so bad we thought we had the best spots they refunded us.

Situated in Ocala, this park offers a wonderful get away for bicycling, horseback riding, or hiking Great trails The park itself is open with few trees but an amazing host. Some long timers reside here.

Great camp site with just what you needed. It’s close to a power plant and railroad so you hear a lot of noise at night but was perfect for a one nighter