Tate's Hell State Forest

We primitive camped at Tates Hell for 4 nights at the end of March 2021. Our campsite was awesome! We could drive right up to it, it was clean with no junk in the firepit & it was good, level ground, & very private & inexpensive. The bathrooms/showers were less than 6 months old & were very clean. The caretakers were close to the bathroom & were very kind & attentive but very non-intrusive. The water was just a few yards away with a boat launch so we could launch our kayaks. If you like seafood & oysters, there are a few really good, reasonably priced restaurants just a few miles away, along with grocery shopping. Highly recommend & we are planning to return.

Booked for one night at Tate’s Hell Womack Creek, and we will be back! This is a great location for people who truly love nature, and the water. Don’t take the dirt road all the way there, keep going on hey 68 until you get to Rock Landing on the right, then take that road down to Jeff Sanders, take that left, it’s easier that way rather than taking the dirt road all the way. Campsites are not that big, and moderately close together. However, the facilities were immaculate, and the campground hosts were beyond hospitable, and friendly. Would recommend for people who like to tent/car camp, kayak, fish, boat, anything truly nature related!

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.

Womack Creek Primitive Sites- Some have electricity hook ups, and some do not. Only one site on the whole property has water. If you want to get away from it all, this site is for you! Just note that "non-potable water" means that there isn't any, not that you cannot drink it. There is one road in, and its the same road out. Beautiful untouched nature. The bathroom is small but adequate and there is a boat ramp. They are clearly doing some work to upgrade picnic tables and sites. 

You'll see lots of stars on a clear night and will not be disturbed by the rest of the world!

We stayed at Tate’s Hell for a night after spending time at the Saint George Island beach.

We got lost driving in! When going to the dwarf cypress boardwalk, google maps routed us through a swamp! It was helpful to grab a map. Roads can be bumpy so take it slow!

We stayed at pidcock 49 and it was lovely. Beautiful sunset. Grill, table and just the sights!

It was hunting season so we did see/hear hunters! It came out to be a total of ~$15 including transaction fee.

$33 for one night, $22 plus reservation fees & taxes. Hard to find on gps, use directions from your reservation confirmation email. Moving on. Lovely site, this has electricity but fairly rustic apart from that. Would return.

Coordinates are

30.001026153564453, -84.53910827636719

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