Welaka State Forest, near Welaka, Florida, is a hidden treasure for those seeking a peaceful camping experience surrounded by nature. This campground is perfect for anyone looking to escape the hustle and bustle, offering a serene atmosphere with ample opportunities for outdoor activities.

The campground is particularly well-suited for equestrian campers, featuring two horse-ready stables and nearly 20 miles of trails, including the scenic Sandhill Horse Trail. Visitors have praised the clean facilities, including new concrete RV pads with electric and water hookups, making it easy to settle in and enjoy your stay. As one camper noted, “The location itself was very quiet and peaceful with good trails.”

For those who prefer to explore on foot, there are hiking trails integrated into the Florida Forest Service’s Trailwalker Hiking Program, providing a chance to immerse yourself in the beautiful surroundings. If you’re in the mood for a little adventure, the nearby St. Johns River offers opportunities for kayaking and canoeing, though be prepared for some challenging navigation through the lush cypress and pine trees.

While the campground is remote, it’s just a short drive from local eateries, so you can grab a bite if you need a break from cooking. With its combination of tranquility and outdoor activities, Welaka State Forest is a fantastic spot for a camping getaway.

Special Notice
Effective September 13, 2022, the following roads and recreational facilities are closed due to excessive rainfall and unsafe ground conditions:

• Mud Spring
• Mud Spring Trail
• Fire Tower Recreation Area
• Education Trail
• Indian Pond Road
• John’s Landing Campground
• Orange Point Campground

Forest staff will continue to monitor the situation regularly and reopen the roads and facilities once it is safe to do so. Please avoid these areas until the closure is lifted.



Welaka State Forest is located along the east bank of the historic St. Johns River. The Florida Forest Service maintains the integrity of the forest's natural systems while allowing limited outdoor recreation use and environmental education. In 1935, under the Federal Resettlement Administration, the United States government started the Welaka Forestry and Wildlife Conservation Project on a state of Florida fish hatchery site. The Welaka property was later transferred to the University of Florida as the “University of Florida Conservation Reserve, Welaka” for the study of forestry and wildlife. In 1992 the lease was transferred from the University of Florida to the Florida Forest Service to manage as a state forest.

Welaka State Forest

Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, Welaka, FL has a lot to offer. Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—Welaka is surrounded by family-friendly activities. Find the best campgrounds near Welaka, FL. Read reviews from campers like you and find your perfect campsite.

Welaka

The Best Camping Near Welaka, Florida

This is a beautiful, quiet and secluded equine campground.  It’s the perfect spot for those who love the outdoors. Staff is very polite and very helpful!!  Please note there isn’t much close by, so stop at the grocery and get fuel before you turn off 17.

Very quiet and peaceful

Very nice new concrete RV/Trailer pads with electric and water hookup. The trailer in and out was easy even with a good sized rig (~30feet). Each spot had a picnic table and grill. I was a little disappointed that the hookup sights did not also have fire rings but the primitive tent sights do have fire rings. There is a dump station at this sight but it was not clear to me if the station was ready for use at the tone of my stay. The bathrooms and the shower rooms were very clean and well kept, it looks like they recently redid much of it. 
The location itself was very quiet and peaceful with good trails. There were a several other campers at the hookup sights. I did find it a little unsettling that at least two of the other campers at the hookup sight looked like they were a permanent/semipermanent resident and they were not using the space for equestrian activities as the sight intends. It’s a little disappointing because ethos who do want to camp with horses have limited sights so to see two of these taken by non equestrians in was seems to be a longer term stay was somewhat disappointing. 

Overall Satisfying Stay

Campground is not closed 

As you approach Welaka State Forest, it feels as though you’ve arrived ‘at the end of the line,’ and not in a bad sense either. Here, you’ll feel as though you’ve escaped the crowds, left the commercial world only to discover a truly pristine natural jewel. You’ll be overwhelmed by the incredibly loud silence and solitude of this far-reaching outpost and the moment that you’ve crossed the threshold (or the gravel road) entering Welaka State Forest, you’ll be incredibly grateful for the wide open expanse of the place and the communion with nature that it provides. 

Just due south of Welaka – where there’s a minute scattering of local eateries and distractions, this spot is fairly off the ‘beaten path,’ a good half hour south of Palatka in central Florida, along the banks of the historic St. Johns River. This federal turned state park was founded in 1935 (under the Federal Resettlement Administration) and today is both a major conservation area as well as fish hatchery for the State of Florida. In all, there’s 4 miles of river frontage area on the east bank of Little Lake George, making for some decent kayaking and canoeing, although most of this is fairly difficult to navigate as it’s swamp-like, where overgrown Cypress and Pine trees provide a very thick canopy of forested shade throughout. 

If you’ve got horses en towe, then you have hit the ‘lottery of equestrian campgrounds’ as Welaka State Forest is perhaps the most perfect place to camp if you’ve brought your four-legged steeds and looking for a place that offers up nearly 20 miles of equestrian trails for plenty of galloping, including the 6-mile Sandhill Horse Trail (part of the Florida Trailtrotter Program: [www.fdacs.gov/Forest-Wildfire/Our-Forests/State-Forests/State-Forest-Recreation/Recreational-Activities/Horseback-Riding/Trailtrotter-Program).](http://www.fdacs.gov/Forest-Wildfire/Our-Forests/State-Forests/State-Forest-Recreation/Recreational-Activities/Horseback-Riding/Trailtrotter-Program).) The campground here at Welaka State Park is made for you horse-loving outdoor enthusiasts and provides 2 – I repeat that 2 – 24 stall horse-ready stables, show horse stage, training area, along with 6 primitive campsites along with 5 full hook-up RV drive-through sites. 

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you are looking to get some hiking in, there’s 2 decent trails (both integrated into the Florida forest Service’s ‘Trailwalker Hiking Program’ with the first, Spring Trail, offering a short 2-mile loop that ends in Mud Springs and the second, John’s Landing Trail, offering either a 3.5 or 4 mile loop; (2) Not interested in hiking? Not a problem, you can follow the scenic Indian Pond Road from the comfort of your own vehicle. Near here there are 2 primitive campsites that you can rent that places you right on the St. John’s River; and (3) While this SP doesn’t have much to offer apart from encounters with nature, if you find yourself missing civilization, in less than a 5 minute drive, you can join a sweltering crowd at either Shrimp R Us or, for amazing river-front gnashing, check out Welaka Lodge &amp; Resort (for more details on this particular campground, check out my review on The Dyrt on this site). 

Happy Camping!

Photos of Welaka State Forest

Real photos from real campers