Established Camping
Rodman Campground
About
State Park
A 64-site campground offers 26 primitive tent sites and 38 sites with power and water hookups. A dump station, picnic pavilions and boat ramps are located in the campground.
The 9,500-acre Rodman Reservoir is perennially rated in the Top 10 Trophy Bass Lakes in Florida by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The 67-site Rodman Campground is located approximately 9 miles southwest of Palatka off State Route 19 on Rodman Dam Road.
The Rodman Reservoir provides a diverse and extensive habitat for not only trophy fish but numerous avian species as well. Many endangered and threatened species of wading birds, waterfowl, bald eagles and others use the reservoir, particularly during the cooler months. There are also numerous alligators, turtles and even manatees that inhabit and travel through the reservoir seasonally.
The campground and reservoir were originally created during the 1960s-era Cross Florida Barge Canal project. The mammoth public works project was started in 1964 when President Lyndon B. Johnson flew into Palatka and started the project with a ground-breaking explosion at the nearby Rodeheaver’s Boys Ranch.
Almost 50 years later, the nearby Kirkpatrick Dam still remains intact, impounding the Ocklawaha River and maintaining the reservoir. A political and environmental battle continues since the reservoir was first flooded in November of 1968 of whether to maintain and manage Rodman as it is, or to remove significant portions of the earthen dam and restore the “Free Flowing Ocklawaha River."
Reservation Info
For reservations, visit the Florida State Parks reservations website or call 800-326-3521 or TDD 888-433-0287.
Location
Rodman Campground is located in Florida
Address
410 Rodman Rd
Palatka, FL 32177
Coordinates
29.51991247 N
81.79931782 W
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
- Walk-InPark in a lot, walk to your site.
Stay Connected
- WiFiPoor
- VerizonUnknown
- AT&TAvailable
- T-MobileUnknown
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Group
Features
For Campers
- ADA Access
- Trash
- Picnic Table
- Firewood Available
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- Showers
- Drinking Water
- Electric Hookups
- Toilets
- Alcohol
- Pets
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Sanitary Dump
- Sewer Hookups
- Water Hookups
- Pull-Through Sites
- Big Rig Friendly
Great and Busy Campground
This campground has a ton of campsites and is fairly busy with people camping. It’s in some sparse woods and isolated enough to give that camping feel. There’s some great fishing places nearby, and the woods offer up firewood if you didn’t bring your own. Overall, a great place to camp!
Beautiful campground with access to boat ramp
Rv sites are huge and plentiful (30 & 50amp) + Water. Bathrooms are so clean you could literally eat of the floors. The only downside for me is I use Starlink for my internet and there’s only one site in the park that would work for it(Site 1)
Quiet and peaceful night
Highly recommended campsite #37.
Great experience
We had a great time site we had was great
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Hidden gem
There were only 67 campgrounds, ours was at the very end spacious quiet. The bathrooms were clean the front office was very very friendly
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Chill and Quiet
Very nice campground. Quiet atmosphere and clean facilities with showers. They also have coin laundry at both of the bath houses. Sites 1-39 are not near the Florida Trail but it was not a bad walk to the other side of the campground to get to the trail. Would stay again.
Camping
Come here.to camp. Limited cell svc. No areal tv svc. Great fishing. If winter do not stay along canal as the sun will never reach you and you will freeze. Great sun rises and sun sets
Great Family Spot
Super relaxing. Quiet. Lots of fishing near by. Spots on water are nice. Bathrooms clean. Would recommend for a short trip.
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Memorial Day Weekend
We camped Friday to Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend and had a good time. The biting yellow flies can be bad at times, so prepare for that. The campground was clean, the other campers are friendly and the bathrooms are well-maintained. The campsites are really great, secluded, green, and great to just enjoy nature. For Memorial Day weekend the campground was not nearly as busy as expected for the holiday. It was very nice!
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Quiet, Secluded Campsite
We’ve been here a couple of times now and really enjoy these campgrounds. There’s plenty of foliage so you may know you have camp neighbors but you can’t see what everyone is doing. The restrooms are very clean and the lake is beautiful around sunset 😍. Most certainly will camp here again.
Beautiful sunrise
This place has the most beautiful sunrises
Nice
Hiked some, went without husband, probably would have enjoyed more had he come
Noisy on NYE but a Classic FL Campground
We stayed on NYE 2020, and aside from the crazy noisy drunk people (as expected) the stay was really nice. We brought our dogs, were only a few minutes walk to the bathrooms, and generally had an average experience. The campsites were really close to one another, with little vegetation separating us. If you’re looking for a more primitive experience I’d skip this one.
Awesome
We stayed 4 nights in December 2020. Site 60. We had a great time. Campground is clean and well maintained. Very friendly. Went hiking on a beautiful wide path along the water. Rode bikes to the dam. We’ve been there four times now, and just love it there!
Nice Campsite
Our stay at the campground was unfortunately cut short due to uncooperative weather, but we enjoyed our time there. The sites are roomy but fairly private or very private depending on the site, and well-kept with a fire ring and picnic table. The bathrooms were extremely clean, lit, and well maintained.
Nice State Park
Rodman campground was very clean and well maintained. The bathrooms were spotless. The tent sites were very large, adequately spaced with varying degrees of privacy. The boat ramp is well kept and there is ample trailer parking nearby.
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Nice sites in the woods
Wonderful wooded area near a big lake. Sites were a bit close but lots of foliage in between made them fairly visually private, but sound definitely carries. Nice that the RV sites are separate from the tent sites. As with all other FL state parks, really well maintained campsite and facilities. Took my first shower here in DAYS and it was glorious.
Super close to the boat launch which is a great half day kayak. There's a really cute park near the water with grills, covered picnic tables, and a fire pit. Good spot for lunch!
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Shady
Beautiful site! Full shade and very level. Water directly in front of our site. Road our bikes to the dam.
Relaxing Camping
The bathrooms and showers were clean. There wasn’t a lot to do in this area, we did try fishing in the lake adjacent to the campground, but didn’t catch anything. The campsites are surrounded by trees and large.
Tucked away
We first stopped there as a one night layover. Lots of trees and well maintained restrooms. Didn't get a chance to but lots of fishing in area. Dont take the dirt road heading south out of park past dam. Good quiet destination spot.
Closely gathered camp sites, without water or electric. Clean.
Closely gathered tent camp sites, without water or electric at the site. Water is stationed within walking distance, tastes weird. Nonpotable?Clean sites. Bath house with hot water, boat ramp for large and small boats. Current is very fast for kayaking. Go tot he dam instead which offers World renowned fishing. Lots of alligators. Go to Rodman damn for the fishing and quiet waters to kayak in. A minagerie of wildlife is available to view. No phone service. Dog friendly camping. Isolated. Bring what you need.
Nice little get away not far from home
This campground is very clean. It has some waterfront sites all are pretty decent size. A good fishing area as well as fishing at the dam. Easy trip to the springs to cool off too. Smack in the middle of a Ocala National Forest.
Been camping here forever.
I have been coming here for as long as I can remember. There is lot of site and a clean shower and bathhouse. Pleanty of places to fish from and make sure you bring your boat or kayak since there is a boat launch. There is good wildlife viewing lots of gators and birds of all kinds. Also the Florida National trail goes right past here so you can also go hiking as well.
Maiden Voyage
We had the maiden voyage of our new camper for the first time. All systems checked out, AC, hot water system, plumbing and electric. ALL systems ago. Even pulling it with our trailblazer was ok. Heres a short video of what we did other than the checklist of the Trailer. This was at Rodman Campground in Palatka READY FOR ANOTHER ADVENTURE
Fish snd be wild
By the Rodman's damn and Oklwahaha river great primitive camping and hunting. Check out nearby sites. Test your camping skills. No cell reception.