Best Dispersed Camping in Florida

Recent Dispersed Reviews in Florida

44 Reviews of 35 Florida Campgrounds

• 

  Jamie W.

  Traveler

  

  Dec. 3, 2019

  West Tower Hunt Camp

  Dispersed with bathroom and outdoor shower

  Lots of dispersed camping spots throughout, some right out in the open, and others are private. Campsites are scattered with nicely cleared areas within bush palms. Also available is a bathroom and an outdoor cold shower. (There is a book exchange in the bathroom) Simple horse stables with drinking water spigot.

• B

  Bob S.

  Guide

  

  Feb. 12, 2021

  Peace River Banks Backcountry

  Old Florida Wilderness Camping

  The Peace River runs north to south. Excellent backcountry camping between Zolpho Springs and Gardner. More camping down to Arcadia. Canoeing and kayaking are preferred mode of transportation but I’ve seen others use Jon boats and airboats. Camping permitted on West Bank. No designated sites.

• M

  Michael S.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 9, 2023

  Cobb Hunt Camp

  Campground Closed But Camping Allowed Just Past Entrance

  We arrived late and saw the campground was taped off and a sign read closed indefinitely. However, we drove just past the campground and found many others camped on the side of the road. Trash and porta potty’s provided by National Forest.

• M

  Michael S.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 13, 2023

  Lake Dorr

  Area Unsafe and Had to Leave. Please avoid.

  Attempted to stay at this campground but left because it felt unsafe. Spoke to a local that warned of violence, robbery, and killings in this area of the national forest.

  Got stuck in sand on the way out and had to wait for a tow truck. Tow truck driver carried a gun because of how unsafe the area is and warned us not to stay.

  Please avoid the Ocala NF!

  If you do decide to come to this campground, avoid north part of Ron Paul Drive. You’ll either get stuck in sand or have issues to low/tight trees. Drive further south of the other side of Ron Paul Drive.

• 

  Alyssa D.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 19, 2020

  Anclote Key Preserve State Park Campground

  Only accessible by water!

  Anclote Key is an awesome spot for primitive camping — but you can only get there by water access! Depending on the weather and the tides/current, the may shut down camping, or you may want to go by boat (not paddle/kayak). Make sure to have everything you need, too, especially bug spray — the mosquitos (among other bugs) are insane during the summer.

  Must make reservation online for camping permit.

• 

  Jeanene A.

  Legend

  

  Aug. 30, 2019

  Anclote Key Preserve State Park Campground

  Best Primitive Island Camping for Bird Lovers

  Anclote Key Review There is only 1 way to get to Anclote Key and that is by boat. Whether you take the few hours and kayak the 3 miles over from Tarpon or motor in from one of the many docks in the area that is the only way you can get here.

  “Ferry services do not drop visitors off for overnight camping. You must have your own transportation to stay overnight. Dogs are allowed only on North Anclote Bar.” 

  This seldom used camping area is wonderful after the sun sets and day visitors leave the island. 

  There four islands that combined make up the state park- There is a nice primitive camping area on the island not far from the lighthouse. Once you arrive take time to explore each area- Anclote Key, North Anclote Bar, South Anclote Bar and Three Rooker Island. There are over 11,000 acres full of migrating and native shorebirds and other creatures that have made their way to the island. Last count of bird species I believe was over 40! The 1887 lighthouse stands as a historical reminder on the southern end of the island. Occasionally tours can be made available by contacting the onsite ranger. 

  Spend your day swimming and sunbathing at the beach or kayaking around the island. If you arrived by motor boat try a bit of flats fishing but stay in designated areas and remember most area around the island in NO WAKE. Fire up the grill but make sure you leave no charcoal or burned wood pieces on the beach! EVERYTHING- and they mean everything you bring on the island must be taken off with you! There are no bathroom facilities and all human waste must be buried well and paper take in trash.. 

  Enjoy a night of primitive camping under the stars without a sound except insects and lapping waves on the beach. There are no provisions offered on the island, so be prepared to bring your own water and supplies. Make sure all food is secured (we anchored our boat with provisions on board a bit off shore and swam in to no risk raccoons getting into gear as it was a calm night with clear weather). Usually it is quite windy so plan ahead.

  A Florida Saltwater Fishing license is required to fish. 

  Reservations MUST be made in advance and the island does close during bad weather not allowing visitors to stay overnight.

• 

  Will J.

  Traveler

  

  Jan. 18, 2021

  17 Mile Hunt Camp

  Peaceful, relaxing, easy.

  This was our first time boondocking and it was the perfect site to try it out. We have a 26’ travel trailer and we did a few loops looking for a good site. It was pretty easy to see where the areas for camping are but it’s not as clear as a paid RV park. We ended up loving the site we picked. We were able to pull through instead of backing in (although a lot of the spots looked like you would need to back in), the ground wasn’t too muddy so we didn’t get stuck, and we didn’t even need to level the camper - it was naturally flat. As far as our actual stay - It was really peaceful. There were only a few other people there and we hardly ever saw them. We did have to be extra careful with our little dog tho because we did get the sense that something could try to eat it since the sites are in the middle of the woods. We generally felt safe tho and just made sure to take beat spray when we went out into the woods. There’s a trash receptacle (albeit small and easily filled) and a porta John at the entrance. All in all would definitely recommend this either as a quick overnight stop or to stay a week or two.

• 

  Aliyah B.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 8, 2018

  17 Mile Hunt Camp

  Great Free Camp Spot

  Loved this spot. It had tons of space with space between camp spots. Quiet. Lots of locals during the day but settles down at night. Has picnic tables. Would go again for sure! Also easy to drive up and park car and put up tent next to it.

• 

  Stuart K.

  Legend

  

  Dec. 25, 2024

  Davenport Landing

  Magnolia-Shaded Cul-de-Sac Primitive Camping

  Located a hefty trek down a winding gravel road west of Route 19, you’ll have to maneuver around divots and potholes along this narrow gravel, dusty roadway for the better part of 2 miles before arriving to a small sign on the left-hand side of the road that indicates you’ve arrived at Davenport Recreational Area – so finding this place is relatively easy. Unless you make the unwise decision to turn into one of the small handful of options beforehand that would have you drive down a patch of road that likely you are not authorized to, my only advice would be not to exceed 15 MPH on this road as the poor condition of the road could do damage to a lower-lying vehicle. Once you come across the Davenport Recreational Area sign, take a right and slowly (as the road conditions worsen as you get off the main road) follow the narrow tire-rutted pathway to a fork, where on the right you’ll see TRAILHEAD marked on a tree to your right– here you want to turn left instead and follow the pathway to its conclusion, which is a round-about that you will have no other alternative but to stop and park your vehicle.

  Here at literally ‘the end of the road,’ you’ll be greeted by a dozen or so medium-sized Magnolias that blot out the sun’s rays and cast an unusually spooky shadow on this area, made even more dramatic by all of the Spanish moss falling from the tree limbs of these magnificent trees. While the ground here is flat – welcome to Florida, where for the most part, that’s par for the course – but barren and comprised of a combination of dirt and sand silt, which isn’t so bad when it’s dry, but when there’s rain, we’re talking some pretty messy mud-like conditions. As for what you’ll find here at this natural cul-de-sac, there isn’t anything. Literally. No picnic tables. No fire ring. No stand-up grill. No potable(or for that matter, non-potable) water spigot. Nothing. There is what looks to be a small wooden sign that likely was filled with information at some point in time that might have educated you about your stay here, but even that had nothing on it, apart from a single hand-made sign above it, indicating: “You are trash, if you leave trash,” which I wholeheartedly agree with. In all, perhaps there’s 5-6 individual spots that you could make a campsite from.

  If you are a true primitive camper who really wants NOTHING to complement or aid their outdoor survivalist experiment, then you have hit the primitive camping jackpot! Apart from the solid peace & quiet you’ll experience here, there’s an amazing little access point here to the Ocklawaha river that runs through this neck of the woods – which used to be a riverboat stop where steamboats would stop to fuel or disembark enroute to Silver Springs via the St. Johns which this tributary eventually connects to. Apart from being a scenic access point to the river, if you are looking to catch and eat your meals, then this will certainly be an added bonus. The steps down the ravine to the river basin are somewhat steep, but for anyone towing a light-weight kayak or paddleboard, me thinks you could likely manage to bring your watercraft down here and easily access emerald-green waters shouldered with an abundance of spade-shaped lily pads to grab some great oaring.

  When we stopped by, there was a team of fisherman there – not camping, mind you – but having a great afternoon nonetheless of ‘hooking‘ em’ and according to these local anglers, the fishing was great. Apart from this and the shade that the mighty Magnolias provide, the only other amenity that exists out here are the few trails that you can jump on to get a bit of hiking in. One word of caution, from my fishermen friends, is to be on the look-out for ‘Coyo-Dogs’ (a cross between canine species where a dog mates with a coyote) and black bear, both of which have been known to frequent this area, especially at night.

  Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) There’s a 1.2 mile interpretive hiking trail called Davenport Landing Trail that will take to you to the former steamboat landing, which makes for a medium-grade hike with some interesting history; (2) If you have an explorer’s mindset, you’ll be richly rewarded here as there is a small gravesite from the Civil War that you can find along with middens along the Ocklawaha River hiding traces of the Timucuan Indians that once populated this area; (3) For fellow arborists, in addition to finding these amazing Magnolias that seem to be especially planted here for you, additionally there’s sweetgum and red maple trees; and (4) You definitely want to keep your eyes peeled for alligators in this area, where while we didn’t see any right at the ravine’s base, we were told that plenty were sunbathing right around the bend in the river from where we were.

  Happy Camping!

• 

  mandy P.

  Traveler

  

  Dec. 1, 2021

  Anclote Key Preserve State Park Campground

  Serene and Natural

  Short boat ride out to what felt like a secluded island, back when florida was all natural. We had the whole place to ourselves. Camping is definitely pack in pack out. It's worth every minute to see the sun rise and set in the same day, and the stars at night were endless

• B

  Braden B.

  Traveler

  

  Feb. 8, 2024

  bull creek WMA

  Hunt camp

  This is camp for hunters it's free and has pit toilets open area park anywhere in the camp. Lots of land to explore, hiking very close to Florida scenic trail.

• 

  Chrischelle N.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 8, 2020

  17 Mile Hunt Camp

  Simple but neat

  Nice primitive campground with well maintained dispersed spots. No picnic tables or fire rings but plenty of space. Nice and quiet. Lots of space for RVs as well. Just make sure to check the ground before you park. Very muddy, could get stuck.

• 

  Michael W.

  Legend

  

  Jan. 2, 2021

  17 Mile Hunt Camp

  Better of the Three

  Stayed a week. 2 different sights in campground. Really secluded, kept sights. Toilet and trash bins maintained 2 times a week. Went to other two sights, East Tower: Jam packed with hunters. Big Camp Hunt Camp: remote , small hard to get to. Rd 235. Deep hole , not recommended to cross. Would definitely stay here again. Special shout to neighbor [Lauren) solo female cudo. Nearby clean pond too.

• N

  Nate D.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 2, 2021

  Cobb Hunt Camp

  Easily accessible

  Depends on what you’re into. Great if you’re here as a hunt base camp maybe, but Cobb is not the idyllic peaceful personal campsite. I camped there with my boys in a tent, and they had a blast just playing in the dirt, but I had to figure out how to explain to them why someone had been there for the last 11 months and why we had to sleep through a running generator all night.

  We hiked in a few miles on the Florida Trail, so we had all our water supplies on our person. There’s a little pond there that we were purifying water out of with no issue, but if you drive in and car camp you can easily bring water with you.

  Not great for the backpacker, but probably pretty great if you’re driving in and hunting out of your tent or camper.

• 

  DeziRay M.

  Scout

  

  Jan. 9, 2022

  Cobb Hunt Camp

  Awesome

  Free no water or electricity, porta-potties . Most campers stay to themselves and there's room for privacy

• 

  Trevor G.

  Scout

  

  Jan. 19, 2025

  Nobles Primitive Camp — Big Cypress National Preserve

  Primitive

  Great remote drive out to the primitive site “old florida” the paved road turns to dirt/gravel. One way in one way out. It is located next to marsh land. Luckily the access road was drivable with two wheel drive.

• 

  Dan X.

  Ranger

  

  Jan. 5, 2021

  Anclote Key Preserve State Park Campground

  An island to yourself!

  As others have noted, boat access only, primitive put-your-tent-wherever type camping. BYO everything, and please bring it all back.

  No skeeters in October.

• M

  Moe B.

  Traveler

  

  Mar. 7, 2022

  17 Mile Hunt Camp

  Barely any service, shots heard, but sick view

  It’s a hunt camp. But it wasn’t hunting season necessarily. Heard many shots during the late afternoon when we got there, around 4p. Off and on until it got dark at 6:30p. We got an amazing spot with a view of the pond. Ground can be soft, but luckily it had been dry for a few days, but you could get stuck in some spots. Minimal, if any, cell service, so you will be disconnected pretty much.

• H

  Heather F.

  Scout

  

  May. 2, 2022

  Cobb Hunt Camp

  Primitive camping

  This place is very beautiful way out in the woods there’s no bathrooms or electricity.

• 

  Pavel T.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 16, 2018

  Lucky Hammock

  oink oink

  This area is infested with feral pigs, so don't plan on sleeping at night.

• M

  Mike D.

  Scout

  

  Nov. 28, 2021

  St. Johns River Dispersed Spot - Ocala NF

  Hidden Gem

  The roads to get here are bumpy. Right next to the river and the trees open up so you get a great view of the stars.

• B

  Brian

  Guide

  

  Nov. 2, 2023

  Cobb Hunt Camp

  Currently closed

  Currently closed, for maintenance, so could not stay there. Sites were level and Verizon service was good. As of 1 Nov closed with no date to reopen. State campground just down the road

• B

  Brian

  Guide

  

  Nov. 2, 2023

  17 Mile Hunt Camp

  Nice spot

  Sites are spread out and the road is rough getting in. No water or electric. Porta potty on site. No Verizon cell service.

• 

  Allison Rae C.

  Guide

  

  Dec. 15, 2023

  Blackwater River Boat Ramp Camp

  Very crowded

  This campground is closed indefinitely. If you drive past it, there's a new area people are using where a port a potty has been placed, but I don't reccomend staying there. It's right on the road and was very crowded.

• 

  Chris D.

  Traveler

  

  Jan. 16, 2024

  Cobb Hunt Camp

  Actual campground is closed

  Cobb Camp Osceola is closed though the website makes no mention of the closure. There are people camping just beyond the campground without issue. Nice and quiet spot with 0 amenities. There was a portapoty and trash cans during hunting season. Good verizon and tmobile cell coverage.

• E

  Entropical Breeze E.

  Scout

  

  Jan. 26, 2024

  Trout Lake Primitive Sites

  Nice secluded sites

  Set of primitive spots near lake. Main road entry is packed dirt; smaller access road to sites is two-track about 1/4 mile through woods — very narrow tree clearance. 4WD recommended. Just barely scraped a FWD Promaster through the trees, into a pullout just before sand started. Poor cell service even with booster. Plan on returning after antenna upgrade. Not the cleanest but passable.

• 

  Jamie W.

  Traveler

  

  Dec. 3, 2019

  Cobb Hunt Camp

  Great dispersed camping

  I've camped here a few different times and loved it every time. There are some older couples that come there every year. During hunting season, there are portable toilets, but no water. Picnic tables at various spots and plenty of shady areas.