Circle a cypress lined pond in the Apalachicola National Forest on the Camel Lake Loop. It’s a short hike on high ground in a place where most habitats are downright swampy. Despite the name of the Camel Lake Recreation Area, this body of water is Camel Pond, one of many large ponds in this part of the forest, and the trail circles it. An easy 1.2-mile walk on a broad trail, it’s a good add-on to a visit to the recreation area, whether you’re here for a picnic or camping.
Resources
Overview
Location: Camel Lake Recreation Area
Length: 1.2 miles
Lat-Lon: 30.2768, -84.9906
Type: Loop
Fees: $3 per vehicle recreation area fee
Difficulty: Easy
Bug factor: Low
Restroom: Yes, at recreation area
Directions & Map
Follow CR 12 south from the CR 12 and SR 20 intersection in Bristol into the Apalachicola National Forest. Watch for FR 105 on the left. Follow the road for 2 miles. Turn right and park inside Camel Lake Recreation Area
Hike
Park your vehicle in the large parking area near the restrooms, and walk down to the lake. Look out over the calm waters. On a warm day, you might see an alligator. On a holy day, you might see members of a local church performing baptisms in the old traditional way. Turn right and follow the shoreline around to an old jeep road that leads to the boat ramp. Here you’ll see a sign for the trailhead.
Park your vehicle in the large parking area near the restrooms, and walk down to the lake. Look out over the calm waters. On a warm day, you might see an alligator, or folks splashing in the lake. On a holy day, you might see members of a local church performing baptisms in the old traditional way. Turn right and follow the shoreline around to an old jeep road that leads to the boat ramp. Here you’ll see a sign for the trailhead. The path is broad and not at all difficult to follow as it circles the pond under a canopy of tall longleaf pines and turkey oaks.
You’ll pass interpretive markers long abandoned; guess at their meanings. At a fork, keep to the left, always with the pond at your left. The trail continues on a low bluff above the water and eventually loops around to place itself between the campground and the water. You reach the recreation area’s edge at the open grassy space. Continue back to the parking area to complete the 1.2 mile loop.