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chickee at Trail Lakes Campground

Camping articles

Recommendations for camping gear, how to find the best places to camp, and where we go camping.

Articles on camping

Florida Beaches, Parks, and Trails Open and Closed

Recreate Responsibly

Statewide      ( Updated 10/1/20 )      

What is open and what is closed: our ongoing status updates for Florida beaches, campgrounds, parks, trails, and other public outdoor recreation facilities as we hear about them

National Forests in Florida Implement New Fees

Ocean Pond Olustee

July 24, 2019    Sandra Friend

Effective July 26, 2019, fees go up at many National Forest campgrounds, boat ramps, and recreation areas

Every Kid Outdoors

Every Kid in a Park pass

February 21, 2019    Sandra Friend

Got kids? If any of them are in fourth grade, they can get a free pass to ALL Federal public lands good for the whole family through the end of August. Here’s how.

Do Not Feed the Bears

Bear bags hanging at sunset on the AT in Georgia

February 27, 2018    John Keatley

Bear bagging is the art of hanging your food properly out of reach of bears. If you’re a Florida backpacker and haven’t learned how, here’s a short course. Securing your food from bears is required in the Ocala, Osceola, and Apalachicola National Forests.

Hanging at HangCon

The new HangCon logo

February 12, 2016    John Keatley

What’s it like hanging out with a bunch of hammock hangers? Here’s a peek at the 6th Annual Hammock Hanging Convention, now called HangCon, held at Doe Lake last month.

Just Married

January 31, 2015    Sandra Friend

After three years of roaming the woods and the world together, John & Sandy get married in the Ocala National Forest with a very hiker-style wedding.

Primrose and the Big O Hike

Primrose in Kenansville

January 22, 2015    John Keatley

Our first outing with Primrose this hiking season was a trip to the Big O Hike. It rained, of course, in both directions to and from Okeechobee. But we had a splendid road trip in our VW camper.

Ocala National Forest Dog Policy

July 21, 2014    Sandra Friend

Except for service dogs, dogs are not permitted at Alexander Springs, Salt Springs, Silver Glen Springs, Juniper Springs, Clearwater Lake, Fore Lake, Lake Dorr and Mill Dam Recreation Areas in the Ocala National Forest

Do not feed the bears

Bear in a trash can (Florida Fish & Wildlife)

April 23, 2014    Sandra Friend

“A fed bear is a dead bear,” says Florida Fish & Wildlife. It’s time to make homeowners responsible for keeping trash and food out of reach when they live in bear territory.

Westy in Hibernation

Us and Primrose

August 17, 2013    John Keatley

With the Florida temperatures in the mid to upper nineties and rain nearly everyday, Primrose is safely parked inside. Summer in Florida just isn’t the best time to be traveling or camping in a thirty-two year old VW camper.  Especially without an air-conditioner! Out last night of camping in Primrose for the season was in …

This is Camping?

My vision of camping

May 17, 2013    John Keatley

At 30,000 feet in a middle seat, there’s not a lot to do. So I started looking through the magazine, the ones that are always in the seat pockets in front of you. I normally rarely give them any attention, as the stories they run don’t interest me. However, in this magazine, I find an …

The Harold Store

April 18, 2013    John Keatley

Back in camp on Day 3 of the Panhandle Trace Hike, we met up with Gail and Sally. Since we had to move Primrose to our next campsite – and we had to kill time, since someone was still occupying it – we a took detour to the Harold Store. En route I realized that …

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