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Hike Bike Paddle Camp Florida with authors Sandra Friend and John Keatley as your guides

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Rattlesnake Hammock campsite at KICCO

Primitive Camping

Get back to nature with primitive tent camping, either within walking distance of your car or deep in the woods

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Camping at JR Walton Pond Eglin

Escape to the woods at these primitive camping locations. Some of them are along our statewide National Scenic Trail, the Florida Trail, and on backpacking loops within state parks and state forests. Others are on water management district lands. Some locations are within city and county parks, where you park your car and then walk in to the campsite, which may be up to a half-mile from the parking area.

Primitive campsites generally don’t have bathroom facilities, or if they do, they offer only portable toilets or vault toilets. It’s up to you to know how to go in the backcountry and to leave no trace.

While most primitive campsites in Florida are free to use, many do require permits in advance, particularly on water management lands. Refer to each destination for full details.

Favorite Primitive Camping Destinations

Our favorite destinations for primitive camping in Florida include a combination of campsites where you can drive in and set up your tent as well as backcountry campsites along hiking trails.

Blackwater River SF

Blackwater River State Forest

Blackwater River State Forest
White blazed tree and trail into forest

Buster Island Loop

Buster Island Loop
View of La Costa Island south tip

Cayo Costa State Park

Cayo Costa State Park
Ladder up a bluff

Florida Trail, Eglin East

Florida Trail, Eglin East
Florida Trail, Juniper Creek

Florida Trail, Juniper Creek

Florida Trail, Juniper Creek
Seminole State Forest

Florida Trail, Seminole State Forest

Florida Trail, Seminole State Forest
Bonnet Pond

Florida Trail, Vilas to Camel Lake

Florida Trail, Vilas to Camel Lake
Young longleaf pines at Hal Scott

Hal Scott Preserve

Hal Scott Preserve
Hickory Hammock Trail

Hickory Hammock Trail

Hickory Hammock Trail
Kissimmee Prairie Preserve

Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park

Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park
View from the observation tower at Lake Kissimmee State Park

Lake Kissimmee State Park

Lake Kissimmee State Park
Fern grotto inside the Gold Head ravine

Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park

Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park
Myakka Canopy Walk Tower

Myakka River State Park

Myakka River State Park
River sink at O'Leno State Park

O’Leno State Park

O’Leno State Park
Along South Creek at Oscar Scherer State Park

Oscar Scherer State Park

Oscar Scherer State Park
Paynes Prairie pickerelweed blooms

Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park

Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park
Stephen Foster Carillion

Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park

Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park
Well-groomed trail corridor in pine forest

Welaka State Forest

Welaka State Forest
Withlacoochee River Park

Withlacoochee River Park

Withlacoochee River Park
Citrus Trail at Lizzie Hart Sink

Withlacoochee State Forest

Withlacoochee State Forest

Primitive Camping in Florida State Parks

Primitive campsites in Florida State Parks are primarily along trails built and maintained by the Florida Trail Association. Most state parks charge a nominal fee per person, between $1 and $5 per night, to camp in the backcountry. Some of the more popular primitive camping destinations have vault toilets and fire rings.

In the case of primitive sites (including primitive group sites), you do not reserve them online. Instead, call the park directly to make a reservation. You’ll pay your camping fee when you come into the park at the entrance station. Always arrive early enough to leave enough time to hike in to the site before it gets dark.

Anclote Key

Anclote Key Preserve State Park

Anclote Key Preserve State Park
Big Shoals of the Suwannee River

Big Shoals State Park

Big Shoals State Park
Fairchild Oak

Bulow Creek State Park

Bulow Creek State Park
Prairie basin with tall orange grasses

Catfish Creek Preserve State Park

Catfish Creek Preserve State Park
View of La Costa Island south tip

Cayo Costa State Park

Cayo Costa State Park
Collier Memorial at Collier-Seminole State Park

Collier-Seminole State Park

Collier-Seminole State Park
Fishing pier on lake

Colt Creek State Park

Colt Creek State Park
Fanning Springs

Fanning Springs State Park

Fanning Springs State Park
Faver-Dykes State Park

Faver-Dykes State Park

Faver-Dykes State Park
Fort Cooper

Fort Cooper State Park

Fort Cooper State Park
Hillsborough River State Park

Hillsborough River State Park

Hillsborough River State Park
Hontoon Island

Hontoon Island State Park

Hontoon Island State Park
Along the Loxahatchee River

Jonathan Dickinson State Park

Jonathan Dickinson State Park
Kissimmee Prairie Preserve

Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park

Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park
Lafayette Blue Springs

Lafayette Blue Springs State Park

Lafayette Blue Springs State Park
View from the observation tower at Lake Kissimmee State Park

Lake Kissimmee State Park

Lake Kissimmee State Park
Rolling hills at Lake Louisa State Park

Lake Louisa State Park

Lake Louisa State Park
River with forested bluffs

Little Manatee River State Park

Little Manatee River State Park
Oaks, pines, and blueberry bushes

Lower Wekiva River Preserve State Park

Lower Wekiva River Preserve State Park
Fern grotto inside the Gold Head ravine

Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park

Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park
Myakka Canopy Walk Tower

Myakka River State Park

Myakka River State Park
River sink at O'Leno State Park

O’Leno State Park

O’Leno State Park
Along South Creek at Oscar Scherer State Park

Oscar Scherer State Park

Oscar Scherer State Park
Paynes Prairie pickerelweed blooms

Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park

Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park
Rock Springs Run State Reserve

Rock Springs Run Reserve State Park

Rock Springs Run Reserve State Park
St George Island State Park

St. George Island State Park

St. George Island State Park
St Joseph Peninsula State Park

St. Joseph Peninsula State Park

St. Joseph Peninsula State Park

St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park

St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park
Stephen Foster Carillion

Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park

Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park
Limestone formation along the Suwannee River

Suwannee River State Park

Suwannee River State Park
Holton River Camp beach

Suwannee River Wilderness Trail

Suwannee River Wilderness Trail
Floodplain forest at Torreya

Torreya State Park

Torreya State Park
Sunset on Wacasassa Bay (Florida State Parks)

Waccasassa Bay Preserve State Park

Waccasassa Bay Preserve State Park
Wekiwa Springs State Park

Wekiwa Springs State Park

Wekiwa Springs State Park

Camping Articles Camping Gear Reviews ALL Primitive Camping Destinations

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