We came out here for a weekend getaway from the daily grind. The campsites are remote and are separated by one or more miles from each other. Most sites are primitive; however, there are a few sites with a bathroom nearby (with no running water). We booked the Bunk Group Campsite for seven people and two nights at $50. The price fluctuates based on how many cars will be at the site. Campers can bring their own wood but it has to be from the FL region. Campers are also encouraged to use the deadwood that can be found throughout the park. All of the roadways are a combination of sand, dirt, and gravel, so your vehicle will get dirty and muddy in some areas.
Getting to our site for the first time was a bit confusing because the directions are not very clear and Google maps have not been updated to show most of the trails. If you are coming in from SR 46 you can take Wekiva River Rd into the state park or if you coming from SR 44, you take Brantley Branch Rd into the state park; from there it takes some work to figure out where you are and where you are going.
Note: There is a locked gate at both entrances for the trailheads; the code can be retrieved from forestry services once you pay for a site or receive a day permit. Otherwise, guests are limited to the parking area, hiking, bicycling, and horse-riding trails. I believe there are free walk-up campsites however you need to get a permit to leave your vehicle in the lot overnight.
The Bunk Group Campsite was great. There was a bathroom close to the camp, lots of space available for multiple tents, and a big screened-in Bunk House area where campers could sleep in wooden bunks and cook/prepare food out of the elements. It is very quiet and peaceful out here, other than the occasional plane that would fly over.
Now that I know my way around the park, I look forward to returning for another camping trip. Next time, I would like to stay another night or two. It's a lot of work to drag all of this food and gear out to the middle of nowhere then turn around a pack it up again a day or two later. There are several freshwater springs that you can hike to but we had to go off-trail and into the heavy brush to find them. The largest body of water we had time to visit was Black Water Camp, this is most likely the best spot to fish. Other than that, most of the creeks were swampy this time of year.
If you're looking for that off-grid get away from the concrete jungle, then I highly recommend hiking or camping at the Seminole State Forest. read more