Seashells by Millhill

Our Camping Trip to Silver Springs

Our first trip to stay at Silver Springs Campground was a lot of fun. This is a beautiful spot to camp, and is just down the road from Silver Springs and a chance to paddle the Silver River.

Silver Springs is a popular tourist attraction in the Ocala National Forest. The springs have a long time connection to Hollywood as many television shows and movies were filmed (at least in part) there. The Silver Springs campground has a museum with lots of information about this.

This was our first time camping at the Silver Springs Campground. We love the place. It is a Florida State Park and can be found at the state park website.

The Campsite

By the time we reserved a campsite, there were not many openings left. We took #52 because our friends were in #58 at the other end of this short loop. Site 52 is a pull through, and the picnic table, and sitting area faces the only bath house for this loop and the one next to it.

Silver Springs campground campsite #52 — Large site

View of camper in our campsite from the bathhouse across the road. — Large site

We never spend time inside our camper, unless we have bad weather. So, we sit outside and sweat when the weather is hot. Our campsite was at the end of a loop, with a bathhouse across the road from us. The site has some shade, but we put out the awning and left it out.

Friendly campers were always walking by and saying hello. The place was super quiet at night also.

I can see why this site was not booked. It is not exactly private, with everyone walking by to hit the bathroom. Many people also use the dish-washing station. This bath house also services the loop next door, so, it can be a busy spot. A dumpster with a noisy door was also situated next to the bath house.

None of this was a big deal. We had a great time. The site was very large, with a hard-packed gravel surface. This keeps the camper cleaner than being on sand! However, we almost had to camp using a tent because our trailer was in the shop being fixed. It would have been very difficult to set up a tent on that gravel.

Riding the Trail

We chose to ride our bikes down the trail to the river. Not e-bikes, and mine is a beach cruiser. Once we arrived at the end of the road, there were many paddlers pulling up from the river for a break. Also, if you want to tow your own craft the 1/2 (approx.) mile through the woods, you could launch from here.

This is a freshwater river – the Silver River – that contains springs. which keep the water mostly clear. It also means there are alligators.

And keep your eyes open for monkeys! Monkeys were brought into the area long ago, and they have multiplied. I just watched a video of a woman paddling the river with monkeys dropping out of the trees and swimming away! We did not see any monkeys while we were there.

Paddleboarders and kayakers in the Silver river — Silver River paddlers

Kayak and paddle board launch along Silver River — Silver River paddlers

The trail to the river is wide, like a narrow dirt road. Except it’s made mostly of sand and tree roots. I was able to navigate without much trouble, so young people, or e-bikes, could easily manage.

After our ride through the woods, we rode our bikes to the Museum. For a donation of $2.00 each, you will enjoy some displays of Florida history. It is a large place, and nicely done, with many wildlife displays. I recommend a visit – and it’s nice and cool inside!

The dump station can hold 2 RV’s at a time, which is always nice.

cooking outside in front of our camper — Cooking dinner

Silver Springs campground dump station — Cooking dinner

We camped for two nights, which is our usual. It was super hot the whole time, but we would love to return to the Silver Springs Campground.

A decorative border featuring stylized blue starfish, arranged in a repeated pattern.

Last Camping Trip For Summer to Salt Springs

Our Salt Springs camping trip in June was memorable for swimming in clean, clear water and sitting in the shade of beautiful oaks.

We took our last summer camping trip in mid-June and went to Salt Springs. I don’t enjoy packing and unpacking in the summer heat, so we take a break during the hottest time of year. Our next trip will be in September.

The Ocala National Forest area, in northern Florida, has many springs. Some areas also have campgrounds near the springs. Salt Springs, in Fort McCoy, Florida, is one of the few places we’ve stayed that has full hookups. Empty the black (sewer) and gray water as you use it, right at the site. I love this. This is our third camping trip to this campground. We did our very first overnight RV stay here.

This is not a state park campground, and because of this it costs more.

Our Campsite

Our campsite was near the top of the roadway loop. Our site was at the end of the road, with many oak trees shading the spot. We had a good amount of privacy. Shade and privacy are always a plus.

This site also had a couple of negatives. For some reason we had loads of houseflies. No amount of bug spray or bug candles would keep them away. Also, we were near the main road, just through the trees and could hear the traffic. It wasn’t horrible, but every now and then a loud truck would remind me we were not in the wilderness.

View of top of campground — Top of campground loop

Back of our campsite with burn pit — Top of campground loop

This was our third stay at Salt Springs. I’ve seen this area of the park and it always seemed a bit empty of trailers. In the photo above left, I am looking toward the tree line and the road is right there. I think the off-site traffic might be the reason why most campers choose sites lower in the loop.

One other thing, this campground has paved pads for trailers. When we backed into our spot the campfire pit was quite close. Our trailer is not huge. At 28 feet our trailer is not overly long. I’d have liked more space around the campfire. In all likelihood the burn pit was placed there because of the overhead trees.

The Springs

I did not get any photos of the spring area this time (see pictures on my other blog post). I rode my beach cruiser to the area and left my things on the wall while I swam. I didn’t want to have to worry about my phone. The spring water was way down, which made it pretty shallow. This made it difficult to easily snorkel over the actual spring.

Our stay was for Monday and Tuesday night. The springs area was not super crowded, and on Wednesday morning, before we packed up, I was alone at the Spring for a little while! It opens to the public at 8:00am.

Florida spring water is a steady 72 degrees. It is chilly, but refreshing. Get in fast, and you will acclimate quickly, and it feels so darn good. This time, there was only one way to get into the water and the steps were very slippery. Personally, I think the warning should have been much clearer to see. A slip of paper was attached next to the steps warning of the slipperiness. I never saw it, and many others didn’t. In the short time I was there, I saw many adults and kids slip and fall, or nearly fall.

A grassy camping area surrounded by oak trees with RVs parked nearby, showcasing a serene and shaded environment. — Road in campground

Navigation is easy in the campground. The inner roads are one way. Some sites are close and others have nice privacy. There are many old trees to provide shade. The Spring area is a bit of a walk, or short bike ride from the RV area.

Tent camping is done in a separate area and is closer to the springs. This campground also has some hiking trails and a small boat ramp.

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Camping Trip to Paynes Prairie in April

Here’s a review of our quick camping trip to Paynes Prairie just south of Gainesville.

Payne’s Prairie is a large open area just south of Gainesville in Micanopy. It is home to bison and wild horses as well as other wildlife. The Puc Puggy campground is where we stayed. The name Payne’s Prairie is more often used. I wonder why?

This campground is about 3 hours from our house. It is one of the furthest away that we have visited. We wondered if it would be a better choice for our yearly March trip for the Gator Nationals. We decided it was not.

The Campground and Campsite

All roads were paved, and we had no trouble finding, or getting into, our spot. But the campsite itself was small. Our trailer is 28 feet. We just barely fit the camper and truck into the site. The ground is hard-packed and a bit bumpy. I didn’t mind as it was better than loose sand.

We were in site #18. It was a good location, at the end of the RV row as you drive in. But I think it was one of the smaller sites. Next to us was a path that led to the boat ramp and fishing pier at the lake (fresh water). Beyond the trail, were the tent camping sites. So there was no one really on that one side.

To the other side, we could barely see our neighbors. The brush is thick and the whole campground is full of tall trees and vegetation. It’s a very pretty place with plenty of shade. Mosquitoes drove us in at sundown. An armadillo came both nights and rooted around in the leaves.

Trail into the tent camping area. — Our campsite #18

Campsite #18 felt a little cramped. The fire pit was right next to the picnic table, which could have been moved. But it was so close to the woods. It had been very dry, so we did not have a fire. No one told us not to when we checked in, but it seemed a little dangerous.

Campsite #18 is one of the “hammock” sites. My son brought his hammock to try. He tied it up to one of the biggest pine trees I’ve ever seen!

A camper parked at a campsite surrounded by lush greenery and palm trees at Payne's Prairie campground. — Our site, and trail on left

A winding paved path through a dense forest with lush greenery and palm trees lining the sides, leading to a picnic area sign. — Our site, and trail on left

The bathhouse was spacious and seemed clean. The showers and attached changing rooms were larger than some others I’ve seen. There are two bathhouses in the campground.

Tent Camping Area Was a Little Weird

The tent camping area was set up a bit differently. Usually the state parks have a big area, usually with dirt roads, for tents. We almost always love the sites in the tent sections. At Payne’s Prairie, tent campers park along the campground road and walk all their stuff a short distance into the tent site. The area for tents seemed small and without much privacy.

The Lake and Pier

The map says this is Lake Wauberg. It has a boat ramp and nice fishing pier. We saw one gator floating offshore, but I’ll bet the lake is packed with them. We rode our bikes here from the campsite.

boardwalk to the fishing pier — Fishing Pier

The Prairie and Visitor’s Center

The big reason to visit this area is to view wildlife in the prairie. I thought that the prairie would be closer to the campground, with trails to take us there. What we had to do was bike or drive two miles down a paved road, with no sidewalks, to the Visitor’s Center and then walk out to the trail. I did not want to ride my bike down the side of a road, so we drove.

Note: If you like walking, hiking, or e-biking, there are unpaved trails through the woods. But this is a 2 mile walk one way, and that is before you get to the Prairie trail.

Glass wall of Visitor's Center from outside — Visitor’s Center

View of Payne's Prairie from glass wall at Visitor's Center — Visitor’s Center

The Visitor’s Center is very nice. It is worth a trip to see. The back wall is mostly glass, giving visitors a first view of the prairie. They have displays showing the history of the area, along with wildlife displays. They sell shirts, hats, books and more.

From there, we took a short walk to the tower. We had a nice view of the wetlands, and saw some wild horses way out in the field.

The Trails

To continue the viewing, hikers can take the Cones Dike Trail. This is a 4 mile (one way) walking or biking trail that follows the preserve boundary. We walked it for a short time, but it was a hot day. All we saw was horse tracks and manure.

On the eastern side of the road (which dead ends at the Visitor’s Center) are more trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding. These are wooded, unpaved trails.

Payne's Prairie map — Map of the prairie area.

The map above shows the Campground in Blue, the Visitor’s Center and tower in pink. Other trails are in yellow. We wanted to go over to La Chua Trail, which was about 10 miles by car, but it was too hot to walk the trail so we didn’t go.

For more information and trail planning see the list at Alltrails and also at the State Parks site. Be aware that dogs are not allowed on many of the trails. I doubt they are allowed up the tower either, but that didn’t stop people from taking their poor dog up there.

Advice For a Visit

Visit Payne’s Prairie when the weather is cool enough, for most of the day, to be comfortable walking, or biking. April is too hot. To see the north part of the prairie you need to drive from the campground. There is a long, paved, biking trail (Gainesville-Hawthorn State Trail) but it is also far away.

I’m sure there is a lot of beautiful nature to see, but hiking in Florida is not a favorite pastime of mine. I don’t care about seeing alligators, and would prefer not to be that close to them. I’m not big on ticks and mosquitoes or sweating profusely. I see plenty of great nature when we go boating.

Remember that this park is open to the public. The park closes at 8:00pm but up until then, the boat ramp, fishing pier, tower, and Visitor’s Center could be very busy.

In closing, I doubt very much we will ever camp here again. We decided that we like Mike Roess Gold Head Branch much better for camping.