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.
Large siteOur site from the bath house.Campsite view of bathhouseSite #52
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.
Silver River paddlersLaunch
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.
River Trail
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 dinnerTwo at a time dump station.
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.
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.
Our campsite #18Trail to tent camping areaOur site was a hammock siteSmall site
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!
Our site, and trail on leftTrail to Lake WaubergOne of two bathhouses
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.
Fishing PierLake Wauberg
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.
Visitor’s CenterPrairie from Visitor’s CenterObservation TowerOaks and prairie from trail
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.
ThistlePrairie
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.
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.
We have been camping with our two older cats this winter. They seem to be adjusting to RV living. I have some advice for those who are thinking about camping with a cat.
We just took a five day camping trip in January. We leave our two cats home when we do a short 2-day trip, but this time they had to come.
Skittle and Fontana are older cats – around 15. They do not like riding in the truck. They don’t like to change their daily routine. They had to come with us, and it all worked out. I also learned some new ways to improve the experience.
Transporting the Cats
We pull our 28 foot RV with a Ford F250. The backseat has plenty of space for a cat carrier. The one I have is Life Stages Small Dog Crate (Amazon paid link). I actually have two of these and will take both next time. I’ll tell you why further down the page.
Our travel time to the campground was about two hours. Fontana meowed most of the way. Skittle was quiet as always. After our first cat camping trip in March 2024, we figured out that Skittle prefers the small carrier while riding. She tends to get carsick too. For that reason we put her up high to see out the windows and get fresh air. Fontana is in the open cage on the seat, and Skittle is in the carrier and hooked in on top.
The cage is a bit heavy and awkward for me, but it has two carry handles on the top. I can move it from the truck to the picnic table by myself (empty of cats!). I am an older (over 60) woman. By the way, it folds down flat for storage.
Transporting the cats
For safety, we attached the cage with a seatbelt through the bars. On top, Skittle is hooked to the cage with a bungee cord. They did really well. They don’t need food, water and litter box for such a short trip.
Dealing With Cats at the Campground
We stayed at Rodman Campground for two nights and then went west to Mike Roess Gold Head Branch. It was the first time we went directly from one campground to the next. I already had one trip planned, and then I heard from my niece who wanted to camp over the weekend. So the reservations were back to back.
We had some cold weather, but during the day it was sunny and nice. Last time we had the cats with us, I set up the screen house. The idea was to give the cats someplace to be outside, yet contained. The cats did not love it. As soon as they went into the screen house, they were looking for a way out. Now I have a better idea.
Skittle inside the screen house, March 2024
This time, we didn’t bother setting up the screen house. Instead, I put the cat cage on top of the picnic table. I carried the cat out from the trailer to put her inside the cage.
At first they were nervous but eventually Skittle came to enjoy her outdoor time. She goes out in my garden all the time at home. Fontana preferred being inside. She is older and does a lot of sleeping. I saw no reason to stress her out by making her stay outdoors. She took short trips into the sunshine.
SkittleFontana
This is why I will be bringing both cat cages on our next cat camping trip. They can both go outside at the same time. (They can’t share one cage because they don’t get along well.) All campgrounds seem to have picnic tables. Most of the time, the tables are next to where we park the RV. I can carry the cats, one at a time, out to the cages on the table.
I am always nearby and don’t leave them alone outside for more than a few minutes. They like it if I sit at the table, or in a chair, near them.
Using the Harness and Leash
First and most importantly I want to warn you NOT TO TRUST a harness on a cat! Do not trust “escape proof” and other such claims. Don’t think that you can walk your cat safely and keep him / her under control.
Everyone seems to camp with dogs these days. Do not assume that a dog won’t escape and come after your cat. Cats can wiggle out of a harness no matter how secure it seems. I know quite a few people who have lost cats while camping!
My harness failure story: When I moved to my current house, I was walking Skittle in the yard. I wanted her to get used to her new surroundings. She wore a nice handmade, cloth harness which I bought at Etsy. It looked perfectly escape proof. It was secured with velcro around her body and neck. Suddenly someone started up a Harley motorcycle, and she came out of that harness so fast I didn’t see what happened! Fortunately she went up to the house and did not run away. But if this happened at a campground, she could take off into the woods and easily get lost and confused. Do not trust any harness to contain your cat!!!
I put a H-style harness on each cat. They wear it the entire time we camp and don’t mind it at all. With a harness on, I can more easily hold onto them. I attach the leash before we go out to the cage, and leave it on while they are in the cage.
Leash and harnesses
This is my leash and two harnesses. I like the H-style, which you can buy here at Lupine Pet, or at Amazon (paid link) and other places. The older, blue harness is my favorite because the straps are fixed at one end so the strap doesn’t slide. Also the buckle / snaps are easier to use. It is a Tuff brand, which I can’t seem to find now.
The black one, with the stars and moons design, seems cheaper made, but it has a little bell. I thought it might be annoying, but it helped me keep track of Skittle’s movements in the RV. The black harness came with a matching leash. I bought it at Amazon as a last minute purchase before the trip. I wouldn’t recommend it for quality.
FontanaDinette bed
It was very easy for me to get the harnesses on the cats. I did it while they were comfortable at home, either sitting or lying down. I keep the straps loose enough that they can barely feel it. They wear it so I can grab them if need be.
Scratching the RV Furniture
I’ve had readers ask how I keep the cats from scratching up the RV couch and dinette seats. I was very worried about this. So far, I’ve had no problems.
The dinette is made into a bed so we don’t use it for eating while we camp. For this reason, I don’t have to worry about it getting scratched. It’s always covered with bedding. The sofa did need a cover.
Our RV sofa has a fold down drink holder in the center, with recliners on the ends. I found a cover that works and use it whenever we have cats in the RV. See the gray fabric in the photo below. The backing clings to the sofa and stays put! It doesn’t cover everything, but I’ve had no scratching problems. I found this sofa cover at Temu.
I was worried about the cats wanting to get out of the RV. At home they scratch on the screen and claw at the door. While camping, I have not had that trouble. One night Skittle did claw at the door, but I got up and blocked it with a backpack. For the most part, they are reluctant to go out.
I do let the cats sharpen their claws on the door mats and floor mats. I have some tough Waterhog mats from LL Bean at the doors and in the kitchen. Maybe with enough rugs to scratch the cats will remain happy.
The Litter Box
RV campers are made to conserve space and they don’t have a lot of extra floor space. At least mine does not. We have one slide, but it doesn’t leave enough room for a litter box to sit on the floor. And who wants that anyway?
We take the litter box from the house and put it into the RV shower floor just before we leave home. I have an old towel under it, and the scooper next to it. When we shower we have to move it temporarily. It works out.
Cats and Camping
It is not ideal to have to camp with our cats. I can relax better, sleep better and worry less when they are not camping with us. When they do have to come camping, they seem to adjust. My cats are older and prefer to sleep a lot, which is lucky. Skittle can be a problem when she gets bored.
My cats barely ate or drank last time they camped with us. This time they did much better.
Everyone knows their own cat. Be ready to supply what they need to be comfortable in the RV. Bring a favorite bed, treats, food, cat brush, etc. to make them feel more at home. I feel like my cats were much more comfortable being in the RV this time around. Trip #3 is coming up!
More kitties in cages enjoying the winter sunshine!
