tent camping

In March we did our yearly five day camping trip. It is the only long (for us) trip we do because we have cats and they have to come along if we are gone more than a couple of days. We choose a place that is close to Gainesville where the Gator National Drag Races take place. Every year we have stayed at Mike Roess Gold Head Branch campground.

Ridiculous Heat

This year we stayed in a new campsite and it wasn’t as great as I had hoped. In fact we checked out a day early and it was mostly because of the weather. It was hot! You never know what you’ll get when it comes to March in Florida. It can be cold, hot, rainy, stormy – or a little of all of it. This time, it was simply hot. I do not camp well in the heat.

Even though we went north, it was hotter than at our home! It was just a freak hot spell. I don’t even know how my son handled it at the racetrack. He was born in Florida and has lived here all of his 43 years – and he likes the heat – but he admitted it was too hot.

The Campsite

I’d always thought that site #17 would be awesome. It is very spacious and not close to the other sites, except for the one across the road – which we have also stayed in. But site 17 is very sandy. There is not much to see, and I’ve decided that I like being on the outside of the loop where I can see the forest and grassy fields. Site 17 is going to become a Host site, meaning it won’t be available for booking. I discovered this when I was called and asked to change my Thanksgiving reservation – which would have been site #17.

The Flora

Except for a few squirrels, I saw no wildlife on this trip. I took a walk on one of the cooler mornings and saw nothing! I was hoping for deer, or a gopher tortoise, but no luck. However, I did find some really cool flora.

From what information I have seen online, this is the Florida purple thistle.

wild purple thistle plant in a Florida forest by the road.

My son and I took a drive – because this campground is very large and spread out. We went to check out one of the lakes – and the water was very low. We are having a drought. This thistle was growing along the side of the road in this remote area. It was stunning!

As we headed back to the campsite, I spotted this area of blooming plants. I had no idea what it was. Later as I looked at my photos, it reminded me of lupins that grow in New England. Sure enough this one is a Skyblue Lupin. How gorgeous is this patch of flowers?

We were lucky to be camping in Spring when these wildflowers bloom. The lupins are mostly found in north Florida it seems, while thistles grow all over the state. Of course you will never see these plants unless you venture into the Florida wilderness – what’s left of it.

The Cats

My cats mostly stayed inside the camper. Fontana is old and just likes to sleep. She gets nervous when taken outside the camper. Skittle is not one to sit happily indoors, so she got to walk on her leash and spent time in her crate in the shade. But we had the AC running most of the time, and the cats were inside. I had to sit inside too, which is not what I like to do when camping.

Skittle likes to have a view. And out this window, down over that little hill, is where the tent camping area is. The whole section was closed at this particular time, so it was a great place to walk and explore.

I discovered that the tent sites each have their own water and electric hookups. This is pretty sweet because I believe that most tent camping areas do not have water at each site. I’m not sure about electric. I wrote a post about tent camping in Florida.

road in the tent camping area — Camp among the trees! This is an awesome site.

Camp among the trees! This is an awesome site.

This was one of the few times I really didn’t enjoy myself while camping. My son went to the races and loved that, but next year we plan to do it differently. Maybe book a site down at the Lake Loop, where we have never stayed.

Thanks for reading…. Do you have any camping stories to share? Please leave a comment.

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First of all, I do not tent camp. But I camp in Florida in my trailer and do check out the tent camping areas whenever we stay at a campground.

If you want to camp in a tent in Florida, I’ll say that you will find some pretty nice spots. Often the tent camping areas at campgrounds tend to be shaded.

Tent camping site with picnic table and lots of overhanging trees. — Tent camping site at Mike Roess Gold Head Branch campground. We love this section of the campground for all the privacy and shade.

Sites That Accommodate RVs or Tents

Many campgrounds will make all their sites available for either RVs or tents. There is a separate section for only tents because tent camping is usually cheaper. RV sites have hookups of electric and water, and rarely sewer. If you camp in a tent but want to have your own electric and water, choose a normal site. Tent camping areas have water spigots for drinking in various spots, but not at each site – *Sometimes they do. Mike Roess Gold Head Branch has water spigots at every tent site, and possibly electric.

Campgrounds With Shaded Tent Camping

Here is a list of the nice tent areas we’ve seen at campgrounds we have visited. The list is short and there are most likely many more. We camp mostly at Florida State Parks and the links go to my blog page about each visit.

Gamble Rogers, state park – ocean or riverside camping. The tent camping sites are on the river side, not ocean, and there are only a few spots. They are very shaded, whereas most every other type of site is all sun.
Mike Roess Gold Head Branch – state park. Big loop for tents under the trees. Looks like a beautiful place to tent camp, with spacious sites.
Juniper Springs – not a state park. Love the sites here, but there are no hookups for RVs. There is a separate area for tents, which is in the woods. Take trails to the springs and cool off!
Salt Springs – not a state park. We love to camp here because they have full hookups and a nice, clear spring for swimming. The tent area is very close to the springs, and it contains lots of trees and shade.
Silver Springs – state park, no separate tent area, and all sites are very nice, but have hard packed ground – not well suited to tents. Their cabins look great as well. No spring here to swim in, but the Silver Springs park is just up the road, with paddling on the Silver River (gator filled!).
Rodman Campground – state park, with separate, very shaded area for tents.
Payne’s Prairie – state park, has a fairly small area for tent campers. Park along the campground loop road and walk back to set up your tent. Sites seemed less private and closer together, but in the shade.

Many campgrounds will say that all sites can be used for either a RV or tent, but be careful. Sometimes campsites are not suited for putting up a tent. When the ground is hard-packed sand or gravel, putting in tent stakes will be difficult. We have noticed this at two campgrounds we visited. Usually there are rules about where tents can go, or if the site is small, the tent will have to be on the hard area.

Silver Springs campground is really nice. We almost had to tent camp here when our trailer was in the shop – until the last minute! Once we pulled into the site and set up the camper, we saw how difficult it would have been to set up a tent.

Another park that has a similar problem is Sebastian Inlet. My son camped in a tent and had trouble because of the hard packed ground. They do not offer a separate tent area.

I personally appreciate the hardness when camping in our trailer. Florida is mostly made up of sand, and it gets everywhere. Many campsites are mostly sand. We make use of our rugs always, but a hard ground helps.

Silver Springs campground campsite #52 — Large, pull thru site with hard packed gravel at Silver Springs Campground

What to Expect

Many families choose to tent camp. I’ve noticed lots of kids, and younger families, which makes sense. Younger people have the energy to weather the elements of heat and cold. They want an inexpensive way to have family time together. Expect the tent area to be bustling with noise and people hanging around outside. This can be true for the RV section as well, but I tend to see more older couples there. And because they have an RV, often they will be inside for at least part of the time.

Most campgrounds allow animals, and nearly everyone brings a dog. We camp with two cats, and have only once seen a dog running off his leash. Be prepared for sharing space with dogs. Most campgrounds won’t put up with noise and barking.

Every state park site has a picnic table and burn ring. They may also provide a stationery, metal grill. Usually a bath house is nearby, but it could be a bit of a walk. Some tent areas contain their own bath house. Or, the bath house / bathroom is shared with everyone and not just tent campers.

Trail into the tent camping area. — Trail to tent camping area at Payne’s Prairie

Trail to tent camping area at Payne’s Prairie

Always check with the campground online before you go. Sometimes trails will be closed or walkways in repair. Whole tent camping areas can be closed. We just traveled to Mike Roess Gold Head and this was the case. No one was in the tent loop.

If you tent camp and have any recommendations for fellow campers who may read this page, please leave a comment.