Manatee Springs State Park (FL)

lickitisplit · 03-25-2015, 07:11 PM

This is a beautiful park. We only did tent camping this time but they have RV hook up as well. The facilities were cleaned a few times a day and were always very nice. The wildlife was very active. We had deer in our campsite every morning and saw some wild boar during a few hikes. I highly recommend this park if you are in the area and plan on making another trip soon. Pet friendly as well.

https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/manatee-springs

Rstrahan · 03-27-2015, 04:02 PM

Thanks. Looks like a great weekend getaway.

CampingGator · 03-28-2015, 07:17 AM

Thanks for the information. We live about forty five minutes away so will give it a try.

Big Bill · 03-28-2015, 07:53 AM

great all around park, ilearned to cave dive there, many fond memories there.

DDC · 03-28-2015, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Bill

great all around park, ilearned to cave dive there, many fond memories there.

Don't want to high-jack this but I have a silly question now, 'what is cave diving'?

Papa GLS · 03-28-2015, 09:26 AM

Understand from friends that the campground is undergoing repair & improvements & some of the sites may be closed. Just wondering if they were completed yet or is the work ongoing. They said when they were there they had to move a few times because of electrical issues-hope they have this fixed. We really like it there, but haven't been because of these issues.

Big Bill · 03-28-2015, 09:40 AM

cave diving is scuba diving in the under ground springs that flow into the river, there are many spring in northern fla ,very popular area to cave divers.

rsdata · 03-28-2015, 12:17 PM

I camped at Manatee Springs for 14 days in February this year. Very nice place. One camp loop with about 30 spaces is open, while the other camp loop is partially closed, but still has a dozen or so spots in that loop open for camping. It did not appear to me in February that their renovations would be done soon but certainly do not know that for a fact.

There was a resident deer heard that moved through the entire area often, including the campground. The boar at night made lots of noise. You would hear them, and catch them in a flashlight beam. I had no electrical issues in the Hickory Loop nor did my neighbors as far as I know.

Real good BBQ available at the concession stand a few minutes walk from either camp loop. Take it back to camp or eat it otside on the picnic tables. They are open 7 days a week from noon to 5 or so... maybe later in the warmer months. The fella that runs the concession is very friendly and helpful and knowledgeable about local goings on. Be sure to use the coupon for the BBQ that you get from the check-in station. They also have kayak rentals and upstream drop off on the nearby river, so that you can paddle back to the park. The concession area is just a few hundred yards from the camping area. Saw nice play area near the concession area for smaller children. There is WIFI there also.

Be sure to hike the boardwalk to the Suwannee River from near the concession area. I have already scheduled a stop there for next February. The campground hosts told me that the camp spots stay pretty full during the winter months.

trbomax · 03-28-2015, 12:39 PM

I was just looking at the above link to the park as part of next winters trip.One place it says 40' max and another 35' max. They also mention low trees .Would it not be advised to attemt putting our 315wp in the park? Its 37' long and 13-6 high.

rsdata · 03-28-2015, 01:38 PM

I mention that I stayed there just this February and I am going from memory. I stayed in site 96. I have a hybrid, 19 feet long with two overhanging beds that add another nearly 10 feet total. I had plenty of parking room for the HTT and my TV parked parallel to the road with room to spare, although as I recall the ground ramped up slightly the further back you set on the camp spot. That spot on ReserveAmerica is shown as MAX 30 FT which IMO is conservative. MY camper used at least 28 feet and I still parked in front and was not that close to the road. The FL Park website says Maximum RV length = 40 ft.

There were large spots on both sides of me. Spot 99 had a large MH for about a week. Spot 93 is a large pull-through I saw a MH on for a few days. The camp loop roads are NOT paved, and the host staff were constantly raking leaves off the dirt road so that you could see where it was... I could not believe the amount of leaves dropping from the trees everyday while I was there in mid-Feb.

I did not see any low hanging tree limbs, but of course with my setup I was not looking for them. Perhaps a few spots did have low limbs, but I don't believe I saw any in the Hickory loop.

I have booked a spot on MAG2 loop next year for late February. Maybe I will see you there.

Hope this helps

trbomax · 03-28-2015, 06:35 PM

Thanks for the info,I guess I will give them a call monday!Fla is our dec destination,louisiana jan texas feb,then work our way back north in march.

Life Without Whine · 03-30-2015, 03:23 PM

So we are booked in July for that isolated magnolia 2 site #61 to try out this place (hope there are no low hanging branches on out way to isolation & that they control bugs!) Love going to any of the Florida Springs cg during summer months. Discovered if you spend an hour snorkeling in the springs your body stays cold for 2 more hours ...natural air conditioner!

lickitisplit · 03-30-2015, 04:48 PM

We were there about a month or two ago and clearance didn't seem to be an issue. We saw a few big rigs and 5ers roll in and out. Bugs will probably be bad though. The is a bunch of standing water areas. Bring citronella candles or baby oil mixed with citronella oil to spray yourself. It usually works for us.

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