Deep Creek Preserve

What could you ask for in free camping? Fire ring, picnic table, even water for your horses if you have pets that big.

Set aside to protect the natural aquifers, SoFlo WMD encourages camping. great trails, nice creek, plenty of wildlife, huge oak trees and about 5 sites. We were here in January 2016, we were the only ones except for some maintenance workers one day.

Campground area to drive-in traffic is locked, you must get the codes from SFWMD in an email, felt very scure as well. Came in my 44" Class A Dutch Star, no problem with ground or trees, but it had not rained in a while, don't know if it will get muddy.

I try to go to Deep Creek as often as I can....I love this place. Very private and serene!!
You won't be disappointed!

First of all, free camping is amazing and we're so thankful this option exists! Plus, this area was very pretty with the mossy trees and palmettos. There were just a few drawbacks for us though: the grass hadn't been cut in several weeks and it was nearly as tall as our little dogs -- which wasn't ideal for walking them. It was extremely buggy at night so we didn't spend much time outside after dark, which in November is basically 5:30p. There is non-potable water here, which we thought we might use for washing dishes or bathing, but it smelled terribly of sulphur. Like, really strong. We didn't find a good place to fill our water before arriving, so we struggled just a little on that side of things. There was a port-o-potty on site.
We would definitely stay here again...I'm sure they cut the grass fairly regularly...we just were there on an off week or something.
Good internet speeds without a booster.
It was difficult to navigate after dark...so try to arrive with some daylight!
Like the other reviewers said, you'll need to request a reservation via their website, and you'll be emailed a gate code for the padlock. You need to enter the code and then kind of push up on the bottom of the lock for it to release...we couldn't figure that out at first!
This area was pretty quiet. There was one other camper there when we arrived, but they left the next day. And another camper arrived just two days before we left.
The only big rig camping area seems to be right near the front gate (about 4-5 sites, with picnic tables. Some have fire rings or a grill). The equine/backcountry site seems to be for hikers/riders only...it would be several slow miles on a bumpy grass "road". We originally thought that was where we were supposed to camp until we realized the only real sites were right near the entrance.
All in all though, a nice experience and a pretty location with shade.

You must submit an online reservation request and allow at least 5 days to get the email confirmation. The email will give you the gate padlock code. Without this, you can't take an RV in, but there is a 24 hour walk in space if you are carrying your tent and supplies. Hiking trails, access to the Peace River (a few miles). Total peace and quiet!

We enjoyed this place for a dew days. We did not like the road noise at this place. We would stay again as a stopover but not as a destination spot.

The camping area is just inside the front gate and has several options for being in the sun or shade. You should walk your route if you are going to drive around the trees since there are plenty of low hanging branches. There are picnic tables and fire rings in the camp areas. Non-potable water is located in the camp area and intended for use with horses. The camping area looks like it supports about 5 campsites. There is a porta potty in the camp area. The porta potty was pumped during our stay. As a Southwest Florida Water Management District location you can reserve for 7 days (6 nights).

The are trails to hike, bike, or ride horseback. The camp area is fine for tent, travel trailer, 5th wheel, and class A. All of these were found at the camp area during our stay.

The location is less than 4 miles from exit 170 of I75. At the exit is a Walmart and several options for fuel. If you prefer truck stops for fuel, 9 miles south at exit 161 there is a Pilot.

Overall the camp area is clean. There was trash in one camp ring. While the cellular signal was about 2 bars, I had good internet speed on my hotspot.

Just off the main road, you can hear the noise but that's better than miles of potholes to me. It was within an hour of every beach from Bradenton to Fort Meyers. And it was within 10 minutes of a Walmart, that's luxury. Just a spigot of non-potable water and a portapotty that was serviced during our stay and stayed clean. It is a good, safe, locked place that is convenient and free! There are lots of shady sites but it's hard for a big rig to find just the right place unless you park in the wide open backlot. It was pretty level, a few ruts, but it's so close to the entrance you'll be fine. The left side may become troublesome after torrents of rain, but I don't foresee it being a problem unless it does nothing but rain during your stay.

Very nice for free. You must have a reservation to get the gate code. (Google: Southwest Florida Water Management District camping. They offer many other sites as well.) No designated sites but a few fire rings here and there. Nine tables so I think that is how many sites there are supposed to be. The port-a-potty was pretty full. Other campers told us it was cleaned on TH’s. One spigot of non potable water that smells very sulfur-y. The campground itself was pretty clean. Nice options for either shade or sun. All sites are on the grass. Loved the Spanish moss. There is 6-8 miles of hiking trails. We saw a tortoise!
We had 2-3 bars of Verizon LTE but slow speeds.
Right off a main road. Less than half an hour to the gulf.

It was a nice place. No designated spots. Porta potty available. No potable water. Plenty of shaded and sunny areas. Fire rings and picnic tables available. No generators after 8pm. Road noise died down at night. Trails to walk. Stores about 5 miles away. You need to have a code for the lock at the gate. Go to watermatters.org.

This is a no cost SW Florida Water Management District property that requires reservations and is behind a locked gate. It lies on the north edge of a large parcel of land that is the preserve on which we enjoyed long bike rides.
I am guessing it would host 10-12 camping units without crowding. This is controlled by the WMD. There was one portable toilet. I saw non-potable water but no potable water. This is just comfortable grass and weed ground cover under sprawling trees. Both full sun and shaded parking is available. Don't park in the SE corner where we first set up until told to move by a Water District employee who claimed that we were blocking the road to the south into the preserve. Make sure you've got the right combo for the lock (provided in your email confirmation) and then be prepared to just work at it. We tried some WD-40 on it as we left to try to make it easier for us to get out and the next guy to get in. Close to a Walmart and other services. Stayed here 2/18/20.