Chassahowitzka River Campground

This was a one night, pit stop for us. The RV part was more of a after thought for weekenders as I assume most of there business comes from the boat launching area (truck/trailer parking was 5x larger than the campground).

Campground was awesome. Plenty of kayaks to go around that you could rent for $40/day. General store had just about anything you'd need that one could have forgot to pack, and then some. Bathrooms were clean, but the A/C wasn't working or, was off in the mens room. They had a leisure room for things like shuffleboard, bag toss etc. We will stay again.

We camped here back in January and, although it was pretty cold that week, we were able to get out and enjoy the river. This park has a small, state park feel and seems to be well managed. They have a small camp store and offer kayak/canoe rentals. We canoed down the river and were able to see numerous manatees. They were all around our canoe!! We didn't use the laundry or restrooms, but were told they were clean and nice. We have a large (43') fifth wheel and were able to get into our pull-through site fairly easily, but there aren't too many sites that would fit big rigs. We would go back to this campground.

Partially paved single lane road in and out of tiny parking lot where you register at boat ramp, office, snack shop. Pull-thru site was so narrow driving thru was impossible. Had to reposition RV several times to ensure slides had clearance. Water faucet was 3” above ground and had an unremovable filter that prevented using pressure regulator. And then we left.

This was our 2nd time at this campground. Three years ago we tent camped for 2 nights in the primitive section. Small campground without the frills which we love. This campground has a very secluded feeling with being close to everything (Publix, Walmart very close). It’s on the edge of the Chassahowitzka Wildlife Refuge on the Chassahowitzka River. This time we brought our Airstream and camped in lot 5. There aren’t many RV sites but I don’t like large campgrounds so we enjoyed the quaint atmosphere. Lot 5 required expert backers since it was so narrow. It wasn’t a problem for the hubby. All lots are very forested with trees, palms, palmettos, and even orange trees. The water, electricity and sewage connections worked well and we had no issues. Water pressure was 55 to 60psi with no noticeable spikes. There is a game cottage where they have yoga on weekdays at 9am. The campground does do a lot of business with their boat launch due to being right on the river. You can rent kayaks and canoes to explore the river which has springs and can have manatees. We wanted to take advantage of it this time because the area was so beautiful but didn’t have the time so it’s a must for next time. The bathrooms were clean and the grounds were well maintained. We arrived after closing but I did call ahead to inform the manager. She just told me to stop by the office in the morning before 10 to sign in. Make sure you bring plenty of bug repellent and antihistamines because of the bugs.. hello it’s Florida in the woods next to a river.. lol. Phone signal and WiFi can be spotty with att. Our friend had Verision and it was much stronger. It was ok in the RV section but nonexistent in the tent area where our friends were staying.

This park was very loud, even during the quiet time. People were letting their pets use the bathroom in the empty lots and not picking up after them. My husband stepped in a big pile of dog poo that was left there by someone at our campsite. They only had one TV station and it played the same shows over and over again, repeating each show multiple times a day. My husband and I have decided that this is one campground we will never visit again.

A unique area, with 72 degree (all year) springs, fishing, manatees on “winter break”, and a mature wooded atmosphere. Fantastic nearby restaurants all around. A few minutes from groceries and sundries at major chains. We’ll definitely return here in the future.
A couple of notes:
Try to check in during daylight and office hours. We arrived just after dark when the office was closed. We were unaware that an email with late checkin instructions had been sent to us while we were driving. There was no “late checkin station”, so when we arrived, we had no idea what our site number was, where it was, how to get to it, etc. The caretaker lived in a permanent residence just inside the front gate, however, and she cheerfully facilitated the late checkin. We felt bad about having to disturb her after hours, but she didn’t seem to mind.
Navigating the heavily wooded campground in the dark in our big rig was somewhat of a challenge. We had to take it slow, watching high and low to avoid trees. It was well worth it, though, as our site (no. 29) was a large, wedge-shaped back-in lot with lush vegetation behind, ample space on the utility side, and a huge “yard” on the front side. It was quite difficult, however, to find the sewer connection which, on our site as well as the one next door, was actually in the “wheel line” of the site, and had become level with the ground. Once we found it, it was easy to connect to, and actually made for a nice, compact sewer hookup.
The camp WiFi is strong, but does not connect to the internet. Phone service (AT&T) is weak, but sufficient for internet connection. (5G, 1 bar) I did have a couple of voice calls drop. I was unable to pick up any local television stations on my on-board antenna, and only two stations on the cable provided at the site. The only television we could get was that which I was able to find using the internet from my personal hotspot...that worked fine, despite the low telephone signal.
Our experience at this campsite was very quiet and peaceful at ALL hours. The park is pet-friendly. I found very little evidence of inappropriate “pottying”, or any other kind of litter. All sites are within walking distance of the Chassahowitzka rifer, and a well-stocked General Store with friendly, helpful staff.
Bathhouse clean, maintained, and secured by coded locks.

Camped in a 35” motorhome. We are self-contained so cannot comment on restrooms/shower facilities. This is not your normal private campground. There are trees. The site sizes vary. It’s almost as if they built the sites to save the most amount of trees – love it.
Pros –
- Lots of shade in many of the sites.
- Good cell and internet coverage on Verizon, sporadic T-Mobile
- Full hookups though some have 50amp, some 30amp – so if this is important to you read the description before booking
- Right on the Chassahowitzka river where you can rent or drop in your own kayak/canoe.
- The River is clear except in the very deep areas. You can see Manatees (depending on time of year) and is a bird lovers paradise.
- Laundry is reasonably priced and machines worked well.
- The people working in the office are very helpful and friendly. Very different experience than our stay 2 years ago.

Cons –
- Sites are very inconsistent on amount of space between sites though none are on top of each other. Read the notes in the reservation system carefully.
- No cable and no television reception with a normal RV antennae. This is actually not an issue with us but know it will be for some.
- Many ruts and potholes in road within the campground.

We loved it there and the young girl and older lady in the store/registration so so friendly and funny. Great with my granddaughter showing her the spider shell in the window. The gentleman helping everyone get in and out of their boats safely was awesome and loved the campground. Thank You so much for everything especially your great hospitality.. Will visit again for sure

Loved this campground! Had full amenities and large sites. Great access to boating and fishing. A fun location with a little restaurant close by. There are no long term looking folks, which is a a plus for us vacationers. We will be back and looking forward to visiting again!