Camped here for two nights; however, at check-in, we were told that the campground will close in January 2008 for renovation. According to Reserveamerica.com, the campground will be closed until August 30, 2009. Check the website for updates. We camped here in a Motorhome.
We stayed at the state park campground for five days/four nights on Thanksgiving 2007 weekend. There were three other camper units in our group. The campground was sold out the entire weekend. If you look at the Reserve American site for the site map, one area is closed completely. There are two smaller areas that were still open but will close in January. In fact, the whole campground will be closed until renovated. At that time all sites will have fullhookups available. The area had not had much rain lately and it was pretty dusty, especially from the dirt roads to the sites. There were a lot of tenters in the area and many staying with other people with camper units. So the bathrooms were constantly busy and I was glad I did not have to use them. I asked the woman at checkin about a internet connection and she really wasn't to smart about that. She said there was a computer in the rec room and some kind of connection for the internet but not on that computer. It was simple, a dialup connection outlet. Bring a local access number with you and enjoy the 49k connection. The walkway from the campground to the river is landscaped nice and very clean, much nicer than the campground. Another thing to remember is, the campground is on the opposite side of the Rainbow River from the state park. You have to drive about 6 miles to get to the other side entrance. From the campground on the other side of the river are homes so you cannot just go straight across even in a canoe or kayak. We may try this again in a couple of years because they have no clue when it will be open again once it closes for renovations. Also, if you are going west on S.R. 40 the sign to turn off on is very small, it's under a huge sign indicating for the Rainbow Springs State Park Headsprings (Straight ahead - but the campground requires a left turn on 180th Ave. Road). Over by the state park entrance is a Wal Mart, Winn Dixie and a few fast food restaurants and gas stations. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
Here is an update on this park. The entire campground up by the river is closed while they upgrade the camping area. I talked to the ranger 3/07 about the progress. The only presently available camping is out by the office which is basically a grassy field with little shade. In the future they are going to totally refurbish the campground into two loops much like the newer state park campgrounds in Florida (like Silver River). They were supposed to be done by now but spent the funding on the new tuber takeout. In the future you will be able to float tubes down the river to a point and then a tram will take you back to the park. They have built the tram road through the woods so that part is done. Originally they were to have the campground improvements done by now but the ranger said they have no idea when they would be completed. This park has great potential they just need to complete the work so we can camp there again! The old campground up by the river will be changed to pavilions for picnics. It is one of our favorite places and we miss camping there. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
We enjoyed this campground. The setting is beautiful and the town of Dunnellon is quaint. The section we were in (sites 58 and up) which are nearer to the river, will be closed in June 2006 and the area turned into day use only. So the roads in that section were in poor condition. The other facilities were fine. The only campsites will be at the front of the park, which don't have any shade. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
Nice pool and playground. Sites are close together with the front section (1-57) of the campground having little to no shade. The rear section (58-105) has shade, but small sites. Roads are sand/dirt. Sites have some grass. The campstore is well stocked. Firewood is available to be delivered to your site. This would be a really nice park if they could find a way to link it to the Rainbow Springs Park without having to drive seven miles around the spring/river. Roads are in poor shape. They need to be regraded or paved. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
A beautiful, well maintained park. Large level sites on grass in the upper areas, more shaded sites on grass, dirt and gravel in the lower area which is closer to the Rainbow River. Area is very quiet, park personnel are extremely helpful and friendly. We chose this park because it's one of the relatively few Florida State Parks that allow pets, but i t was also one of the more enjoyable places we stayed. We will definitely stay here again. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Well maintained site. Half price for over 65 or handicapped Florida residents. Spacious gravel sites, well drained. Everyone we met was friendly. Host campers well informed. Extremely quiet. Some sites reserved for horse trailers. Also facilities for day equestrians. Lots of horse trails. One of the best kept secrets in the Ocala area. We will camp here again. We camped here in a Motorhome.