These Florida state parks were the most and least popular for camping in the past year

Hannah Morse, Palm Beach Post
·2 min read

Starting next year, Floridians will be able to reserve campsites at state parks sooner than out-of-staters. Residents can book a campsite 11 months in advance, while non-residents will only be able to do so 10 months out.

Those 30 extra days will benefit residents, as 61% of reservations made in recent years were by Floridians.

Camping is possible at 57 of Florida’s 175 state parks. Thirty-seven counties have at least one state park that offers camping.

Which state parks drew the most campers and which remain potentially hidden gems? Beachside campsites and those near Florida springs appeared to be the biggest hits in the past year, based on the data we received from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, which oversees the state park system.

Great outdoors: Florida camping sites you'll love

Here were the most and least popular state parks that offer camping, based on the number of reservations and occupancy rate from July 1, 2022, to June 30:

Most popular state parks for camping based on occupancy rates over 90%

  • John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo

  • Henderson Beach State Park in Destin

  • Dr. Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park just south of Eastpoint (which was named Dr. Beach’s No. 1 beach in the U.S. this year)

  • Blue Spring State Park near Orange City

  • Rainbow Springs State Park in Dunnellon

Least popular state parks for camping based on occupancy rates between 40% and 50%

  • Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park in Keystone Heights

  • Highlands Hammock State Park in Sebring

  • Rodman Campground in the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway in Palatka

  • Shangri-La Trailhead and Campground in the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway in Ocala

Park manager Mark Nelson guides his boat through the Loxahatchee River in Johnathan Dickinson State Park.
Park manager Mark Nelson guides his boat through the Loxahatchee River in Johnathan Dickinson State Park.

State parks with the most camping reservations

  • Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine: 16,046 reservations

  • Topsail Hill Preserve State Park in Santa Rosa Beach: 13,705 reservations

  • St. Andrews State Park in Panama City: 13,265 reservations

  • Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Hobe Sound: 12,092 reservations

  • Hillsborough River State Park in Thonotosassa, near Tampa: 8,745 reservations

State parks with the fewest camping reservations

  • Torreya State Park in Bristol: 2,372 reservations

  • Shangri-La Trailhead and Campground within the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway in Ocala: 1,351 reservations

  • Ross Prairie Trailhead and Campground within the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway in Dunnellon: 1,294 reservations

  • Little Talbot Island State Park in Jacksonville: 1,277 reservations

  • Falling Waters State Park in Chipley: 727 reservations

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection noted that Little Talbot Island and Falling Waters had construction projects that limited the number of campsites available to reserve.

Hannah Morse covers consumer issues for The Palm Beach Post. Drop a line at hmorse@pbpost.com, call 561-820-4833 or follow her on Twitter @mannahhorse.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: What are the most and least popular Florida state parks for camping?