camping info, the stuff you need to know: April 2010

Small gators at the campground.

The park is over 6000 acres with about 2 miles of beach and 450 plus camp sites. They do have cabins but the lodge was destroyed by Ivan in 2004. Before Ivan, the campground was mostly shaded and had a lot of undergrowth between the sites. After Ivan, it's all wide open. In 2003, they started upgrades to the park. All sites now have 50 amp service and sewer hook-ups. Now it's very poular with snowbirds, fills up in January and Febuary. They take reservations but not site-specific, about 90% can be reserved, that leaves about 50 or more that are first come-first serve. It does fill up at times. One year I couldn't get a reservation and went any way. We got there right after lunch time, they had 3 sites left. You enter the campground from Park Road 2 onto Campground Road, just look for the blue water tower. Water front sites are a little more expensive and are on the lake (not gulf), we usually skip the water sites, they're hard to get anyway.

This is site #228, in the loop just past the pool, on the right side of Campground Road. The 1st loop on the right is fairly popular and has a lot of traffic, it also leads to the newer sites (450>), most sites in the new section are pull-thrus, the other pull-thrus are on the main entrance road, so someone is always driving right by your site. All sites on the left side of the entrance road are a little quieter but I'd avoid the 1st loop as it's right behind the dump station.

I didn't number the sites, they're all about the same.

There are several bathhouses, improved in 2005. New roofs, air conditioning and they are cleaned everyday. They are always clean unless a bunch of kids have trashed them.

The beaches are only about 1/2 mile away by bike, there are plenty of bike trails, or you can drive to the state park beach or the public beach in town. You do have to pay a dollar or two for parking if you go to the state park beach. At the park beach there is a pavillion with restrooms and a small store.

The new/old activity center and camp store, laundry will also be in this building when they are done. Website says they'll have WIFI here also.

New docks on the lake with canoe rentals.

New pool and pool house, rumor is that will open in May of 2010, they been working on it for 5 years. Once it opens there will be kids everywhere all summer long.