Tag Archives: Crooked River

CS #47 – Oxbow Campsite, Tate’s Hell State Forest

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Reserve this site on Reserve America, CS 47, Oxbow, at Tate’s Hell State Forest, Pickett’s Bay section. When you get to your site, find the closest location for cell phone coverage. A 911 address for this site has not yet been cleared with the First Responders in Franklin county, but call the Tate’s Hell office and request a 911 address. This camp site is off Warren Bluff Road close to Carrabelle and the campsite sign is east of Warren Bluff Campsite.

It over a mile drive from the sign to the campsite.

On the Crooked River, one can see the river-front homes on the Crooked River beyond the marsh grasses. For those who prefer the reassurance of civilization nearby, yet camped far enough to enjoy privacy and the wilderness, this is an ideal site.

It is a large, flat, sandy site. There is extra room under the oak tree to pitch a tent.

There is enough beach at the bottom of the sandy slope to put-in or take-out parallel to the shoreline.

The view downriver is shown below, and below that photo two photos of the views upriver.

For those who prefer isolation, similar sandy sites on the Crooked River on either side of this site may be preferred: Site #46 Sunday Rollaway and site #48 Warren Bluff campsites.

CS 48, Warren Bluff Road Campsite, Tate’s Hell State Forest Camping

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Reserve this campsite on Reserve America, Tate’s Hell State Forest, Picketts Bay section. When you get to your campsite, check for the closest point to your site to get cell coverage. If you call 911, give 1310 Warren Bluff Camp Road, Tate’s Hell State Forest, as your address, GPS 29.87356, -84.69641. First responders will not be able to find you by just your campsite number. Reserve America will not include this address in your confirmation.

As in many Tate’s Hell campsites, the road to your campsite can be a long and windy (and private) road.

Upland pine forests leading to estuaries — you get two habitats.

Remains of timber plantation drainage ditches remain, draining into Crooked River.

The campsite itself is large — like other Tate’s Hell sites you can configure to your party and your needs.

For paddlers, access to Crooked River is easy.

This was taken at low tide.

The view is spectacular — wide open spaces.

Below view to your right and below that to your left.

At low tide, there is a swath of sandy beach.

False rosemary blooming in late February, rather early this year.

If you camp(ed) here, please comment in the box provided at the end of this post.

CS 47, Oxbow Campsite, Tate’s Hell State Forest

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Campsite 47 is on Warren Bluff Road and we were encoutering large water-filled holes that when we realized we had missed the turn to this site. We didn’t feel like retracting our bumpy/muddy excursion to find it. We will report on it when it dries out. Warren Bluff Road probably should not be attempted when its wet by passenger cars. Tate’s Hell State Forest was purchased by the state for restoration of a critical watershed for two major north Florida rivers and restoration is the primary mission of this forest. GPS location: 29.87059, -84.68293.

CS 46 – Sunday Rollaway Campsite, Tate’s Hell State Forest

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You can reserve this camp site on Reserve America, Tate’s Hell State Forest, Picketts Bay section. When you get to your site, check cell coverage and find closest point where you can get that coverage. If you need to call 911 give 640 Sunday Rollaway Camp Road, Tate’s Hell State Forest, as your address, GPS 29.90432, -84.65221. First responders will not be able to find you if you only give a campsite number. Reserve America will not include this information on your confirmation.

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Sunday Rollaway bears the remnants of the pine plantation which it was before the state of Florida acquired Tate’s Hell State Forest to restore it to its natural function — a watershed for the Ochlockonee and Apalachicola Rivers.

After a long entry drive, one comes across this delightful end of the road camp site.

The photo above is facing the entrance. It’s what one would see while camping here.

If you have children, they will immediately be taken by the small sandy area at the end of the road where the remnants of pilings which held a bridge are still visible.

Although folks who bank fish may wish access to the end of the road, it seems you can spread out as much as you like without blocking road access to them as a matter of courtesy. Those wishing to launch come campsites are allowed to do so in Tate’s Hell State Forest; hopefully they will respect your desire for privacy and room and will park the cars at the entry and walk in to the river once the boats have been unloaded.

The channels alongside the campsite may make for a buggy summer. This seems an ideal fall through spring site.

The campsite sits high enough above the water line that it will remain dry.

A small area of sand at the end will allow for easy access of canoes or kayaks.

The view to the left at the end of the road is the Crooked River East and to the right Crooked River as it winds itself into and estruarian environment to join the Carrabelle River (New river) and then to the Gulf of Mexico.

Tate’s Hell provides several different type of low land ecosystems in which to camp. You will be camping in estuaries here — giving you wide expanses of sky (sun and moon).

In an prematurely early spring we saw buckwheat trees in full bloom along the entry and white violets on the ground.

There are few trees on this site, so it may be very hot during the summer. Not sure whether you’ll be close enough to the ocean to benefit from evening breezes.

If you camp here, please post your comments on the box provided at the end of this post.

CS 44, Crooked River, Tate’s Hell State Forest

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Campsite #44 and Campsite #45 are on the south side of the Crooked River which connects the Ochlockonee River on the east to the Carrabelle (New River) to the west. It is subject to tides from Ochlockonee Bay and from Carrabelle Bay.

This site may be reserved at Reserve America, Tate’s Hell State Forest Crooked River Section. If you call 911 the address you should give for this site is 680 Crooked River Camp #44 Road, Tate’s Hell State Forest, GPS 29.90908, -84.60210. First responders will not be able to find you if you only give them the campsite number in Tate’s Hell State Forest. Reserve America will not include this information on your confirmation.

When you get to your site, check your mobile phone connection or find the closest point where you can send and receive calls.

This has a very long entry.

This site also has a landing which is used by motorized boats and a circle to enable trucks and trailers to launch and a separate large parking area is for the fishermen parking.

The campsite sits right on the Crooked River.

The view west toward the Carrabelle River is shown below and below that the view east to the Ochlockonee River.

If you camp at any of these sites, please add your comments in the box provided at the end of this post.

Campsites #41-#43, Rock Landing Campground, Tate’s Hell State Forest

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There are 3 campsites at Rock Landing Campground. Only sites 41 and 42 are reservable through Reserve America. Site 43 is a walk-in campsite. All three sites have connecting sections which can, for groups, expand the large sites into even larger ones. If you call 911 the address for this campground is 5081 Rock Landing Rd, Tate’s Hell State Forest. GPS 29.98018, -84.56822. First responders will not be able to find you if you just giver your campsite number in Tate’s Hell SF. Reserve America will not include this information on your confirmation.

When you get to your site, check your cell phone signal or find the closest place you will be able to transmit or receive calls.

Rock Landing Recreation area includes a covered group pavilion, a single picnic table, unisex vault toilet, a boat landing, 2 reservable campsites and 1 walk-in campsite. It is both a day use area and a camping area. There is no potable water at this campground.

The view west of the Crooked River is show below and below that is the view east of the Crooked River.

The Crooked River meets the Ochlockonee River on the east and Carrabelle River (New River) on the west. The Crooked river is impacted by tides from the east and tides from the west.

Campsite #41

Closest to the day use area and vault toilet, CS 41 has a connecting area which can expand group camping areas if two sites are reserved. The lot is large.

Campsite #42

The above photo is the connector between CS 41 and 42.

Campsite #43

Campsite #43 cannot be reserved, it is a walk-up site. However, there is a connector between campsite 42 and 43.

The connector between CS 43 and 42.

If you camp here, please add your comments in the box provided at the end of this post.

CS 28, Loop Landing, Tate’s Hell State Forest

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Reserve this site on Reserve America, Tate’s Hell State Forest, Womack Creek section. If you need to call 911, the address of the campsite is 5500 Loop Landing Road, Tate’s Hell State Forest. GPS 29.99005, -84.53565. First responders will not be able to find you if you give only your campsite number. Reserve America will not list this information on your confirmation.

When you get to your campsite, check your cell phone signal or find the nearest location where you will be able to send or receive calls.

Loop Landing campsite is located on the eastern end of the Crooked River, close to where the Crooked River meets the Ochlockonee River.

Right now, the campsite is pretty muddy, a combination of the clearing of debris and trees which fell from the winds of Hurricane Michael and possibly also heavier RV traffic on this site. This is a tent/RV site, but right now less attractive for tent camping. Normally, there is much more grassy areas.

It is one of the loveliest campsites in Tate’s Hell, large as are most of the forest’s sites and secluded.

A family of river otters lives nearby.

It is easy to put-in and take-out at this landing.

The view of the western Crooked River is first and below that, the view eastward where Crooked River joins the Ochlockonee River.

If you camp here, please post your comments in the box at the end of this post.

Rock Landing, Tate’s Hell State Forest: Day Use and Campground – January 11, 2018

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Rocking Landing on the Crooked River has 3 campsites, a nice day use area with covered pavilion, and vault toilets.  The concrete landing is a favorite landing for boats.

This campground is a 2.5 miles walk to the Womack Creek Campground with its showers and flush toilets.  There is no potable water source here.

The covered pavilion and a  concrete picnic table/bench near the water provide good places to stop for a picnic.

There are three camp sites, out of the way of the Day use area, but near the vault toilets which can be seen on the right side of the road.

 

 

 

Loop Landing Campground on Crooked River, Tate’s Hell – January 11, 2018

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It was drizzly, but the fog had lifted.

It did not deter the two fishermen who had launched from Rock Landing, east on Crooked River.

This is one of the nicest primitive camping sites in Tate’s Hell, very private and secluded and on the Crooked River.

Today, a camper was parked there and there was trash all around which we picked up and deposited at the trash bins at Rock Landing Day Use area.

There’s a landing perfect for canoes and kayaks.

 

 

And a long private driveway, although only a 1 mile walk to the Womack Creek Campground with its flush toilets and hot showers.

Lovely place to camp and to paddle.