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.
Reserve this site at Reserve America, Sumatra Campsite 1, Tate’s Hell State Forest. When you get to the site, check for the best cell phone connection location. If you call 911, give 40169 SE Campsite Road, Liberty County (not Franklin), Tate’s Hell State Forest, GPS 30.03174, -84.82746. First responders will not be able to find you with just a campsite number. Reserve America will not include this information on your confirmation.
To get to this campsite, take CR 67 to Sumatra. At the Family Coastal Restaurant, drive east on e Forestry Road 22 (paved, then sandy) for 5.8 miles,. Turn right on Cut-thru Road and travel for .7 miles to Nero Road (no signage). Turn left on Nero Road, you will pass SF 121A after .9 miles, SF 125 after 1.3 miles and Nero road after 1.7 miles. Nero Road will end at the intersection of Sumatra Campsite road (noted on brown wooden sign with yellow lettering). Turn left on Sumatra Campsite road and drive for 1.1 miles. The road ends at Sumatra Campsite 1 which is on the New River.
The river was very high after a major rainfall. It is normally not this high.
There is a very good landing here, except when the water is very low, there is a sharp and deep drop. The chances are if the river is that low, there is no through navigability downstream to Campsite 17 on the New.
This is a good campsite for those who may want to use it to explore the upper reaches of the New River as far as one can paddle and the lower reaches as far as one can paddle. In high water, the current may be swift and returning from a down river excursion may take some effort.
It is large enough to accommodate at least 3 two person tents and possibly more.
The view downstream is shown below and below that, the view upstream. Note that the deciduous trees are all leafing out. When deciduous trees leaf on this river, the amount of water they take from the river is enormous. If it doesn’t rain, the water level will fall precipitously in the next week. Generally the best time to assure through navigability on the river in these upper reaches (to campsite 17) is no later than mid-March.
It is possible, if one is not adverse to going upriver, to do a half circle from the Ochlockonee River to Crooked River to Carrabelle River and end up on one of the campsites on the New River (or the reverse), camping along the way. This will take you through the deciduous lowlands, estuary/swamps and upper pineland areas of the second largest Florida state forest. Except at Womack Creek campground, there are no showers available. At Rock Landing Day Use Area on the Crooked River and Gully Branch Day Use Area vault toilets are available. However, consider this primitive camping all the way and bring your own water. You may be able to filter water at Womack Creek Campground and Gully Branch Campground where water is available, but not potable. We recommend you bring your own water for drinking and cooking.
The best time to be paddling and camping in Tate’s Hell is from mid-October through mid-May. After May some areas will have yellow flies, which, unlike mosquitoes and other flying insects, will follow you on the water and even enter your cockpit. Yellow flies are particularly bad in the summer at Gully Branch Recreation Area and Log Cabin Campground.
Here is a list of the paddling venues in Tate’s Hell State Forest and the campsites which may be accessible to paddlers. For specific camp site information, search by Campsite number of name on this site.
Ochlockonee River
Log cabin Campground *: Campsite #23 has the easiest access and is used by paddlers on the Ochlockonee as an overnight or a rest/lunch stop. Campsite 24 has access to the river, but better when the river is high or the tide is incoming. Campsite 25 and 26 have no easy access to the Ochlockonee, use campsite 23 access.
Womack Creek Campground/Day Use Area, CS #29-CS #40 *: There is gravel landing used by motorized boats and paddlers. There are tent and 3 RV/tent campsites here with 3 sites with electricity. Womack Creek Campground is the only campground in Tate’s Hell with showers. Campers from other sites, can use the showers by paying $2 day use fee. Water not potable, sulphurous.
Crooked River is affected by tides from Ochlockonee Bay to the east and the Gulf of Mexico via Carrabelle to the west. It goes under the CR 67 bridge and, at high water periods, may require portage across CR 67. There are a few short branches of this river which can be explored.
CS 28, Loop road, easy access
Rock Landing Campground/Day Use Area, campsite 41-43*:
Rock Landing has a concrete boat ramp, vault toilet, covered picnic tables. You will have to carry your boats to the landing. There is a grassy area on either side of the concrete ramp.
Crooked River #44, has a gravel landing used also by motorized boats. There is a grassy parking area for trailer parking. CS#45 is accessible to the Crooked River, but there is a drop when the water is low (or the tide is outgoing).
Sunday Rollaway, #46, good sandy landing.
Oxbow #47 a sloping, sandy hill, but there is sufficient flat sandy area near the water to be able to take-out horizontal to the land.
Warren Bluff #48, good sandy landing.
New River: the upper stretch from CS #1 to CS #17 can be a challenging paddle due to treefalls, strainers, smilax and may not be entirely navigable from April through the early winter. Where access is available on the New River campsites, care should be taken when the river is low, there are deep drops and one could loose one’s initial footing with the downriver current and get in over one’s leg stretch.
Sumatra, CS 1, generally easy unless the river is low, sharp drop into river
New River West, CS 3, accessible, but steep drop when water is low
Gully Branch tent only, CS 4, use Gully Branch Day Use area (will have to carry your boat there), concrete-sectioned landing used by motorized boats also. Vault toilet.
Dew Drop, CS 5, no easy access to river.
Parker Place CS 8, good access, watch sharp drop when water is low or tide is out.
Pope Place CS 9, good access
New River East, CS 13, yes with caution when water is low
New River East, CS 14, yes with caution when water is low
New River East, CS 15, yes with caution when water is low
New River East, CS 16, yes, use creek to access north of campsite and carry-up boats to camp level (incoming tide will fill up creek; if boat left in creek, should be tied loosely to accommodate rise in water level.)
New River East, CS 17, yes. one of the best camping sites for 8 tents if paddling the upper New River since the shuttle from FR 22 will take longer than most shuttles and you may not be able to get into the river till about 2.5 hours after meet-up.
Borrow Pits: CS 6 is on one borrow pit and close to another, CS 7 is on a different borrow pit, both ponds are small and suitable for children and beginners, easy access. There are fish in the borrow pits.
Borrow Pit CS 6, very large site, grassy, great for families because of the flat space available for children (and adults) to play games like bocce, croquet, football, soccer, petanque, etc. Road around the borrow pit enables short walks. Good visibility for easier surveillance of children. However, it is off West River Road and may have some traffic on that road.
Borrow Pit CS 7, is more isolated and less trafficked, but has similar characteristics as Barrow Pit CS 6.
Cash Creek on the west side of Tate’s Hell SF is off SR 65 and has access to the estuaries which will take one to other creeks and the Apalachicola River. Cash Creek upriver has about 12 miles of paddling options.
Cash Creek Campground/Day Use Area: concrete landing with sandy section for kayaks and canoes. Vault toilet, covered picnic table. CS 55, 56, 57 (walk in), are small, open sites suitable for 1 RV/trailer or tent. This is a popular motorized boat landing to launch boats down into the estuaries and the Apalachicola river.
Pidcock Road, CS 49, very nice high campsite over Cash Creek, but may be difficult to access boats into water, with possibility when the tide is in. Can accommodate 8 small tents.
Whiskey George Creek is part of the estuarine creeks which empty eventually into the Apalachicola River or East Bay of the Apalachicola River.
Dry Bridge, CS 51, has an accessible, grass on mud landing which is slippery when wet.
Doyle Creek is part of the estuarine/swamp creeks which empty eventually into the Apalachicola River or East Bay of the Apalachicola River.
Doyle Creek, CS 52, difficult access to water, muddy.
Deep Creek joins Graham Creek downriver which joins East River (to river right) to the Apalachicola River. It is navigable to Graham only when the water is high. When the water is very high, the campsite dry area is severely diminished.
Deep Creek CS 53, very secluded, cozy campsite, which when the water is high may have a section of the site under water. Good access to water, upstream and downstream to Graham Creek.
Womack Creek is a 3.75 mile creek (with additional shorter branches) which connects Womack Creek Campground landing to Nick’s Road campsite. For us, it’s a gem of a creek with flowering shrubs and understory plants. We have a separate blog site just on this creek http://www.womackcreek.wordpress.com, A Paddler’s Guide to the Flowering Plants of Womack Creek.
Nick’s Road CS 27, is a secluded, large campsite with easy paddle access on Womack Creek. Upcreek there are branches to explore (a family of otters live there) and downcreek there are additional branches to explore. There is hardly any upriver current, but tides influence the level of the creek waters. It is 3.75 miles downriver to Womack Creek Campground.
Womack Creek Campground/Day Use Area, CS #29-CS#40. This Day Use Area has a covered pavilion with 2 grills for day use users. $2 per person day user fee. Flush toilets, hot showers. No potable water. This is a good place to put-in for a round-trip on Womack Creek of not quite 8 miles. See http://www.womackcreek.wordpress.com , Paddler’s Guide to the Blooming Plants of Womack Creek for information on living things on Womack creek.
*The maximum number of adults allowable per site is 8, but many of the sites are suitable for group camping/paddling. These are indicated with an asterisk. If you are organizing a group camp/paddle, consult with Bin Wan, Recreation Coordinator Talquin District, Florida Forestry. He may be able able to help with planning and site selection. When using sites with strictly primitive camping, you may wish to consider rental of a portable toilet or bring several portable toilets with disposable, biodegradable toilet sacks.
Reserve this site at Reserve America, CS #4, Gully Branch, Tate’s Hell State Forest, New River Section. When you arrive, check for best location for cell connection. If you call 911, give 2351 Gully Branch Road, Tate’s Hell State Forest, GPS 29.95949, -84.72231, as your address. First responders will not be able to find you if you only give your campsite number. Reserve America does not include this information on your confirmation.
This is a small campsite right off Gully Branch Road, immediately west of the Gully Branch Bridge and day use Recreation Area. A vault toilet is available at the recreation area.
There is a creek behind the campsite which runs into the New River.
Reserve this site at Reserve America, CS #10 New River East, Tate’s Hell State Forest, Picketts Bay Section. When you arrive on site, check closest cell phone connection location. If you call 911, give 2060 Double Bridge Road, Tate’s Hell State Forest, GPS 29.93131, -84.73582 as your address. First responders will not be able to find you if you give only a campsite number. Reserve America does not include this information on your confirmation.
This is a grassy site which should allow for 3 two person tents and cars.
While it is on the river, there is no safe access to the river for boats.
But not everyone who camps paddles and the view of the water downriver and (below that) upriver is worth camping here.
Reserve this site at Reserve America, CS #5, Dew Drop, Tate’s Hell State Forest, New River Section. When you arrive at the campsite, find the closest cell signal location. If you call 911, give this address: 2121 River Road, Tate’s Hell State Forest, GPS 29.93646, -84.73512. First responders will not be able to find you by just a campsite number. Reserve America does not include this information on your confirmation.
Situated on the New River, this campsite is much smaller than many of the New River Sites. One cannot safely launch a boat in the New River from this site.
A long entry surrounded by pines and palmettos will take you to the campsite.
The site would be large enough for a family, but may feel rather cramped with a small group.
Reserve this site at Reserve America, Borrow Pit #7, Tate’s Hell State Forest, New River Section. When you get to the site, find the best cell coverage location. If you call 911, give them as address 2500 Forest Road 90, GPS 29.91707, -84.73446, Tate’s Hell State Forest. First responders will not be able to find you by campsite number. Reserve America does not include this information on your confirmation.
Borrow Pit campsite #7 has its own borrow pit and is on a rarely traveled road off West River Road, west of the New River. The pond has fish and, like Borrow Pit #6 site, is on a large flat area suitable for running and games for children (and adults). These two sites are perfect for petanque (like bocci but not requiring a prescribed court and more compact to carry). The road around the pond is long enough for biking for children and within eye sight of parents. Access into the pond is easy for kayaks, SUPs or canoes. The pond here is smaller than the larger pond on CS 6.
The damaged fire pit and grill and table are unshaded, except by the pines surrounding this very large site. Iff camping during warmer months, some shade cover is recommended.
It’s near the New River, so paddlers can have a driver drop them off one of the river campsites with a good launching area (separate post to be written later) and paddle down to another New River site where there is safe take-out landings, east or west of the river, to be picked up later. Gully Branch Recreation Area has a day use area suitable for lunch stop-overs (or put-in or take-outs) and vault toilets.
Reserve sites 55 and 56 at Reserve America, Cash Creek, Tate’s Hell State Forest, Cash Creek section. When you get to your site, locate the area with cell connection. If you call 911, give as address, Cash Creek Recreation Area, 201 Cash Creek Road, Tate’s Hell State Forest, GPS 29.81643, -84.83709. First responders will not be able to locate you with just a campsite number. Reserve America does not include this information on your confirmation.
This campground does not afford much privacy, but is suitable for those who wish to be closer to the many paddling areas off SR 65, on the eastern tributaries of the Apalachicola River. It is also close to Eastpoint, the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve, St. George Island and seafood retailers and restaurants. There is a concrete boat ramp at this day use area and campground with sandy launch areas for kayaks and canoes.
The photos above are of Cash Creek looking upriver (first two shots) and downriver. This is a favorite launching area for motorized fishing boats headed downstream through the estuaries. For kayakers and canoers, there are over 12 miles of paddling options upriver. Downriver paddling is among estuary grasses and without shade. One can easily get lost among the trails in the estuary without some type of directional aid.
We have seen swimmers near the dock; we have also seen large alligators upriver.
The amenities at this campground are a vault toilet (bring your own toilet paper, just in case, and sanitizer), bear-proof garbage cans, covered picnic tables. There is no water at the site — it is a primitive campground.
Campsite 55 is next to the day use pavilion, separated by palmettos.
This is across the day use pavilion and adjacent to the non-reservable walk-in site #57.
Although lined with sand and gravel, the bed is adequate for tents.
These sites are perfect if you wish to take a moonlight night paddle in Cash Creek (no trees to obscure path of moon across the sky) and return to watch enjoy the night at the landing or around your campfire. (There are large alligators in Cash creek).
The photos above were taken on an overcast day. The photos below of the creek looking upstream and then downstream were taken on a sunny day.
Reserve this site at Reserve America, North Road Camp, Tate’s Hell State Forest, New River section. When you arrive at your campsite, find the location with cell connection. If you call 911, use this address: 41124 S.E. North Road, Tate’s Hell State Forest, GPS 30.01801,-84.80777. First responders will not be able to find you if you give only a campsite number. Reserve American does not include this information on your confirmation.
This campsite is at the end of North Road. The only traffic you’ll see may be the occasional person hiking through to get to the New River. Almost all of the time you’ll have not just the campsite but the whole road of about 200 yards to a junction of two creeks to yourself. This site is not on the New River, but you could hike to it by following the path along the creek.
The road extends for another 200 yards and ends at the junction of two creeks.
There is a walking path which leads to the New River.
If you camp here, please comment on your experience.
Reserve this site at Reserve America, campsite 3, New River, Tate’s Hell State Forest, New River section. When you arrive at this campsite, find the closest cell phone connection location. If you call 911, give this address: 3200 Billy’s Road, Tate’s Hell State Forest, GPS29.98360, -84.73929. First responders will not be able to find you if you only give a campsite number. Reserve America will not have this information on your confirmation.
This is perhaps the largest of Tate’s Hell State Forest’s individual primitive sites. It has two ways to drive in. This side is 2 miles north of Gully Branch Road west of the bridge at the Gully Branch Day Use area. It is on the west side of the New River. Although right off Billy’s Road, there is hardly any traffic on this road.
There is a landing for kayaks and canoes to the New River, but at low water levels, there is a steep drop.
Views of the river, first downriver and below that, upriver.
If this wasn’t a large enough site, there are wide pathways.
This would be an excellent 8 person group campsite which insures some privacy for each tent. Or a large family outing.
If you camp here, please comment on your experience.
Tate's Hell and Blackwater River State Forests 