Camping in NE Florida tomorrow

[RickNC]

Hey everyone,

I'm taking a couple of my kids to south Florida tomorrow and hoped to stop overnight at Fort Clinch or maybe Talbot Island SP's. According to their online reservations, it looks like they are completely full.

I am wondering just how 'full' is full? Here in NC, our more popular parks still have a number of walk-ins available and I was curious if that was the same here. I guess I would like to know if there is a chance that something will be open tomorrow at 4 or should I be looking at the local KoAs, as I would prefer to support the local state parks.

Thanks!

[TFC Rick]

Clinch gets full to capacity and reservations are out 8 months or better. Are you looking for hammock places?

[RickNC]

I am! Any suggestions?

[hikerhobo]

Paynes Prairie State Park has a few hammock camping sites.

[JaxHiker]

Little Talbot has hammock sites (of course I don't know if that's accurate now that the pilot program to allow hammocks has ended so I'd call to confirm). West of Jax is Cary State Forest. There are only three (large) campsites and it's $10/night. I haven't hiked but there's about 12 miles of trail.

One of my favorite SPs is Gold Head Branch near Keystone Heights (about an hour SW-ish of Jax). Part of the Florida Trail runs through it and the ravine trail is nice. The primitive sites are nice and the ranger is pro-hammock.