USDA Forest Service · Florida
River Forest Group Site
USDA Forest Service · Florida, United States
- Sites
- 1
- Hookups
- 1 no hookups
- Season
- Year-round
- Group sites
- Yes
- Elevation
- 36 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 4
- Cell coverage
- Verizon weak · T-Mobile good · AT&T good (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- NFSR 42-29.3A · native material · high clearance vehicles
- Lake
- National Forests in Florida
- Nearest town
- DELAND
- Address
- 45700 RIVER FOREST BLVD, DELAND, FL, 32720
- Phone
- 352-625-2520
- Activities
- Camping, Fishing, Hiking
1 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
River Forest is a shaded group camping facility on the shores of the St. Johns River in Ocala National Forest. Located just across the river from Deland, the site is popular for groups, family reunions and weddings and can accommodate up to 125 guests.
14 day stay limit in a 30 day period in ALL Ocala National Forest Campgrounds
Recreation
This site is a great setting for groups to relax, picnic and enjoy the shade on a warm day. A large field offers ample space for activities such as softball, volleyball and horseshoe tossing.
Visitors wanting to venture out of the picnic area can go for a long walk through floodplain forests and pine flatwoods on the St. Francis Trail, or head to the river to canoe, kayak or fish for bass.
Facilities
All new facilities are the highlight of the River Forest Group Site. Facilities include a screened pavilion for food preparation and cooking with your own cook stoves. A new bathhouse has also been built on site.
The camping area is flat for tents with some shade provided by trees. While RVs are welcome, there are no hookups and all vehicles must remain in the designated parking area. Grills and picnic tables are provided.
Natural Features
The Ocala National Forest spans four counties and 383,000 acres. It is the southernmost and oldest national forest east of the Mississippi River and protects the world's largest contiguous sand pine scrub forest.
The campground is shaded with large live oaks with a flat, grassy patch of land that leads to the St. Johns River.
Nearby Attractions
The Ocala National Forest is notable for its extensive off-road trail system catering to off-road vehicle enthusiasts, as well as being a traditional destination for deer hunters from around Central Florida. Numerous lakes, rivers and natural springs surround the area and offer many water activities.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 68° | 46° | 30° | 81° | 1 of 11 |
| February | 75° | 58° | 43° | 85° | 0 of 11 |
| March | 78° | 59° | 41° | 88° | 0 of 11 |
| April | 81° | 63° | 49° | 93° | 0 of 11 |
| May | 86° | 70° | 62° | 93° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 88° | 75° | 69° | 95° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 90° | 77° | 73° | 96° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 90° | 77° | 72° | 95° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 86° | 75° | 68° | 91° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 81° | 69° | 52° | 89° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 76° | 62° | 39° | 84° | 0 of 10 |
| December | 72° | 58° | 39° | 82° | 0 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Hontoon Island State Park · Florida State Parks · 3 mi · 54 sites
- Blue Spring State Park · Florida State Parks · 6 mi · 50 sites
- Lower Wekiva River Preserve State Park · Florida State Parks · 8 mi · 1 sites
- Clearwater Lake Rec Area · USDA Forest Service · 10 mi · 42 sites
- Lake Norris Conservation Area Camping · City, County & Regional Parks · 12 mi
All public campgrounds in Florida · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.