Camping and Exploring at O’Leno State Park, Florida

We spent a beautiful fall weekend camping at O’Leno State Park in northern Florida. This was such a peaceful park to relax in and unwind after a hectic week.

O’Leno State Park

O’Leno is located near High Falls in Florida along the Santa Fe River. The park is full of picturesque points of interest and wildlife. Just waiting for you to explore.

I found it interesting that O’Leno State Park was one of original Florida state parks when it opened in 1940. This park’s rich history connected to Civil Conservation Corps of the 1930’s and its past location of the lost town of Leno will enchant any history buff. This is a beautiful park to explore and learn about its interesting past.

The staff at this park were kind and helpful. A great group of people that really make this park shine. The park was pristine and such a joy to explore.

Things to Do

There is a long list of things to do in O’Leno State Park. From camping, biking, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, swimming and geocaching to name a few. We had a fabulous time just relaxing at our campsite but made the effort to hike one of the most popular and pretty hikes the park offers.

Hiking

The River Trail Loop was an easy hike for the family and was also one of the prettiest hikes I have done. The kids loved the suspension bridge and the views were outstanding.

If you love suspension bridges as much as my kids do visit Ravine Gardens State Park, click here to learn about our experience.

Take your time and enjoy this pleasant hike. You never know what interesting bit of nature you will discovery. We found turtles resting on logs in the river.

Geocaching

My youngest son really gets into geocaching when we camp. We were lucky to find two on this campout. If you want to start geocaching with your family this is a great park to begin. Check out my post about geocaching here to learn more about this fun activity.

Camping

Our campsite was located in the Dogwood Campground, which is not as close to the main park as the Magnolia Campground. Our site was basic with a picnic table and fire pit being furnished. Water and electric hookups are also provided. This is common in most Florida state parks.

There is a dump station located near the Magnolia Campground. It was easy to get in and out of with the camper.

The restroom/bath house in our campsite was spotless. The park staff really did a great job keeping it clean. It was just a short walk from our campsite, 34.

The campsites are sand based. I highly recommend a camping mat like ours to help keep the sand out of your camper or tent.

Don’t forget the bug spray. We didn’t have a huge problem with mosquitos, but it is Florida.

Overall this campground was perfect for a relaxing weekend of camping.

Pets

We took our German Shepard camping with us, as pets are welcomed at this state park. Just remember to follow the rules, keep your pet on a leash or tie out when outside and clean up after them. Also keep in mind that they are allowed on the hiking trails, but not in the swimming area.

Explore

Get out and explore this beautiful state park. O’Leno was so much fun for our family to relax and play together. We had a fabulous time! Check out other Florida State Parks and find your own park to explore.

Happy Camping!

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