By:
Submission
The area features boat and airboat ramps, picnic shelters and tables, bathrooms, lights and ample parking. The area also has access to the Hickory Hammock trailhead with primitive camping and parking for equestrian trailers. The site is located on U.S. 98 at the Istokpoga Canal in Highlands County.
Amenities:
Two shelters with tables and grills, airboat ramp, dual power boat ramp with finger pier, 14 'street' lights (some dual lights included as 2), and 1 restroom building.
Enter by hiking, bicycling or horse. Four access points on the east side of Hwy. 98, which runs between Sebring and Okeechobee:
Bluff Hammock hiking trailhead is at the end of Bluff Hammock Road. Bluff Hammock Road is 14 miles south of Sebring and 35 miles north of Okeechobee.
Equestrian access is at the end of McArthur Road, three miles north of the main Hickory Hammock trailhead.
Main trailhead at Hickory Hammock is eight miles southeast of Lorida, and about one-half mile northwest of the Istokpoga Canal (18 miles south of Sebring and 33 miles north of Okeechobee on Hwy. 98).
Access for hiking trail also at the south "walk-over" in the Hickory Hammock perimeter fence. It's immediately north of the Istokpoga Canal on Hwy. 98.
Outstanding place for dry camping (no electrical hook-up, no toilets, no water (at campsites)). Grass and RV spaces are well maintained and reasonably flat. Many designated RV spots have lots of shade. Also has a boat ramp for small boats, dinghy, and air boats. The train can be a little noisy as I heard it many times in my RV. Airboats can also be noisy with big V8 engines. People boat at ALL times of the day and night and surprisingly in the rain and 20mph wind. Restrooms are part of the boat launch and not part of the camp ground. If you need them, its a bit of a walk. If they are dirty, they are not part of the camp ground.
Very peaceful and clean free campground. The place is awesome and very well kept by the hosts Felix and Audrey, who were friendly and very helpful. I hiked, biked and kayaked during my 6 day RV stay. Very relaxing and enjoyable visit, I will definitely return.
FREE Campground, with the excellence of a host, with bathrooms accessibility, not flush bathrooms but I'm very grateful that thos FREE Campground have also restrooms for campers, visitors or anyone who needed. You have a restrooms with paper toilet and don't need to rush to other place or rush thru the woods.
Enough accessibility also on campsites lots, where I can put my 37' rv and have a lot of room to play, do BBQ, etc.
Hours of silent, between 11pm to 7am are respected, out of those hours u can hear the air boats, cars, generators, others, but not on silent hours.
Easy accessibility to a principal road, no highway, and not busy, the normal average.
And yes, a place where u can fish without a need of boat, from The dock.
All I mentioned, u can see it thru the pictures, the fishing dock, enough of space, also trails where u can find fruits.
Great place to kayak. When you get to the river and go upstream, it's work. There's a strong current. Very pretty area. A large gator slipped into the river where I was headed. I decided it was time to go back.
I stayed at the free campground for the 8 day limit. It is a neat and clean well groomed campground with water and dumpster. But it was like staying at a rest stop because it is adjacent to a busy highway and train tracks. It is primitive camping so be prepared. The nearest store is 8 miles away and not much for entertainment. In January the campground stays booked with snowbirds avoiding northern winter weather so book early.
