Ocean Pond Campground — Hotel in Lake City

This is a good North Florida CG. The lake is not clear , but black water like everything else around here. It is only a nice paved road to get here with hot showers and flush toilets and a full hook up section, a water hook up section, and a " primitive" area with no hook ups but water available. Here's the deal nearby. Cobb is free with no water. And Hog Pen is 10 bucks with some nice lake front spots and a rough entrance road but only a pit toilet. West tower campground is free with an out door shower and water and a pit toilet but very festival camping! As for directions to Ocean Pond ( you will be so glad you read this far) , Google Maps is going to tell you to turn left coming from 90 onto a sand road. THIS IS NOT CORRECT. Because of this mistake, the forest service has placed a sign on the right from the sand road that says , " campground 1 Mile ahead." This sign is correct. Keep driving on the pavement and you will never leave the pavement until you get into the " primitive area " of the CG to the far left. Good luck boys , and don't fall for the directions onto the sand road coming from 90!!!! It is a dead end with a gated grass road leading into the back of the CG. Emergency exit?...

Well kept campground with camp host. I like it so much I return every winter. Best camping is between Nov 1 and May 1. After April the yellow flies come out in the thousands and they draw blood like a horse fly. What they call a pond is about a 2 mile round shaped lake surrounded by long leaf pines, cypress and oaks along with palmetto palms. Spanish moss decorates the trees. The lake has good fishing from what I see. I have seen a couple alligators but only at night. You can see orange eyes shine in the distance. They don't seem to be a problem as they shy away from humans. Fees are $8/day for a primitive tent site. $12 for an RV water only site and $20 for full hook ups. You get half price with a senior or access pass. Nice bathrooms and the best hot showers. Stay limit is 30 days. Ocean Pond is surrounded by the Osceola National Forest with plenty of outdoor things to do. Lake City and its amenities are about 16 miles away.

Edit: January 2020. Rates were increased to $12 primitive, $20 water, and $30 electric, water, sewer. Half price with Senior or...

More like primitive camping. Restrooms facilities aren't or haven't been cleaned. Need to clean before use. There was a 80 year old couple trying to clean. Not sure if they were hosts or not. Swim/ play area is overgrown. Washer and dryer didn't work in one area. Dead animals in-between washer and dryer in the other area. There was another camper staying there going around repairing fences with boards around the park. I asked if he worked there and he replied no, just didn't want kids getting hurt. Bathroom trash wasn't changed out entire stay. Weren't full but had baby diapers in them. Overall wasn't a bad place. Just overpriced if I have to clean or use my own facilities being primitive camping is only $12 a night and water electric is $30. The entry sign says 80 percent of proceeds go back to maintain the park. If this is accurate then oven pond facility should have a cush savings account by now bc I can't see where the money is going other than over priced contractors to constantly...