Mutual Mine Youth Group Camp Withlacoochee State Forest

Open — Open year-round for reservations. Campground is located within a Wildlife Management Area; wear blaze orange while hiking during hunting seasons. Contact forest dispatch at +1 (352) 797-4100 before outings to check for prescribed burns.

About

Mutual Mine Youth Group Camp sits within the Mutual Mine Recreation Area in Withlacoochee State Forest, less than 30 minutes south of Inverness in Citrus County. This specialized campground caters exclusively to organized youth groups such as Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, and church groups, accommodating up to 50 people. The site is positioned next to a man-made lake and provides central potable water and a bathhouse with restrooms. Withlacoochee State Forest spans over 165,000 acres across five counties and was ranked #1 on the World Wildlife Fund's "10 Coolest Places You've Never Seen in North America" in 1999. The Withlacoochee River, Little Withlacoochee River, and Jumper Creek meander through the forest as designated Outstanding Florida Waters. The landscape features open pine sand hills, dense woodlands, and canopied trails, with tree species including slash pine, longleaf pine, cypress, maple, magnolia, and various oaks. Wildlife includes bald eagles, fox squirrels, gopher tortoises, white-tailed deer, and turkeys. The forest provides extensive recreational opportunities with miles of trails for hiking, bicycling, horseback riding, and paddling. Seasonal hunting is available in most areas, and fishing is excellent in the lakes and waterways. Showers are available at the nearby Mutual Mine Campground. The location is within the Wildlife Management Area, and visitors should wear 500 square inches of blaze orange while hiking during hunting seasons.

Directions

Via I-75: Take Exit 329 SR 44 west towards Inverness. Continue west to the traffic light at CR-581 (Pleasant Grove Road). Go south on CR-581 approximately 6 miles to FR 16. Turn right and the campground entrance will be on your left. Via Suncoast Parkway: Take TR-589 north to US Hwy 98, bear right south for 3.5 miles to C-491 (Lecanto Hwy). Turn left north on C-491, continue to C-480 (Stage Coach Trail) and turn right. Continue east to C-581 (Pleasant Grove Rd), turn left and go north approximately 4.5 miles to FR 16. Turn left and the entrance will be on your left.

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