Richloam Tract Primitive Camp Zone North

Open — Open year-round on a first-come, first-served basis. Contact the forest office at +1 (352) 797-4140 before your trip to check for prescribed burns. Wear bright colored clothing during hunting season.

About

Richloam Tract Primitive Camp Zone North offers a true backcountry experience within the vast Richloam Tract of Withlacoochee State Forest, approximately 20 miles east of Brooksville. This dispersed camping zone is accessible only by hiking approximately four miles from the trailhead, providing solitude in Florida's pine flatwoods, oak hammocks, and bottomland hardwood forests. The camping zone is delineated by yellow colored bands on trees, allowing campers to disperse throughout the designated area. The Richloam Tract encompasses over 56,000 acres and is home to diverse wildlife including bald eagles, fox squirrels, gopher tortoises, white-tailed deer, and wild turkeys. The forest features a mix of slash pine, longleaf pine, cypress swamps, and hardwood hammocks, with seasonal displays of wildflowers including goldenrod and blazing star. This primitive area has no amenities or potable water at the camping zone itself, though water is available at the Richloam Fire Tower. Some sites within the zone may have fire rings or picnic tables, but campers should be prepared for completely undeveloped conditions. The Richloam area is part of the Withlacoochee State Forest system, which was ranked number one on the World Wildlife Fund's "10 Coolest Places You've Never Seen in North America" in 1999. The tract offers excellent opportunities for hiking, bird watching, wildlife viewing, stargazing, and nature study in one of Florida's most remote and undeveloped public forest areas.

Directions

From I-75 north, take Exit 301 onto SR-50/US Hwy 98 S eastbound. Cross US-301 and continue east on SR-50. Turn right (south) onto Clay Sink Road and proceed approximately 1 mile to the trailhead parking area at the Richloam Fire Tower on the west side of Clay Sink Road.

Nearby Campgrounds