Clearwater Lake Rec Area

Waterfront
Canoes
Trailhead
Trail information
Picnic area

Featured amenities

Showers Showers

Sites & Rates

Average nightly rates

38 total sites

RV Sites

37 sites

Tent Sites

1 site

About Clearwater Lake Rec Area

Clearwater Lake Recreation Area offers a quiet getaway along the southeastern edge of the Ocala National Forest, just outside the community of Paisley, Florida. With a shaded campground, day use picnic area, beach and a nature trail that winds through the pine woods and scrub around Clearwater Lake, this facility has plenty of activities to keep campers occupied. The Ocala National Forest, in north central Florida, spans four counties and 383,000 acres. It is the southernmost and oldest national forest east of the Mississippi River, and protects the world's largest, contiguous sand pine scrub forest.

Number of accommodations: 38

Seasonal information

2026 (Current year)

2026 Season availability

Current season
Upcoming seasons
Past seasons
Closed periods
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Open year round

This campground is open year round, providing flexibility for your stay.

365 Days

Campground Amenities

Most popular amenities

Showers Showers
RV Utilities and Hookups

RV Utilities and Hookups

  • Dump station on site
Water and Hygiene

Water and Hygiene

  • Potable Water
  • Showers
Water Access

Water Access

  • Beach Access
Missing information? Let us know

Rates, Sites & Availability

Select check-in and check-out dates to see real-time availability for each site.

38 Sites Available

Site
Price
🚐 1, Loop: A RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 10, Loop: A RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 11, Loop: A RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 12, Loop: A RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 13, Loop: A RV
No Hookups
Price not available
14, Loop: A Tent
5 guests · Pet Friendly
Price not available
🚐 15, Loop: A RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 16, Loop: A RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 17, Loop: A RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 18, Loop: A RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 19, Loop: A RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 2, Loop: A RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 20, Loop: A RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 21, Loop: A RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 22, Loop: A RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 24, Loop: B RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 25, Loop: B RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 26, Loop: B RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 27, Loop: B RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 28, Loop: B RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 29, Loop: B RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 3, Loop: A RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 32, Loop: B RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 34, Loop: B RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 35, Loop: B RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 36, Loop: B RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 37, Loop: B RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 38, Loop: B RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 39, Loop: B RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 4, Loop: A RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 40, Loop: B RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 41, Loop: B RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 42, Loop: B RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 5, Loop: A RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 6, Loop: A RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 7, Loop: A RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 8, Loop: A RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 9, Loop: A RV
No Hookups
Price not available

Reviews (445)

What Guests Are Saying

Clearwater Lake Recreation Area is highly praised for its spacious, well-maintained campsites and friendly, supportive staff, making it a favorite for many campers. The natural setting and lake provide enjoyable swimming and outdoor activities, although there are concerns regarding ticks and the recent algae bloom in the water. Overall, visitors appreciate the peaceful atmosphere and cleanliness of the facilities, with many expressing their intention to return.

Review Summary

4.5
445 reviews
5
71.5%
318
4
17.5%
78
3
4.9%
22
2
4.3%
19
1
1.8%
8

Kennith L

Verified

March 19, 2024 Stayed at: 35, Loop: B

4

I enjoyed my vacations here. Very relaxing in a peaceful environment. That’s why I keep returning. Never had any problems here at all. 14 days seems to fly by fast. See you all next year🏖️

Lisa b

Verified

March 18, 2024 Stayed at: 19, Loop: A

4

Sites are lovely. Bathhouses adequate. Lake is very small but there is good paddling nearby.

MARLIN H

Verified

March 17, 2024 Stayed at: 13, Loop: A

1

Generators are allowed to start at 6am and our camping neighbor started his at exactly that time every morning! Who gets up at that time camping!! It reverberated our camper! We timed it running for 10 1/2 hours straight! We will not be back to this place. Couldn't wait to leave! I've camped all my life & this was our 2nd worst camping experience ever! Most campgrounds let generators start at 8:00 am. We thought we would get a break when the daylight savings time started, but no, they started it at 5:00am at the old time! No consideration for others!

John S

Verified

March 14, 2024 Stayed at: 42, Loop: B

5

I’ve been using Rec. com for years staying at different camp locations
I stay at a location that best meets my needs for my other activities
While at my last and other stays the personal is always courteous and always offers help, there were 6 people I meet that worked there and everyone of them were courteous and professional

Richard A

Verified

March 9, 2024 Stayed at: 18, Loop: A

5

Great little campground. Large campsites, clean showers, friendly and helpful staff.

Margaret K

Verified

March 8, 2024 Stayed at: 40, Loop: B

3

Nice park. Somewhat peaceful

Ana S

Verified

March 7, 2024 Stayed at: 35, Loop: B

5

The site was clean, quite, and spacious. The staff was super friendly and helpful.

Larry C

Verified

March 7, 2024 Stayed at: 26, Loop: B

5

This is a great campground and site 26 is one of the most beautiful sites we have had anywhere. Site are huge and well spread out. If only they had electricity at the sites. The hosts are great and the trails are fantastic, hiking and biking. We would definitely return when in the area again. There are some narrow parts and low branches, so big rigs pay attention.

jerrell g

Verified

March 5, 2024 Stayed at: 12, Loop: A

2

This campground was nice during the week but got wild on the weekend. My wife and I were "under siege" from the party atmosphere next to us. The music started about noon and continued until quiet hour. What's really upsetting about this is that the two of us were paying the same price as the 8 or so having the party. Charging by the person instead of renting a lot would rectify much of this problem I suspect and would be much fairer since their 3 tents and two vehicles were putting a lot more wear and tear on the campsite, not to mention the bathhouse. Don't really understand why we have to subsidize someone else's party, but that just seems to be how it is in a socialist country.

STACY M

Verified

March 4, 2024 Stayed at: 20, Loop: A

5

My family stays here twice a year at least and we absolutely love it. Actually I secretly don’t want anyone to know about this place because it’s one of the few places you can book with lesser notice. The bathrooms here are always clean and hot showers. The staff is very friendly and accommodating. The sites are nice, shaded, and private with trees! We love to walk the park multiple times a day with our dogs and see the gorgeous view of the lake! We will be back again and again ! Thank you for having such a beautiful campground!

Location Clearwater Lake Rec Area

Address:
24511 Cr 42
Paisley, FL, 32767
United States

Highway access

Clearwater Lake Recreation Area is accessible via Florida Highway 42, and is located approximately 6 miles east of the intersection with Florida Highway 19.

Elevation: 16 feet

Distance to downtown

1.5 mi drive to downtown Paisley (about 3 min)

Policies & Rules

Arrival & departure

Check in time

2PM

Check out time

11AM

General

  • Campground gate is locked during Daylight Savings (Mar - Oct) and (Nov - Mar). Campers who check-in after the gatehouse is closed must visit the Gatehouse the next morning to complete their check-in to their site. Failure to do so will lead to a 'no show' charge to your reservation and potential forfeiture of site.
  • Campsites are limited to 2 tents, 2 vehicles (campers included), and 5 persons. 
  • Extra vehicles will be charged a per-vehicle, per-night fee
  • Bears and raccoons frequent the area; all food must be kept in approved containers. Failure to comply with this regulation can result in immediate ejection from campground without refund. 
  • Alligators inhabit the area; use caution around water.
  • Private vessel launches in the Juniper Wilderness Run are subject to a fee. 
  • Dogs/pets are allowed in campground only and must be leashed and supervised at all times. No dogs/pets allowed in day-use area, bathrooms, in lake or on the trail around the lake.
  • Click here for more information about Ocala National Forest
  • Don't Move Firewood: Help protect our forests! Prevent the spread of tree-killing pests by obtaining firewood at or near your destination and burning it on-site. Moving firewood is illegal in some states. Visit dontmovefirewood.org to learn more.

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Last updated: September 8, 2026

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