About Clearwater Lake Rec Area
Number of accommodations: 38
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Open year round
This campground is open year round, providing flexibility for your stay.
Campground Amenities
Most popular amenities
Showers
RV Utilities and Hookups
- Dump station on site
Water and Hygiene
- Potable Water
- Showers
Water Access
- Beach Access
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Rates, Sites & Availability
38 Sites Available
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Site Details
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38 Sites Available
No available sites
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Reviews (433)
What Guests Are Saying
Clearwater Lake Rec Area offers a beautiful and clean campground with spacious and well-maintained sites, friendly hosts, and excellent restroom facilities with hot showers. Visitors appreciate the peaceful atmosphere, access to the Florida Trail, and fun activities such as kayaking and nature walks. However, some guests noted a tick problem and expressed concern about pricing and booking policies, suggesting that improvements could enhance the overall experience.
What Guests Are Saying
Clearwater Lake Rec Area offers a beautiful and clean campground with spacious and well-maintained sites, friendly hosts, and excellent restroom facilities with hot showers. Visitors appreciate the peaceful atmosphere, access to the Florida Trail, and fun activities such as kayaking and nature walks. However, some guests noted a tick problem and expressed concern about pricing and booking policies, suggesting that improvements could enhance the overall experience.
Review Summary
Dean D
VerifiedOctober 25, 2020 • Stayed at: 37, Loop: B
1st time there. The lake is very clear water surrounded by beautiful oak hammocks. They do not offer canoe rentals, but they are only about a 15 min ride from Alexander springs that rents canoes and has a great spring. The grounds were clean and up kept. Clean bathrooms and showers. The campsite map on recreation.gov is misleading.The best way to find a campsite that fits you would prob. be to call. I thought I could pick good ones by the map and ended up with not much privacy and right on the path to the bathroom. Overall it was a great experience, and now that I know the campground, I have already booked another stay.
Amanda R
VerifiedOctober 20, 2020 • Stayed at: 40, Loop: B
Very clean and very helpful staff. I only wish there were better areas to fish from around the lake.
Samantha D
VerifiedOctober 4, 2020 • Stayed at: 36, Loop: B
Clearwater Rec area is one of my favorite places to come camping and just for the day. Not only is it kid friendly but it's a nice quiet place to relax and unwind whether it's taking the little trailer on the lake or hang out at your campsite or down by the beach swimming in the clear water this place is just awesome. And I can't brag enough about the wonderful folks who work there they are kind and courteous and go above and beyond not to mention the place is very well cleaned and taken care of we will definitely be back again.
Brenda F
VerifiedSeptember 17, 2020 • Stayed at: 12, Loop: A
Love to camp here. The staff is very friendly and helpful. The only bad thing from our last visit is ppl with generators running all night and had to be told to shut them off at 10pm. Not everyone is in a camper, I love camping in my tent and you can hear everything. Also ppl with kids not teaching them camping ethics to not run wild thru other ppl sites. But that will don't stop me to go back. Just be mindful of others and everyone will have a great time!
James C
VerifiedAugust 30, 2020 • Stayed at: 22, Loop: A
Stayed over the weekend. Campground was small but quaint. Beautiful oak trees everywhere. Site 22 was near the bathrooms and parking lot for the lake. Would look for a further spot away from the day use area. Overall really liked it. Saw a lot of deer. Would stay again.
Corey R
VerifiedJune 6, 2020 • Stayed at: 15, Loop: A
It was a beautiful, peaceful, quiet campsite.
carol a
VerifiedMarch 29, 2020 • Stayed at: 12, Loop: A
Clearwater is a very nice campground with relatively even, spacious sites. Folks manning the facility were extremely nice. Bathrooms are spotless and accommodating. Its location is centralized for a home base for paddling 5 of the most beautiful, spring-fed streams in the state. The reason I gave it a 4 is because there are no hookups. I know the federal govt is known for the basics, but for those people who want to stay up to five days, they have trouble minimizing the water and battery usage. The thing that angers me is that they allow generators. Those things run all night long and give off too much exhaust. That is so rude. Why not upgrade to water & electric. That would eliminate the nuisance noise and smell.
Scott C
VerifiedMarch 23, 2020 • Stayed at: 12, Loop: A
Always have a great time at Clearwater Lake. Sites were beautiful, clean and well-maintained, as usual. We will be back!
Jessica S
VerifiedMarch 22, 2020 • Stayed at: 10, Loop: A
Beautiful camping experience. Facilities were well kept. Nice trails and beautiful lake. Perfect for an off the grid weekend with family and friends.
dennis c
VerifiedMarch 18, 2020 • Stayed at: 14, Loop: A
nice quiet camp, my pad wasn't long enough for popup and van
Location Clearwater Lake Rec Area
Address:
24511 Cr 42
Paisley, FL, 32767
United States
From the intersection of Florida Highways 19 and 42, go east on Highway 42 toward Paisley. Drive approximately 6 miles and turn left at the entrance to Clearwater Lake Recreation Area.
Clearwater Lake Recreation Area is accessible via Florida Highway 42, and is located approximately 6 miles east of the intersection with Florida Highway 19.
Latitude & Longitude: 28.9794 / -81.555
Elevation: 16 feet
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: June 3, 2026
