CamperWatch

National campground directory. Verified data, live availability, community tips.

info@camperwatch.org

Explore

  • Search all campgrounds
  • Free camping guide
  • Dispersed camping guide
  • National park campgrounds
  • When Yosemite is sold out
  • When Yellowstone is sold out
  • Availability alerts
  • Community feed
  • Baja California RV parks
  • Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe

Featured Campgrounds

  • Emerald Bay — Lake Tahoe CAState
  • Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe ParksTribal
  • Slough Creek — Yellowstone
  • North Pines — Yosemite Valley
  • Jenny Lake — Grand Teton
  • Many Glacier — Glacier NP

For Owners

  • List your campground free
  • Hipcamp alternative
  • Campspot alternative
  • Campground booking software
  • List campground free guide

© 2026 CamperWatch · Not affiliated with Recreation.gov, NPS, or USFS

TermsPrivacyCancellationContactllms.txt

Buck Lake Group Campground

National Forests in Florida — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: Umatilla, FL, FL

Price: From $70 per night

Rating: 4.3 out of 5 (15 reviews)

Season: May through October

Buck Lake is a group camping facility in the heart of Ocala National Forest in Florida. Great for family reunions and social gatherings, the campground can host a group of up to 50 guests along the shores of Buck Lake. Activities include fishing, boating, picnicking, hiking and simply relaxing and enjoying the breeze.Buck Lake is near the beautiful, turquoise waters of Alexander Springs Recreation Area, where visitors can swim, dive and snorkel in a warm, spring-fed lake and canoe on a 7-mile ru

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): strong signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas. Best carrier: T-Mobile. Verizon 4G: 100%. AT&T 4G: 100%. T-Mobile 4G: 100%.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water, Camp Host, Fishing

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/buck-lake-group-campground to be notified when sites open up.

Buck Lake Group Campground is a group camping facility in the heart of Ocala National Forest that can host up to 50 guests along the shores of Buck Lake. Activities include fishing, boating, picnicking, hiking and swimming at the sandy beach.

Wildlife alert: Eastern Black Bear, American Alligator, Green Heron, Little Blue Heron, Short-tailed Snake, and Eastern Musk Turtle present within 8km

Insider tips for Buck Lake Group Campground: Book early - this is a federal campground with high demand Fishing available for panfish, bass and crappie Camp Host on-site for assistance

Skip Buck Lake Group Campground if: You need RV hookups - no hookups available at most sites. You plan to camp outside May through October - seasonal operations only.

Best time to visit Buck Lake Group Campground: May-October — Official operating season for the campground.

Nearby campgrounds: Alexander Springs Recreation Area (ALTOONA, FL), Lake Dorr Campground (Altoona, FL), Juniper Springs Rec Area (SILVER SPRINGS, FL), Big Scrub Campground (UMATILLA, FL).

Cell Phone Coverage at Buck Lake Group Campground

Cell signal at Buck Lake Group Campground (Umatilla, FL): strong overall signal based on FCC broadband data. Best carrier: T-Mobile.

  • Verizon 4G LTE: 100% coverage
  • AT&T 4G LTE: 100% coverage
  • T-Mobile 4G LTE: 100% coverage · T-Mobile 5G: 100%

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

CamperWatch
CommunityPlan a tripCompareTribes
CamperWatch›FL›Buck Lake Group Campground
Buck Lake Group Campground — photo 1
Buck Lake Group Campground — photo 2
Buck Lake Group Campground — photo 3
See all photos
National Forests in Florida — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Buck Lake Group Campground

Share: X Facebook
Umatilla, FL, FL★ 4.3 (15 reviews)From $70/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Buck Lake is a group camping facility in the heart of Ocala National Forest in Florida. Great for family reunions and social gatherings, the campground can host a group of up to 50 guests along the shores of Buck Lake. Activities include fishing, boating, picnicking, hiking and simply relaxing and enjoying the breeze.Buck Lake is near the beautiful, turquoise waters of Alexander Springs Recreation Area, where visitors can swim, dive and snorkel in a warm, spring-fed lake and canoe on a 7-mile run.The sandy swimming beach provides a great place to relax and picnic.

Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersFamiliesSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV40 ft
HookupsNo hookups.
Bear boxesYes — at every site
ToiletsVault toilets
PetsAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic TablesCamp Host
Family & Pets
Vault ToiletsFishing

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups - no hookups available at most sites✕ You plan to camp outside May through October - seasonal operations only

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early - this is a federal campground with high demand

Fishing available for panfish, bass and crappie

Camp Host on-site for assistance

Best: May-October

Official operating season for the campground

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G + 5G · 100%
Verizon
4G · 100%
AT&T
4G · 100%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal. Best carrier: T-Mobile.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Eastern Black Bear, American Alligator, Green Heron, Little Blue Heron, Short-tailed Snake, and Eastern Musk Turtle present within 8km

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
352-625-2520· National Forests in Florida
alexandersprings@adventureocala.com
Getting there →

From I-75 in Ocala, Florida, travel east on State Route 40. Turn onto State Route 19 south, then turn right onto Forest Road 595-2 and travel for approximately 4 miles. Buck Lake Group Camp will be on the left.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — National Forests in Florida fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at National Forests in Florida before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Buck Lake Group Campground cost per night?+
Buck Lake Group Campground costs $70 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Buck Lake Group Campground open?+
Buck Lake Group Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Buck Lake Group Campground have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Buck Lake Group Campground?+
Buck Lake Group Campground can accommodate RVs up to 40 feet.
How do I make reservations at Buck Lake Group Campground?+
Buck Lake Group Campground is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Buck Lake Group Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Buck Lake Group Campground is rated strong. Best carrier: T-Mobile. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Buck Lake Group Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Buck Lake Group Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$70 /night★ 4.3 (15)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Buck Lake Group Campground cost per night?+
What season is Buck Lake Group Campground open?+
Does Buck Lake Group Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Alexander Springs Recreation Area

ALTOONA, FL

From $38/night

Lake Dorr Campground

Altoona, FL

From $20/night

Juniper Springs Rec Area

SILVER SPRINGS, FL

From $38/night

Big Scrub Campground

UMATILLA, FL

From $20/night

Own a campground nearby?

List free on CamperWatch — we take 5% only on bookings we send. No monthly fee.

List your campground →
$70 /nightNo booking fees
+TRIPCheck availability