U.S. Forest Service · National Forests in Florida · Florida

Porter Lake

Primitive camping and day use with fishing on Porter Lake and access for paddlers into winding channels through the floodplain forest of the Ochlockonee River basin. Backpacking. Trailhead along the Florida National Scenic Trail. East to Smith Creek and Bradwell Bay, west to Vilas and Camel Lake. Hunting/Camping. Used as a hunt camp during general gun season. Camping is allowed to non-hunters during general gun season. Be aware of hunting environment.

Open nowFirst-come, first-servedTents only

More like this: first-come in Florida · tent only in Florida

Porter Lake
Photo from the area. The Bushranger (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons
1fire
active
105 · 21 mi away · 215 acres
Interagency incident data as of 2026-10-26
Incident details ↓

Amenities & rules

EquipmentTents
FeesFree

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusOpen
ForestNational Forests in Florida
FeesFree

National Forests in Florida recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Porter Lake50°60°70°80°90°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 51.7°F averageFebruary: 54.7°F averageMarch: 60.6°F averageApril: 67.4°F averageMay: 73.9°F averageJune: 79.6°F averageJuly: 81.9°F averageAugust: 81.8°F averageSeptember: 78.0°F averageOctober: 70.1°F averageNovember: 60.0°F averageDecember: 54.1°F averageTemp °F
The line is the average temperature at Panacea 1 S, 17 miles from the campground at 6 feet, station USC00086828 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020.

Getting there

Coordinates30.1772° N, 84.6772° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Wildfire
    105

    21 mi from the campground · 215 acres

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Outdoor gearSeminole Outdoors and Pro Archery Shop ↗26.4 mi
Dump stationDump station ↗30 mi
RV sales & serviceRV Connections ↗55.1 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Worth a stop

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside National Forests in Florida.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Guidebooks for Florida

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Best Tent Camping: Florida
    Johnny Molloy, 2016
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Camping Florida
    Rick Sapp, 2010
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Florida Lighthouse Trail
    Thomas W. Taylor and Chris Belcher, 2020
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Porter Lake?

No. Porter Lake is first-come, first-served. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.

Source: Forest Service

How much does it cost to camp at Porter Lake?

Free

Source: Forest Service

Is Porter Lake open right now?

Open as of Oct 26, 2026.

Source: Forest Service status

Can I bring an RV to Porter Lake?

Porter Lake is listed for tents only.

Source: Forest Service

What if Porter Lake is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Twin Poles Hunt Camp (10.9 mi, first-come), Camel Lake Campground (19.7 mi), and Wright Lake Campground (23 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby