Hontoon Island is a 1600-acre state park that is situated on a secluded island between the St. Johns River, the Hontoon Dead River, and Snake Creek. The island is home to 8 miles of trails that wind between a variety of ecosystems: pine uplands, coastal hammock, swamps and grasslands. Visitors can even hike to a 7,000-year-old Timucuan shell mound, one of many findings on the island that point to a rich and interesting past.
Accessible by water only with a ferry that operates until sundown daily, the beauty of this state park is that it offers a rare chance to get away and experience natural Florida. The park's main feature is its entirely primitive campground, outfitted with six cabins, 12 tent camping sites, and both a youth and adult group camp site. The cabins are elevated so as to be comfortable even in the rainy season, with screened-in patios and open air style interiors that allow the river breezes to waft through. The tent sites are spacious, clean, and surrounded by palms that provide a nice layer of shade. Campers should be aware of Florida's rainy summers, as the tent sites do tend to gather puddles.
A short walk away from the campground lies the state park's central day use area with picnic shelters, a playground, camp shop, restrooms and a museum that educates visitors on the park's natural inhabitants. The park's marina is also found here, with paddling rentals available, and, for those who came in their own watercraft, boat slips that can be rented overnight for on-the-water camping.
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