Clearwater Lake Rec Area
USDA Forest Service campground in National Forests in Florida, near Paisley, Florida.
Summary
Clearwater Lake Rec Area is a USDA Forest Service campground in National Forests in Florida, about 32 miles (straight line) from Orlando. It has 38 overnight sites. Within 5 miles there are 34.5 miles of trail open to bikes, the closest being Paisley Woods Mtn Bike (0.3 mi away). RVs and trailers up to 40 ft can fit, and sites are reservable on Recreation.gov.
When to book: Recreation.gov's default: most campsites open 6 months before arrival, at 10 a.m. ET, but each campground can set its own window (check its Seasons and Fees tab). Example: Memorial Day weekend 2027 (arrive Fri, May 28, 2027): booking opens Sat, Nov 28, 2026, at 10 a.m. ET. Source: Recreation.gov: Tips for making campsite reservations at popular locations. Campsite booking-date calculator →
When it's open
Season not listed
Florida campgrounds open year-round →
Neither Recreation.gov nor our other sources publish an open season for this campground, so we don't guess. Check the official listing before an off-season trip.
Hookups & amenities
- 🚿ShowersNot listed
- 🚻ToiletsNot listed
- 🚰Drinking waterNot listed
- ⚡Electric hookupsNot listed
- 💧Water hookupsNot listed
- 🔧Sewer hookupsNot listed
- 🔌Full hookups (E/W/S)Not listed
- 🚐Dump stationNot listed
- 📶Wi-FiNot listed
- 🧺LaundryNot listed
- 🏪Camp storeNot listed
- 🛝PlaygroundNot listed
- 🏊SwimmingNot listed
- 🚤Boat rampNot listed
- 🐕Pet-friendlyListed
- ♿ADA-accessible sitesListed
- 🛖CabinsNot listed
- 🔥Fire ringsListed
- 🍖GrillsNot listed
- 🪑Picnic tablesNot listed
- 🧑Camp hostNot listed
- 🐻Food storage lockersNot listed
Listed only when Recreation.gov site records report it. "Not listed" means the source doesn't say, not that the campground lacks it.
Map: trails and roads near Clearwater Lake Rec Area
Loads MapLibre with OpenFreeMap tiles only when you tap.
Campsite layout
Check live availability on Recreation.gov ↗
We don't show live availability. Openings change by the minute and only the official reservation system has them.
How it compares
- With 38 sites it is the #53 largest of 94 Florida campgrounds that publish a site count.
- There are 23 other campgrounds in our data within 25 miles.
- 80% of Florida campgrounds that publish a length limit accept a rig this long (40 ft).
- 100% of sites with a shade rating are listed as shaded or partly shaded.
- Pets allowed on 38 of 38 sites.
- Straight-line distance: Orlando ~32 mi, Tampa ~90 mi, Jacksonville ~94 mi.
Site mix
Amenities & rules
Fire pitsTent padsPets allowedTentsRVs/trailers1 accessible site
Trails near Clearwater Lake Rec Area
| Trail | Closest point | Mapped miles within 5 mi | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clearwater Lake Loop | 0.1 mi | 1.2 | USFS |
| Fnst - Seminole Section | 0.2 mi | 6.8 | USFS |
| Paisley Woods Mtn Bike | 0.3 mi | 14.4 | USFS |
| Wandering Wiregrass | 1.8 mi | 15.5 | USFS |
| Flatwoods Riding Loop | 3.1 mi | 4.6 | USFS |
Mountain biking nearby
34.5 miles of bike-legal trail lie within 5 miles. Difficulty mix: Unrated: 34.5 mi
| Trail | Closest point | Miles within 5 mi | Difficulty (as tagged) | Kids | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paisley Woods Mtn Bike | 0.3 mi | 14.4 | Unrated | USFS | |
| Wandering Wiregrass | 1.8 mi | 15.5 | Unrated | USFS | |
| Flatwoods Riding Loop | 3.1 mi | 4.6 | Unrated | USFS |
Trails marked OSM: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Ratings come only from OpenStreetMap mtb:scale / IMBA tags. Untagged trails show as "Unrated", and we never guess. Check conditions and maps on Trailforks or MTB Project.
Dump stations near Clearwater Lake Rec Area
| Public dump station (OpenStreetMap) | Distance | Fee | Water | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dump station (unnamed in OSM) | 0.1 mi | Free | Not listed | Customers |
| Dump station (unnamed in OSM) | 7.0 mi | Free | Not listed | Customers |
Nearby campgrounds with an on-site dump station: Blue Spring State Park Campground (13.5 mi). Many limit dumping to registered guests.
Straight-line distances. Dump station points: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL); fees, hours and access change, so confirm before you go.
Activities listed
BikingBoatingCampingCanoeingFishingHikingInterpretive ProgramsKayakingMountain BikingSwimming SiteVisitor Center
Nearest campgrounds
| Campground | Miles | State | Fee/night | Sites | Hookups | Max RV | Pets | Booking | Trails ≤5 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harper OpenStreetMap listing |
2.0 | FL | — | — | — | — | — | ? | 4 (23.2 mi) |
| Sioux OpenStreetMap listing |
2.4 | FL | — | — | — | — | — | ? | 4 (19.3 mi) |
| Lake Dorr Cabin Cabins Open year-round National Forests in Florida |
3.9 | FL | — | — | E | — | — | Reserve | 7 (79.1 mi) |
| Lake Dorr Campground National Forests in Florida |
5.6 | FL | — | 34 | — | — | yes | Reserve | 8 (99.7 mi) |
| Alexander Springs Recreation Area National Forests in Florida |
7.0 | FL | — | 64 | — | 44 ft | yes | Reserve | 8 (62.3 mi) |
| Buck Lake Group Campground National Forests in Florida |
10.0 | FL | — | — | — | 40 ft | yes | Reserve | 10 (65.9 mi) |
Hookups: E = electric (max amps), W = water, S = sewer. "—" means the agency doesn't publish it. Trail counts are named USFS/NPS trails within 5 miles. 🟢 = kid-friendly (green-rated) bike trail nearby. "Open year-round" and month ranges come from the agency, state park or OpenStreetMap season; no tag means no season is published.