Ross Prairie State Forest

State Forest Florida

Visited March 2015

Entrance sign for Ross Prairie State Forest

Ross Prairie State Forest is located about 14 miles southwest of Ocala, FL, on SR-200. It is one of several campgrounds along the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway. It was designed with equestrian use in mind, with about half the sites providing posts for tethering horses and two grooming stations.

We were happy that our site was a pull-through, for due to unforeseen mechanical problems that had us sitting at the... — We were happy that our site was a pull-through, for due to unforeseen mechanical problems that had us sitting at the garage until 9 PM, we didn't arrive at the park until shortly after 11 PM. We had made a reservation a week prior and I called from the garage to get the combination to the gate lock. It was nice not having to back into a site in the dark, although we have done that often enough. We had reserved site 5 on the outside of the loop, and as you can see, we had some equine neighbors.

Greetings from

Ross Prairie State Forest

We were happy that our site was a pull-through, for due to unforeseen mechanical problems that had us sitting at the garage until 9 PM, we didn't arrive at the park until shortly after 11 PM. We had made a reservation a week prior and I called from the garage to get the combination to the gate lock. It was nice not having to back into a site in the dark, although we have done that often enough. We had reserved site 5 on the outside of the loop, and as you can see, we had some equine neighbors.

Ribbit! The WxToad

Around the campground

Site 2 has a large area beside it where one can set up a mobile corral for the horses.

This shows how open the campground is. Some sites have a few trees that provide some welcome shade on a hot day. To the right is one of two horse-grooming stations.

Sites 3 and 4 are along the outside of the campground road.

On the left are sites 8 and 9, with sites 12 and 13 to the right. The Aliner is on site 12.

Site 7 in the foreground with site 10 beyond on the left.

The bathhouse is fairly new, very clean and provides free hot showers.

The campground is operated with a volunteer campground host who handles all the paperwork, etc. On his site is this small office; I was kidding him that he had the smallest park office I had ever seen in Florida.

Early in the morning our neighbors were getting saddled up for a ride on the miles of trails that can be accessed... — Early in the morning our neighbors were getting saddled up for a ride on the miles of trails that can be accessed from the campground.

The park also was designed for day-use riders as well, with a large field where folks can park and unload their horses.

Near the beginning of the trail system is a large clearing used by Boy Scouts for group camping.

Nearby campgrounds

Silver Springs State ParkFL · 19 miles away

Wilderness RV ResortFL · 23 miles away

Lake Griffin State ParkFL · 27 miles away

Shell Mound County Park Cedar KeyFL · 48 miles away

Back on the roadSee all 402 campgrounds