Just wondering if anyone knows if your aloud to camp on the banks of the chassahowitzka river.
I know there’s a campground, but from what I hear its not the greatest.
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Not recommended…
I seem to recall there are a couple of spots with level, dry ground, but most of the river is pretty wet and/or over-grown with roots etc. You can expect gator and snakes in the underbrush as well. Out in the coastal areas where it’s grass, again I saw only one spot where there is a picnic setup and dock. I don’t believe camping was permitted at that spot, but could be wrong.
I’ve found the town campground to be an excellent camping spot and they were fixing up the washroom facilities the last time I was there, so they may be even better!
There is a chickee…
down at the mouth of the river. Looks pretty new.
I’m sure folks camp along the banks, I’ve seen a few well-used sites.
I believe it’s all National Wildlife Refuge land, but I don’t know the laws pertaining to back country camping on them.
The no-see-um’s can be pretty nasty there in the summer. I’d look for a site with a breeze.
T
Sorry to inform you but…
– Last Updated: Aug-02-09 3:17 PM EST –
I've talked to the game warden that patrols that refuge and he informed me that NO ONE is allowed to sleep in the refuge, especially at Dog Island Pavilion (located on the north bank of the river in the refuge). I thought I was in trouble for being out there to watch a meteor shower one summer evening but he said that was fine with him as long as I wasn't sleeping. I offered him a cup of my famous yaupon tea but he declined, saying something about how he planned on going home and sleeping in a few hours and knew the tea would be keeping him up for at least another six.
There are places where, with permission, one can sleep on privately owned docks in a few of the spots where homes have been "grandfathered" in but outside of that... Well, we'll have to go there ourselves and I can show you a few places where to camp but tell no one else or eventually no one will be allowed to camp there as it is on private property and all it takes is one episode of some one leaving a mess and it's shut down permanently! I've seen it happen all too often. So let's let discretion be the better part of valor and I'll take you there.
You can email me at paddleguide@hotmail.com