Photo thanks to Florida State Parks
Santos Trailhead & Campground
A small Florida State Parks campground just south of Ocala with about two dozen water-and-electric sites, right on 80+ miles of mountain-bike trails, the Vortex freeride park and the Cross Florida Greenway.
Ocala, Florida · just off US-441 in Santos, between Ocala and Belleview
Season
Year-round
Busiest in winter; Fat Tire Festival in early March
Elevation
About 80 ft
Sandhill woods on the Cross Florida Greenway
Hookups
Water & electric
30/50 amp; dump station, no sewer
Big rigs
About 40 ft
Back-in lime-rock pads; RVers report rigs to 40 ft
Updated October 19, 2026 · Details checked against the park’s website
Florida State Parks · Cross Florida Greenway
The Santos experience
A small Florida State Parks campground at the Santos trailhead on the Cross Florida Greenway, with about two dozen water-and-electric sites and more than 80 miles of mountain-bike trails starting at your door.
Water & electric30/50 amp at every site
Back-in padsLime rock, fairly level
80+ miles of MTB trailsBeginner to expert, from your site
Vortex freeride areaIn a former limerock quarry
Greenway trailsHiking, horse trails and the Florida Trail
BathhouseHot showers, campers only
Fire ring & grillAt every site
PavilionsTwo first-come pavilions
Pets welcome6 ft leash
Dump stationOn site; no sewer hookups
Bike washAt the trailhead
No laundryShops in Belleview and Ocala
Life at camp
What guests say
The park report card
We don’t recycle other sites’ reviews, but riders and RVers rate it highly. They love riding straight from the site onto the trails, the clean bathhouse and the price; the gripes are US-441 traffic and train noise at night, sunny interior sites and no sewer.
How RVers rate it
Category scores from Campendium reviewers, out of 5
Field notes from RVers
Longest rig RVers report40 ft Nov 2020
Cell signal reportedVerizon 4G/5GT-Mobile 4G/5GAT&T 4G/5G
Last reported nightly rate$27 Aug 2026
As reported by Campendium and RV LIFE users. Campendium’s scores come from 22 reviews; the last reported rate was $27 a night in August 2026. Tripadvisor’s reviews are mostly about the trails. Confirm fees and rules with Florida State Parks before you go.
SE 80th Street, off US-441
Getting there
Santos sits on SE 80th Street just west of US-441, between Ocala and Belleview, about 11 minutes from downtown Ocala and close to the Land Bridge over I-75.
From Ocala: US-441 south about 7 miles to Santos, then right (west) on SE 80th StreetFrom I-75: Exit 341 to CR-484 east, then north on US-441 to SE 80th Street
US-441 · SANTOS
Set your GPS
3080 SE 80th St, Ocala, FL 34480
To downtown Ocala*About 11 min
To Silver Springs State ParkAbout 21 min
To Rainbow SpringsAbout 45 min
To Juniper SpringsAbout 49 min
Back-ins only. Sites are lime-rock back-ins, and some aren’t level; RVers report rigs up to 40 ft. Perimeter sites have shade; interior ones are in full sun.
About 80 ft above sea level. Winters are mild (January highs average about 71° in nearby Ocala) and summers hot and humid.
*Drive times are from OpenStreetMap routing and are approximate. Locator map is approximate, not for navigation.
Around Ocala
Around Ocala
Downtown Ocala is about 11 minutes away, Silver Springs State Park about 21 and Rainbow Springs about 45, and Juniper Springs is about 49 minutes east.
Photo thanks to Jackdude101 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Silver Springs State Park
Glass-bottom boat tours over the springs, kayaking on the clear Silver River and wild monkeys along the banks.
Photo thanks to Luv24jmg (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Downtown Ocala
A walkable historic square with restaurants, shops and painted Horse Fever statues, plus a farmers market on Saturdays.
Photo thanks to Ebyabe (CC BY 2.5)
Rainbow Springs State Park
A first-magnitude spring with gardens and small waterfalls, and the Rainbow River for tubing, kayaking and swimming.
Photo thanks to Ianaré Sévi (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Juniper Springs
A spring-fed swimming hole and a famous canoe run in the Ocala National Forest, east on SR-40.
More places to stay
Other parks worth a look
The three closest RV parks and campgrounds we’ve reviewed around Ocala, by drive time.
Photo thanks to Southern Springs RV Resort
Southern Springs RV Resort
A new, gated 55+ resort by I-75 Exit 352 with landscaped concrete sites, a heated pool and pickleball.
Photo thanks to Wild Frontier RV Resort
Wild Frontier RV Resort
An older, oak-shaded park on Ocala’s north side with a heated pool, a lodge-style clubhouse and a big dog park.
Photo thanks to Ocala RV Camp Resort
Ocala RV Camp Resort
An older, budget-friendly park by I-75 Exit 350 with shady grass sites, ponds and simple log cabins.
Before you book
Plan your stay
Everything that decides whether Santos fits your rig, your dates and your budget, in one place.
Our take: the place to camp if you ride: water-and-electric sites a few pedal strokes from 80+ miles of some of Florida’s best mountain-bike trails, for under $30 a night. Light sleepers should bring earplugs for the highway and trains, and pick a shaded perimeter site.
Camping feesFlorida State Parks · checked Oct 19, 2026
Campsite$22 /night + tax
RV utility fee$7 /night
Reservation fee$6.70 per booking
Dump station (non-campers)$5 per use
An RV pays about $29 a night plus tax, plus $6.70 per reservation; there’s no day-use fee at Santos. Florida residents 65+ or with a qualifying disability pay half the base campsite fee. The primitive group camp is $5 per adult and $1 per child a night.
Prices are subject to change at any time and may vary by date, season and availability. For the latest pricing, check the Florida State Parks reservation site or call (352) 369-2693.
Typical January afternoon
Ocala71°
Chicago32°
Mild winters: 39° warmer than Chicago in January; July highs reach about 92°, with near-daily afternoon storms.
Is it right for you?
Who it suits, what to consider, and why RVers come back.
Open
Site types
About $29 a night for an RV.
Open
Rates & policies
Check-in, gate, stay limits and pets.
Open
Before you book
Questions to ask before you reserve.
Open
The Santos Trailhead & Campground is run by Florida State Parks on the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway, with trails built and kept up with the Ocala Mountain Bike Association. Its 23–25 sites all take RVs. It suits mountain bikers, hikers, horse riders and budget travelers.
Best for
- Mountain bikers: 80+ miles of singletrack and the Vortex freeride area.
- Hikers and riders: Greenway horse trails and the Florida National Scenic Trail.
- Budget travelers: about $29 a night with water and electric.
- Town access: about 11 minutes to downtown Ocala.
Consider this
- Traffic noise from US-441 and train horns at night.
- No sewer hookups or laundry; there’s a dump station.
- Interior sites are in full sun with little screening.
- The Fat Tire Festival (early March) sells out the area.
Winter in Ocala
Typical January afternoon
71°
Ocala
Ocala, NOAA station
32°
Chicago
Chicago O’Hare
39 degrees warmer than Chicago, with nights near 46°. Normal January highs, 1991–2020.
Every site has water and 30/50 amp electric, a fire ring, a grill and a picnic table on a lime-rock back-in pad. There’s no sewer; use the dump station.
RV site $29/night
Plus a $6.70 reservation fee per booking.
Tent site $22/night
Tents use the same sites without the utility fee.
Group camp $5/adult
The primitive group camp, per person per night.
Florida 65+ 50% offbase fee
Also for qualifying disabilities.
Check-in3 p.m.No early check-in
Check-out1 p.m.Statewide rule
Stay limit14 nightsIn busy periods; then a 3-night break
Booking window11 months10 months for non-residents
Cancellation$17.75 fee$10 to change dates
Quiet hours11 p.m.–7 a.m.Statewide rule
Occupancy8 per siteOne family; 2 vehicles
PetsAllowed6 ft leash; not in buildings
CampfiresFire rings onlyFirewood sold on site
Gate8 a.m.–sundownAfter dark, call for the combination
Checked against floridastateparks.org (Santos trailhead amenities, hours and fees) on October 19, 2026. Reserve online or call 800-326-3521; the trailhead office is (352) 369-2693.
Good to know before you pull in
Five things that change your booking
Ask these on the phone before you reserve.
- Is my site shaded? Perimeter sites are; interior ones aren’t.
- What’s the gate combination? Late arrivals call on arrival day.
- Is my site level? Some aren’t, reviewers say.
- Are the trails open? They can close after heavy rain.
- Can I bring a horse? Yes, with a negative Coggins test.
Know before you go
Frequently asked questions
A few details before you hit the road.
Season: Year-round
Ready to ride from your site?
Book a site at Santos, roll onto the singletrack in the morning and spend the afternoon at the springs. Reserve up to 11 months ahead with Florida State Parks.
Thank you to the people behind these photos and this video. Please support them by giving their work a look. The campground and trail photos come from Florida State Parks, with our thanks, and from Wikimedia Commons: Ebyabe (Greenway trail and barge-canal piers; CC BY 2.5). The power-pedestal still is from Downsizing Makes Cents, and the video tour is by Bikers Den Adventures and Fitness. Area photos via Wikimedia Commons: Jackdude101 (Silver Springs glass-bottom boats; CC BY-SA 4.0), Luv24jmg (downtown Ocala; CC BY-SA 3.0), Ebyabe (Rainbow Springs; CC BY 2.5) and Ianaré Sévi (Juniper Springs; CC BY-SA 3.0); the images were resized. Other-park photos: Southern Springs RV Resort, Wild Frontier RV Resort and Ocala RV Camp Resort. Review-site logos are trademarks of their owners.
Disclaimer
RV-Roundup is an independent, community-based resource created to help RV travelers and to support and promote the parks we feature. RV-Roundup is not owned by, operated by, or officially affiliated with Santos Trailhead & Campground unless otherwise stated.
The information on this page was prepared using the most current details available at the time of publication, including the park’s published materials and publicly available sources. Pricing, availability, rules, policies, regulations, amenities and other details are set by the park and may change at any time without notice. Before you travel or book, please confirm all details directly with Santos Trailhead & Campground at floridastateparks.org or (352) 369-2693. RV-Roundup is not responsible for errors, omissions, or changes made after publication.
We will always do our best to keep this page up to date. Thank you to everyone who contributes; we truly appreciate your help and support.