O'Leno State Park Reviews

What a neat place! Mysterious, magical and beautiful. Two separate campgrounds, with the one closest to the swimming area perfect for families. There are rustic cabins as well. O'Leno State Park is on the site of an old abandoned town and was a CCC project in the '30's. (There's a small museum on the site honoring the Civilian Conservation Corps.) The Santa Fe River runs through the park then disappears down a sink hole before re-appearing at River Rise State Park 3 miles down the road (get the key from the ranger at O'Leno to go in.) You are near major springs (Itchetucknee, Ginnie Springs and others) for good snorkling, scuba diving or tubing. O'Leno SP is a great place to be your "home base" while exploring the beauty of north-central Florida. We loved it and will be back!

O'Leno is a great place to camp and the cabin area is wonderful for large groups and parties. I have attended a couple of weddings and organized a group camping trip as well as taken several day trips with kayaking and hiking. I highly recommend this park. It is a true gem.

I love seeing the amazing work of the CCC and O'Leno State Park met my expectations. Loved the Wildlife Cabin and enjoyed talking to the ranger in there!

We love O’Leno S.P. for its proximity to Ichetucknee Springs and availability for open campsites. The sites are a decent size and privacy in between within the magnolia loop. But, the amount of ticks at this state park compared to others is crazy. We camp regularly and never have as many tick issues as we do here. There is also a LOT of poison ivy around perimeter of campsites. Additionally, it’s disappointing that the suspension bridge is still closed and not repaired yet. It has to be well over a year now. We were there just after the small tree fell in it in the storm and it wasn’t bad at all. It seems as if the repair is still at a complete standstill. There has also been a lot of central tree clearing in the Magnolia loop, so it looks rather sad at the moment. The staff is always kind though and campsite facilities are clean.

Park is not very large and some areas are off limits. Great for nature and photographing the local animals. We did see one deer.

I spend all my time at their sister park River Rise, either trail riding and or camping with the horses. This is one of my favorite parks for riding. The trails are easily marked, the restrooms are always clean & plenty of trailer parking. Every time I go out, we're lucky enough to see plenty of deer, turtles & armadillos. Certain times of the year the ticks can be BAD, spray yourself & horses really well. The stalls are adequate, they have will barrels for dumping your muck toward the back of the barn. the camp hosts are always friendly. If you read their bulletin board, someone posted a flyer about a gnome in the woods just of a trail, if found it there is a contact number for the finder to call, they will bring a gift & hide it for the next person to come across. Theirs been a few who have found it but I have not be lucky enough. Enjoy!

Came to the park as a day visitor to see the river sink. We were not given any map or brochure after paying the park fee, so we wandered around looking for a visitor center. There was none to be found, so we stopped at the nature center for information The center is very tiny, old, and smelly. The volunteer was helpful in telling us how to find the river sink and what to expect. We followed his instructions and did find it but were disappointed to see the sink was covered with duckweed. Maybe it was due to low water level and lack of rain. This park is very small, but has some historical significance . There were several old buildings with displays of pictures and relics of the past. This park also offers camping, swimming ,and canoeing.

We have stayed at over 200 campgrounds over the past 3 years and have learned to appreciate the little things. Like:
- Hot showers with no waiting and a bench on which to change
- Bulletin boards with useful info at the rest room areas and a take/leave library
- Two separate playgrounds within a two minute walk
- Clean campsites and nearby trash barrels
- A call from staff at 4:30pm to tell us that although the check-in station was closing at 5pm, they would leave an information pack for us and let us know our site number

I’ll be back

We spent 8 nights here in May and was our first time in this park. Our family plan was to spend the entire week outdoors snorkeling, hiking & paddling. This was a super home base location, central to everything we wanted to do. Checking in was easy, awesome park ranger who gave us maps and pointed out a few area gems. Site was clean and the restrooms were very clean. Campground host was fabulous and spent a good 15 minutes chatting with us about the local wildlife and fauna. There is a small Nature Center that has live non-venomous snakes and turtles. Limited hours 10-2 but definitely worth a visit. We hiked the yellow blazed River Trail which was very well marked & maintained. Lots of history/relics to explore. The week we were here due to drought conditions, the dock/swimming area was closed. Starting Tuesday night BIG bad weather rolled in and we got a LOT of rain. While our campsite (17) fared well, there were several sites that were either low or poor draining? Not sure if that is normal or common, we have so far been very lucky to not be camping in rain that lasted more than a few hours but I would have been mad if we had been in the site like the one right next to us that looked like a lake! Even though miserable weather we were so close to Gainesville that we spent a couple of days there shopping and dining. Loved this campground, O'Leno State Park is yet another one of our amazing Florida State Parks and we totally look forward to coming back and visiting again!

Park is beautiful. Main attraction is the swimming area and rustic remains of the original town of Keno which became O'leno. There is a swimming area in the river and a walk through the forest along the river to the place where the river goes underground, all very interesting. There are an abundance of ticks, chiggers and mosquitos. Area is very humid and this makes it uncomfortable if temperatures goes above 85. We decided to camp here having visited other FSP campgrounds. The campgrounds here are sandy with a clay being introduced to park. When it rains the campsites flood and sand sticks to the bottom of feet and shoes making your tent or camper gritty, sites should have paved area or gravel to make them more comfortable Cooking areas are fire-pits in the ground - making it hard to cook or even light coals as the pit is moist at all times. There is no camp store and Magnolia camp is closest to the attraction, but still a hike. We brought our dogs (18 and 30 lbs) and there was no place to let them off the leash. Most of our week was spent out of the park visiting close by springs because of the above conditions.

My 82 year old mom and I enjoyed the easy River Trail to experience the unique River sink where the Santa Fe river goes underground.

We had a one night stay in the campground. Was in the forest with a clean and spacious site. Friendly ranger in the station provided many area attractions and trails information. Would stay again.

Overall this is a very nice park. Bathrooms were clean and well maintained. Campsites are a bit narrow. A little disappointed in the activities. When we asked about a canoe we were told because of the water level we could probably only go about a half mile. A half mile would have been good enough for us considering that's probably the most our youngest could handle. Yet the staff never offered to get the canoe for us nor tell us how to obtain one. We wound up mainly using the park for camping and went to other parks for activities throughout our 4 day stay.

We enjoyed this park but it is not up to the quality of Crooked River in GA which we had just left.The rangers are not visible except at check-in.Trees by the roads in and out and in the campground badly need trimming.Roads in the campground are very poor especially in Dogwood campground.

Roads thru out the park are paved until you come to the campsites, we stayed at the Magnolia Camp site, the road was narrow and rough, good sized sites easy to back into. Our first day there we say a family of deer, we saw different animals and enjoyed the stay. Campsites can flood during heavy rains but they drain very fast. Bath house is clean but warm when using.

We went for the day for hiking, did not look into the camping there. The trails are well kept, and you can get a map as you go in the park (when you pay your $5 for the entire carload). We had a lot of fun walking the River trail to see where the Santa Fe river goes underground. There were lots of turtles and even an alligator near the sink. Everything we well marked and we had a good time wandering around the trail.
We also participated in an activity from the ranger - they had a little lesson on how to use a compass. My kids enjoyed learning how to follow the compass and they even gave them a little trinket at the end. My older one didn't want to go on the way, and the younger one tends to have a short attention span. We easily spent 3 hours wandering around and everyone was happy. Great day!!

We stopped one night to camp in our tent. We went tubing down Ichetucknee and set up camp at O'Leno. It was about 15 minutes from Ichetucknee State Park. The bathhouse was clean and modern. Our camp site was nice and cozy under a canopy of Florida trees. We had rain that night but stayed dry. The camp host Mike came to say hello when we arrived and checked on us as we were packing up because it had been such a wet night. Very friendly fellow. Did not get to use the trails but we hope to return and see the river that disappears into a sink hole!

We camped in the Dogwood loop which is nice and private. It's definitely the " real Florida" as advertised! Bathrooms are centrally located. The road is tight so it's a little challenge getting the camper in the campsite. The Magnolia loop road is a bit wider but the bathrooms aren't as centrally located. The suspension bridge and hiking trails are nice and peaceful!

I really enjoyed visiting the Alligator Warrior festival where re-enactors of an early Muskogee creek people set-up camp and demonstrate skills and tecniques from early times. There is a mood of relaxation and friendliness. There are also other native-themed vendors and crafters and a variety of food booths with southern/cracker cooking.
The park is very lovely with swimming area and easy walks to explore middle FL. forests and history.

We enjoy visiting and walking the shorter trail that crosses the suspension bridge. The trail is well marked and our dogs enjoy the scents. The river is nice to walk next to and the tree cover provides nice shade. The trail has benches and places to stop.

The park hold private parties and has a large parking area. This is a great local park to visit.

This a fairly nice park. If you are camping with others, make your reservation together. There are two loops. One is dogwood and the other is magnolia. They are just a bit over two miles apart. We camped with five groups and it made it difficult to stay together. So you need to be in same loop. Be prepared for many ticks. You are in the deep woods. Bathrooms fairly clean but only one per loop, so it is quite a walk. Lots of trees, heard one camper with big outfit could not fit in, he kept getting hit with trees hanging down. He left angry. Hope this helps.

Just went camping for a weekend in April. I stayed in the Magnolia Loop in site #5. The site was very spacious and had a great view, and perfect trees to hang a hammock. The site has electric and water and is across from the bath house and a playground near.
Due to the time of year the river was extremely low so there was no water activities (swimming/canoeing). I wasnt bothered at all, there is plenty enough to do. The trails are very lovely. Did the 4 mile mountain bike trail as well.
The bath houses are kept very clean and the water gets very hot (loved that!)
Friendly rangers and park workers.

Con: LOTS OF TICKS - BRING LOTS OF SPRAY AND CHECK OFTEN.

We will never come back to this particular park! I have been camping my entire life, and this park is not up to my standard. We arrived just in time to set up before 30 hours of heavy rain hit. The next morning, after waiting as long as possible, I decided to finally drive up to the restroom. While I was using the facility, the host of the dogwood loop came in and said in a tone like you would speak to a child, "Ma'am is that your car?...As you know, this is a service road for service vehicles only." Well no, I didn't know, there was no sign coming from the direction of my campsite. You are telling me that everytime I have to use the restroom I will have to walk in the pouring rain? I am outraged, not only of the lack of access to the facilities, but at her incredibly rude attitude. I have been in the hospitality business for almost 20 years, and there are a million ways she could have addressed this situation to where I would not have been as livid as I was to start my vacation. We will not be back, and my suggestion is to find a more professional campground host. We will go up the road to the Spirit of Suwannee Music Park, where folks are friendly, and the facilities are accessible to all!

We only stayed one night here at O'Leno State Park in High Springs, Fl. It is Florida's oldest state park and it is full of mossy oaks and this is real down home camping. Lots of trails to hike on and it sets along the Santa Fe River. This was the first camp out with our new camper and we had to use a dumping station and everything went well. Lots of greenery around and very quiet!!!! We would camp here again!!!!

We camped at the O'Leno State Park Campground for three nights. The RV sites are well maintained, but dirt and have no sewer connections. They do have an adequate dump station and well maintained bathhouse. We found the biggest problem to be the roads to and throughout the campground. They were dirt and full of potholes. Perhaps it was a good thing as it definitely kept speeds down, It was very wooded and quiet. There was some wildlife in the area as we saw a deer and some turtles. There is a little history here, being on the site of the old frontier town of Leno alongside the Santa Fe River. A picnic area was covered with huge trees. A spot for swimming was provided along the river which was running quite fast. We crossed a suspension bridge and walked a short trail along the river and sink holes until we reached a point called the River Sink where the water disappears underground, only to reemerge 3 miles later at a point called River Rise. To visit River Rise you must make arrangements with the O'Leno Rangers for access. There are lots of other trails and canoeing available. We recommend this park for a laid back and peaceful atmosphere.

We have decided to try and visit a new state park every month of this year. O'Leno was January's choice. It was bitter cold the day we selected which ruled out the idea of canoeing but we hiked the river trail and had a great time. The river was beautiful! Come in the morning and bring a picnic lunch. It took us about an hour to hike the trail... we meandered and stopped to take pictures... we also took a short detour through the campground and selected the site for our spring camping trip.

My family went to O'leno State Park for a picnic & to check the park out. The teens with us were quickly bored but the worst part were ticks, ticks & more ticks. I feel sure this was due to the time of year that we were there. There's a great bridge over the Santa Fe River which leads to a nice walk around the river sink. There was big gator floating around the sink area but he wasn't bothering anyone or anything. It's his home...not ours. When we returned back to the picnic area we all had ticks on us. Needless to say everyone was ready to leave. I'll definitely give O'leno another chance but will return in cooler weather when the tick population will hopefully be much much smaller.

We had a campsite for a week. Arrived in the middle of a storm and the sites were flooded. It was so bad that the water was standing and not just a little. Not the parks fault at all! Just a lot of rain lately. Some of the road were washed out and the sites are advertised as having gravel ... NOT! The sites are like a sand/dirt mixture mixed with "some" limestone. The sites are spacious. Beware though that the ticks are horrific at this time of the year. It's the woods after all, but they were out in full force, so be mindful of that. The suspension bridge and the trails around it were great and tick-less! The facilities are nice; however, kind of aggravating as you had to walk through the woods to get to. Unless I am missing something, but I didn't see a way to drive to them. Also, the dump station isn't at the end of the campground. It's in a different area of the park. It would have been nice to enjoy the site a little more, but it was just impossible to with the ticks.

There are hiking trails,picnic areas with a pavilion, swings for the kids. There is a small museum with Florida history. Interesting place.

TICKS !!!! Ticks everywhere. At least spray/treat the campgrounds. Icky. Nice bridge, cabin for parties, and trails by the river, but the ticks were awful. I will never return.

My family had fun . Nice tree covering during the work. A playground, bathroom were clean. Kids 8 & 10 enjoyed it. Not over crowd

We stayed at O'Leno State Park in the end of January 2023 in Dogwood Loop site #53. We were tent camping, and all the sites in this area were very close together with very little separation between them. It seemed like they'd clear an area and stick two sites on each clearing. We had no vegetation or separation between us and our immediate neighbors, and a thin strip of vegetation (albeit with a cleared walking path going right through the middle) between us and the neighbors on the other side. You could clearly see all your neighbors (in fact, you could see 2 to 3 sites down in each direction).

We didn't mind particularly, but it does seem weird if you go to have dinner at your picnic table and your neighbors are at theirs, and you're only 10 feet apart.

We did spend the money to visit Anderson Outdoors and canoe down the Santa Fe River, and that was an amazing experience. I'd love to do that again, but perhaps try another state park on the river.

The bath houses were always clean, and (the men's at least) had 3 shower stalls, 3 bathroom stalls, 2 urinals, and 2 main sinks (an additional one in the handicapped stall). This was nice, and every camp site has a short trail leading to the centrally located bath house (there are 2 camp site loops, and each loop has it's own central bath house in the middle).

You can camp, hike, swim, canoe, rent a cabin or even get married! State park so reasonably priced and lots of deer!

Rolled in here for a 3 day stay, escaping Michigan's winter grip.
Two camping loops are available as well as group & youth sites.
Sites in the general camping loops are spacious and have ample vegetation to enjoy some solitude from neighbors.
Showers were COLD despite lengthy run times.( bummer)
Walking trails were offered but did not describe or highlight surroundings....often just a walk down 2-track roadways.
CCC of the 30's constructed the park and there are preserved elements of those endeavors.
Pleasant, not crowded....But they need some HOT water and more interesting trails.

The park itself is huge but they never took that into account when they planned the campsites as they are tightly packed together and have little or no privacy. The road into the Dogwood campsite is nearly destroyed unpaved and difficult to manage even with a small or average size camper. There are no trash receptacles anywhere near your campsite so you have to take a hike to get rid of your garbage. The camp host was a ghost and we never even saw him or her. People with large non stop barking dogs rule the park night and day and there is no one to stop them apparently. Pass this one up and go to Silver Springs Campsite where the sites are large and there is a lot more privacy.

Nice spots for camping and the river is right there. You can jum in and enjoy the Santa Fe rover. Bridge is really cool and facilities nice and clean.

We stayed 3 nights in our tent bringing with us our bikes and kayaks. We did a fair amount of cycling and hiking and kayaking the Santa Fe River. This is a great quiet very old park and more suitable to tents than RV's which was a big draw for us. The bathrooms and hot showers were spacious, clean and simply nice albeit an annoying clicking overhead fan:)) We were surprised at the lack of mosquitoes and the regular appearance of deer in the early evening as well as lots of birds. We had a hammock ready site which was perfect for the hot afternoons. All and all for this 70 yr old tent camping couple we were more than satisfied

very pretty and walking over the bridge is fun for the kids. you can walk the trails and the river is nice to look at also. there are deer to be seen. very clean park.

This weekend we took a large party (around 24) to O'leno, spread out across three adjacent campsites in the Dogwood loop. The accommodations were excellent- the sites were clean, the restrooms were VERY nice, and the hiking trails were really beautiful with the fall leaves everywhere. I will most definitely return to this State Park, and I am telling all of my friends.

We just returned from a three day weekend, tent camping in the park,kayaking at various locations on the Santa Fe River and visiting local springs. We also hiked the trail to River Sink and back, which is quite scenic.

The park is attractive, quiet and clean. We camped in the Magnolia campground and we were pleased with our site. The central bathhouse and common areas were very clean and well maintained, thanks to Ron and Judy, the camp hosts. We would definitely camp there again.

We happened upon this state park when driving in the little towns outside of Gainesville. There is camping areas available but we just stopped in for a couple hours. There were beautiful hiking trails, a suspension bridge and great access to the Santa Fe River. We hiked for 2 hours, just enjoying the scenery and getting lost in the woods. The state park is also preserving an old mill town on the river, there is history exhibits and a great playground for the kiddies to expend their energy on for a quiet ride home. There is tons of picnic tables for lunch or dinner. The park is a real gem!

stop at the guard booth for great info about this really cool park. great trails, beautiful representation of north central Florida. Rangers seem to want to help you make the most of the park. Enjoy.

We took a day trip to O'Leno and River Rise State Park just after Thanksgiving on a perfect Fall day. There are several hiking trails, from easy to a little more challenging and bike trails as well. Some of the highlights outside of the natural beauty of the park itself include the Suspension Bridge over the Santa Fe River and the cool spot where the River seems to quietly disappear underground.(Called the River Sink)
There's a play area for children with swings and a slide and several historical plaques, statues and stations that show parts of a grist mill, and honor the Civilian Conservation Corps.
Pets are OK on a leash.
Equestrienne sites available.
Dogwood Camp Ground.
Entry fee of $5 per car.

We were in site 29 of Magnolia which was beautifully wooded. However it sounds like we are near a babbling brook...our faucet leaks and although we asked for 50 Amp, it was broken so can run only one AC and shut it off during cooking. The bridge is closed.
The trails are wonderful said our 2 yr old German Shepherd!
Good for the price and one night on the way to Destin.

Park is nice.
Campsites horrible. Cramped, small, you will be right in top of your neighbor.
Few trees or other visual barriers between sites. Most look like like they took one fairly decent sized campsite and divided them into two.

We camped at O’leno twice before years ago but stopped because the sites were too open with few trees and little vegetation inbetween the sites. To our happy surprise the trees and shrubs have grown to the point that most sites are very private. Park also installed rustic boarder fences that put an additional layer of privacy at your site, I’m sure the fences discourage people from making unwelcomed paths that kill the vegetation. The town has grown and near by is a Winn Dixie, Advance Auto and further away is a Publix. Park is attractive and well kept, clean restrooms. The ranger lady that checked us in was wonderful, made us feel welcome. They also had large bundles of wood for $5 which was less than Winn-Dixie. An honor system wood sale before the park also had great prices.

We spent two nights at O'Leno and really enjoyed the campground. The bathrooms were SPOTLESS, even staying clean with a full campground and after a very heavy rainstorm. The Dogwood loop had a lot of trees and privacy, with most sites having only one immediate neighbor and some distance between the next set of sites. The other camping loop is closer to the water recreational area. Gorgeous park! Bring bug spray.

For the second year in a row we brought our homeschool youth group from Tampa here in June. We used O'Leno as our base camp for going tubing on the Ichetucknee. The staff has always been courteous and helpful. The campsite is nicely shaded, with covered pavillion, potable water, clean restrooms, and bench seating around the fire pit, alleviating the need for us to haul camp chairs with us; The kids loved the suspension bridge. The park has well maintained hiking trails and nice little nature center with live snakes.

We only stopped here for one night and were delighted with the camp site. We were impressed with the expansive things to do at this state park. We would like to go back and stay for a few days or more to explore the horseback riding and river.

The trailhead is very beautiful along the river; however, if you take one of the longer trails, you lose the scenery. It becomes very bland and hot, as compared to the initial part of the trail and park.

Went here on a weekday in late December with my out of town relatives. Our group totaled 10 people, ranging in age from 4 to 57. The weather was great and there weren't a lot of other visitors that day. We did one of the shorter hikes and had a great time. It's a lovely place with some unique natural features and a very interesting little museum. The bridge offers a cool photo op whether you're on it, or down below.

The Santa Fe River flows into underground caves here (River Sink) and then resurfaces several miles away (River Rise). The park is well kept and has multiple trails for hiking, biking and even equestrian on the River Rise side. Built by the Conservation Corp in the 30's; it's history is available in a small cabin. In addition, there is a small nature center. A wooden suspension bridge leads to the River trail to explore. Great place for kids; lots of space, nature and a little playground. Bring some PB & J sandwiches with some juice/water boxes and spend a few hours in a safe, natural environment. Keep an eye on the kids though; there are gators in that river! $5 per carload entry fee. Then, drive on down to the City of HIgh Springs and walk the little downtown. Cute!

Camp sites r wonderful
But there were lots of ticks That kind of ruin our time walking trails r good and u can bike ride around the campsites Close to downtown Hugh Springs which has restaurants and antique shops

Tent Camping. Our family stayed at O'leno for two nights along Magnolia Loop at end of October. Could have stayed longer. Site 006 is very roomy. Other sites seemed hard for RV's to get into. Bathrooms and showers were cleaned every morning. The cleanest we have seen so far. Very quiet. Nature center and playgrounds withing walking distance. Staff very friendly. Wooden posts divide sites. Not too many bugs/ticks. Still needed bug spray and stored food in car. Cool nights. Finished most O'leno stuff in one day. Visited surrounding parks. Nearby: Ichetucknee, Poe, Rum Island, Ginnie Springs, etc. High Springs downtown is nice. Stores only 5 minutes away. Great Outdoors Cafe was wonderful! Couldn't see everything in the area in the time we stayed. Will definitely go again.

We took the green route and had a very pleasant hike. The facilities seemed well maintained and it's a pretty place to stop for a picnic or a swim.

The Park is beautifully maintained and has hiking trails, swimming area, and camping sites. The park is full of wildlife. There is a playground for the younger folk. The history of the park is well preserved and well presented. A trip to the Park is a must if visiting the area.

We are veteran trail walkers in the Florid pRks system, and annual members of the parks. These trails have lost their blazes and the map is very confusing. We finally realise we were lost and just doubled back. It takes so little to walk a trail with a can of spray paint and blaze it.

Simply put, Oleno Sate Park is gorgeous! Nature in all her elegance and finery. Be sure to take a camera and a completely comfortable pair of hiking shoes!

Love our state parks. We had site 26 in the Magnolia campground. Level, spacious and shade. W/E and dump station. The other campground Dogwood was better for popups and tents. Multiple hiking and biking trails. Clean bathrooms. Historical buildings and a museum.

Fantastic weekend, fantastic state park. The camp sites mare big and private and the park is beautiful. Highly recommend!

Very nice rest stop. Calm, quiet and peaceful. freindly and helpful personnel. Clean facilities. No sewer hookups but has dump station. About 2 mile round trip hike up the Santa Fe River, River goes underground at 1 mile and returns to the surface out of the park three miles further.

Wonderful place to see the real Florida.
Camping facilities were great, people were very informative.
No bears !
River area is a must

Although O’leno is a beautiful, historic park in Florida, our trip was ruined at the end due to the unbelievable amount of ticks and Chiggers we encountered. We took a morning ride/hike to the river rise, in the park, and when I looked down at my legs, I had hundreds of ticks crawling up my leg. My husband and I spent hours with a pair of tweezers pulling them off. We also think they are in the campground along with chiggers. Thank goodness this was our last campground (two week camping trip) before heading home. This is the only park that we went to that had so many warning signs about ticks, so that should have been a clue. If you go....wear long pants, long sleeve shirt...spray yourself with lots of DEET and maybe you will enjoy it, otherwise be prepared for unbearable itching when you get home. Oh and this time of year the mosquitoes are bad too. Triple whammy!

I gave it a two because the River Sink Trail is a nice walk. We encountered lots of deer (hmmm maybe that is why there are so many ticks). There is a swinging bridge. The campground could use some improvement. Not as well groomed as other state campgrounds. There is not a washer and dryer ( would have been nice to sterilize my clothes after that hike). Sad to say, this is one park I will not be coming back to.

This is a relatively smallish park in northern Florida about 25 miles from Gainesville.

The Santa Fe river runs through this park to its "sink" where it drops underground before re-emerging about 3 miles away. There are bathrooms, picnic tables, a playground, swimming area(more on that later), a canoe livery, and some nice walking trails.

The swimming are is a roped off spot in the river near the footbridge. The water is tannic, dark, and can appear quite stagnant and often has debris floating on it. I have also never seen a lifeguard but that could be due to timing. Keep in mind that there are alligators in this river(I have seen many) as well as large turtles and snakes.

The walking trail follows the river from the parking area to the sink and then loops around the sink, comes back upstream, and the crosses on the footbridge by the parking area. It is flat walk but can be very hot. I would estimate it takes about 1 hour. You will see plenty of turtles on the trip and maybe(probably) some gators. You will also probably see plenty of fish in the water, including gar that are approximately 30" long.

All in all it is a nice park. I think the admission cost is $5 per car.

We did the river trail in the park and we loved it. Don't follow the GPS, once you are on US 441, just keep driving until you see the park sign. The river trail is very nice. You will see a huge sinking hole at the middle of the trail. We saw lots of turtles laying on the trunks and move slowly around the sink hole just like doing merry go around.There is also a large area covered with duckweed and was so beautiful. They also have a swinging bridge which is fun for the kids to walk on. Definitley a good place for weekend outing.

My disabled wife and I have been to Oleno for some events (e.g. the annual pig roast held by the Alachua County Crisis Center), but only the last few years needed to use a wheelchair. Just returned from a wedding some friends were having there.

While restroom accessibility and placement is fine, the pathing for wheelchair access could use work. She has an extra-wide wheelchair, and in the main "lodge" area in the middle of the park, she's got to get up and walk through the double-doors because individually they aren't wide enough. Access to the other buildings from there including cabins is likely impossible unless your chair is motorized thanks to the lack of paving and the extremely fine "sugar" sand that can easily bog down narrow chair wheels.

Stayed in February with family of four in a popup. Sights are roomy and private with sensible layouts. Campground is extremely well maintained and bathrooms were clean. Great playground areas, neat historical buildings, and plenty of biking and hiking. Canoeing is also very good, upriver and down. As a bonus, their firewood is reasonably priced at $5.00 per bundle. Hope Gov. Scott doesn't axe this one.

Well labeled trails to hike you can pick shorter or longer circuits. The landscape is really interesting and unique to Florida. Lots of sinkholes and trees with burn off managed areas. And you can see where a river ends and goes underground. Recommend taking plenty of water if you do the long hike ~5mi. There is a park ranger and nature center at the entrance to the parking lot where you can get good information.

My granddaughter and I camped there a few months ago. She really enjoyed the area. She did not really like the swing bridge when I caused it to move. lol We saw many deer and the trails were nice. Would visit again.

This is the oldest park in the State of Florida. It was designated and developed in the early 1930's. Several buildings have wonderful, educational displays of the history of the development of the park and samples, both stuffed and live, of the local wildlife. Wonderful park for the day or overnight camping. There are many miles of hiking trails and lots of shade from the beautiful tall pine trees. The cypress trees down by the Santa Fe River are beautiful. The Santa Fe river is very unique in that it flows to a point where it disappears underground an reappears above ground about 3 miles up the trail where it heads to flow into the Suwanee River. If you want a real taste of old Florida. This is the place. I've marked it on my "Be Back" list.

This is a nice park waaaaay out in the Florida woods....lots of wildlife, and hiking trails. Only problem we encountered was taking our Big Rig through some of those tight corners on the dirt path.....I just am happy my driver was expert at backing that big rig and successfully maneuvering in the dark. Recommend for smaller rigs.....

I found it to be a quant park. There's not a lot to do there other than enjoy nature. You can fish there and there air a history center that tells you about the history of the park.

We stayed here several nights in June and we enjoyed our time here. It's a nice park and the bathrooms are modern and clean. The trail is nice and well marked and many of the camping sites are shaded. The downside is that the state of Fl has now decided to install split railing wood fence at the sites. I assume this is some conservation measure since they're somewhat overboard with preserving nature (i.e."you can no longer wade and swim around the blue hole and they now tell you to stay on the float at Ichetuknee, etc., don't feed the deer, don't touch the manatees...). The point here is you lose space at the sites, and this is a big deal if you're already squashed into a narrow site (we had #16) and need to extend a 4 foot slide out. They should have had the forethought to leave the top railing off next to the water/electric hookup but that makes too much sense. And you never know, you may disturb the wild brush or destroy some leaves.

Overall the park is very clean. Very nice staff. Seems to have quite a bit of volunteers. No Mosquitos, which I was surprised. But a lot of ticks. The sites flood easily with rain. Bathrooms very clean and accessible.

I was fascinated reading about the Santa Fe River disappearing into a sinkhole at O'Leno State Park. So my husband and I packed our camper and set off for a short stay at O'Leno. We stayed at Magnolia Campground - very wooded and very nice plus you can walk from the campground to the swimming area and to the River Walk Trail. The River Walk Trail is one of the most beautiful trails I have ever seen in Florida State Parks. The trail goes along the river to the river sink and then thru beautiful woods with pools of water here and there plus a small lake. It is a delightful trail and an easy walk. Birding was good on some areas of the trail also. High Springs is a nice little town and it is easy to see other parts of the Santa Fe River outside of the park. We plan to visit the park again next year.

My husband and I camped MLK weekend 2011. The sites are way too close together. They also don't have grills. Well, they do, but they are over the fire pit 6" off the ground. The bathrooms were clean, and the rangers were very friendly. We just didn't like that we had other capers literally 10' from us with no foliage. The Magnolia loop is better than Dogwood, and it looked like #23 Magnolia was one of the most secluded. It is close to the bathroom, but I'd choose that over what we had (#12 Mag)

The trails were really nice.

Beautiful park, but some portions closed due to flooding. It would have been nice to know that portions were closed BEFORE we paid to get in.

There are two campgrounds here. Dogwood, which is close to the road, with traffic noise, and magnolia, which is a mile back, and is very quiet. There is a day use area, with plenty of well marked and wide trails.

They also have group camping, and a building where they give seminars.

The facilities are updated and clean.

A river that flows into a large sink hole is back one of the well marked trails

Interesting and a trip into the once wilderness of a quiet little town.A charge enterance into this park- which the local should not be charged, but i guess someone has to pay taxes. The park does have a quality of nature and a sound of peacefulness about its environment. It is a nice place to go for a holistic outing on a fine afternoon.

It is cool to see. Worth it. Very rustic and Natural. Clean. My Friend is getting married there. The dining hall has a nice kitchen with a walk in cooler and commercial appliances. There are cabins all over the place but no Air Conditioning.

O'Leno State Park has cabins that have all the modern amenities, a clean camp site, handles the largest motorhome. The trails are good, lots of birds, wildlife, and everything is in bloom. The park ranger is helpful. You can see the river sink. If you visit River Rise Preserve State Park on US Highway 27, you guessed it, you can watch the river rise.

We camped here with children a couple days before Halloween and had a good time. Only regret was that the river was too low to rent a canoe in the park. We spent the day hiking one of the trails along the river and had a good time - beautiful scenery.

The camp site was large enough for our popup and the bathrooms were clean. Just be aware one of the roads that loops some sites is very narrow and uneven with several elevation changes. Actually added to the rustic feel.

Great weekend at the park for the "Friends of O'Leno" annual chili cook off. The park was a sell out on all camp sites and cabins with electric.
The staff was wonderful as usual. We have been going there for the last several years and have always had a great time. The park staff will do whatever it takes to make your visit enjoyable.
We stayed in Leader Cabin 3 and it was clean and ready to go. The park is beautiful and for once we even had some sunshine on Saturday!
Its a great park and well worth the visit! The river is beautiful!

O'leno is a lovely campground that reminds me of how all Florida parks used to be. It's natural, very woodsy, no concrete roads or slabs.It's nice to pitch a tent in soft sand rather than the now typical rocky platforms found at most FL parks. Bathrooms were clean and basic. I camped during the week and it was very quiet. The sites are close together, so I wouldn't want to be there when it was at capacity.
I couldn't figure out where to launch my kayak as there was no dock/ramp. I drove down to Rum Island instead.

This is one of the better State Parks in Florida. Nice grounds, good trails, lots of trails. Campsites are separated by split rail fence. Not a lot of green space between for privacy.

Many miles of trails plus the Santa-Fe sink and source are something unique to the park. Perfect for hikes.

Large/clean bathhouse, nice private campsites, the notice about ticks/mosquitoes was a bit "off-putting" but HEY information is power and it is camping, not the Ritz.

My hubby and I went here for a weekend camping trip as it was only a couple hours from home. Clean, quiet, and a very enjoyable State Park. Will gladly return.

I really enjoyed the trails along the river in this park. The river has a rusty brown cast to it due to the high tannic acid content-- not a usual sight. The footbridge was positioned very high across the river due to the floodwaters that can and have reached very high as shown on markers there. We saw turtles basking on logs but no alligators for which there are several warning signs. I loved that dogs on leashes were welcomed and that made it easy for us to travel with our companions. My one suggestion is that their maps need improvement and their trail markers are fairly nonexistent (perhaps washed away in storm flooding?). It was difficult to read the maps for lack of detail and proper matching up to the site-- also maps were tiny visually. We enjoyed the hike during midweek and there were not many people there. The fields of fantail palms were especially nice.

We were able to take my dog on 6 foot leash. Three days in a row we chose to hike a different trail. The three trails are River Walk- 1.44 miles and the most diverse and beautiful. The next trail we walked was the Limestone Trail which is .68 miles and goes by a limestone outcrop and pine forest. The third I didn't find as interesting and was about 3 1/2 miles long. Besides these three trails we took our dog on, there are another 35 miles of hiking trails. The River Walk was gorgeous! First you cross a swaying suspension bridge, you see turtles basking in the sun, alligators have been spotted here, the trees are delightful. Lots of benches and shade. Well marked path. Look up the history of the River Sink in High Springs, Florida. The River actually disappears underground and reappears miles away. The River sink is found on this trail. The highest rated park I've been in a Florida so far for hiking. I loved all three days of hiking with my dog.

Great campground to stay, very quiet and secluded, lots of hiking trails, places to explore, The Rangers are very friendly, firewood available. Bathrooms are kept very clean. The only thing is there is store and the closest town is about 5 to 10 miles away. No washing machines available either. The site for the most part are all great and secluded and not close to your neighbor. UC plenty of wildlife, Deers roaming the park early in the morning and afternoon. Loved our stay and would return again!!

We stayed here in August with 2 other couples tent camping for 2 nights. We were disappointed that the Snake River was closed due to heavy rain but luckily the Itchetucknee and Ginnie Springs were both only 20 minutes away. Very happy that the campsites had power, it was August in Central Florida after all! We were able to bring fans and we slept very well. We usually primitive camp but the extra $ was worth it. The running water at each site was convenient too. The bathrooms were very cleaned and we enjoyed the hot showers after tubing all day. I would stay here again, especially because I didn't have a chance to check out the hiking trails and they looked fun!

We were lucky enough to find one last spot at the last minute for memorial day wekeend at Oleno. This was our first time going. We also take our dog with us so we were looking for a pet friendly park. I did a little research on the park online and was a little concerned about the ticks. I never encountered them before while camping but my husband had in the past up north while hunting. When we arrived we were greeted by the friendly staff. Very pleased with the size of our lot and the greenery. It also had a small trail in the back that lead to the restroom/showers. They were extremely clean. The camping area was quiet considering how almost all were full already. We had to to go the store for more kerosene for our tiki lamps. Shopping is only about a 5 minute drive away. They have a plaza that has a Winn-Dixie, dollar store, dollar general, Chinese food, and bells outlet.
During our weekend we went canoeing and swimming. The actual park area itself was very pretty and clean. The suspension bridge definately gives it a great focal point while you're swimming or just sitting. They had a kids playground and bbq stations set up with quaint little covered benched picnic areas. In the middle of the park, they have the bigger pavillion which is a log cabin type construction piece that really made everything piece together. There were some bits of little history throughout the park that were quite interesting. We did not see any gators at all while we went canoeing or swimming, which doesn't bother me b.c Ive seen plenty gators.
Now for the ticks...we did encounter them on the second day but they were not the one that dig their heads in your skin. They pretty much just clung onto you and were easily removed by just plucking them off. I didn't have any myself but my husband had a couple on himself and two out of the three of my boys had a couple too. So I would recommend just to spray yourself everyday you are there if ticks bother you. Other than the ticks I have to say we REALLY enjoyed ourselves. Never had any issues with our dog, the staff or other dogs. The canoe rental was cheap at $3.00 per hour. Im used to paying $20.00 for half day no matter if you had it for that whole time. One place that is worth the visit while you are there and are willing to drive about 20 min is Dudley Farm Museum. This is a living museum and it definitely was worth the little trip. Very educational and the staff there are very informed about everything on the farm. They have certain events throughout the year also. Just be prepared to pay cash once arriving b.c they have a honor pay on your own system at the front entrance: $5.00 per car.

O'leno is a pretty park with some nice walking trails with river views and even a suspended bridge. There is not swimming allowed in the river anymore though many years ago locals swam there all the time. There is a spot on the trail where the river sinks underground and disappears which is interesting, lots of turtles and sometimes alligators there. Nice place for a walk, make sure to cover your legs and ankles for ticks/chiggers.

This first of Florida's State Parks has great CCC buildings and history. Nice walking paths and roads for bicycling. Some trails for mountain bikes too.

Great park on the Santa Fe River. You have to hike to the River sink where the Santa Fe river goes underground for 3.5 miles. Nice camp sites and hiking trails. Nice old suspension bridge across the river. a number of natural sinks in the park. The longest trail goes toRiver Rise where the river comes back to the surface.

We camped in the Magnolia campsite within the park. The bathrooms were acceptable. The park is beautiful! There are hiking trails, playgrounds, historical sites and information, and a swimming area. The swimming area is very deep, there are potentially alligators in the vicinity, but it was nice and refreshing. Another great thing about the park is that it is located near many other beautiful parks and springs, so we took day trips to visit them as well.

Really nice state park and not so secluded that we don’t have cell service (we need to run internet Telly)! The river and trails are certainly nice and well maintained. Only 4-5 miles to nearest grocery and liquor store!!

The campgrounds are clean, quiet and beautiful. The showers and restrooms were very clean, also. The rangers kept telling us to watch out for deer ticks - and they weren't kidding. The place is infested with them.

I visited O’Leno State Park on a late summer afternoon. This was my first visit and was stunned at the beauty and variety of the natural landscape. The CCC built the park in the 1930s and many of the buildings and the suspension bridge remain from that time. The area was once a town in late 1800s which is evidenced by the grist mill remains on display. I hiked the River Trail along the Santa Fe River. Many types of trees and plants are found along the trail. Natural levees are prominent along the shore of the river. I was stunned to discover that the river flows into a giant sinkhole and emerges 3 miles away. It was an impressive sight! While the trail was nice, there were a large number of bugs. I applied bug spray ahead of time so it wasn’t a big issue for me. I did see a tortoise and some turtles along the road into park and the trail. This park is only 5 miles off I-75. It is a great place to stop along the highway and experience some of Florida’s best parks!

This a very unique park ------- in one portion of the park the Santa Fe River disappears into underground caves and foes through an inverted syphon until it returns to the ground surface at "River Rise" and continues towards the Gulf of Mexico as a part of the Swannee.

It is a great ride. We love outdoor Florida and the trail to the Santa Fe river rise is diverse enough to keep things interesting. There is a good chance you will see deer along with the other common wildlife one would expect to see in Florida pine, oak, and river habitats. (birds, reptiles ...)

A couple of notes for reference; Wear bug repellent. You will most likely encounter ticks. Along our ride, there was small patches of sugar sand or mud. I wouldn't consider them game changers but consider your technical and stamina abilities.

I did not check out the hiking trails but the view from the suspension bride and by the river was gorgeous!

We have traveled to quite a few Florida State Parks. This is one I wouldn't come back to. The camp sites are large with electric and water hook ups. The road to the sites is a step above a dirt road. Lots of bumps. We kayaked on the river and saw some wildlife but the water is not clear at all. No way I'd let kids swim in it. The facilities were clean but this park needs some updates.

Very nice park, great trails, campground I stayed in (Dogwood), roads in narrow, almost couldn't get in site because of trees,none of the sites were clean,covered with leaves, fire pit clean, maybe that how they do there parks in Florida,not sure,here 4 nights in 36 from fifth wheel, would stay again for a night or two

An easy/short trail along the river with plenty of shade. There are a few longer trails if you are looking for a day hike. Some areas allow swimming, but about a 1/2 mile further down river there are alligator warning signs; and I did see a few juvenile alligators at the base where the river submerges below ground.

Very nice spot to camp. Quite pretty and secluded.
Staff was extremely helpful and friendly!
Magnolia campground had the nicer sites of the 2 loops.

Another great Florida state park. We have camped at several and all of them have been top notch. When you want the real camping experience, go to a Florida state park.

If you like flora and fauna, then this is a place worth visiting. The trails are nice to walk around. They are not too bad, even for those not too steady on their feet. An interesting part of the trail is where the Santa Fe River disappears underground and reappears in the neighboring River Rise State Park. Oleno has a small museum and relics from the old town that once existed there. There also is a small nature center with some of the local wildlife. They host several events a year as well. If you love nature, you'll love Oleno. Camping had power and water hookups for 30 and 50 amp. Have fun.

Went there to do some Plein Air painting and discovered a hidden gem. Just beautiful. The river and the bridge and the trails were wonderful. Very serene and amazingly well kept. Get your bug spray on though Chiggers are waiting to get you there. Loved it.

Ticks all over !
The park is nice and beautiful but if you walk anywhere you will get ticks...spray with bug repellent before going out side.
Campground is very tight for large rigs I have a 38' motorhome and was tough getting into my site.
High Springs is 5 miles down the road and has some nice restaurants.

My friend, G. Kent and I hiked as research for his next book. I would highly recommend this park. It was clean and well maintained. The trails were established and beautiful. I shot over a hundred pictures along the way. We spent the better part of the day hiking and I thoroughly enjoyed each step.

Spent two nights camping here between Christmas and New Year's. The campground was well maintained as was the picnic area by the river. We spent many hours walking the trails through the woods and cypress trees. The restrooms had hot showers and heat lamps. There was a large sink outside with hot water for washing dishes which was much easier than using our bucket. It was a little too chilly for swimming but loved the little dock and the suspension bridge.

The park is beautiful. Also very historic with the " land bridge" . Great for hiking or bring a horse! It very close to itchutuck ee springs Ana bunch of others. If you love the outdoors, this area is FANTASTIC!

Our disappointment was not totally centered on the physical park, but also on the volunteer(s) at the ranger station during check-in. No one mentioned the connection to River Rise Preserve State Park, so we never realized this until after we left. And they don’t give you any information concerning the park.

Absolutely bring your bug repellent, and always make certain your pet has a flea and tick collar. This review is for our 3 day visit during May 2014. We camp in a 27 foot travel trailer, along with 2 small dogs. While camping, our passions are hiking, biking, photography, and relaxing.
The restrooms/showers are clean and well maintained, and they look brand new. As in all the Florida State Parks, the playground area is really nice. We stayed at the Dogwood camp area, but after bike riding the camps areas, the Magnolia camp area is definitely the area to camp in. The campsites were laid out okay, and it wasn’t too difficult to back in the site. However, if you’re looking for any privacy at all, this camp area isn’t it. All the sites state 30AMP service, but our site had 50AMP.

The Dogwood hiking trail was a total disappointment, as it was obvious that this trail wasn’t being maintained. Hiking the River and Parener’s Branch trails were pretty good. We did bike the park roads, which we took down to the river area. The nature area has a couple of volunteers that were just great people. The river and swimming area are beautiful. The swimming area was closed due to high water. The park area itself is beautiful, and we noticed that the vines are really growing and covering the tree areas.

Two side notes: Keep your dogs leased, and please don’t burn creosote soaked wood as this not only stinks, it’s toxic!

Though we thought this park was nothing special, we do plan on camping here again in 2016 at the Magnolia campground, so we’ll see how this works out and leave our final judgment on the park until then.

Always out choice on trips between panhandle and southern Florida. Quiet, peaceful, and friendly staff. Abundant wildlife.

Camp sites were nice but some are pretty tight with trees, boulders and coral style fencing at some sights. I was unable to manuever my camper into the assigned site #28 but luckily we had an extra sight #30 and that was much easier. Most sites were pretty shaded and well maintained. The power was good, no surges or lows. There is a swimming area, a small nature center, a museum and plenty of history. The walking trails were well marked by colors and we had a nice map from the Ranger. FWC Ferguson was very nice and helpful, especially telling us about the ticks. THERE are ALOT of ticks.The bathrooms were dated but clean and a small outdoor sink for dishes.

Found this campground to be a well maintained state park. It has good hiking trails for those of us that enjoy less strenuous "hikes." My husband and I stayed in our RV while our grandson and daughter camped in one of "primitive" Youth Camp Areas with the Trail Life boys! We were within easy walking distance to their campsite. The Youth Area did have restroom facilities and a very nice large pavilion for setting up their kitchen. Nice open area for tents and two fire pit areas. I think this is a great Park for those first time youth to enjoy and learn about camping and working together.

I've been visiting O'Leno State Park ever since I was a teenager when I would spend one week each summer attending an overnight church camp. It was then that I fell in love with it, and have been returning ever since. The Santa Fe river is the main attraction. Do take the time to walk the trail that leads you to the end of the river where it magically sinks underground (only to rise again at another location outside of the park). This is a beautiful place to relax and picnic with the family. The closer it gets to sundown the more likely you are to see deer grazing throughout the park, showing very little fear of humans if left at a safe distance. Be certain to check yourself for ticks throughout your visit, and especially when you undress in the evening. Deer ticks are quite common, and no one likes ticks! Best advice would be to wear insect repellant designed for ticks. And don't forget the swinging bridge over the river. Always great for photos.

We stayed in the Magnolia Campground in the only pull thru site. Our 33' class A motorhome had no problem.
All sites provide a fenced area with fire ring & picnic table.
Clean restrooms/showers.
Rough roads in the campground & Dogwood Campground almost primitive.
Several beautiful Springs nearby.
Farmers Market in nearby High Springs had the the BEST doughnuts.

Such beautiful hiking trails. Nice picnic area along the river. Group camping as well as tent camping. pet friendly. And just beautiful...

Beautiful area for hiking. I saw lots of deer on the trails. You can also ride your mountain bike on some of the trails. Bring bug spray as the mosquitos are awful this time of year. I would love to come back to camp.

The only real negative we would have to pass on concerns the narrow roads in the campground. Some units may have trouble navigating, so if you're in anything over 35 ft., you may want to make sure you've got one of the longer sites and take a few deep breaths.

Quite a few birds. We even got to see an owl and falcon get into a border dispute. We think the owl won.

The only trail we got to hike went for a loop around where the river disappears. Be sure and keep your eyes open for gators, we saw two huge ones.

This is quite an educational attraction and very interesting. It is really cool to see where the Santa Fe River goes underground for 3-1/2 miles before resurfacing and going to the Suwannee River. It is also a great place to walk and then have a picnic lunch. Wonderful experience.

We had a rough start since staff wasn't friendly as we checked in and explored. But once we got settled in out site (36), things improved. The sites on this loop have decent privacy between them. The bathhouse is in the center of the loop and is fine. This is a peaceful park. We enjoyed ourselves.

While staying in Gainesville, we wanted to find a good place to go on a hike. This state park popped up in the search and off we went! The park is absolutely beautiful; a large suspension bridge and cabins for events, as well as weekend community events.
However, if you're going in the summer time, watch out for ticks and mosquitoes. This park has them in abundance.

if you are looking for rustic, quiet camping then this is it! we loved it! we stayed in the Magnolia sites. each site is sectioned off with split rail and the distance between sites is more then ample. it was like wilderness living and the only sound was the owls, birds and critters . if you are a Fl resident the camping is cheaper. there are lots of water springs near by for swimming, canoe, kayaking.

Returned here last weekend on the way back from an extended trip and still love this place. This time we stayed in Magnolia, down closer to the river. Bathrooms in this loop were also very clean, water was hot and good water pressure. River was flowing and enjoyed the trails. And the deer were very active. We saw 5 at one time right next to our site. No ticks this time!

Although the weather was a bit chilly for Florida, it made for a perfect afternoon for a walk/hike. The area has an interesting history and geography and beautiful scenery. Although we did not bring a picnic, it appears to be a great place for picnics!

We had not been to this park before. It was close to where we were staying and we wanted to see it and stretch our legs. There is a suspension bridge and several CCC era buildings there. We walked a river loop across two bridges and included where the Santa Fe River goes underground. The wild azaleas were in full bloom.

We were lucky to get a Friday and Saturday night camping spot. Very friendly staff greeted us and made the check in process enjoyable. We got lucky and our campsite was near the bathrooms. I found the bathrooms clean and well lit. The river, swinging bridge, and trails are easily accessible by the second campground.

I camped here in mid April. The park has 2 campground within a mile from each other. In stayed at the Dogwood site and it was very clean and shady. The restrooms were kept very clean.

The hiking was great crossing over the Santa Fe river on a suspension bridge built in the 1930's. . the trails were mostly tree covered and easy to hike. Lots of beautiful trees, river scenery and kayaking as well.

One word of warning.. TICKS,TICKS, TICKS!!! Be prepared to be covered in them. They fall from the trees and if you have a pet with you they WILL be covered!! Even strongest spray doesn't keep them away so just beware. Don't know if its a year round problem but it is definitely something to be aware of!

A great lil park to escape to, close to the house, a lot of hiking trails, beautiful river, a a lot of history

One of my favorite parks...awesome river trails. This is the place where the Santa Fe River goes underground (riversink) and comes back up 4 miles down the road and River Rise. Beautiful place to go for a dip, hiking and/or a picnic. Worth the time.

My husband and his friends come up here in the winter for camping in the bunk houses. He’s been coming for years and we happen to be in the area so he wanted to take me to see the area.
Very serene location. Was raining out so couldn’t stay long. There were several dear all around the bunk house. The water was very high is the river.
Thanks for hosting the group every year....he looks forward to it!

Nice park, all the sites are close together. The trails are nice and the bathroom facilities are decent. Relatively pet friendly.

This is a lovely park in High Springs, very nice camp site areas, cheap canoe rentals and a beautiful river with lots of wildlife. There is a small swimming area, but it's often closed due to water levels. We come here often and have many fond memories, including a wedding ceremony on the water.

O'leno was our first camping trip ever. We enjoyed it very much it was relaxing. We arrived on a Wednesday, that first night we were the only ones there, or so we thought. About 5 in the morning something was russeling in the leaves, we found out later it was a stray dog, so glad that's all it was. We were in the dogwood loop, they were pretty much full for the weekend. The only thing I hated the most was the fact that there were ticks. I don't really do bugs, and I understand we are out doors, and stinging bugs OK, but not ones that latch on to you...:-) thank god I didn't get any, but my boyfriend had one on his inner thigh and one around his man parts. That did it for me. Love the park, but for the tick problem probably won't go back.. oh the camp host Gary was super.... and the files were a problem too.....

This is one of Florida's first state parks. O'Leno State Park is a gem tucked away along the banks of the scenic Santa Fe River. Many facilities at the park were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. There's an area for swimming, camping facilities (full), picnic area, and cabins. Hiking trails take you through various environments. A suspension bridge makes for a thrilling way to cross the river. There's a lodge and covered area big enough to hold a retreat or family reunion. Playground. Museum. Fishing. Even a group camp with cabins, dining hall, rec hall, and bathhouses. This park is well worth the small admission fee. Plan to stay the day.

One of Florida's oldest parks and a terrific spot for wildlife spotting. The Santa Fe River (which is a tributary of the world-famous Suwannee River) runs, through the park until it disappears underground as part of Florida's huge aquifer. The Santa Fee reemerges in the River Rise State Preserve a short drive away. features sinkholes, hardwood hammocks, river swamps, and sandhills. Campgrounds, hardwood stands, lots of birds (and bugs in summer... take spray) and hiking trails.

Be very careful when walking the trails we got into ticks so bad that we and our dogs were infested in very very small ticks. Within two weeks one of our dogs became sick and is now on meds due to the ticks. We are going to have to test ourselves now too. Our one nights stay with vet bills and related items has now cost us well over $500 and a good deal of inconvenience. Be careful!!

This was our first visit to O'Leno and it was well worth the drive.
What a beautiful serene setting. One could sit by the river all day and soak in the surrounding nature. Awesome! To top it off our family was camping there so that was an added bonus.

This park has miles and miles of horse trails. You walk through pines trails, oak hammocks, and you can even walk along the river's edge. The deer are plentiful. Horse campsites have stalls for the horses and a clean bathhouse with showers for the people.

we were pleasantly surprised with this park when we went it was $5 a car the trails are what caught our attention they are kept up so hiking was a breeze there is swimming the water is not clear though so be safe and don't swim alone

We dropped by the park to walk on a Saturday afternoon. The rangers at the entrance gave us a park map including the trails. I recommend taking some water when it is warm. The start of the trail is crossing a suspension bridge, which is really nice for photos. We walked the shorter trail and had a pleasant day that was quiet. We enjoyed walking along the banks of the Santa Fe River and looking at the wildlife. After walking the trails, we looked at the exhibits and learned the history of this delightful park built by the Civilian Conservation Corps.
We will go back again when it is cooler.

My family and I have enjoyed staying at this park for many summers. My favorite is following the Santa Fe river to the place where the river "sinks" and disappears. Way cool. Also you can see on the trees marked where it has flooded in the past. This is a great park to explore and we always had a good time here. Stay here then drive up the road road and float down the Ichetucknee springs. Great family or couple outing!

This is a wonderful park and all that a park should be. It's got everything for the outdoor park goer in Florida. The spring, winter and fall weather is excellent here. Summers I say just go to Michigan and forget High Springs.
The campgrounds for your RV are excellent with great spots with the only downers being no sewage dumps at the site and there is gasp, choke, sand not gravel there. Very shaded and quiet. Good bath house, very clean and good quality water. Hiking trails are numerous and beautiful. There is a really weird South American giant rodent-a Capybara that lives near River Rise that is awesome to see. Don't worry they eat leaves and river grass. Best way to see River Rise is to rent a canoe from the Canoe Outpost or launch your own at Boat Ramp Road and paddle up. No need for a pick up. This stretch of the river can get real shallow so watch out for those. When it's flowing strongly there are some mini rapids here. Good fishing and a few alligators as well. I'm not going to give directions but if you can figure out how to get to Hornsby Spring there is the best swamp this side of Fakahatchee. Plenty of great festivals in the park. Seminole war one is awesome. I could go on and on about this place. It's totally worth a visit.

It is a nice place to go for a walk. Nice and quiet, it the right place to enjoy nature around here.

Nothing special, I don't think I'd go there again. Ok if you just want to walk in a forest, but not very scenic.

Took our bikes to see if there were any trails in the park. Unfortunately there were really none in the park but long ones outside the park. Fortunately , after we paid our entrance fee, we decided to walk the trails. This was a very pleasant and informative trek. I highly recommend it if you have an hour and a half to spare. Watch out for the roots in the path.

Reading the reviews I must admit I was a little freaked out about tick reports but I had already made my reservation so I did a little online research about repellents. There are basically 2, a spray for your skin containing at least 30% deet (I got 40%) Deep woods OFF, REPEL, etc. and Permethrin to spray on clothing/fabrics etc. I got both at Walmart. The park was beautiful, the river very scenic campground was nice and very well kept. Sites are large but fairly close together with no barriers like brush to afford you some privacy. The restrooms/bathhouses were the cleanest I've seen (they may be new).My biggest disappointment was the fact that the river level was very high so there was no canoeing or swimming but that's the way it goes... Spent 3 days at the campground and never saw a tick and would recommend O Leno to anyone,Be prepared for the ticks just in case they are out and about.

Visited on an overcast 90 degree day & found this to be a nice little state park. We went with the intent to let our 2 kids (10 & 12) swim, however due to high water the swimming area was closed. If I hadn't paid the $5 entry fee (per car) we probably would've left. If you really want to swim here I'd call ahead first. We decided to hike the riverfront trail. It was about 1.5 miles & very easy/well marked. My MIL has back & leg problems, but was able to complete the hike since there are multiple benches to sit & take a break on. There was an opening where we caught several turtles sunning themselves. There is also a nice playground near the parking lot that the kids played on. We didn't explore any of the buildings. The restrooms were very clean & had plenty of soap/paper towels. I'd return if in the area again.

This state park was an impromptu visit leaving high springs. Just decided to make the turn down the road and entered this wonderful park on the river. No springs but plenty of views and history. Drove to the camping area and full hookups for RV with dump site. They have 30 amp service, water but no sewer hookup but the dump site was close and clean. Family friendly with a small park for the kids. Swimming may not be kid friendly due to the depth of the water with no beach area. Has a neat suspension bridge with great views of the river. Can’t wait to return with the camper and grand kids.

spent a week all the rangers were helpful and nice ,the buildings were beautiful and so was all the walks

This is a wonderful park in which to see interesting and exciting environmental and historical features. Of special interest were the disappearance of the Santa Fe River and the CCC historical site. The park is connected to Ft. White and Branford by the Suwanee Greenway, a 20+ mile hiking/biking trail that adds another dimension to the excitement of the park. The information about the river going underground was unique and especially interesting.

The wife and I camped at O’leno for three nights (4/17-4/19). Overall, I’d rate the camp a 9 out of 10. The campsites where a little close together and since we where there during the Spring Break season, the camp seemed to be a little crowded. The park is a little spread out so bring your bike. The camping area is about a mile from the “day use” area next to the river. The bath houses where well kept and clean. There was also plenty of wildlife to see on the many day hiking trails. While the camp does have canoes for rent, I’d recommend using the Canoe Outpost located between the park and the town of High Springs. The cost is about $30 for the day. They have pickup spots down river at one of the several springs so there is no upstream paddling! If you rent from the state park you can only go upstream and there are no springs to play in. I’m sure we will camp here again!

This was our first official camping with our kids and we had a site next to and near their friends and parents. It was in March and there ended up being a tornado warning. Prior to this and throughout the stay it was fairly windy which seemed to contribute to the tick problem. I ended up with the most by far as I never used any bug repellent (had between 16-18). The rest of the family, pets, and other families probably had generally between 4-6 ticks each and they all used repellent so it obviously helps.
As I talked about our experience over the next 2-3 weeks to probably about a half dozen people or so, at least 4 of them said that is where they had similar experiences. I really hate that this happened because before we had found any on us, we were definitely planning on going back. In retrospect though wish I would have heard of this prior to going. Since this is an overall rating, I rate it average (would have been very good or excellent), but its not worth it to me to have to deal with that and the possible health issues that have been increasing related to ticks.

Took river trail along Santa Fe. Crossed very interesting old suspension bridge to start the walk. Saw two deer on the trail - surprisingly, they did not bolt at the sight of us but instead calmly watched us pass. Enjoyed the various markers to help explain the environment. Trail well blazed. Would have liked it if a marker would have pointed out site of former mill. Interesting display explaining mill and showing artifacts of same. Bathrooms clean and neat. CCC monument interesting.

Beautiful state park. Only a $5 per vehicle fee. Rangers very nice and available to give a history background. We took the river hike. Very easy walk. Lots of shade and places to picnic.

Nice walk on a cool day. Lot's of trails. Better watch your step; many tripping hazards. Interesting history. Abandoned settlement and grist mill. Be sure to walk down river to the point where it disappears into the ground.

trails in the park. I feel like I have the whole park to myself.

I camped in this park with my teardrop and visited nearby Ichetucknee as well. There were plenty of sites available to book, so it was super easy to get into. The park is one of the older parks, but it’s really, really nice, and peaceful. When I came in, two young dear walked right across the road in front of me, the next day when I went to visit Ichetucknee, the same two dear crossed the road in front of me again in the other direction. The trail hikes are easy in this park, and it’s cool to see wherever the river disappears. The roads are a little rough in the camping areas, and the spaces are a little tight, but overall, two thumbs up.

We love the state parks in general and this is definitely a must-see! It's one of the older parks so it has more buildings and infrastructure (built in the '30s but the CCC) than many of the newer parks. Many of the buildings were closed because of Covid, but the important facilities like bathrooms were still available. There's extensive hiking, a swimming area, boat launch, picnic spots and a playground so there was still plenty to do.

We camped in the Dogwood Campground which was great. The sites are a little harder to back into if you have a larger camper/RV because the road is narrow but they're also very private. The bathhouse is in great shape and was very clean. When we booked, I didn't realize that there are two seperate campgrounds and that Dogwood is over a mile from the hiking area, river, and dumpsite. Not a deal-breaker by any means, but I think next time we'd stay at the Magnolia campground instead.

So So Park. I Guess I Have Seen So Many Other Beautiful Places In Florida. There are loads of Springs in and around this area that are so much more beautiful. Even the hiking did not impress me. The cabins looked depressing with no windows. I will not go back because there were not enough pluses to entice me.

This was our first visit to O'Leno State Park. It costs $5 per car for park admission. We brought a picnic lunch and ate at the picnic tables near the river. There are outdoor tables and a large covered pavillion with tables. Charcoal grills are also available. Campsites are available for overnight camping. There is a playground for children (swings) and outdoor waterfountains nearby. The ladies restroom was very clean! There is a small museum located near the playground. There are several signs giving lots of historical information about O'Leno and Florida history. Adults will appreciate that more than students/children. There are hiking trails, horseback riding trails, and a swimming area at the river (no sandy beach, just a floating dock). We walked on the River Trail and it's 1.44 miles. It was a nice walk through the woods along the river most of the way. We plan to return and explore more of the park. If you like natural Florida outdoors this is a great park to visit!

Lots of deer, some fun trails along the River, and some very interesting things about the Santa Fe River going under ground and then resurfacing miles away. We made sure to check it all out and to see the main attraction the suspension bridge.

We were here with a large group. We stayed in the group camping area...cabins were clean. lots of interesting hiking spots. very close to river launches. Quick drive to High Springs. Loved our stay a beautiful scenic gem along the Santa Fe River

In case you're wondering what "well behaved pets" means, as stated in OSP's official page, it means they CANNOT bark at all. We got complaints withing minutes of arriving on site due to our dog barking. The visits continued, several times per day, as my dog just didnt seem to understand the words "you can't bark" though I tried explaining it to him. In addition, it is Tick infested to top it off. Perhaps a good strategy by the park itself to ward off pet owners!

We love historic sites and, if they have amazing scenery, even better. O'Leno State Park scores above average on both scales.

O'Leno State Park is located on the old town site of Leno, and previous to that, Keno. The history of this little town is surprising but, even more amazing is that disappearing Santa Fe River.

Our walk across the CCC swinging bridge gave us the chance to walk beside this dark, fast moving little river and enjoy the amazing flora and birdlife that abounds here. After a bit of a workout hiking beside the river, we found ourselves back at the townsite ....... but on the opposite side of the Santa Fe? We hadn't crossed any bridges (or so we thought) to get to the opposite side but here we were, definitely on the other bank.

Turns out that this is one of 3 Florida rivers that drop into sink holes and then pop up again as a spring. The Santa Fe choses to run underground about 4 1/2 miles before showing up again to be enjoyed by nature lovers. Our walk had actually taken us on "land bridge" over the river so got us to the other side without realizing it.

There is a small history building with displays about the town, the area, and the CCC work done in this park. Great information in a very neat little building.

Another neat little building is the Nature Center that displays the fascinating wildlife in the area. Part of the fascinating wildlife was the gentleman who seemed to know every historical fact about Florida in general and O'Leno in particular. Truly a wise and knowledgeable person who was eager to share the wonders of his home State with every interested person. Who knew that Florida once raised more cattle than Texas? Well he does and that was just the start of the much appreciated nature hour with him. All State Parks should be so lucky as to have such a gem available to mesmerize visitors.

The camping area is a bit rough. When the pavement stops, the gravel gets pretty sketchy. On our visit, holes had just been filled in with buckets of rough gravel that created hills where the valleys had been so no improvement until things get battered down again.

No Laundry, no wifi, no free pizza & beer but the gravelled sites offer some separation between neighbors. There is a kiddies playground at one end of the campground so choose your site accordingly.

Had a great time....... Interesting and fun park. Host in magnolia loop were friendly and an awesome couple. We will be back again. Enjoyed seing the deer each morning and walking over the bridge.

This is our third trip to High Springs and our second stay here. Would defiantly recommend this campground to all our friends. Come for the beauty and stay for the peace and quiet. Will return again next year.

We were just there for one night, but we certainly liked what we saw. A nice drive back from the road, we were transported into natural Florida. Neat campsites, although some were closer together than others. The restrooms were clean. We didn't get a chance to hike any trails but we did explore some and found the footbridge over the stream flowing past the group campgrounds. Very cool! Sure wished there had been another hour of daylight to continue our walk.
It was a tight fit for our 34' motor home, but we got into are space easily enough. We will be back when we can spend more time exploring.

O'Leno State Park is one of Florida's many excellent State Parks that continue to amaze.
O'Leno has two camping areas and depending on your needs will determine where you end up. We like to stay at the first area that is more convenient for tenters and small RV's like our Pleasure Way. It is usually quite and more secluded than the lower area.
The Santa Fe River flows past the park and if you are up to hiking for a short distance you will come to the spot where the river ends and flows underground for 3 miles or so .
O'leno is close to many natural springs and river activities.
Check out BlueBela Farm and say hi to Lucy while you pick huge organically grown blueberries mid may to say mid to late June.
Take a ride on some of the roads off of the main road (441) and get lost for awhile. This part of Florida is truly a secret.

We visited O'Leno State Park as our overnight stop on the way to south Florida. We arrived at about 4 pm to set up our tent and walk some trails to stretch our legs.

On the Friday night that we stayed, our campground loop was surprisingly empty except for about 3-4 other groups. It was the quietest night we've ever had camping in a state park, and we loved it!

I also loved the campground restrooms/showers here. They looked brand-new, and were not only well-lit, but sparkling clean. Definitely the nicest I've ever seen at any park I've EVER visited!

We enjoyed walking the trail that looped around the river, and viewing the local wildlife. The picnic area with playground was simply beautiful... spacious and well-shaded.

The only two minor issues I found were:
- If you need ice, or anything, you would have to travel about 10 minutes to a gas station to get it, so be sure you have what you need before you get to the park.
- If you plan to canoe or swim, you will want to call ahead to ensure the water levels are high enough for those activities. When we were there in May, neither activity was permitted.

I would definitely stop here again when needing a travel break through Florida.

This word is so overused and should be reserved for things created by God that are to be reveared, that's what is happening here. This park has just about everything a family could desire. The swimming hole is old Florida, the museum tells the tale of days gone by and where else can you chase fireflies after dusk? We are on our 6th annual trip and will be back for years to follow. Clean facilities, nature literally at your door and beautiful landscape draws us in. Convenience to local springs and small towns nearby keeps us coming back. This is our home away from home.

6 friends traveled to O'Leno State Park as a base camp for winter hiking and paddling on the Santa Fe. The positive experience started at the main gate and continued through the visit. We were encouraged to visit the CCC museum & structures before heading off on trails. These were beautiful, informative & well maintained. The trails were easy to navigate with flora & fauna in abundance in December. We enjoyed exploring where the Santa Fe disappeared unground & then paddled upstream at River Rise to where it re-appears. The campsites were spacious, quiet and well maintained. Many sites afford good side privacy yet we found our fellow holiday campers to be a friendly group. The bath house was spotless day & night while the gal maintaining it through the Christmas holiday was very friendly & accommodating. We found no trash visible in the park. O'Leno State Park and its employees were awarded our unanimous vote of Best Florida State Park for our December 2016 trip.

Camped for 2 nights. Bathrooms were very clean, staff was friendly, well marked trails. Could use some more vegetation in between sites for privacy. Also visited the Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo and the Butterfly Rainforest. Recommend both of those too.

I stayed at O'leno with my family in June 2018. We found the campground quiet and well maintained. Well worth the drive for my family from all ends of Florida. We brought bikes and biked the roadways and then hiked the trails. Saturday morning we drove over to Ginny Springs to tube the river (won't go there agian...too crowded and wild people.) Had dinner at the "Great Outdoors." Good food, took a long time to prepare. We ate on the patio and the band was TOO LOUD.

We camped here for a week and loved all the wildlife and close by trails. We saw a gator, many deers and turtles, and beautiful birds and butterflies. The park was very quiet and relaxing when we were there. There aren't any sewer hook ups but there is a dumping station.

This is an old small (30 +/- sites) State Campground - part of a large State Park. The campground is accessed via a paved road from the checkin station. The gravel access loop to the back in gravel sites is very narrow, and the branches from the many trees encroach into your travel path. The hookups (water & electric) are convenient and functioned properly - most electric outlets are 30A. No cable tv, and no included WiFi but plenty of OTA stations. Heavily treed, so not much chance for satellite reception - Verizon cell service was good. The bathrooms are modern, well maintained, and clean. There is a dump station on the way out.

loved the off road bike trail (although we didn't have mountain bikes we still had fun) but the trails are very, very poorly marked, especially the green trail. We got lost repeatedly due to poor blaze markers maintenance. They were often missing or faded and unreadable. We also hiked the yellow trail, which was better marked. We came a day they were doing a prescribed burn and it was very smoky. They should have warned us before we paid the entrance fee, because that's not fair to people who can't tolerate the smoke (e.g. asthmatics, lung patients). We would have gone elsewhere and come back another day. Otherwise, the park is lovely, if the state park workers were just managed better it would be 5 stars. I hope somebody's boss reads this. We did see at least one river otter catching fish, that was fun.

This is a nice local park for mild hikes...Bring a picnic lunch! It is close to multiple other springs and rivers for alternate activities, and close to The Grady House B&B where we stayed.

The family (14), wife and I camped out in the dogwood area of the park in trailers and tents and enjoyed our time at the park , bike riding , swimming and some hiking. The park is well kept and the bathrooms were always clean . The staff was polite and helpful. No problem having “Fido “ along as long as he is on a leash and you pickup after him. The bridge and area at the end of the park along with the history signs is truly educational. The stores are 5 miles down the road if needed. Tubing at the head of the springs and is a 15 mile car ride .
We will visit again in the near future.

Took the family (7 total) to O'Leno State Park for the Labor Day weekend. O'Leno SP is definitely not a "resort" and should only be chosen if you like "remote" campgrounds. That said, we loved the campground!

Sites are heavily wooded, sandy, and roomy. Each site has a fire pit with "grill" attachment. Bring your own wood. I think there is some available for sale locally, but it seemed easier to us to bring it ourselves. We also brought a charcoal grill as we didn't want to cook directly on the campfire grill (it had large grates... good for pots, but not food).

We checked in after hours and after dark and had three sites next to each other. The campground host heard us come in and came over to help... very nice! We had three sites (49, 50, and 51). We tented on one, put a truck camper on another, and put our 30' toyhauler and truck on the third.

The bathrooms are clean and comfortable and more than adequate. Each site had a path leading from the back of it to the middle where the restrooms are located. So, picture a large loop with the campsites on the inside of the loop and the bathrooms in the middle. Some sites were totally blocked off from each other by woods and others had less woods between them... making camping together with families on different sites great!

There are two loops. We were on the Dogwood loop (sites 49, 50, and 51). The other loop is the Magnolia loop. The Dogwood loop is about 3 miles from the Santa Fe River so if you were going for the river access, then you'll need to get a site on the Magnolia loop. We didn't mind the distance. We did drive around the Magnolia loop and it was nice also. It has a small playground, so if you have small kids, then you'll also want the Magnolia loop.

The power went out in the entire campground for 1.5 hours and the water went out for the next night for an hour (someone ran over a water line). Each issue was addressed promptly and didn't really interfere with our trip at all.

We checked out the river but didn't fish or swim. The river is dark brown... like the color of coffee and there are alligator signs up. After swimming in the Ichetucknee Springs, which were beautiful, we couldn't bring ourselves to get in the brown water! The river area is very pretty and great for hiking or photography.

We'd go back to this campground.

Another great North Florida day get away. Take your food and fill your drink coolers. Swim, eat and enjoy a full day with family and friends..

We camped in two sites with family. We were on the Magnolia Loop. Great location, close to river, trails, beautiful setting. The electric went out at our site. The breaker had tripped. But it continued to happen. The camp host, Mike, came by the site to check it out. The breaker box was very hot and he determined the site had a faulty breaker. He left to get one and returned very quickly and replaced it. And he was courteous, professional, friendly and helpful. The next day, he stopped by to check and make sure everything was still working properly. We really enjoyed our stay and will definitely return, in part because of Mike. He took a potentially very bad problem that would have ruined a trip and fixed it quickly. And we met a person who took care of the problem professionally and even took the time to find out more about his campers. Great job Mike!

This is unlike most state park campgrounds we have visited with our travel trailer. This is a clean, beautiful, well maintained and enjoyable place to visit and camp. We used it as our base of operations for a week of touring in the area but really enjoyed the park itself. The rangers and campground host are to be commended for the way they keep this place in such superb condition. The roads and campsites are on relatively level hard packed sand and shells. The park was been in use since the '30s and that means a lot of packing down. The sites on the Magnolia Loop are definitely better for larger rigs while the Dogwood Loop sites are smaller and good for tents, pop ups and smaller units. The bathhouse on the Magnolia Loop is bright and kept so clean and the showers are hot and spacious, each with a changing area. Imagine my surprise when I flipped a switch on the wall in the shower changing area and on came a heat lamp over me to keep me warm and help dry me off! Now many hotels and motels don't do that, but they do here. They also provide an outside sink at which many folks cleaned up their dishes so as not to fill their gray water tanks since there is no sewer at sites, just like any state park. The place may not be a Jellystone park but it has a very nice playground in the campground and a bigger one in the public area plus there is swimming in the tannin-colored water of the Santa Fe River, a suspension bridge to cross and wonderful trails to hike. Yes, there are mosquitoes and ticks but you are camping or walking in the woods, people, so just prepare for that. Wear long sleeves and long pants, hats and deet or pyrethrum and you'll be fine. Thanks for the invite to visit, FL State Park system. I think we'll be back.

Excellent walk in the woods just over 1.5 miles. Bridge is a cute start. Some nice areas around the river to stop for pictures.

When the water is not dried up, this park by the Santa Fe river is beautiful. Due to the many storms this summer, the river is exceptionally high with many mini rapids. Did not bring kayak this time, but imagine it would be fun to kayak. The swimming area is closed because of the high water. Lots of turtles and BIG alligators were sighted. Don't forget to bring insect repellent. The suspension bridge is fun to walk on and beautiful to look at, and will take you across the Santa Fe river to where the trail starts. Majestic bald cypress standing in fast running river draped with Spanish moss provides a pleasant hiking experience along the sandy river bank, unmistakably, old Florida.

We just camped at the Magnolia loop in O'Leno State Park and thoroughly enjoyed it (May 2010). There are lots of place to hike and bike and kids to play. There are many photo ops as well with the suspension bridge, cypress knees and other great sites. The rangers are friendly and informative. All in all, this is truly a great place to camp.

Beautiful park with lots of facilities for families and groups. Went on two beautiful hikes, 1 and 3 miles. Lots of ticks though this time of year.

We are camping in site #29. One of the bigger sites. #30 next to us has been empty all week because none of the rigs could back in due to a huge tree across the road. But that was fine with us because we used it for corn hole. Lots of walking trails with tons of deer. We have 3 dogs and had plenty of different routes to take. Kids loved taking off on bikes with so many trails to explore over across the bridge. Everyone is so nice and happy to help. The sites are right next to eachother .... so if you are wanting seclusion, sorry, not going to happen. We haven't had any problem with bugs or mosquitos. We tube the ichetucknee river every summer so we will be back for the summer.

We've stayed here before and when we heard that the weather was going to be a bit cooler, we decided at the last minute to spend a week in the woods! Had no problem getting a site here Easter week. Had tried Suwanee, but it was pretty full and O'leno was closer to where we had to be to visit family. On the Dogwood loop, we were one of 4 campers. The Magnolia was a bit more crowded, but we love the seclution. As mentioned the bathrooms were immaculate, the road a bit bumpy, but it just causes you to slow down and look and listen. We hiked the trails, visited the CCC museum, looked into the nature center, only open on weekends. The river was very very low, but saw lots of turtles, a gator, birds, heard the owls at night and fireflies! In 45 years of camping, including 15 years of tent camping, this is the only time I have ever found a tick on me. Because this was a spur of the moment trip, I hadn't checked the first aid kit and had no tweezers. I did drown it in alcohol to kill it, but it was still imbeded. It came off that night in bed. I did ask a ranger if he had any tweezers in his kit, and he didn't either! At check in, we were advised of the Dudley Farm nearby, and it was definately worth it. Also love all the nearby antique shops and the Springs Diner in High Springs was very good, especially a big breakfast on our last morning as we headed out. They had plenty of room to park our truck and trailer. We definately visit again.

A very beautiful park one of my favorites in Florida. A lot of hiking to do and you can even go swimming in summer on the Santa Fe River

Some of the better hiking trails in the area, a few scenic areas that are reminiscent of northern Georgia. Great for everything from picnicking to trail running.

Nice place there were very few other campers due to summer. The bath house was clean enough and no waiting for showers as few others were there.

I saw Deer every time I drove anywhere in the Park.

I was in the Gainesville area and decided to visit O'Leno for a special event they were offering - a fitness hike/walk followed by a cooking demonstration on a fire pit.

The fitness walk on a paved roadway was delightful. Along the way, I got to enjoy the company and conversation of other walkers. I made some new friends too.

It was a crisp, sunny day. The woods here are very tall and mature. The trees reminded me of being in Lake Tahoe. They were so majestic.

The cooking of chicken shishkabobs over a fire pit was interesting. The park ranger collected wood and materials and explained how to create a good cooking fire.

After our delicious snack, I took another walk on the yellow trail which meanders along and around the Santa Fe River. This was a beautiful and peaceful stroll in pure silence and stillness. The water was moving, but made no sound. At one point, the river goes underground into a "sink Hole" then turns up again on another part of the trail.

It was a beautiful place to visit. Entrance fee is $5.00

We camped several nights at O'Leno State Park in January 2020. The park has lots of natural attractions but lacks managememt to make it a great park. Ecotic plants are taking over the park. There are lots of exibits in the Nature Center but few of them are labeled. This park could be so much better.

Tick infested. Dogs really not welcomed. Last I knew dogs do bark.
Host told us to keep dog bark down just 5 min. After arriving to campsite. Very un friendly host. Could not enjoy our stay. Will not ever go back. Dont waste your time there. Many other humane places to camp.

Very pretty state park. The campground was pretty rustic and would mostly only accommodate small campers. They do have cabin rentals that looked pretty neat. Lots of trails and some enclosed common areas. Looks like they have had some damage to some buildings from hurricanes or something. It does have some river frontage. Looked like a great place for kids.

We hiked 7 miles on various trails. The suspension bridge was fun to walk over! All the trails were in good shape and well marked. Some sugar sand but not too bad. It was a real joy hiking along the Santa Fe and seeing the river sink. The small museum was very interesting. Check the website for admission fees.

Awesome place to go for anyone. Has trails for hiking and canoeing, relaxing, great family place or couples or solo. Plenty of privacy. Rangers are awesome!

The river was too high unfortunately. The bridge was closed. The restrooms and change room could use some maintenance. Young parents this days don’t control themselves or their children. Nice park but needs TLC.

CONS: There was only one however it made a huge negative impact on what activities my best friend could go with her grandchildren because she has arthritis and needs to use a small GoGo scooter when it gets too bad. The day park location where the Town of Leno is located has a two huge parking lots with more than adequate Handicapped Accessible parking spaces. The convenience ends there. Once one leaves the parking lot and ventures farther in, there are no paved pathways. Her scooter got stuck more than once and she had to push it out. She couldn't venture in to the nice, historical parts of the park nor near the river or playground because of this and the ground isn't level which is unsafe for her to walk on when she isn't 100%. I mentioned the need for this improvement in the feedback section of the Florida State Park website and hopefully, with time, someone will also see the need for this improvement. I know in my heart that she isn't the only person on this earth that would enjoy being in our wonderful parks when there is safe, paved pathways.

PROS: Beautiful and well preserved land. Thanks to feedback from my friend's son, who lives in North Florida and has been here before and loved it, as well as very good pictures on the Florida State Parks website, we stayed in Magnolia 24, directly across from the very up dated bathhouse. One review I had previously read mentioned the change was coming. It's a very nice building. Plenty of hot water. Great water pressure. A heat lamp in the ceiling over each bath stall with a switch to turn it off when it wasn't needed. Three regular sized shower/toilet stalls with an ADA sized stall of each kind on the ends. This stall could use an adjustable handheld shower head, however what is currently installed is adequate. I did mention that this would be a pleasant change, along with the afore mentioned need for more paved paths in my feedback on the Florida State Park website. Hopefully, with time, this change occurs. Campsite were large and roomy. A really big picnic table was on ours that could easily hold 8-10 adults. A metal fire circle with an attached adjustable grate was also there. Bagged firewood can be purchased at the ranger's station when you first check in. Peaceful and quiet. One female deer was seen mid morning in the campsite host's site. Lots of signs on the bathhouse talking about personal and animal safety, quiet time and checking for ticks. A standalone sign was near both sides of the bathhouse where daily activities within the park were posted. A large, raised, mulched playground with a swing set, slide set up and other cool activities was nearby. It was a location the grandkids and I spent a LOT of time at. Live non-venomous snakes enclosed in different sized aquariums were a hit with the kids in The Nature Center as well as live turtles, stuffed Fox Squirrels, skulls of local animals, skins of venomous snakes, lot of posters and much literature. Two outside and enclosed pens housed both Gopher and Box Tortoises at a good height were the kids could spy them as well as providing a safe home for these critters. Lots of native grey squirrels were in the area, so we never left any unattended food outside when we were done with it. The nearby (17+) mile away town of High Springs has a Winn-Dixie for last minute food shopping as needed as well as other store. The farther away town of Alachua is a beautiful "Old Florida" city that is home to one of the best restaurants I've eaten at in a long time, The Conestoga. It's definitely worth a trip in to that area for lunch or dinner. The freshly fried battered mushrooms are a must try as your appetizer. Lots of good, well made, country food. It was well worth the drive for us from Polk County to visit her son and his family and thanks to his generosity, to borrow his travel trailer and spend last weekend there. We hope to go back and stay there again, hopefully with our own camper. It would be hot in the Florida summer yet it would be fun to sink in to the chilly spring waters located in the day park swim area.

Excellent and interesting walk for all levels from 88 yrs to 21! I had never seen a sink hole before. The yellow River trail and bridge and facilities were great. The guide at the Nature Center gave us great advice to walk along the shore and come back over the bridge so we could be along the river.

We love this park, 2 rivers nearby, the Santa Fe and the Ichteucknee that are really great, all kinds of trails, and lovely campsites. Going there again next weekend. And the staff is very helpful. To me it is totally worth the 2 hour drive from St Pete.

Lot's of space to spread out and enjoy the park. Some trails along the water and swamp, and places to have picnics, etc.

On the 26th of May, 2013, our "family" gathered at Oleno State Park as suggested by some of the young people within the congregation. What a delight! The range of age was from preteen to preoctogenarian. No one was dissatisfied! The beauty hidden away from view of the 'mainland' is truly awesome. The gentleness of the river, the majestic cypress trees, the wild deer, the... I could go on forever! The walk along the river to the natural bridge and across and back again had cameras clicking. Weather just beautiful with temperatures in the low eighties, accompanied by a gentle breeze. For some unknown reason, there were no flying bugs or nuisances. Our picnic food was left open without despair. Word is, some of the older folks are planning a return visit. We found out the young folks have been coming all along! So, if you want a day or two away from mayhem, quiet solitude with nature, and the most affordable place this writer has visited in years, check out Oleno State Park. It is worth the trip..

We love this State Park because it offers a broad range of services and entertainment. Wonderful day-hiking around the river, cool suspension bridges, swimming in the river, picnic tables (many covered). And massive grass areas. Of course there are swings and playgrounds for the little ones. The park is large enough to accommodate many people, a RARE occurrence, while still keeping your visit private. Ample close by parking and overall beautiful scenery. In our view the park is under-utilized. The facilities are adequate, a bit dated and in need of maintenance/upgrades like so many parks. Altogether a great place for the Family to enjoy the outdoors or for a nice picnic. Hope you enjoy as much as we do. Great local destination. Cheers... BlueWaterSailor

The Thompson Family were told about this wonderful park by a Friend. My husband and I took our camper for 4 nights at the end of July 2014. We invited more family to come and see. It was awesome.The park was amazing. THE BATHROOMS WERE THE CLEANEST I HAD EVER SEEN AT A STATE PARK. SO WHO EVER THE GENTLEMEN WAS THAT CLEANED THEM HATS OFF TO YOU. AWESOME JOB. We have decided to try and have a family reunion here at Oleno. Everyone loved it. Bugs were not bad but what do you expect we are in Florida. We had some tiki torches and a Thermacel. 2 tics were found, But that wasn't bad because my hubby is a tick magnet. Take your family it is wonderful. Thanks Oleno State Park for a wonderful experience.

Several years ago I decided to make the trip to O'Leno just to see what I could find there. I was astonished to learn that this is where the Santa Fe River disappears underground for three and a half miles before reemerging just above the little town of High Springs. This is the area of Florida where the white sandy plains begin to give way to limestone hills. In the fall, the rapids and changing leaves can give the place the feel of a park in North Carolina, though the alligators and wading birds quickly remind you that we are still in a sub-tropical clime. I have not had the chance to make use of the facilities here, but there are cabins to rent and places to set up camp. I hiked the trail from river sink to river rise just to see the two spots in the same day. It was a bit of a thrill to think that somewhere under my feet the water of the river was rushing south, taking it eventually to join the legendary Suwanee River. It is a beautiful park with places to swim, fish, camp, hike, bike and more. It is also different topography from many of the parks farther south. Every time I have gone, and that's quite a few, I have birders. This is a well protected area where migratory birds and rest and relax on their sojourns north or south.

We went hiking on a beautiful Sunday morning. We spent some time at the playground with my 15 month old and then did the River Trail (yellow). We saw a ton of turtles and a few jumping fish but that was about it as far as animals are concerned.

The trail was in good shape but a little narrow. My one annoyance was that we started out on a trail and it ended up just pittering out. There were no markings or anything so I don't know if it was actually a trail or not.

Watch for ticks!

Very clean and extremely well maintained. Campsites spacious. Quiet in spite of being full. Day area has enough to keep a child busy while entertaining an adult.

We have gone to O’Leno for years, and pre-Covid we would camp and hike the trail on the other side of the bridge. Sadly, when we went this spring the bridge was closed, a result of last falls storms. We were supposed to camp for 2 nights, but left after the first day because of all the ticks. My husband and dog were both covered with them. My husband went to our doctor and she put him through a course of antibiotics, but we thought our dog was safe, because she is on NexGuard to protect her from tick. But, we just got a phone call from our vet - who ran her annual blood work and found she has lymes. It is the only park we have been to where there were ticks. Our dog will now need to be treated for a month with antibiotics in the hopes of curing her. If you go to this park please protect both yourself and your animals!

Heading back home from disney and stayed here 20 years before and was looking forward to the swimming but it was closed I don't think we will go back

Except for some horrendous storms we've had on several occasions we have always had a wonderful experience. My husband and I have been camping here since we were children. As far as the gentleman with the barking dog I'm not sure why this happened unless his dog barked relentlessly. We always take our Shepard/Pit mix and she is prone to bark her greeting at other people and dogs but not continually. No one has ever said anything about her. They have many things for children to do and the park is beautiful. We do miss the deer coming into our campsite for a visit though.

Tick infested. If your dogs bark 5 times you will get a friendly visit from the host telling you to please keep your dog quiet. Some of the people in the area were unfriendly. The site were a good size and bathrooms are clean.

We always enjoy walking around this shady park. The trails are nice, the kids love the bridge. The park has a beautiful covered picnic pavilion and a playground. There is a small nature center and a museum!

This park is not to be missed, both for the history of early (even Spanish) activity, and for the interesting geology, where an entire river disappears into the ground.

Not to worry, it reappears a few miles South at the aptly named River Rise State Park.. We recommend you visit both.

Man at gate gave us map and said ,"good luck" as we broght our fat tire bikes to the park. Haw can you manage the trails when {a) park personnel are at a loss as to what they mean, and , (b) maps make no sense. We wandered on thick sand trails that only bikes could use. Ridiculous! Four wheeled vehicles could use, but we walked these "trails" most the way. .we got so lost. Trails horribly markef. Somebodu needs to get their sct together!!

My husband and I spent our anniversary weekend at this park, we arrived on a Friday and set up early to explore the park. We walked the yellow trail around the river and it was beautiful. We came across many different forms of wildlife, my favorite was the family of otters having dinner in the river rocks. The next day we went out to Poe Springs and returned to the Park for lunch and an afternoon Hike. We walked the Dogwood trail from the Dogwood camp loop and all I can say is Spiders and Ticks beware! We used spray but didn't wear long pants and I counted more than a dozen by the end. The limestone trail was too overgrown, we turned back after being overwhelmed with growth and ticks. After finishing the trail we decided to take the safe choice of walking the road back to avoid ticks again. My only complaint was an RV near our site ran a ridiculously loud A/C unit most of our stay and ended up leaving a floodlight on all night in the directions of our tent. The Dogwood loop I'd say is much more appealing than the Magnolia loop. Planning a trip back!

We visited the Park in the rainy season of July. The Park is in close proximity to Ichnetuckee Springs as well as smaller, lesser known Springs. We arrived in rain which is never good when setting up camp in a State Park. We had mud. However the site was large but tricky to enter due to low lying branches. We found it is always important to walk to your site prior to Driving to the site. The rain just added to the excitement. The common amenities of electric and water are available. The common areas are well kept. The numerous trails are fabulous and for the photographer in me, I loved the wildlife! Fair warning, we did find ticks on ourselves and made it common practice to inspect every night. I love the CCC parks as the attention to detail is wonderful. A beautiful Park but maybe limited to small rigs as the roads were tight to maneuver and low lying branches numerous.

We spent three days here in February 2014. Some of the sites on the Magnolia Loop are a little close without enough foliage separation, but our neighbors were quiet so it was not a problem. The River Trail is a lovely walk and the pool at the sink is magical. A quiet whirlpool with loads of turtles and, when we were there, one mother alligator with a bunch of babies. We iked it so well we went back more than once to see it in different light. Also saw, and heard, a group of pileated woodpeckers -- probably a dozen of them rushing around in the woods. Deer and squirrels in the campground. We would come here again.

We have been visiting O'Leno for many years. It is such a beautiful place. Nice hiking trails. Great playground and picnic area. We live nearby so we've never camped here.

We went to O'leno State Park for a family reunion last weekend and we loved it. Beautiful views and lots of wildlife. Very relaxing!

Nice open park with multiple, well-marked walking trails. Cool suspension bridge built by the CCC. Cars pay $5 to enter, or $2 per person. Park ranger wasn't wearing a mask and then sneezed on the map as she handed it to the car in front.

One of the older state parks in Florida. Campsites were large with trees and shrubs providing privacy between sites. Numerous hiking trails in the park. Our favorites were the River Trail, 1.5 mile loop along the Sante Fe River. It leads you to the spot where the river goes underground through a cave system and resurfaces 3 miles later along the Sweetwater trail. Also, Paraner's Branch Trail (3.7 miles) can be included with the River Trail to create a much longer loop--that's what we did. Other trails included the Limestone (0.6) loop and the Dogwood at 1.2 one way. A lot of sink holes along the Paraner's branch. Neat Suspension Bridge along River Trail. Plenty of picnic areas, cabins, and educational sites. There are two campgrounds. Magnolia campground is much nicer and closer to main hiking.

Great place to visit for all ages. We strolled the River trail, and it was gorgeous. Well maintained trails and facilities.

Spent last weekend in a tent at O'Leno. Excellent care is taken in the bath house facilities. We had a group of adults and kids from age 7 to 50. We all enjoyed the trails, the bridge, the views of the water, the history, the animals. We will be back!!

A true historical and archeological site also famous for its geographic significance. There are plenty of family oriented activities including a short trail hike to the spring waters of the Santa Fe River. Many of the buildings were built by the CCC.
It is inexpensive to rent for events. A word to the wise, the Park books up quickly on popular weekends so if you want to schedule an event there you should call sooner rather than later.