A few years ago I was just getting back into the whole camping scene. I’d barely been anywhere, and I wanted to spend an evening camping, not much caring where it was, so long as it was not too close to my home. So I set my sights on Lake Talquin State Forest’s High Bluff Campground. I chose it because there are a lot of other things in the area that I wanted to see, and because I didn’t know what I was getting into. It was early fall, and I booked a reservation for a site online. All I knew was that it was around Lake Talquin and not far from Tallahassee. I knew there was a bathroom, and according to the online reservation system most of the sites were booked. Sounds great, right?
I arrived mid afternoon to find not a single campsite occupied. The bathroom was a vault style toilet scenario without any running water available. This was basically primitive camping, and at the time I was not expecting that nor experienced in that. I happened to have a lot of water in the car, which is the biggest concern. It was enough for one night anyway, but I wanted more with water, like a shower, and some extra for cooking and cleaning purposes. The “shower” because my first ever bath in a lake. A scary one at that because I jumped in at a little boat launch ramp there in the campground next to a sign about alligators, splashed the hell out of myself and jumped right back out. Being too clean wasn’t enough to risk being eaten. Cooking water left me very sparingly using what I’d brought. After this trip I’d end up buying a titanium cooking pot with a locking lid on the premise that there was a fishing pier at this place, and if I’d been able to dangle a pot on a rope down into the water at night, and pull it back up, it would have allowed me to harvest water safely (again, alligators). Then boil it in the same container, obviously. I also purchased a massive water storage jug after this trip that goes with me on any outing I even suspect will be primitive style to this day. This was a good habit to start.
Anyway I ended up there without any other campers, and it felt creepy. Maybe now that I appreciate solitude and I’m a little more experienced with wildlife, I’d enjoy it better. But all I got that night were a few fishermen that popped in and out randomly, a fox coming near my camp, yellow flies attacking, mosquitoes and fire ants. Luckily I already had bug netting available. This was my early days at getting a collection of gear for all situations in place, but I knew that one was important since it is Florida.
It did serve as a great point to hit some other parts of the forest from however, and if I went back knowing what I know now and being as prepared as I am now, I’d rock this place.
Address:
2725 High Bluff Landing Rd
Midway, FL 32343
