O’Leno State Park

This is a fantastic state park. From the suspension bridge to the hiking trails there is always something to see. I’ve been here many times and I almost always see something cool. One of the great things about this part is not very many people come here and I usually have the trails to my self. Sometimes I will see one other person maybe two.
A few of the trails are really neat. On one you can hike along the river and see where ithe river disappears underground. And on another you can see where the river reemerges.
Some of the trails are great for trial running. A change of scenery from the mundane roads.
For Unilocalers with children they have a nice playground and interpretive buildings and displays.
This is a nice well kept state perk. Looks like undeveloped Florida.

Some of the sites are on top of each other and many have very limited privacy. Some division between sites would have been nice since our neighbors had 3 tents and 3 pop ups between 6 adults and 7 kids. Luckily we were able to move sites since there was a last minute cancellation.
The park itself has a lot to offer. It’s fairly large and has a variety of trails. They also had a few larger pavilions that looked out at the river. It rained a majority of the time we were there and although very wet the sites didn’t flood like I have seen at other campgrounds.

Very welcoming atmosphere here. The park is nice to play at and last time I went, there were canoes to rent for the river. Couple of trails to take; one short one (1 – 2 miles), medium length one (2 – 3 miles), and a very long one (4 miles). All the trails have amazing views of the river. I’ve seen many deer out there. There’s also a place right by the river that you can go down to take pictures. I love this park; one of the best I’ve ever been to!

O’Leno State Park was created out of an area that once was a lumbering town called «Leno» and prior to that, this town was known as «Keno» after a card game popular in the mid to late 1800s. Though the town was apparently busy and successful, the railroad passed it on by thus ending it for all practical purposes. In the 1930s, there was a Conservation Corps camp here which developed the park into much of what it is today, making it one of Florida’s earliest State Parks.
O’Leno offers hiking and camping mainly with both primitive camp sites and cabins available. Unlike some State Parks in the region, it does not feature a spring but there is a small swimming area roped off in the Santa Fe River which flows through the park. Canoeing and kayaking are also possible. It seems like it would be a good camping experience for Scouts or youth groups or anyone wishing to go camping, though it doesn’t offer the acreage of, say, the Goethe State Forest and while many people rave about the birds and wildlife they’ve been fortunate enough to see here, I wouldn’t count on that, either. Folks, what I am trying to say is, this is a pretty, splendid, State Park offering a lot but if you want a really tranquil camping experience and the best chance of spotting rarer wildlife like bobcats, I’d head somewhere like Goethe instead because in the peak season and on busy weekends, O’Leno can see a fair amount of traffic. That said, I’ve been there on days when later in the day I didn’t come across another human soul. On afternoons like that, the park is serene and very inviting. Also note that in rainy weather some trails can flood: you may not know how bad things are until to investigate in person.
All in all, a very lovely park offering a diversity of stuff to do, but given all it offers, bear in mind it can attract crowds for better or worse.

Enjoyed a 3 day/​2 night stay in February and was very impressed.
The campground is very well kept and the shower and restroom facilities were in excellent condition. Fire ring, electricity and water are properly maintained.
The park offers plenty outdoor activities. Kayaking and hiking provide an wonderful experience along the beautiful dark water Santa Fe River. I spent time hiking the River Trail to get a closer look at the disappearing river. Plenty long leaf pines and saw palmetto along the trail that ends at the suspension bridge built by the C.C.C.
Pleasant and helpful staff.

Back in February, this was one of the first stops for our kayaking adventure through 5+ different rivers in Florida. I have no words. It was stunning, gorgeous and breathtaking. Florida at it’s best.
O’Leno State Park is along the Sante Fe River. You can rent kayaks (we had our own), but you may need to visit the Santa Fe River Outfitter in order to have them drive your car /​kayaks to the paddle point. They are super friendly over there.
The Santa Fe River is by itself wondrous as it’s one of the world’s only disappearing rivers. You can paddle right down to where the river disappears underground… and it reappears 3 miles down the road. Super cool!
If you’re ‘lucky,’ you’ll even run into Ed… the famous nudist who lives along the Lily Springs (and has an actual hut there)! We paddled through his hut, but unfortunately he was not on site. It’s too bad. Would have been fun to go skinny dipping with my #YelpEliteTowel and this legendary character ;).
Overall, this is a great State Park along one of the world’s most wondrous rivers. You’ll see a lot of wild life if you decide to kayak through it, but the river is mostly devoid of gators. We didn’t see any on our 6+ mile paddle.

First time camping here. Beautiful park! VERY clean bathrooms with nice private showers. Beautiful river even though
it was very high, and many trails were flooded out.
Winn Dixie supermarket not to far away. But don’t look for a sports or camping supply store near by. Closest was 24 mile away.
Cons: site 053 is on a definite slope. Not good for large tents. We had a very
difficult time setting up tent. Other sites were very flat. On the pro side close to bathrooms for late or early needs!
Would definitely go back and stay longer!

Had an amazing time Hiking and camping at O’Leno. Looking forward to exploring the park some more.

Great location. Secluded. Clean. Bathrooms are awesome and very clean as well. It’s just an awesome place to camp. Making plans now to go again.

Nice park.
Come here annually for the Suwanee Banjo Camp.