Camped in the Wild & Found a Mystery – Our Latest Stop!
Published about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Volume 3, Issue 5 • February 12, 2025
Hello from the wild side! Speaking of wild, a mystery was afoot during our stay in the Green Swamp. I mean, seriously, doesn't the name just imply that Scooby and the gang were nearby??
The Case of the Foggy Forest
“Jinkies! Where are we?” I whispered, peering through the thick morning fog. The world around us was eerily silent, except for the occasional rustling of leaves—probably just a lizard, but in this mist, anything seemed possible.
We had spent the night at Hampton Tract Water Management District, a secluded campground near Lakeland, Florida. There were no assigned campsites, just scattered fire rings and a spigot or two of non-potable water. The catch? You needed a secret gate code to even get in. It felt like we had unlocked a hidden level in some kind of off-the-grid adventure game.
As we finished breakfast, the fog lingered, clinging to the trees like a ghostly curtain. “This is the perfect setup for a mystery,” I joked. “All we need now is a haunted forest and a suspicious groundskeeper.”
So, naturally, we decided to go on a hike.
The trail twisted through towering trees, their branches stretching overhead like gnarled fingers. Every so often, we spotted movement—a flash of green, a flicker of a tail. The lizards were everywhere, skittering across logs, staring at us from the underbrush. Watching. Waiting.
Then we heard it. A noise deep in the woods.
It wasn’t the rustle of leaves or the chirp of a bird. It was a low, eerie whooosh, like something moving just out of sight. We froze. “Zoinks,” I muttered.
We crept forward, the fog parting just enough to reveal… an ancient-looking wooden sign, half-buried in the brush. The lettering was barely legible, but we made out the words...
A cold breeze whispered through the trees. The lizards blinked at us, completely unfazed.
“Well, gang,” I said, grinning, “looks like we’ve got a mystery on our hands!”
Of course, there was no ghostly figure lurking in the mist, no masked villain waiting to jump out. But the combination of fog, twisting trails, and the feeling of being totally alone in the wilderness? That was enough to make Hampton Tract feel like the perfect setting for an old-school Scooby-Doo caper.
By the time we made it back to camp, the fog had burned off, and the world looked normal again. But as we sat outside that evening, listening to the distant hoot of an owl, I couldn’t shake the feeling…
Those lizards? Yeah. They know something. 🦎👻🔍
Hampton Tract Water Management District
Located in the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve, Hampton Tract is off the beaten path but certainly not a forgotten area. There were quite a few campsites occupied by tents, campers and even a few cars. The only downside was the generators that several other campers kept running a good part of the day. They did shut them off by 10, so that wasn't bad.
Florida's boondocking falls under the management of 5 water districts, and they do a pretty decent job of maintaining the areas and keeping track of the campers through a reservation (free) and locked gate system. We have stayed at several in past years and are trying some new ones this year.
Finding free campsites to get out and enjoy nature is one of the best parts of living in the RV. I have a new blog post almost ready to publish about getting set up to boondock, so watch for that in next week's newsletter.
Featured Photo of the Week
The foggy mornings added a lot of atmosphere for photos! There was a hiking trail that provided some great inspiration, and this was my favorite shot of the week.
Leading lines draw the eye into the foggy Florida pine forest.
What's Next?
We have another 10 days of boondocking before getting to the next RV park. There are so many incredible places to explore, and I am excited to share them with you in the coming weeks!
