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Welcome to Canoe Outpost-Oak Hill
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800-268-0083, 863-494-1215, 863-494-4391 fax
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Reservations required
for overnight runs.
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- Oak Hill Picnicking
and Camping
- Oak Hill is located on the Peace River between
Brownville and Arcadia. It is 150 acres of Canoe Outpost owned Florida wilderness with shady
picnicking and camping
areas,
hiking trails, and scattered picnic tables for the exclusive use of Canoe
Outpost customers. There are a few portocans but not all the
campsite/picnic spots have access to the portocans. If camping at Oak Hill,
you do not share a camping spot, each group has it's own spot. You won't see
other campers unless you walk out of your spot but you may hear other
campers. We take in consideration the size of groups and if camping gear is
being delivered or not when assigning spots. Paddlers may request a
particular spot and we try to our best to make sure they get their favorite
spot but we can't hold the group spots for just a couple of canoes. The
advantages of Oak Hill are that on the stretch from Gardner to Arcadia,
camping spots are limited, we can guarantee you a spot. We can also deliver
your camping gear to a spot which is real handy when the river is low or
you're paddling with kids and need the room in the canoes. When it's camping
weather, better make reservations for Oak Hill as soon as you can, it fills
up fast. A completed CCA form is required for camping at Oak Hill during
busy times because of it's popularity. For gear delivery and other
services see Campsite Concierge.
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Hill is only accessible by canoe or kayak. We will not drive anyone into Oak
Hill. You cannot bring a boat and picnic or camp at the Oak Hill area. You have to paddle to get there
in a Canoe Outpost canoe or kayak or in your canoe/kayak that Canoe Outpost
transported. No exceptions.
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Oak Hill is for the exclusive use of Canoe Outpost customers. If you arrive at
assigned area and someone else is there, call the Outpost at
800-268-0083 or 863-494-1215. Any canoes other than Canoe Outpost are to
leave.
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Do not take someone elses spot.
Areas are assigned
by group size, by specific request, and/or reservation date. Don't try
switching the signs, we know where everyone is assigned. Sometimes
Canoe Outpost day-trippers will be picnicking but they leave in just a
little while. Camping gear, if being delivered, will be there shortly or
already there.
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Camping gear delivery
to campsites starts at 12 noon and ends at 5 p.m. A staff member will be
at Oak Hill checking on the camping gear during that time.
If you do the 8:00 a.m. Brownville Run, do not expect your camping gear before
noon. Pack a lunch and bring drinks. Camping gear delivery starts
at 12:00 noon and it's first come, first serve. If you checked in at 8:00,
your gear is delivered first. Staff leaves the Outpost at noon and continuously delivers gear
until it is all done. Usually one to two trucks delivers the gear in
trailers. Gear delivery by bus is not done until a driver is available so
bus deliveries will be later than noon. Leave the bus alone. Don't let the
kids play with all the lights and run the battery dead. Your gear will be
delayed in getting back if we have to try and start a dead bus. Do not play
with the bus horn!
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Camping gear pick up
starts at 11:00 a.m. except on Saturdays, which is 12:00 a.m.
Upon check-in at office
set a time for the camping gear to be picked up or call by cell phone when
ready to leave campsite. Gear is picked up by order of
phone call. If you don't call, your gear will be the last to be returned to the
Outpost. If you leave camp before the rest of the group is done loading and
you get back early, you will have to wait for the camping gear. If leaving
early, bring your gear with you.
- Oak Hill is patrolled during the day and night.
No other vehicles are allowed at Oak Hill except buses delivering camping gear
or customers. The gates are locked at all times.
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No guns of any kind including
paintball, bb, air, airsoft, or pellet guns. No slingshots or bow and arrows of any sort.
No fireworks which includes no bottle rockets! There are beautiful wild animals here and we want
them to stay. There are neighbors across the river and they will call the
Sheriff.
You also may have neighboring campers you can't see.
You will be disturbing other campers and could possibly hurt someone. Knock on
wood, but in 40 years, Canoe Outpost has never had a problem where a
customer needed a firearm for "protection". You leave others and the animals
alone, they won't mess with you. And...you do not have permission to hunt!
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Do not trespass on
private property. Do not go across the river
at Oak Hill (eastside) and go up the bank. Stay on
the west side, on Outpost property. If at Gardner South, stay only on the
east side.
- Use existing firepits; please do not start new
ones. Firepits cause the ground to die, become sterile and grass does not come
back for years. Every tent does not need a firepit. Some sites hardly have room
for tents because of all the pits. Be careful with fires especially in grassy areas. Make sure
your fire is put out before leaving. Remember to bring buckets for putting out
fires. 5 gallon buckets are handy...sit on them, store items in them, and
use them for water to put out the fire!
- Do not
throw cans and bottles in firepits. Cans and bottles do not
burn. The Campsite Cleaning Fee and hourly fee will be charged if the
campfire has to be cleaned.
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Do not cut on or cut
down live trees or shrubs. Use only dead wood.
Don't hack on live trees, they become diseased and die. Don't cut
saplings for walking sticks, those are the future shade trees.
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Firewood:
If there are pallets in different campsites,
those are for
burning. The wooden spools are for camp tables. Please don't burn the
spools, leave them for others to use. Be kind to the woods, don't build 20
foot tall fires, they use up all the wood. Keep the flames down and help
save mother nature. Bring firewood or scrap wood from home, less going into
the landfill. Green trees and shrubs are not to be cut down and used for
firewood! Green trees are the shade trees. It gets hot out there without any
shade! Most camping spots do not have firewood in them, you have to scavenge
for firewood. Best thing to do is paddle up and down the river and get it
along the banks.
- Do not take a table from another campsite unless o.k. with main office. Every campsite
gets a least one table. Dont be rude and short other campers. If you move a picnic table
onto the beach
please put it back in the campsite for the next camper.
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Be courteous to fellow
campers,
you may not see them but they can hear you. Please keep the music and
party noise down. 10:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m. is quiet time.
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Be courteous to fellow
campers and
do not walk through their campsite.
Speaking of noise,
NO Generators!! This is wilderness camping
and you are infringing are the rights of others to enjoy the wilderness river
experience. There have been too many complaints about the noise. There is a
regular campground next door to the Arcadia office that can is more suited to
the type of camping that requires generators.
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Two portable toilets are located at the
junction of River Road along the south side of the lagoon, at Grapevine
Way, and Oak Trail on Oak Bluff. During Spring, 2 additional portable
toilets are located by Rock Island, between Cypress Point and Palmetto Point.
Please don't throw your trash on the ground around the portocan, take it back
to the camp. Not all campsites have access to the portocans, bring a shovel
and bury your toilet paper.
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Be courteous to fellow
campers and burn, bury, or bring toilet paper out if you dont use
the portable toilets. See the wee-wee in the woods attached to your
map. Feminine
hygiene products and bags of human waste do not biodegrade. The animals
will tear into them if left behind. They must be brought out. Be kind to
mother nature and other campers and dont leave "calling cards" (white piles of toilet paper) everywhere.
Bring paper bags to collect toilet paper and burn it after meals are cooked.
Bring a shovel and bury your toilet paper. FYI, Baby wipes don't biodegrade
right away, they take years!
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Bring back all trash
unless instructed otherwise.
If you do not have your camping gear delivered, do not assume your trash
will be picked up! If camping gear is in a bus, place bagged
trash by the front door of bus. It will be put on the bus or in the back
of a truck or trailer. If your trailer is full of camping gear, leave the
bagged trash next to it and staff will pick it up.
All trash around and in the campsite is
to picked up around by campers. Staff will pick it up for
a fee, see campsite services.
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All campers including
outfitted canoes set up their own camp and take down their own camp.
Please repack the equipment back into the containers and original bags if
possible if using Outpost equipment unless you have contracted with the
Outpost Campmaster.
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If there is an
emergency, call 911. The DeSoto County Sheriffs Office will contact staff and work
with staff resolving any emergency situations. During the day call
863-494-1215 or 800-268-0083.
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Camping at Oak Hill is
a privilege. If the above rules are not followed, you will be banned from the
area and Canoe Outpost.