Welcome to Canoe Outpost-Oak Hill
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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.
Oak 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.  
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.
Do not take someone else’s 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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
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.
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. Don’t 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.
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.
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.
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.
Be courteous to fellow campers and burn, bury, or bring toilet paper out if you don’t 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 don’t 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!
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.
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.
If there is an emergency, call 911. The DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office will contact staff and work with staff resolving any emergency situations. During the day call 863-494-1215 or 800-268-0083.
Camping at Oak Hill is a privilege. If the above rules are not followed, you will be banned from the area and Canoe Outpost.

 For Peace River questions contact "Peace Paddler"