- Lake Wales
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Reviews
96% Recommend82 ratings · 33 reviews
Recommends
· June 2020
Group trip ·
Panther Crossing
This was a great camp. We had a blast. Loved everything about it. We couldn't keep the nephew out of the creek. Thanks for everything Randy
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Bradley S.
5 years on Hipcamp
Everything I wanted in a primitive camp site. A little more road noise than I was expecting and the campers before me definitely partied and didn’t take all their stuff with them. Other than that plenty of trails to walk and my one year old pup loved running around.
Alicia J.
5 years on Hipcamp
My boyfriend and I absolutely loved this property! We stayed at site 2, furthest from the road and it was everything we expected. Very private, far enough from the road and still felt pretty safe. We did bring his dog out with us for some added fun/protection, and she loved it too. Beautiful night sky and the road to site 2 was easy and flat enough for my Corolla to make it out there. We drove down Walk in the Water road and found the entrance for Dinner Lake. Gorgeous spot for some sun, swimming and hiking. Highly recommend and we plan on going back!
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Paris J.
5 years on Hipcamp
It was great, the kids swam and kayaked the pond had a blast and will be returning. A bit hard to find the pond camp site but it just to the right of the downed pole barn roof and the pond is in a cut right across from it, we loved it so secluded it is just you and nature
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Nancie L.
5 reviews
Great, secluded camp spot. Simple and peaceful.
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Mike C.
4 reviews
Panther Crossing was exactly what we were looking for—acres and acres of land to explore and feel we had to ourselves. The locking gate made it feel secure and we felt comfortable exploring all of the trails throughout. We stayed at site 2, which is lacking shade but the privacy is awesome—just bring a shade canopy. My only suggestion would be to offer just a basic map of the main trails and where they lead. We tried to find our way to Dinner Lake but kept hitting dead ends. Didn’t affect our trip, though, as we just had a blast riding our bikes around, hiking, and spending time together. Also, there is excellent cell coverage and Dollar general right down the street—so it is just isolated enough while still being able to stay connected if necessary.
Terra H.
7 years on Hipcamp
Panther crossing is a perfect secluded ranch property that is perfect for family camping as we did or really anything. Great two track trails for mountain biking, a lake, campfire spots, and tons of acres to explore. Five Start *****
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Michael L.
7 reviews
A map would have been awesome. especially if your intention is to hike as opposed to drive to your campsite. The property was cool. For primitive camping it was awesome. Nothing felt man-made. Had a good time and will be back.
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Stephen W.
6 years on Hipcamp
This is the perfect site for isolation in nature. Really felt great to be camping like camping is meant to be. Quiet, beauty and lots of friends. Even had a turkey that was curious about my tent while I was asleep!
Stephani E.
2 reviews
Recommends
· April 2020
Group trip ·
Panther Crossing
Amazing location , private , the more deep u go into the property the better , plenty of space to roam free! Will return when it a lil colder !
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Fernando R.
2 reviews
Just spent the weekend a site 1. Directions were simple. Beautiful place. Very secluded, lots of privacy! Very clean. Lots of space. Plenty of trees at this site for shade and hanging hammocks. We did not camp exactly at the creek, we moved down a little to get away from the bugs. Beautiful scenery, trails, all kinds of birds and even turkeys too! It is primitive of course no electric or water, although if you did not bring enough batteries, ice or water, there is a Dollar General right down the road, which was nice to stop and get ice cream there on a hot day. It was a bit close to the entrance so you could definitely hear the traffic, but we already knew about this from reviews, and we did not find it to be that distracting from the nature. Some people might even find it more comforting and safer. There was no light penetration from the headlights at all. Pitch black at night. There is a really nice lake for swimming about two miles down the road, however after parking then walking down, which is a short walk, there was blue tape to the entrance of the lake and a sign saying it was closed do not enter your trespassing and smile you're on camera. Don't know for sure but assuming this is due to Covid-19. However, it doesn't seem like it stopped some people as we saw a family entering to go swimming as we were leaving. Overall we had a great time at Panther Crossing and will definitely camp here again.
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Windy H.
6 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· April 2020
Group trip ·
Panther Crossing
Great site to get away from it all and enjoy nature
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Justin B.
6 years on Hipcamp
This was an amazing property! We had no issue getting our 32ft Class C motorhome into site 1 and upon further inspection we could have accessed site 2. We hiked the entire property as well as accessed the public land to the south. The Owner stopped by to make sure we were settled and left his contact info. I would definitely recommend this property and will be staying here again.
Louis M.
8 years on Hipcamp
Second time here, plenty of room for friends. Very private site with lots of shade and flat ground for tents, campers etc...
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Dennis P.
15 reviews
We had a wonderful time at this site!
So much space for a larger group of campers which was awesome. Randy was easy to contact as well and very helpful. If you’re trying to hang hammocks, the first site is great for that with a lot of trees. If you’re tent camping the site near the lake is perfect.
Overall we had a great experience and the site exceeded our expectations!
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Jenson M.
6 years on Hipcamp
Awesome place. Great location on 60 close to the lakes and parks. Site 2 was much smaller than expected. Big enough for a camper van or a few tents, but we had a 23 foot camping trailer, two trucks and a bass boat, so it wasnt going to work. Randy responded quickly and told us that site 1 was booked, but that we could camp anywhere. We picked another area that was nice, but it seemed that the two designated campsites were the only places to camp next to a water feature. Ten minutes later he texted again and said that he had arranged for us to switch sites with the other campers. This was above and beyond what we expected. Site 1 was great, beautiful live oak canopy and a crick running through. The highway was a little noisy there but there was plenty of room for the boat and easy access back and forth to the highway. We spent most of our time out fishing and ran the generator at night so the noise didnt bother us, but if you're tent camping and relaxing it might be bothersome. Also since we were just in town to fish the lakes we didnt explore the property, but it looked like you could hike or off-road (responsibly and respectfully, of course) all day and have a great time. It rained the night before and there were two or three small mud holes on the way to site 2, but I only put it in 4-wheel for one section. If it rains for a few days straight it would be tough without 4x4. All in all it was fantastic, I would definitely go back and book site 1 next time.
Jason S.
6 years on Hipcamp
We had a great time.. easy to find. It rained most of the time making it a peaceful weekend.
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Bill L.
6 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· January 2020
Group trip ·
Panther Crossing
Great private site just as described by Randy. Never got to meet Randy but Communicated with him by text. Plenty of firewood around, nice little creek and I would camp here again
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Dennis P.
15 reviews
Recommends
· December 2019
Great property great place to camp. Be prepared do deal with some big animals in your campsite. But really great experience.
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Sean P.
6 years on Hipcamp
Panther Crossing was a good little last-minute camping trip.
It is a little hidden, but not too hard to find. Like the reviews say, look for the “Ecological Restoration in Progress” sign.
We booked site #2 (farther back) and made it out there in my Kia Niro, a smallish car. I don’t think we would have been able to had it just rained or was wet, but the road was pretty dry so it was manageable.
The campsite is a nice size and is surrounded by tall grasses. We backed the car right up to the spot, pitched our tent, built a fire, and had a pretty good time overall.
My only complaint would be being able to here the distant sounds of the highway, my boyfriend thought it was some nice white noise, but I think I would have rather listened to the birds...
Emma M.
6 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· November 2019
It was very nice! Perfect spot to spend the night with a fire and make some smores
Bo B.
6 years on Hipcamp
What a great place to camp. Lot's of space, quiet, and beautiful stars at night. Will come back again!
Antonio P.
15 reviews
Panther crossing was just what we needed to get away from the big camp grounds and get back to nature and quiet. The property is gorgeous and fun to explore. With just me and my niece, this place felt safe and was wild with beauty. Would definitely recommend.
Jennifer M.
6 reviews
Panther Crossing is a great site. It is HUGE with many places to set up camp and incredibly remote. If you don't mind being closer to the highway, I suggest setting up camp at the creekside site- it is incredibly shady. We decided to venture farther back and set up camp near the pond- not the most shady spot, but very private and idyllic. Warning though- roads can be rough the farther back you go.
Lauren D.
4 reviews
It was a nice big camp very private. Pretty good up keep. Nice walking trails a bit muddy need to have a truck I made it to the first camp in a fiat 500. But if your going to go farther back truck is advisable.
Michael M.
7 years on Hipcamp
It was definitely an experience first time primitive camping. It's literally just you and the woods; which is what we wanted! There are plenty of sites to pitch a tent in, but the further in you go, the thicker it gets in the woods. We decided to camp by the lake (Site 2) since the ground was primarily flat. Although it was flat, it was very open with little to no shade; we were able to set up a lounge area a few feet away under the nearest tree to keep us cool for the time being. Pretty quiet at night with a nice view of the night sky. Overall, we had a great experience at Panther's Crossing!
Obie P.
2 reviews
This is primiyive camping at its best/worst. I loved it. The girlfriend tollerated it. No running water, no toilet, no people. Find a spot of level ground and dig a fire pit. Ignore the treestand over your shoulder and hope no one os sitting in it in the morning.
Gerald B.
7 years on Hipcamp
We stayed one night, and it was fantastic. This site really has it all.
Access:
To start, we drive a Jeep Wrangler w/ 4wd, so we’re not afraid of some good (and responsible) off roading. We stayed at site 2, and I would say that the Jeep made it no problem, but fun was still had nonetheless. For individuals with lower ground clearance, not to worry, panther crossing offers site 1 which is more towards the entrance and absolutely accessible in any automobile (keep your corvettes at home however).
Amenities:
To be honest, there were a lack of amenities. But I have to say it was a breath of fresh air. I don’t always require the bells and whistles to have a wonderful time. In short, come prepared. Keep the basics in mind. Always bring more water than you need. Be aware of Florida weather. And ALWAYS pack out what you pack in.
Recreation:
Hiking here was really cool. For the nature enthusiast, there’s a treasure trove of game trails to hike. Bring your binoculars, this site has an excellent collection for the bird nerds out there! If you enjoy driving the trails in a 4x4 and you’re not scared of getting a little dirty, this is a great option.
Safety:
You feel secluded. Obviously, as far as safety is concerned, you’re only as safe as you make yourself. Make good decisions. But beyond that, we felt entirely secure and comfortable. Once again, we stayed at site 2, but it would be reasonable to assume that you may get some headlight penetration at night at site 1.
Upkeep:
The land is immaculate. There’s no trash laying around. Everything is tidy and as nature intended.
Final Note:
We had a wonderful time. For those considering site 2, please understand your vehicle and the recent weather schedule. It rained the night we stayed, and I must say that the road out had several spots where the mud could cause a van or lower clearance auto some serious difficulty. But be smart, and enjoy this amazing hidden gem!!!
David T.
7 years on Hipcamp
Unexpected and awesome!
"Panther crossing" has you completely secluded. Google maps gets you pretty close, but if you see the road sign warning "Panther Crossing" you've gone just a bit too far.
You're all alone out there, which is great. That also means, bring whatever you need to camp. It's large, well kept land, but that's it. Trees, grassland, a small lake, has it all. I'm sure plenty of critters live out there! That also means bring firewood, pack out your own garbage.
After you're on the property, there's a dirt road encircling and leading to the campsites. I made it fine in a kia soul, but I wouldn't recommend driving too deep, if your car has low clearance. After a big rain, there could be a bit of mud.
Overall, I recommend. I'm also looking forward to visiting again someday!
Dan F.
64 reviews
Mixed feelings
· October 2018
Nice property. An honest map would be helpful, but it was a really great primitive site.
Carlyn P.
2 reviews
Location
Lake Wales, Polk, Florida, United StatesTo respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking
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Hosted by Randy C.
Joined in December 2017Things to do nearby
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