Oscar Scherer State Park Camping: The Complete 2026 Florida Guide

Oscar Scherer State Park camping is one of the easiest ways to sleep in wild Florida without leaving the Gulf Coast's busy towns behind. The park sits in Osprey, between Sarasota and Venice, and protects about 1,400 acres of scrubby flatwoods, pine woods and a tidal creek. It is best known for the rare Florida scrub-jay, a freshwater swimming lake and a campground where every site has water and electric hookups.

This guide covers the Oscar Scherer State Park campground, the campground map, fees, reservations, glamping, the best campsites, Lake Osprey, South Creek, the trails and what to know before you go.

Oscar Scherer State Park Camping: The Basics

• Address: 1843 S. Tamiami Trail, Osprey, FL 34229.
• Phone: 941-483-5956 (park). Reservations: 800-326-3521, TDD 888-433-0287.
• Operator: Florida State Parks (Florida Department of Environmental Protection).
• Hours: 8 a.m. until sundown, 365 days a year. The campground is open year-round.
• Admission: $5 per vehicle (up to eight people), $4 for a single-occupant vehicle, $2 for pedestrians and bicyclists. Entering in the last hour before sunset costs $4 per vehicle.

Where is Oscar Scherer State Park? On U.S. 41 (the Tamiami Trail) in Osprey, Sarasota County. You will see it listed as "Oscar Scherer State Park, Osprey FL" and, for the campground, sometimes as Nokomis, the town just south. Both are the same park and the same entrance. Use the park address above for directions.

The Oscar Scherer State Park Campground

The family campground sits in the woods along South Creek, a short walk from Lake Osprey and the nature center.

• Site count: the park lists 104 fully equipped campsites on its campground and RV pages, and 101 on its camping page. Go by the reservation system when you book.
• Hookups: every site has water and electric and suits either tents or RVs. There are no sewer hookups, but there is a dump station.
• RV length: the maximum RV length is 36 feet.
• On each site: a picnic table and a ground grill.
• Bathhouses: five bathhouses with restrooms and hot showers, for registered campers only. There is also laundry in the campground.
• Accessible sites: seven ADA-accessible sites with paved parking aprons and concrete slabs under the grill and table.

Oscar Scherer State Park Campground Map

The official park map (a PDF) and an interactive map are linked from the top of the Florida State Parks page for Oscar Scherer. The separate hiking trail map PDF shows the seven marked trails and the numbered benches. For a site-by-site campground map, open the park on the Florida State Parks reservation website, where you can browse the sites that are open on your dates. Look at the site details and any campsite photos there before you book.

The Best Campsites at Oscar Scherer State Park

"Best" depends on what you bring:

• For a creek view: sites along South Creek are the most sought after. Note that the park says several creek-side sites are not pet-friendly because they sit so close to the water, so check the site notes if you camp with a dog.
• For accessibility: book one of the seven ADA sites.
• For a big rig: filter for sites that fit your length. 36 feet is the park maximum.
• For families: pick a site near a bathhouse and the path to Lake Osprey's beach and playground.

Primitive Group Camp

A primitive group camp with running water holds up to 40 people. It is not on the online system. Call the park at 941-483-5956 to book it.

Oscar Scherer Glamping

Oscar Scherer has deluxe safari tents for glamping. Each tent is 320 square feet, with your own A/C and heating unit, electrical outlets, a mini-fridge, a Keurig coffee maker, rugs and lamps. There are two layouts: two queen beds, or a king bed plus two sets of bunk beds. Outside you get a fire pit, a grill, string lights, two camp chairs and a picnic table. Book them through the "Glamping at Oscar Scherer" link on the park's page. For more on what you are paying for, read what is glamping.

Fees and Camping Reservations

• Campsite fee: $26 per night, plus state and local taxes.
• Utility fee: RV sites add a $7 nightly utility fee. It does not apply to tent camping.
• Reservation fee: a nonrefundable $6.70 per reservation.
• Discount: Florida residents 65 and older, or with a qualifying Social Security or 100% federal disability certificate, get 50% off the base campsite fee (not the reservation or utility fee). Bring proof.
• Youth groups: $1 per youth (under 18) and $5 per adult per night.
• Dump station for non-campers: $10.

Make Oscar Scherer State Park camping reservations on the Florida State Parks reservation website or by phone at 800-326-3521. Winter is peak season on this coast, and sites often sell out on weekends from late fall through spring. Book early and check back for cancellations.

Is Oscar Scherer State Park Open?

Yes. The park and campground are open every day of the year. As of late October 2026, the Florida State Parks alert page has no active alert for Oscar Scherer. Two kinds of alert do come up here, though:

• Burn bans: during dry spells the park has banned all campfires and open flames. Expect one in the dry season (late fall into spring).
• Storm closures: the park and its overnight stays have been closed during past storms.

Check the alerts on the park's Florida State Parks page, or call 941-483-5956, before you leave.

Campfires and Firewood

When there is no burn ban, campfires are allowed only in the ground grill on your site. Collecting firewood in the park is not allowed. Bring your own, or get it at the ranger station for a donation to the Friends of Oscar Scherer State Park. Put every fire out completely with water before you leave. New to fire building? Start with how to start a campfire.

Camping With Dogs

Pets are welcome in the campground and day-use areas on a six-foot hand-held leash. Never leave them unattended. They are not allowed on the swimming beach, in the lake, in restrooms or on playgrounds. Remember that some creek-side sites do not allow pets, so pick your site with care. See our full guide to camping with dogs.

Lake Osprey: Swimming, Fishing and the Beach

Lake Osprey is a small human-made lake (the park gives it as two to three acres). It is the only freshwater swimming lake in Sarasota County, and about a third of the shore is sandy beach. Snorkeling is allowed. Anglers catch bream, bluegill, largemouth bass and channel catfish, and the lake is stocked with catfish. Fishing is not allowed inside the roped-off swimming area. The Lake Osprey picnic area also has a bathhouse with cold showers for day visitors, pavilions and a playground. A Florida fishing license may be required.

South Creek: Canoeing and Kayaking

South Creek is a tidal blackwater creek. Its water is brackish, a mix of fresh and salt, lined with mangroves and cabbage palms. Look for herons, ospreys and sometimes otters and alligators. There are two launches: a primitive ramp across from the ranger station (hard at low tide) and an accessible launch at the South Creek picnic area. Canoe and kayak rentals are not available, so bring your own. Saltwater anglers can fish from the dock off the Lester Finley Trail.

Trails, Biking and the Legacy Trail

• Hiking: more than 15 miles of trails, with seven marked hiking trails. Numbered benches match the numbers on the trail map, so you always know where you are. There are no restrooms or shelters out on the trails, so carry water, sun protection and bug spray.
• Accessible trails: the Lester Finley Barrier Free Trail and the Lake Osprey Trail.
• Biking: about 10 miles of bike trails, plus the paved Legacy Trail, which runs about 12 miles from Venice to Sarasota straight through the park.

Wildlife and the Florida Scrub-Jay

The Florida scrub-jay lives only in Florida and needs sandy scrub to survive. Oscar Scherer protects the only population in Southwest Florida with a good long-term chance. The birds are bold and are often seen right on the trails. The park also counts more than 200 bird species, and bald eagles nest here in winter. You may also spot gopher tortoises, bobcats, deer and alligators. All wildlife is protected, so never feed it. The nature center by Lake Osprey is usually open Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Who Was Oscar Scherer?

Oscar Scherer invented a process for dyeing leather in 1872. His daughter, Elsa Scherer Burrows, left the family's 460-acre South Creek Ranch to the state in his memory, and the park opened in 1956. In 1991 the state added 922 acres of scrub-jay habitat from the neighboring Palmer Ranch.

Recommended Gear

Southwest Florida camping is warm, humid and buggy for much of the year, with sudden afternoon storms.

• Coleman Sundome Camping Tent: a simple tent with a full rainfly for the summer storms. See how to set up a tent.
• Wise Owl Outfitters Camping Hammock: a shady, breezy way to rest between pine trees on a hot afternoon. See our best camping hammock picks.
• Black Diamond Spot 400-R Headlamp: for the dark walk to the bathhouse and early starts on the scrub-jay trails.

For the rest of your list, use our camping checklist and pack for camping in the rain. Cooking on the site grill? Try our campfire cooking ideas, or bring one of the best camping stoves for burn-ban days.

More Florida State Park Camping

Oscar Scherer pairs well with other Gulf Coast and inland parks. See our guides to Hillsborough River State Park camping near Tampa, Rainbow Springs State Park camping, Sebastian Inlet State Park camping and Bahia Honda State Park camping, or browse our full list of Florida state parks camping. Planning a holiday trip? A warm Sarasota campsite is a great pick for Christmas camping, and families can find more ideas in our family-friendly campgrounds guide.