You wouldn't want to swim in that backwater that borders the campground. They do have a nice beach but I do not like the place and will not go back. The CG is ridiculously hard to navigate and I did not think it was a very friendly place. If you want to do some great swimming in Florida PM me and I will put you on the good spots at the freshwater springs. Nothing else like them.
It should be salt water by the campground, but it may be brackish. I guess I should have asked if there was a designated swimming area at the campground? The main beaches at the other part of Fort DeSoto Park look like they are quite a ways from the campground for my 87 year old mother to walk to. She will be with us as it's Mother's Day weekend that we are going.
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It water area around the campgrund is hazardous. There are oyster bars which will cut you, no shore, no lifeguards and uneven bottom with holes. They have it posted no swimming for a reason. Conversely, the beach area is beuatiful white sand beach, so why not get in your car or ride your bike and swim where the swimming area is?
We have a Class C, Big Katuna, so no car. I'm not big on swimming anyway, just as long as we have the view, that's all that really matters. In a few weeks we are heading to Gamble Rogers, and that has a beautiful beach from the pictures I've seen! Can't wait!
Starfire5 wrote: It should be salt water by the campground, but it may be brackish. I guess I should have asked if there was a designated swimming area at the campground? The main beaches at the other part of Fort DeSoto Park look like they are quite a ways from the campground for my 87 year old mother to walk to. She will be with us as it's Mother's Day weekend that we are going.
We spent a few delightful days at Fort Desoto in January. I guarantee your 87 yr. old mom will not be walking to the beach - it is several miles from the c.g. There is no suitable swimming area at the c.g. It is not the sort of place that is appealing for swimming but is wonderful for watching birds and the fish jumping. The white sand beaches are really nice but you will have to drive or bike along the trail to reach them.
It is a nice park - we really enjoyed our stay there. We had no problem negotiating around the park. DH even got on a c.g. loop that was not advised for M.H. and he managed to get around it without incident. If I had been with him - he would not have made the wrong turn! I was still in the office.
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As most said, not suitable for swimming. Really pretty shallow maybe can find waist deep water if you wade way out by the channels where the Sharks run...
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pamie50 wrote: they have sea walls . so you're up a little high, and i do belive that there are gators in that water, thats why some of the sites don't allow dogs. if you go on you tube and put in ft. desoto park there's a tape with a Realy big rattle snake. but the beaches there at the park are some of the BEST in the world, so be carefull have fun and happy camping
The water at the camp sites is "still" water... muddy, yes, seawalled also and really not much of a flow other than tide and not a place to swim in . There are no gators there as it's salt water. You will need to go to the beach in the park ( bike or drive.. it would be a long walk !) to enjoy the award winning beaches and sand. Check out the remains of the fort, take the ferry over to Egmont Key, stop at Billy's Stone Crab for some fresh seafood. Enjoy
My experience there was in launching my kayak and wading out in the water. The bottom is very muddy and I found myself actually sinking in the mud. It was a little difficult to free my feet in order to walk in the water.
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Big Katuna wrote: It water area around the campgrund is hazardous. There are oyster bars which will cut you, no shore, no lifeguards and uneven bottom with holes. They have it posted no swimming for a reason. Conversely, the beach area is beuatiful white sand beach, so why not get in your car or ride your bike and swim where the swimming area is?
And here we have the two fold answer. One, "no swimming" is published in their information so as not to have anyone come in believing they could swim (nice of the park, actually). Second, "no swimming" rules are in place to protect the park from liability should someone think they could swim and then injure themselves or drown due to the conditions that exist under the water. The park MUST enforce the rules, to have a rule and not enforce it is actually much worse from a liability standpoint than not having the rule at all. The probably can't physically stop you, it wouldn't make sense to shoot you to prevent you from entering the water, but they should and probably would evict anyone who knowingly breaks a safety rule. I know we would.
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