Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park Campground

We planned to stay here for 7 days but only ended up staying 2 nights because of the lack of a good Verizon 4G signal. We both work full time during the day and rely heavily on a solid signal. Even after using our Weboost 4g RV booster, it wasn't enough to satisfy our somewhat demanding needs for a solid internet connection.

But besides that, we really enjoyed our stay and wish we could have stayed longer. The RV sites are very spacious, flat and private. We probably could have fit 2 of our 38 foot motorhomes in the gravel spot we were in and very far enough from neighbors to feel very private. We did the 2 loop walking trails which were nice and scenic. One along a swampy lagoon area and the other along the larger bay area. Easy hikes taking about 1.5 hours total. Lots of green "sea foamy" looking fungus things that I've never seen before covering a lot of the forest ground along the trails. Closest I can describe is looking like sea foam but on closer inspection were some sort of bumpy looking, branchy moss or fungus. I need to google it and find out what it actually is :)
The facilities looked brand new. Nice small little campsite area with just one loop. The ranger were friendly and accommodated receiving mail to their ranger station. Our site had 50 amp and water, gravel, a picnic table and a fire ring. An easily accessible dump station was located right within the campground loop. The ranger station had a very basic and tiny store mostly just for ice and firewood and some tourist knicknacks.

There's a gas station and a shopping center in Niceville within about a mile or two from the campgrounds with a supermarket, restaurants etc

Unlike the other reviewer, we had great Verizon coverage, usually at least 3 bars. The facilities and campsites were immaculately clean. The hosts and park employees were friendly and super helpful. The setting on the bayou is lovely, with some nice trails. We hiked, biked, and took our dog on these trails.
The location is perfect if you want to catch the seasonal fishing in the bayou or need to be in the Niceville area. We thought it was also a good location to be close to the nice beaches of Destin without being in the crowds. Another option is Henderson State Park, which is on the beach, but pricier. If you are looking for economy, then Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou more than fits the bill. It's about 15 minutes to Destin shopping, 20-30 minutes to the beaches, depending on the tourist traffic.

Great location for hiking, biking, boating, kayaking, canoeing, and fishing! Close to Destin beaches, shopping, and tourist attractions !

Most sites are large, with plenty of wooded space between camp sites! Some are soo large , more than one RV would fit inside them.

Campground is well maintianed and clean! Hosts are friendly; providing help and answering questions as needed!

Bonus for staying here is that you can also enter Henderson Beach State Park day use area and it's great beaches for free! Just show them you vehicle pass for Rocky Bayou SP!

We thoroughly enjoyed this campground. It is beautiful & well kept. Bathhouse was clean & nice with a dish sink & washers & dryers outside ($2.00). There is even a book & painted rock exchange. Sites are very nice. Spacious with plenty of trees & growth between for privacy.

At $16 per night plus fees, you cannot beat this lake state park. The spots are spacious, the utilities are clean and the people are friendly! Had site 14, backed in and was as level as i've ever been. Shower rooms are private, full bathroom and shower in one room. Includes a laundry setup with outdoor sink to wash dishes and soda machine right outside of bath. Park itself has nice lake and trails to walk, looks to be a friendly spot in the middle of a town called Niceville. Easy to get to, but recommend setting directions because gps didn't seem to recognize,
Verizon jetpack had LTE 2-3 bars along with phone. Streamed and worked with no issues.

Happened upon this fabulous park by accident. My hubby and I were thrilled to stay here. No reservation but one "walk up" spot -- #1 -- was available. Park voluteers and rangers were very helpful, kind, friendly! "People friendly" workers make the best impression! 😀

Our site was bordered by trees - so peaceful and quiet!

Enjoyed this park so much that we made reservations for January - site 31 overlooking the water

Great staff and sites were gravel and very level. A nice quite park and wish they had full hookup because we would have stayed longer. Close to Niceville and civilization, but did not get bothered by any highway noise. Also nice that your car pass will get you into Henderson Beach SP in Destin that gives you access to one of the most beautiful coastlines and beaches on the Gulf Coast. Very clean and well kept.

Our site was sandy, many of the others were gravel. Besides that, it is a little gem! Only 40+ sites. It is a reasonable commute to the Santa Rosa beaches. We kayaked out in the bayou and the launch was excellent. We experienced the thrill of having stingrays fluttering around us! And there was a loon on the water. Would most definitely return. Nice hiking too.

The Florida State Park system is full of great parks for camping and this one is no exception. There are 42 sites around a single loop and some of them are right by the water with incredible views.

There is plenty of separation between sites by both trees and shrubs so there is a feeling of privacy in most cases. Each site has 30 or 50 amp RV hookups and a water connection. There is one easily accessible dump station for the campground too.

The bathrooms are very clean and the showers are large as well. In general, the campground is very clean and well-kept all around.

It's situated not far from Niceville, where you can find a Publix and a Walmart for any necessities you need. There are also plenty of chain restaurants to choose from in Niceville. But if you want a good meal for a low price be sure to check out the Po Folks restaurant by Walmart. We enjoyed it very much and left having spent just $15 for both of us.

The campground is close to nearby Fort Walton Beach in one direction and Destin in the other direction. These are both right on the Gulf and there is plenty to see and do in these areas.

We enjoyed fast internet speeds in our rig thanks to AT&T service and our cell booster. But over the air TV stations were hard to come by and the reception for them was very spotty.

So with all of these good points in favor of this park, why did I give it 4 stars instead of 5? Well, we travel in a big rig that is 40 feet long and the road through the campground is very narrow and windy in some spots. And there are tight spots that will require your full attention with a rig our size. It doesn't mean that it can't be done. It just means, be careful and go slow. We even saw a large 5th wheel that slipped off the paved road and nearly overturned going around one of the sharp curves.

Also, several of the inner sites that faced the water were not very level. In fact, we saw a few RVs in that area that had their front jacks so high to get the rig to level that the front wheels were off the ground. Even our site was sloped toward the back so far that our rear jacks were pretty high to maintain level for the coach. Other sites seemed to be more level but those that weren't, were pretty bad.

None of these things mean that we would't stay here again, because we certainly would. But they also do not mean that I feel comfortable giving this campground a 5 star rating either. Four stars are about right this time.

Close to slot of shopping. Stayed 4 night then again for 5 night. Nice trails,and beautiful water views. Will be staying here again when we go to Florida. No deer hook ups but they do have a dump site. Washer and dryer by restrooms. Takes quarters. Boat ramp, and picnic area.