Hidden among the tidal marshes of the Tomoka and Halifax rivers near Ormond Beach, Tomoka State Park offers a shady campground, access to miles of paddle trails, biking and hiking trails, productive fishing, a half-dozen picnic areas, launch ramps, docks and a well-stocked camp store with kayak and canoe rentals.
Tomoka State Park is the gateway to the Ormond Scenic Loop, a graceful, picturesque 34-mile ride through live oak canopies, saltwater marshes, subtropical forest and coastal dune eco-systems.
By the time you arrive at Tomoka State Park, you have already been introduced to its charms. Live oaks dripping with wisteria and native sabal palms offering a dense canopy along North Beach Street, the first leg of the Ormond Scenic Loop.
There are five state parks on or near the loop.
A short ride (or drive) from Tomoka, you can visit the majestic 400-year-old Fairchild Oak at Bulow Creek State Park, the Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park, a pristine beach at North Peninsula State Park and two more campgrounds, including one on the beach, at Gamble Rogers State Recreation Area.
Throughout the loop, there are countless opportunities for paddling kayaks and canoes, hiking trails, secluded beaches and prime fishing holes.
The loop itself is a major attraction for a Sunday ride, whether you’re on a Harley or pedaling a Schwinn.
A paved trail meanders through the woods nearby, taking bicyclists and hikers off narrow North Beach Street.
Camping at Tomoka State Park
There are 100 well-shaded campsites, and most are deep, spacious and afford considerable privacy. All but a few pads are hard-pack sand and coquina shell, accommodating tents as well as RVs..
Self-supporting tents with a ground cloth will work best, depending on the site you select. For extra strength against surprise weather, tie them off to stakes in softer ground off-site.
The maximum RV length is 34 feet, although many sites look much deeper.
Every site has electric, water, a picnic table, fire ring/grill and a lantern post that can also serve as a clothes line support. (Tie the line to your RV or tent, not to nearby trees.) There are no sewer hookups, but there is a dump station near the campground exit.
Handicapped accessible sites on concrete pads
Site 13 – 20’ with 30-amp service
Site 74 – 34’ with 50-amp service
Site 75 – 30’ with 50-amp service
Site 91 – 34’ with 30-amp service – pull-thru site
The campground, laid out in an elongated oval, has three restrooms with showers. Pets are OK.
Although some sites are a short distance to the water, the river is tidal, making it difficult and cumbersome to launch in the omnipresent soft mud. Plan to use other launch areas in the park.
Because of the intense shade, pooling water and dense thickets of scrub, summer camping can be buggy. Not so much in winter, but you’ll never totally escape the emergence at dusk of pesky no-see-ums.
Be aware of events in nearby Daytona Beach when you set a date for your trip to this park. Reservations will be difficult to obtain during Biketoberfest (October), Rolex 24 (January), Daytona 500 (February), Bike Week (March) and the Pepsi 400 (July 4).
Primitive camping: Want to really get away? There are two primitive camping sites you reach via a several mile hike. Primitive campsites are available for $5. To reserve a primitive campsite, call the park at 863-696-1112.
Paddling at Tomoka State Park
Tomoka State Park is a paddler’s paradise with open water and backcountry trails. The marshes around the park are mostly shallow, so they do not lend themselves to larger boats.
The boat ramp is at the park concession, where you can also rent kayaks and canoes, but you don’t have to launch at the ramp.
If you drive onto the park’s islands in the Halifax River, there is ample shoreline.
But the boat ramp does offer access to the best paddle trails on the Tomoka River, its marshes and upriver creeks that run deep into natural areas of the park, ideal for wildlife viewing.
The Tomoka Outpost concession is at the boat ramp offers rentals of canoes, tandem and solo kayaks.
Hiking and Biking at Tomoka State Park
The number of improved trails within the park are limited, but adventurous souls will be able to explore more deeply if they are into geocaching. Ask for more information at the ranger station.
The only improved trail within the park is a .8-mile interpretive trail that winds through a hardwood hammock once inhabited by Timucuan Indians, including an ancient village site on the banks of the Tomoka River.
The trail starts at the park concession and ends at the statue of Chief Tomokie.
There are many unimproved park roads that are bike-friendly, and a paved multi-use trail at the entrance to the park.
There are several hiking trails at nearby Bulow Creek State Park worthy of attention, including the 6.8-mile Bulow Woods Trail that runs from the 400-year-old Fairchild Oak to the Bulow Plantation Ruins.
This trail will take you through old growth forest of live oaks, and these woods are popping with wildlife.
A short trail takes a loop around a groundwater spring that seeps from a coquina bluff. There are boardwalks on this trail so hikers don’t disrupt the sensitive eco-system.
If you follow the Ormond Loop around to North Peninsula State Park, you’ll find a two-mile-long Coastal Strand Trail that will take you into the coastal dunes, where you can observe a variety of unexpected wildlife, such as shore birds and gopher tortoises.
Legend of Tomokie
No visit to this park is complete without paying homage to Timucuan Indian Chief Tomokie, who is preserved in local mythology by a 40-foot statue sculpted by local artist Fred Marsh in the mid-1950s.
The statue is on a pedestal at the northernmost point of the park and is easily accessible from the main park road.
While there may have never been a Chief Tomokie, the monument is a reminder that this area was once populated by native Americans who lived and fished these waters for centuries before Europeans arrived.
Legend propagated by early Spanish explorers would suggest that these Indians stood 7 feet tall and were cannibals, but there’s little evidence these Indians were any different than any other.
Indeed, they more likely settled here because of an abundance of fish, shellfish and wild game that were easily hunted. And archaeological evidence shows the Timucuans were of normal size.
A large picnic area is convenient to the statue, and the point behind the statue juts out into the Tomoka River where it joins the Halifax River. The location is ideal for fishing from shore.
The Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail
This 34-mile double loop of roadways between Ormond Beach and Flagler Beach passes through three state parks and several county parks and preservation areas, stitching them together into a scenic drive in the country with spectacular views.
Bicyclists tackle these roads with enthusiasm, but be forewarned that the roads are narrow and cars not always respectful.
The Ormond Loop is popular for motorcycles, and you’ll find it packed with bikers during special motorcycle events in nearby Daytona Beach. Signs frequently remind riders to limit noise.
What’s the attraction? Simply, the views.
The Ormond Scenic Loop is one of the most picturesque destinations in northeast Florida, passing through canopies of live oaks and dense hardwood forests, sweeping grass savannas and saltwater marshes, coastal dune eco-systems and pristine beaches.
The double loop starts on North Beach Street at Tomoka State Park, continues north along Old Dixie Highway, then jogs east on Walter Boardman Lane, jogging south then east on Highbridge Road until you cross the Intracoastal Waterway at High Bridge.
Immediately after crossing High Bridge, turn south onto John Anderson Drive and cruise alongside the Halifax River, eventually dipping into bustling Ormond Beach before swinging east to State Road A1A.
Heading north along the beach, you will be greeted by gentle sea breezes and the pristine dune environment of North Peninsula State Park.
The loop ends back at Highbridge Road, but it will be worth your while to continue north on A1A through Gamble Rogers State Park to Flagler Beach, an old Florida beach town with tons of character.
Tomoka State Park, 2099 N Beach St., Ormond Beach. Phone: (386) 676-4050. Day-use visitors: $5 per vehicle. Kayak, canoe rentals available at the park concession, Tomoka Outpost. Boat ramps. Camping: 100 campsites with water, electric hookups, dump station. Pets OK. Camping fee: $24/day plus $7 daily utility fee for RVs (not tents). Reservations: Florida residents can book online up to 11 months in advance (10 months for non-residents) at reserve.floridastateparks.org or call (800) 326-3521.
Discounts: Florida residents age 65+, as well as residents who are certified disabled, receive 50% off the base campground fee. Reservation fee ($6.70) and utility fees ($7) are not included in the discount.
Dining out
There is at least one night on a camping trip when you’re tired of grilling over the campfire and you need to get out. You are in luck. In fact, you may be luckier than you think.
Hulls Seafood Restaurant, 111 West Granada Street, Ormond Beach, 32174. Map.
The seafood is fresh off their own boats, and they sell it in their own market. The market fronts on Grenada Street and the restaurant is behind the market. Park out back if you can, and there are a couple of public lots nearby behind the Grenada Street storefronts,
The atmosphere at Hulls is classic Florida seafood shack, the staff is friendly, and the seafood is among the best I’ve ever had, Make sure you get their crab cakes, and don’t forget to pick up their smoked fish dip for snacking back at the campsite. Very fresh.
To get here from Tomoka State Park, turn left from the park entrance onto North Beach Street; drive four (4) miles to Grenada Street. Turn right, and Hulls is two blocks up on the right,.
You also might like:
Grind at Kona Tiki Bar, 49 W. Granada BLVD, Ormond Beach, FL 32174. Touristy setting with “backyard” outdoor bar and dining, one block east of Hulls. Hawaiian-themed menu and pizza. Phone: 386-672-7277
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This park is just a kaoke, a miracle of nature, an amazing place, it was interesting to read the overview of Tomoka Park. My wife and I love camping and went there a couple of times, the place is very quiet and calm, everything is neat, not many people. An ideal place to spend time together. We walked and bicycled along these interesting paths, a terrific place. Have a nice day!