Don't be a country mouse at Wekiwa Springs State Park FL

I tried to tell you!

It’s totally fixable and I don’t know of another park that doesn’t have two lanes.

It’s a mistake you will only make once. Just don’t leave and try to return before 2:00.

Have you been to Petty’s Market yet? On 434. Near I 4.

With the warm temps, the locals, the leftover race fans, the early bikeweek crowd, and all the snow birds in town, everyone is looking for a cool, inexpensive place to enjoy the day ! That line does not surprise me at all !

I wrote my post early yesterday morning. By noon I was livid. We have been here since the 16th but I guess we didn't go anywhere before late afternoon on the 17th or 18th. That was last Saturday and Sunday.
Yesterday we went to the grocery store about 11 AM. We get back and traffic is backed up out into the road blocking traffic in one direction and sitting in the suicide lane in the other. I called the entrance station and asked what the proceedure was for camper reentry without sitting in the line of folks just going to the springs. I was nicely but basically told sorry, get in line.It is absolutely ridiculous that a camper can't get to a campsite without sitting in a line for 45 minutes or longer. They would not let the out lane be used either even if traffic was suspended for one minute. One of the rangers told me that this is nothing. He stated that the police are often called to handle the blocked traffic situation, and that the left turning suicide lane sitters line backs up over a mile, around a corner, and up to the next traffic light. It's so bad that they even have their own admin gate campers can't use it.
When the lot to the springs fills up they start turning people away, one out one in. A camper could be there literally for hours. Totally insane, I feel sorry for the employees that have to work Saturdays and Sundays. I am not going to give them a hard time but this issue evidently has been going on for years and is easily solved.
Easy way number one. As the springs are at the very front of the park cut a new entrance to the huge lot already there that does not connect to the main park. Yes there will be all kinds of local gov hoops to jump thru.
Easy way number two. Stop out traffic momentarily to allow campers in. This is only a weekend problem evidently.
Wekiva Springs Rd has some pretty high end homes, country clubs, and gated communities. I'm sure they just love this nonsense.

We've stayed in many Florida state parks that still have that "Real Florida" feel to them. We're sitting in one right now, Alafia River, where we have a very nice view of a large pond and no neighboring sites on top of us. It's about 15 miles to the nearest "population center" that has a large selection of stores, restaurants, etc. A bit closer, there are a few "mom & pops" about 5-6 miles away. The traffic is always light, and we don't hear any road noise at all, even when sitting outside in the evenings. We were at Gold Head Branch back in January with a similar setting less the pond view. Rainbow Springs, Manatee Springs, Paynes Prairie, etc., are all parks with a more traditional "camping" feel to them. And I'm sure there are a number of others that we just haven't gotten to yet. We also enjoy state parks like Silver Springs, Stephen Foster Folk Center, Myakka River, and Ft Clinch, but we know we won't have the same "camping" experience at those parks. They have their own unique benefits as well though.

One big negative is that in warm weather the springs draws hundreds of day visitors and when the parking lot is full, cars line up at the entrance.

There is only a one lane road at the entrance so if you leave and try to re-enter before 2:00 or so you are going to have to get in line and wait.

When one car leaves they let one more in.

Manageable but kind of a pain.

Now you've gone and done it...:R... This is one of my favorite parks but with all the northerners here in the cooler months, I can't even get lucky and find a spot until closer to summer. :M Now I'll have even more people to fight for a spot!!!! It is amazing that you can ride around in the park and feel like your in a rural area, but leave the park and you're 5 minutes (with traffic) from Publix. If it is too much for you, then I'll take you place!!!

We have stayed there many times.

I disagree with your assessment of the traffic. It’s urban neighborhood sprawl traffic.
Two Lane mostly.

Yes, I4 is a mess.

If you turn right out of the park and head towards Apopka in a few minutes you are n farm and nursery country.

Old southern Florida hospitality, the E ticket ride, and never going hungry because the fish were always biting is just a distant memory. If you're retiring out of a small apartment in New York City, and seeing Florida for the first time, it would be like living under a Christmas tree.

Still a few spots for a country mouse, but everyone is keeping those secret, and they are prone to Mother Nature's vengeance if you own. With all that said, still can't beat the winter weather there. What to do, what to do. :)