Hog Waller Palatka FL Mud Bog & ATV

Hog Waller in Palatka Florida is hard to beat if you are into exciting outdoor adventure and aren’t scared of getting dirty! Hog Waller has a very large mud pit and sits on over 1,000 acres with trails into Florida’s wild & untamed bad lands that seem to go on forever!

When you first arrive at Hog Waller in Palatka FL, you will see a couple of large entrance signs, and you will probably see campers and RVs. There is a small entrance fee at the gate and there’s a waiver they ask you to sign.

Many people getting situated at Hog Waller.

Sitting around fire pit at camp site in front of nice RV.

After entering the gate you are probably going to be looking for your spot to park or setup camp. There aren’t designated camping spots because where people park or camp is wide open space. It’s also first come first serve, so it’s best to get here earlier than later if you are camping. There are showers, restrooms, a place to eat, a gift shop, and even water hoses setup at a station to wash off your ATVs or UTVs.

Are there hotels near Hog Waller?

Yes, there are hotels near Hog Waller. I stayed at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites about 15 minutes up the road. The Holiday Inn’s reviews and rating were great, and I could see why. The room was very nice, it was quiet at night, and they had breakfast in the morning. I saw at least 3 trucks here pulling ATVs in the parking lot, along with multiple bass boats and even a tour bus.

Holiday Inn Express & Suites

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Is there good bass fishing near Hog Waller?

I happened to run into professional bass fisherman Matt Arey from North Carolina in the parking lot of the Holiday Inn Express & Suites who was staying there too. He’s a very nice guy! He was entered into the Bassmaster tournament taking place nearby on the St. Johns river. Matt said there were some monster size bass in the St. Johns river and that the river was well known in the country for its great bass fishing! He mentioned that it has many great locations and many lakes that you can access.

A very short distance south on 19 from Hog Waller there’s a public boat ramp that will put you on the Ocklawaha River which connects to the Saint Johns River. Or, just a little further south you will find another boat ramp at Salt Springs. This is also available to the public, but there’s a small fee for parking. One of the pro’s fishing in the Bassmaster tournament caught a bass close to the boat ramp at Salt Springs. So if you are planning a trip to Hog Waller, and also like to fish for bass, you’ve come to the right place.

Only ATVs and UTVs are allowed on the 1,000 acres of trails at Hog Waller.

What is an ATV?

An ATV is an all-terrain vehicle, also known as a quad. It has a seat that is straddled and has handlebars. You can expect to see many ATVs having fun in the mud here at Hog Waller!

Guy powers through mud on ATV at Hog Waller!

Cool girls having a great time on ATVs at Hog Waller!

What is a UTV?

A utility task vehicle (UTV) also known as a side-by-side (SXS), is 4-wheeled and is meant for off-road use.

The big difference between a SXS and an all-terrain vehicle (or a quad) is that the passenger sits beside you instead of behind you. Both can be all wheel drive and both can go through the mud but the SXSs are often seen being able to carry 4 people instead of 2. Some of the SXSs also have more room in the back where you can keep things, like a cooler, generator, or maybe an extra gas can. The SXSs are the newest hottest thing right now, and they are very customized! If you hear music playing loud in these woods, it’s probably a SXS. They have cool lights, and sound systems, along with lift kits, upgraded tires, air intakes raised up high, and all sorts of accessories. They even had a sound competition for them that had a $2,000 payout!

Sound Comp at Hog Waller

SXSs lined up at Hog Waller, Palatka Florida

Different types of SXSs at Hog Waller, flags and whip lights.

Very nice 2 seater Polaris RZR XP 1000 Highlifter. I’ll bet that’s fun to drive!

If you look at that smaller Polaris, it’s got a full size Yeti cooler in the back, 4 JL audio speakers, 3 orange air intake snorkels behind the driver to prevent water from splashing up and getting into the motor, a windshield, a roof, and who knows how many more upgrades. Plus, it’s 1000cc and it’s light weight! They are really having fun with the SXSs out here at Hog Waller!

Can I bring my truck to Hog Waller?

If you’ve got a big truck, great! There’s a giant mud pit and depending on the day, they allow the trucks in there too!

Big red truck riding through mud pit.

Big white truck plowing through deep mud!

Hog Waller’s own truck was picking up guests and taking them for a ride in the mud pit!

And then this guy entered the mud pit…

This guy’s truck roared so loud through Hog Waller’s mud pit! I could have watched this one guy run laps in the mud pit all day long. This was entertaining!

He would hit the mud and cause a huge splash. Some of this mud wasn’t thin, but it was thick. His truck would push through the mud with a great sounding roaring motor. He had his radiator mounted in the bed of the truck. When mud splashed over the roof, it would land on the radiator and cause the steam.

Doing fast laps in the mud pit, he was having the time of his life, and so was his passenger!

The 1,000 Acre Woods at Hog Waller, Palatka Florida

After you have gotten situated, maybe even been entertained by trucks, it’s time to do what you came for… ENTER THE 1000 ACRE WOODS!

But wait, what if you don’t own an ATV or a UTV? Not a problem!

Hog Waller has rentals.

Honda Pioneer 700 Rental at Hog Waller Palatka, FL

Hog Waller offers SXS rentals, that seat 4 people! Take a day or two off to explore the deep woods of Florida.

This very nice group of people were out on the trails having a great time on one of Hog Waller’s Honda Pioneer 700 rentals. If you are interested in exploring Hog Waller’s 1000 acres woods but you don’t have an ATV or SXS yet, this is a perfect way to have fun outdoors in a quality ride with a whole lot less cost then purchasing one.

But they are a busy location and the rentals are limited. I know that while I was there, they were sold out, so I suggest to contact them in advance.

A very nice family exploring the trails at Hog Waller on ATVs with flags and helmets.

The Trails, Mud, and Woods at Hog Waller in Palatka, FL

There are main trails where you will see many riders, and smaller trails where you will see less. You will find mud pits, and that is for sure where you will see people who aren’t scared of getting dirty!

If you notice in the images below, the doors are closed shut, but there are holes near the feet where water can rush in! How wild is that!

A SXS Honda Talon was putting on a show at Hog Waller, with some very cool upgrades! They were having fun for sure splashing through the mud!

The ATVs were also having fun, and were also just as capable!

Looks like they may get stuck!

Nope! He’s a pro, and I hear he’s very popular on YouTube!

Night falls at Hog Waller in Palatka, FL

After a long day of riding, make it back toward the camping area and stop by the Hog Trough to get something good to eat. They have a lot on the menu, but I had a cheeseburger, fries and onion rings with a bottled water and it was all great! The Hog Trough is under a very beautiful canopy of Florida oak trees with lights hanging in the trees. There are many benches for you to sit at and enjoy your food. Right beside the Hog Trough there is a gift shop that you could pick up a souvenir while you are waiting for your food to be prepared.

Hog Trough at Hog Waller

Back out on the trails at night people turned their lights on and continued to ride!

Out in the swampy area at night you can see all the lights of SXSs and ATVs at Hog Waller.

This area had pretty deep water and it looked like they were all debating. A guy got stuck, but the people nearby would help. I found that this was the same everywhere in the park. I think helping someone get out of the mud is just as much fun for a lot of people out here.