This is an update of a review done during our first visit in 2017. This was the first park we actually lived in, taking us truly full-circle after our first year of adventure.

Campground Review Summary

• Name: Markham Park Campground
• Dates of stay:  February 1-15, 2019
• Location: 16001 W State Rd 84, Sunrise, FL 33326  (near the intersection of I-75 and I-595)
• Type of campground: Broward County park
• Cost: $44.80/night
• Additional fees: >4 campers, pets, extra vehicles, certain park activities
• Stay limit: none, subject to availability
• Accepts mail / packages: yes
• Cell reception:  AT&T: marginal signal
• Website:  http://www.broward.org/Parks/MarkhamPark/
• Pros: Spacious full hookup sites in a well-kept park with many amenities. Price is reasonable by Florida standards.
• Cons:  Florida summer heat/humidity, bugs, marginal bathhouse

Full Review

Broward County’s park campgrounds are underappreciated gems. Markham Park campground has 88 full hookup (30/50 amp, water, sewer) sites, 8 of which are paved pull through sites. Previously we had snagged one of these, but weren’t so lucky this trip. We ended up in two of the standard, back-in dirt sites. We couldn’t get one site for two consecutive weeks, so had to change sites mid-way during our stay – and we booked many months ahead. To get a preferred site for any length of time during high season requires booking a year in advance.

Roads into the campground are all paved and wide enough navigate with care, however the campground circles are tight for a big rig and you have to keep an eye out for low-hanging tree branches.

The sites were quite spacious and quite scenic, but I got a bit tired of constantly tracking dirt and mud into the rig. Our previous visit’s paved site was much cleaner. Our first site this trip was level, but the second site was not. Even using front wheel blocks we were unable to level the rig and just lived on tires (no jacks) for the last few days of our stay. We had no trouble obtaining satellite signal through the scattered trees. The sites also come with a wood picnic table and fire ring. One minor annoyance –  sewer connections are raised, making for an awkward uphill sewer dump process.

Considering that the local KOA’s run north of $70 per night for a very tight site, Broward County’s cost of $45/night seems reasonable. The price is $10/night less off-season. The parks do not offer weekly or monthly rates. A car pass is issued to cover weekend entry when the park charges admission fees of $1.50/person. During the week, entrance to the park is free. The office staff was friendly and helpful, and we were able to ship mail and packages to the office with no problem.

The campground is spread out over the western side of the park. Trash dumpsters and bath houses are centrally located. Although adequate, the bath houses are aging and could use more cleaning attention. I elected to use my own shower facilities. AT&T data signal was available, but marginal. Being close to Ft. Lauderdale and Miami, we were able to pull in a variety of over the air channels on our digital antenna.

The real benefit of camping here is the range of amenities offered by the park. The park is equipped with the usual picnic tables and pavilions, playgrounds, tennis courts and walking/biking paths, as one might expect. But the park also has a shooting range, model plane airfield, disc golf course, mountain bike trails, several boat launches, workout equipment (the Fitness Zone) and a dog park with three separate zones for large dogs, small dogs, and puppies. The park even has an observatory, which is free and open to the public on Saturday nights. With all that the park has to offer it is well utilized, especially on weekends. Weekend traffic through the gate can be quite backed up.  However, the campground itself is off to the side and relatively isolated from the busy-ness of the rest of the park. Mostly you see road bikers whizzing through their laps and folks jogging or walking their dogs. It should be noted that passes are required (fees charged) for use of the dog park, airfield, and mountain bike trails. During this trip, I was so busy working and visiting friends that I didn’t have time to take advantage of the park amenities.

Since the park is at the edge of the County, adjacent to the Everglades, some level of mosquitos and bugs are inevitable. The County does fog for mosquitos which helps considerably but they can still be bothersome, especially at dawn and dusk.

Bottom line:  It’s a good choice for South Florida camping, but I prefer the paved pull-through sites. The bath houses could stand some updating and better cleaning.