BROOKSVILLE -- This might be the noisiest, dustiest playground you'll ever find.

It might be the most fun one, too.

When it comes to a campground/dirt-bike adventure combination, it's tough to beat the 2,600-acre Croom Motorcycle Area in the Withlacoochee State Forest.

There is nothing else like it in Florida.

The combination of size, affordability and variety of terrain for beginners and experts make it a desired destination for biking/all-terrain vehicle enthusiasts from both in and out of state.

There are plenty of places to camp in Florida. And there are a handful of places -- public and private -- to ride dirt bikes. But there is hardly anywhere to do it together like this.

"It's amazing here," said Alex Tallman, one of three high-school seniors who came from South Florida to spend their spring break camping and riding earlier this month. "For what we like to do -- ride and hang out -- it's top of the line. Can't beat it. We had always heard about this place but never had a chance to come before."

As big as it is, the motorcycle area is just a fraction of a 157,315-acre state forest that sprawls across parts of five counties in West Central Florida. Although parts of the forest are pristine and naturally quiet, that isn't the case at the Croom Motorcycle Area.

It borders the western side of I-75, sitting on an abandoned mining operation that helps give it an unpredictable terrain. There are trails to ride, valleys to traverse and sand dunes to climb, allowing both novice and experienced riders to explore the area.

Established in 1973 through the efforts of the Florida Trail Riders and the Department of Agriculture, the area is dedicated strictly to the needs of off-highway riders. The vegetation ranges from hardwood hammocks and tight scrubs to the pits left behind from the mines.

Unlike the Ocala National Forest, which allows bigger vehicles and has a more primitive camping area, Croom is more restrictive in the riding allowed but has more comforts for the campers, such as hot showers, flush toilets and electrical plug-ins.

"This is just great family entertainment," said Andy Strecker of St. Cloud, who came for the first time this month with his camper. "Now I realize what people were talking about. For my family, this is tough to beat."

Strecker was there with friend Danny Bartlett, also of St. Cloud, their wives and a total of five children. The children, who ranged in age from 6 to 16, were riding in and out of the campground.

It's a dusty, often messy sport, but everyone was enjoying the daylong treks through the trails from sunrise to sunset.

"It's a wonderful area, but I just wish there were five more like this around the state," said Keith Finnerty, longtime rider from Seminole County who is the president of the Central Florida Trail Riders Association. "The biggest problem we have now is that there just aren't enough places like this."

The lack of places such as Croom led the Florida Legislature in 2002 to pass the Mark Schmidt Off-Highway Vehicle Safety and Recreation Act, designed to raise money to produce more sites to ride. Yet the only other trail system that has been developed is the Tate's Hell OHV System in the Panhandle.

"There are more ATVs being sold than ever, but the places to ride them are hard to find now," Finnerty said. "It's too bad, but it's one reason why Croom is so popular."

Like many recreational pursuits, riding and camping here are considerably less congested during the week. Because there are only 50 campsites, most weekends it fills up by late Friday afternoons, forcing late arrivals to look at other nearby sites, where they must trailer their bikes in and out of the area.

"There are some weekends we could fill our 50 sites there three times over," said Lynne Bolton, operations director at the Withlacoochee State Forest. "It really is a shame there aren't more places like this."

The World Wildlife Fund listed the Withlacoochee State Forest as one of its "10 Coolest Places in North America" because of the numerous outdoor recreational opportunities. But it's primarily the Croom Motorcycle Area that has made it so popular nationally. On any weekend, there could be campers/riders from Maine, Minnesota, Ohio, New York and all across Florida.

During the 2004-05 fiscal year, there were 46,935 off-road vehicles that came through the gates, more for the day-use areas. There were 14,488 permits issued that produced $580,382 in revenue, which is more than all the other state forests in Florida combined.

"There just aren't many places like this. We're lucky to have it here," said Danny Vancil, owner of OAS Power Sports, a private business located near the entrance of Croom, catering to riders' needs. "We get people from all over the country come here to ride."

From Orlando, Croom is located directly west on State Road 50, just east of Brooksville. It's a pleasant drive, too, through Clermont, Groveland, Mascotte, Stuckey, Mabel, Linden and Tarrytown.

"I'm disappointed we have to leave," Tallman said. "There is everything you need right here. You've got showers, you got electricity, and you've got room to ride. I don't want to go home."

Tim Povtak can be reached at tpovtak@orlandosentinel.com.