Last updated on February 5th, 2026 at 03:30 pm
My first camping outing in the Everglades came during the ’80s. My wife and I packed a tent, our son and our gear and headed for Flamingo, deep in Everglades National Park.
Back then, the Flamingo campground was a wide open field dotted with the occasional picnic table. Sites were not clearly defined. RVs were not “a thing.” Still largely an open field today, a few amenities have been added and the camping pads are well defined.
We’ve been back a few dozen times, camping not just in Flamingo but also canoe and kayak camping in the Ten Thousand Islands and RV camping in the Big Cypress Preserve, all part of an Everglades eco-system fed by a broad river of grass that starts in Lake Okeechobee.
Why do we keep coming back?
Listen while lying awake in the dead of night and you’ll hear the bellows of alligators and the croaking of frogs, birds in song as the sun rises, fish splashing in the bay.
Dolphin leap playfully as a lone bald eagle soars overhead. Perhaps it was a hawk or osprey, common sights in this wilderness. Of course, you’ll also encounter peaceful wading birds, songbirds, and unique species like the Roseate Spoonbill, Wood Stork, and anhinga,, nesting, hunting. Some are here for the winter, others for life.
This is why we go camping.
Campgrounds in Everglades National Park
There are two developed campgrounds in Everglades National Park, a half-dozen more in the adjacent Big Cypress Preserve.
Long Pine Key Campground is near the entrance to the park in Homestead. To get to the second campground, you’ll have to drive 40 miles through the wilderness to Flamingo, at the end of the park road on Florida Bay.
Admission to Everglades National Park is $35 per vehicle for U.S. residents, which entitles you to park entry for 7 consecutive days. Non-U.S. residents pay $100. Passes can be purchased in advance at recreation.gov. Annual passes are available. Camping is additional.
Long Pine Key Campground at Everglades National Park
The Long Pine Key Campground is near the Visitor Center of Everglades National Park in Homestead.
In past years, the campground’s 108 campsites were first come, first served, but with a new park concession in place, the sites are now reservable. Some have been retained for walkups.
Each site has a fire ring and a picnic table but no hookups for electric, water or sewer. There is a water fill station you should visit before setting up camp. Generators are allowed from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. Pets are OK.
Camping at Long Pine provides an only-if-you’re-camping experience: Go to the nearby Anhinga Trail after dark with a flashlight to see how alligators behave when they’re active. (They eyes glow red when you shine them with a flashlight.)
The campground is also adjacent to the 7-mile Long Pine Key trail, a favorite with fat-tire cyclists, and the scenic Long Pine Key Lake.
Things you should know about Long Pine Key Campground:
- The four restrooms are clean and convenient, but there are no hot showers.
- Your cell phone will get lousy reception, if any.
- No firewood is sold. We picked some up at the Home Depot in Homestead on the way into the park. You can forage for dead wood and kindling.
- Long Pine Key Campground is open seasonally from November 1 – May 31. It is closed during the hotter, hurricane-prone months.
Long Pine Key Campground. None of this campground’s 108 RV & tent sites have hookups. Generators are allowed, but usage is limited to daytime hours. Camping rates: Mon-Thurs., $33 per night; Fri-Sun, $38.50. Discounts for access passes, seniors and active military. For campground reservations, go to secure.webrez.com or call 855-708-2207. For annual park passes, Go to nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes
Notes: If you book online, your campsite is assigned. To request a specific site, you will have to call 855-708-2207. A limited number of sites have been set aside for walkups.
For annual passes to Everglades National Park: Go to nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes
Flamingo Campground at Everglades National Park
A new park concession, Flamingo Adventures, has taken over campground management and reservations as part of its overall administration of the Flamingo marina, store, boat rentals and boat tours.
The new marina store has been stocked with basic convenience store supplies, including groceries, beer, wine and commonly needed camping gear, but it would be smart to buy and pack the stuff you need before leaving civilization.
The Flamingo campground is a 40-mile drive into the park from its entrance in Homestead, a long way to go if you run out of TP! (The marinia store should have some, but you never know for sure.)
We camped here in our travel trailer in late fall and had no trouble getting a site with electric hookups. But there were no hookups for water. Our first act before setting up camp was to fill our fresh water tank from a potable water spigot next to the dump station.
I was a little concerned about this spigot, but we always carry bottled water for drinking and cooking, using the water in our tank for showers and dishwashing, so I filled the tank. Next time, I’ll fill up at the main ranger station or at Long Pine Key before heading south.
The RV campsites were spacious, although shade and privacy were sparse. Still, this campground is an excellent vantage point for exploring the heart of the Everglades.
There are 65 RV sites with picnic tables and fire pits, 41 have electric hookups, in the campground pictured above.
There are 274 tent sites in an adjacent campground, as well as in an open field near the Eco-tents. Be aware that flooding can and does occur after a heavy rain. The week were were there, the tent campground was very wet.
Bring your kayak or canoe to explore the wilderness on backcountry boating trails. Small motorboats (6 HP max) are also allowed on the waterway that connects Flamingo to interior bays from the Flamingo Canal.
If you don’t have your own boat, you can rent fishing boats, canoes and kayaks at the marina store.
As you might expect, the fishing in the waters around Flamingo is fabulous and not just from boats. A good catch can be had from the shoreline with a basic rod and reel and some fresh bait from the marina.
While gas is available for boats at the marina, there is no gas for cars, so be sure to fill up your vehicle’s gas tank before entering the park.
Flamingo Campground. All RV sites and some tent sites have a picnic table and fire ring. Only a few have electric service, and none have water. Campground Rates: Non-electric sites: Mon-Thurs, $30; Fri-Sun, $35. Non-electric sites: Mon-Thurs, $30; Fri-Sun, $35; Campsites with electric: Mon-Thurs, $45; Fri-Sun, $55. Modest discounts ($2-$5) are available for seniors, active military, veterans and holders of a Park Access Pass. For campground reservations, go to flamingoeverglades.com/book-now/
For annual passes to Everglades National Park: Go to nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes
Related Story: Fabulous Flamingo, Everglades National Park’s last outpost
Houseboat Rentals
Flamingo Adventures has introduced two new overnight options for visitors, houseboats and eco-tents.
Houseboat guests can stay at the dock or roam the back country, but you miss all the best reasons for visiting the Everglades if you remain at the dock, says Florida Rambler editor Bonnie Gross.
“It’s not cheap; I thought it might even be a little boring,” she writes. “But then, when I woke up on the boat on the first morning, I looked out at the warm dawn light glowing in the clouds and reflecting in the mirror-like waters.
“All I could hear were birds and rustling wind in the mangroves. I could see for miles and there wasn’t another soul; not another sign of man.”
Flamingo Marina Houseboats. Flamingo Marina, 1 Flamingo Lodge Hwy, Homestead, FL 33034. Rent one of four 42-foot houseboats, each with a different configuration. Houseboat rates: $300 per night and up. Book online through the park concession, Flamingo Adventures, or by calling 855-708-2207. Read: Bonnie’s houseboat adventure
Eco-Tents (Glamping)
The Eco-Tents at Flamingo are built on raised platforms and connected by a boardwalk to higher ground, where the restrooms and showers are located.
Each tent is furnished with a queen bed or two double beds with a deck and view of Florida Bay.
“These clever structures look like the sort of place you saw in old movies about rich people on African safaris,” said Bonnie of her overnight campout. “They feel more like portable cabins than tents.”
Flamingo Eco-Tent Glamping, Flamingo Campground. Camping rate: Furnished tents are $149 a night in winter and unfurnished are half price during the summer. Campground reservations are accepted online through the park concession, Flamingo Adventures, or by calling 855-708-2207. Modest discounts ($2-$5) are available for seniors, active military, veterans and holders of a Park Access Pass. Read More: Bonnie’s Eco-Tent Adventure
Backcountry camping from Flamingo
There are a number of designated ground sites, beach sites, and elevated camping platforms (chickees) available in the park, most in the Ten Thousand Islands and along the rivers that feed the islands, accessible only by boat from Flamingo or Everglades City.
Dispersed camping is not permitted in Everglades National Park.
Winter is the best season. Summer’s are hot, muggy, miserable and dominated by insects. Relatively speaking, mosquitos lay low in winter but not completely, so you still need to be prepared.
A backcountry camping permit is required for wilderness campsites. Permits are issued online up to three months in advance or in person up to a day in advance at the Flamingo or the Gulf Coast (Everglades City) Visitor Centers.
Backcountry Camping in Everglades National Park. A backcountry camping permit is required for wilderness campsites. You are no longer required to pick up a physical permit at the visitor centers in Flamingo or Everglades City. Permits are issued online up to three months in advance or in person. Camping Permits: $21 plus $2 per person per night from mid-November through April. The permits are free from April through mid-November.
Note: In addition to permit fees, campers must also purchase a $35 entrance fee, either in person or online, or be in possession of an annual pass to Everglades National Park. Go to nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes
- Permits are required for all overnight camping in the wilderness (except when sleeping aboard boats).
- Reservations open daily at 10:00 a.m. ET, 90-days before trip start date on a rolling basis. Making separate reservations for each night is not necessary. One permit/reservation per trip.
- Your reservation confirmation email will serve as your permit. You are NOT required to pick up a physical permit in person, but you are required to carry a physical copy or screenshot of your final itinerary.
- A few backcountry sites are accessed from the Florida Keys — North Nest Key, Little Rabbit Key and Johnson Key.
Read More: Bonnie’s overnight adventure to Cape Sable
Big Cypress National Preserve
This 1200-square-mile preserve boasts a variety of Everglades eco-systems, not the least of which are cypress swamps.
The northern section off Interstate 75 (Alligator Alley) is a prime destination for hunters in season, and off-road vehicles, although hikers and mountain bikers are becoming more common.
Most visitors gravitate to the southern section of the Big Cypress along the Tamiami Trail.
Unlike Everglades National Park, dispersed camping for backpackers and hikers is permitted anywhere in Big Cypress south of Alligator Alley (I-75). Whether you are entering the back country for a day or a week, by car or on foot, you must have a backcountry permit, which you can download here.
Campgrounds along Tamiami Trail and Loop Road
Tamiami Trail is the original road dredged out of swamp to connect the east and west coasts of Florida through the Everglades, eventually connecting Miami to Tampa, thus the name Tamiami Trail.
There are five front-country campgrounds in the Big Cypress Preserve. Only one, Midway, has hookups (electric) and a dump station for recreational vehicles. A second dump station is located at Dona Drive (2.5 miles east of SR 29 on US 41).
Two of the campgrounds — Pinecrest and Mitchell’s Landing — are along Loop Road, a scenic route that “loops” into Everglades backcountry from Tamiami Trail. Both are primitive campgrounds and are first come, first served (no reservations).
All of the campgrounds in Big Cypress offer access to recreational activities, including hiking, biking, fishing, hunting, photography and off-road vehicle trails.
Read more: Road trip: Tamiami Trail
Burns Lake Campground
Burns Lake has 10 RV and five tent sites around the lake. Sites are available from Aug. 15 until April 15, although the day-use area is open all year with backcountry access.
There are no hookups and no water, so bring your own everything. Generators are permitted during daylight hours, although they were used sparingly by our fellow campers during our stay. Officially, quiet hours are from 10 p.m. until 6 a.m.
The nearest dump station is at Dona Drive, 7 miles away in Ochopee.
This campground is popular with off-road vehicles, but we saw few when we camped there, even over a weekend in February. The campground is set back from the highway, so there was zero road noise. Very pleasant experience. We’ll go back.
Nearby attractions include airboat and swamp buggy tours, museums, the Clyde Butcher art gallery, nature boardwalks and kayaking in the Turner River.
Burns Lake Campground, 18495 Burns Rd, Ochopee, FL 34141. . Camping fee $24/night for tents and RVs. Holders of annual national park passes receive a 50% discount. For reservations, call (877) 444-6777 or visit recreation.gov.
Midway Campground
The Midway Campground is the most developed Big Cypress campground with drinking water, electric hookups and restrooms. The campground has a dump station and rest rooms.
Each RV campsite has its own picnic table and hibachi-style grill. Covered picnic areas are located around the lake for day use.
Midway Campground is open year-round, but sites are hard to get. When making a reservation, be patient if no sites are available, and check back often for cancellations.
This campground is near the Big Cypress Preserve Oasis Visitor Center, Miccosukee Cultural Center, Shark Valley in Everglades National Park, and Clyde Butcher’s Big Cypress Art Gallery.
Midway Campground, 52870 Tamiami Trail E, Ochopee, FL 34141. The 26 RV sites with electric are $30/night, and the 10 tent sites are $24/night. Holders of annual national park passes receive a 50% discount. For reservations, visit recreation.gov or call (877) 444-6777.
Read more: Shark Valley bike trail
Monument Lake Campground
A real gem, the well-groomed Monument Lake Campground is eight miles east of Burns Lake on the Tamiami Trail.
Like Burns Lake, you will be boondocking: no hookups, no dump station. Unlike Burns Lake, Monument Lake Campground does have drinking water (centralized spigot) and flush toilets.
Some RV sites are right on the lake, while others are set back a wee bit across the campground access road, backing up to a cypress forest. Fire rings (with grills) and picnic tables are available at all sites.
We really liked this campground, and boondocking was not an issue. Use of generators was a little more prevalent than we experienced at Burns Lake, but not obnoxiously so.
The tent camping area was on the other side of the lake from the RV sites and located next to the rest rooms and water spigot. The only RVs near the tent area were the campground hosts (volunteers), which do have hookups.
Monument Lake Campground, 50215 Tamiami Trail E, Ochopee, FL 34141. RV sites are $28/night and a tent site is $24; half price for those with a National Parks access pass. For reservations, visit recreation.gov or call (877) 444-6777. This campground is open from Aug. 29 until April 15.
Camping on the Loop Road
Mitchell’s Landing
Mitchell’s Landing is on the Loop Road and has 12 RV/tent sites without hookups — no water and no dump station. The campground has vault toilets, and sites are $24/night, payable on-site upon arrival. Each campsite is equipped with a picnic table, fire ring, and lantern pole. No reservations. Camping fee is $12 for campers with a National Parks access pass. Maximum stay is 10 days from January through April; 14 days the rest of the year.
Pinecrest Group Camping
Each of the four group campsites at Pinecrest accommodates up to eight tents and 15 people. There are no hookups, no drinking water, no dump station and no rest rooms. This campground is open year-round, and each group site costs $30/night. Picnic tables and fire rings are available at each site. There are no covered picnic areas, toilets, hookups, or water. Minimal shade. For reservations, call (877) 444-6777 or visit recreation.gov. Recreational activities include paddling, hiking, birding, fishing, and hunting.
Read more: Loop Road: Storied road through Everglades is full of wildlife
Bear Island Unit (3 remote campgrounds)
North of I-75, campers are restricted to the campgrounds in the Bear Island Unit in the Okaloacoochee Slough, which has special restrictions that make access difficult:
Access Points for Pink Jeep, Gator Head and Bear Island
- Backpackers will find an access gate on U.S. 29 about a mile north of Alligator Alley (I-75). Park inside the gate and hike into the refuge. Pink Jeep Campground is the closest at two miles. No vehicle access.
- Backpackers can access the Bear Island Unit campgrounds from a recreation-area parking lot on the northbound side of I-75 at Mile Marker 70. There is no vehicle access, so you’ll have to leave your car in the rest area.
- Motorized vehicles and RV‘s can access the Bear Island campground from Tamiami Trail (U.S. 41) on Turner River Road (County Road 839). Turner Road is a bumpy 20-mile drive on gravel, a road you will want to avoid after a heavy rain.
There are 21 miles of designated primary trails in the Bear Island Unit of the Preserve. This unit allows for access by swamp buggies, all-terrain vehicles, and street-legal 4x4s. Camping in the unit is at designated camping areas only.
Three things you should know about Bear Island Unit Camping
- There is no drinking water or electricity available
- No dump stations or restrooms, only vault toilets
- Camping fee is $10 per night.
Bear Island Campground – Open year round, Bear Island is a primitive campground with 40 sites for tents or RVs. There are no hookups and the only rest room is a vault toilet. No dump station. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring.
Gator Head – Gator Head has nine tent sites, no hookups and is open from Aug. 29 until June 1. Again, there are vault toilets. Only off-road vehicles can access these sites, and you are required to have an ORV permit.
Pink Jeep – Nine tent sites are open from Aug. 29 until June 1. There are vault toilets, but nothing else, not even drinking water. Only off-road vehicles can access Pink Jeep, and an ORV permit is required.
These campgrounds are frequented by hunters (in season) and off-road vehicles (all year) in an area of Big Cypress that has multiple trails designated for noisy swamp buggies and ATVs.
Hikers and off-road bicyclists are beginning to discover it.
Dispersed Camping
Big Cypress National Preserve consists of 729,000 acres of wilderness with miles of multi-use trails to explore. Dispersed camping is allowed, and a Backcountry Camping Permit is required.
Tent camping is permitted in undeveloped areas throughout the preserve, except as restricted in the Bear Island Unit and Zone 4. However, in non-developed areas such backcountry camping is prohibited within ½ mile of any developed area or established county or state roads.
Permits are free and can be filled out online and printed.
Collier Seminole State Park
Collier-Seminole State Park, 20200 E. Tamiami Trail, Naples — This comfortable and well-equipped state campground has 91 RV/tent sites and 19 tent-only sites, all with hookups for water and electric. There are restrooms, picnic areas and off-road bike/hiking trails. Bring your kayak or motorboat for access to the Ten Thousand Islands. The park also features one of the original dredges that was used to build the Tamiami Trail through the Everglades. All sites are $22 plus a $7 daily utility fee. For reservations, call (800) 326-3521 or book online at reserve.floridastateparks.org
Read more: Collier-Seminole Park: Kayak trail, camping near Naples
Private campgrounds
Big Cypress Trail Lakes Campground, 40904 Tamiami Trail, Ochopee, FL — Home of the Skunk Ape and backcountry eco-tours, this 150-site campground 60 miles west of Miami features RV sites for $35 to $50 per night, and tent sites are $25 (non-electric) to $30 (electric). Most of the sites are lakefront, and kayaks are welcome. So are pets on a leash. RV sites have electric hookups with hot showers and laundry facilities nearby and a dump station. Other accommodations include open-air, native-built chickee huts for a pricey $179-$199 per night. Reservations online at www.evergladescamping.net or by phone: 239-695-2275.
Chokoloskee Island Park, Chokoloskee — Rustic Chokoloskee Island Park has 35 RV sites and a handful of tent sites. The main attraction is the marina, which offers access to the vast Ten Thousand Islands for fishing, birding and kayaking. There are more than 60 boat slips. Rates vary by season with Dec. 1 to April 15 being the most expensive ($51/for RVs and $39/night for tents). Discounts available for longer stays. Visit their web site, covecommunities.com, for more information and to make reservations.
Related articles about the Everglades:
- Beach camping in the wild Ten Thousand Islands
- Shark Valley bike trail
- Everglades canoe trail: Nine-Mile Pond
- Ten Thousand Islands: Ride the tide
- Tour historic missile base
Camping in s great….THE ROAD however is another story. Highway 41 known as”Alligator Alley” is quite possibly the most dangerous road in the country. We towed a motorcycle and were camped out. While riding we witnessed more near head-on collisions that you could believe. Last night and there we drove the car, we were run off the road by someone trying to pass, hit a tree…also noted they drove away leaving us for dead. Go somewhere else.
Hope you are OK!!!! U.S. 41, known as the Tamiami Trail, can be dangerous as it courses through the Everglades, so keep your headlights on, day and night, keep your eyes on the road, anticipate the unexpected, and don’t exceed 55 mph. (FYI: Alligator Alley is actually farther north, Interstate 75.)