## Overview

 Gator Head Campground is a primitive campground located within the Bear Island Unit of Big Cypress National Preserve. This campground can only be accessed by off-road vehicle with required permit, foot, or bicycle. All ORVs must have a valid [ORV permit][1] . All campers must also carry a [Backcountry permit][2] . Cell phone service is limited and it is highly encouraged that reservations be made in advance.\_\_ 
## Recreation

 The freshwaters of the Big Cypress Swamp, essential to the health of the neighboring Everglades, support the rich marine estuaries along Florida\_\_\_s southwest coast. Protecting over 720,000 acres of this vast swamp, Big Cypress National Preserve contains a mixture of tropical and temperate plant communities that are home to a diversity of wildlife, including the elusive Florida Panther. Gator Head Campground offers visitors a wonderful opportunity to camp at a designated campground in the Big Cypress backcountry. Visitors can enjoy nearby hiking, hunting, fishing, and off-road vehicle (ORV) trails with a permitted off-road vehicle. For more information on ORV use, please call 239-695-1117 or review park [Off Road Vehicle Use][1] information. Hunting and fishing regulations can be found at [Florida Fish and Wildfire Conservation Commission][3].\_\_ 
## Facilities

 This small primitive campground offers nine sites with picnic tables, shared food storage, and fire rings. Vault toilets are available for use. There is no water available. The Bear Island Unit offers 20 plus miles of backcountry trails. Everglades City is located 30 miles south and provides dining, sight-seeing, and historical sites. Everglades National Park can also be accessed via Everglades City. Big Cypress Swamp Welcome Center is also located 30 miles to the south. 
## Natural Features

 Gator Head Campground has 9 campsites. This campground offers pickup camper and tent camping only. No trailers or RV\'s are allowed in the backcountry. Amenities include vault toilets, picnic tables, and fire rings. Visitors may enjoy nearby activities such as off-road vehicle trails, hiking, biking, fishing, and hunting. 
## contact\_info

 For facility specific information, please call (239) 631-9988. 
## Nearby Attractions

 The Bear Island Unit offers 20 plus miles of backcountry trails. Everglades City is located 30 miles south and provides dining, sight-seeing, and historical sites. Everglades National Park can also be accessed via Everglades City. Big Cypress Swamp Welcome Center is also located 30 miles to the south. 

[1]: https://www.nps.gov/bicy/planyourvisit/orv-use.htm
[2]: https://www.nps.gov/bicy/planyourvisit/backcountry-permits.htm
[3]: https://myfwc.com/

Gator Head Campground — Big Cypress National Preserve

The camp at Bear island is has a good location to camp with tents and rvs with clean bathrooms with toilets no showers no electrical or water for rvs. Even though it looks close off 75W you have to go through the loop to actually get to the camp ground. There is a mix of campsites raging from a loop to a straight road with camp sites on each side. Wildlife includes white tail dear, black bears and alligators. Non were present near the camp site but we saw them on our way back on the preserve grounds. 

Remote enough to fill the wilderness 

I was here in January and there were very few campers. Sites are level with varying degrees of shade from the palms.

  

These are primitive sites with vault toilets, so bring what you need! There are food storage boxes available. There's access to off-road trails from this area if you have a vehicle and the necessary permits. Hunting and birdwatching are just a couple of the activities in the area.