Best Tent Camping near Homestead, FL

Tent camping in the Florida Keys and Everglades National Park near Homestead requires water transport to reach many sites. Most tent camping options in this area involve boat-in access to locations like Elliott Key and Boca Chita Key in Biscayne National Park, or to the network of chickee platforms and wilderness campsites throughout Everglades National Park. These sites offer a unique marine camping experience with access to clear waters, mangrove trails, and wildlife viewing opportunities.

Most tent campsites near Homestead lack traditional amenities, with primitive facilities being the norm. The chickee platforms in Everglades National Park are raised wooden structures built over water, usually equipped with basic composting toilets or porta-potties but no drinking water. Backcountry permits are required for all Everglades wilderness camping. Both Biscayne and Everglades National Parks prohibit ground fires at most sites. Campers must pack in all necessary supplies including drinking water and pack out all trash. Weather conditions can change rapidly, with strong winds and seasonal mosquito activity presenting challenges for tent campers.

The tent camping experience near Homestead offers remarkable seclusion and connection to Florida's unique ecosystems. Morning and evening hours provide opportunities for wildlife viewing, with campers reporting dolphin, shark, and bird sightings from their tent sites. Kayaking and canoeing are essential modes of transportation, with paddlers navigating through mangrove tunnels and open water to reach their destinations. The chickee platforms provide a distinctive camping experience suspended above the water. Access difficulty varies significantly based on paddling experience and weather conditions. One camper noted of their Everglades experience: "We saw sharks, dolphins, alligators, and different types of fish. Be prepared! Your arms are going to hurt a lot."

Best Tent Sites Near Homestead, Florida (26)

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Tent Camping Reviews near Homestead, FL

303 Reviews of 26 Homestead Campgrounds


  • Jean C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Feb. 28, 2020

    Mitchell Landing Campground — Big Cypress National Preserve

    Primitive Campground in a National Preserve

    This is a primitive campground off the loop road south of Tamiami trail through Big Cypress National Preserve. The first couple of sites have large parking pads for campgrounds hosts that were unoccupied when I was there.  Sites are first-come, first served and you'll have a choice of sites that are tucked away behind brush and trees or large, more open sites. There's no drinking water available. There are vault toilets available that were clean. Few of the sites were occupied in late January. At the back of the campground there is airboat access to backcountry trails in the Stairsteps section of the Big Cypress Preservel elsewhere along the loop road you may be able to use swamp buggies and ATVs. There are extensive rules and permitting to take your vehicle on these trails as well as online training requirements, so check them out on the Big Cypress website. 

    Sites are $24/night, half price if you have a Senior pass or Access pass, though to be honest I didn't see any envelopes for payments and the campers I spoke with indicated they weren't paying anything. You can stay 10 nights during peak season (Jan-Apr), 14 consecutive nights the rest of the year. They  have picnic tables (look at the end of the table for the site number), fire rings, and lantern poles. Bearboxes provide food protection if you don't have a hardsided vehicle. You're in a panther habitat.

  • Katie M.
    Aug. 24, 2021

    Flamingo Campground — Everglades National Park

    Eco Tents 😍

    Down at Flamingo, there’s four types of camping: eco tents, tents (A Loop), campers/ RVs (T Loop) and the backcountry chickees. This review is for the ✨eco tents✨.

    The eco tents are awesome in general, but more so if you’re new to camping. Some come fully furnished with beds, nightstands, etc, while others are completely unfurnished and you can set up your own gear, so you choose your level of comfort. They also come with electric fans.

    It’s incredibly quiet down there and the full moons are outta this world - no pun intended! 😉 Waking up and drinking your coffee on the shore of Florida Bay is a great way to start the day.

    But there is no food allowed in the tents whatsoever. Because the walkways to and the platforms of the eco tents are elevated, there’s also no way to cook even near your eco tent. There are fire rings and picnic tables near the parking area, which is also where the bathrooms are. So if you’re someone who wakes often in the middle of the night for “bio breaks”, you might want to keep that walk in mind - or plan for an alternative.

    There are bathrooms with running (non potable) water and toilets with real plumbing, but no showers.

    I’d definitely recommend the eco tents for a short stay!

  • Jean C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jan. 29, 2020

    Pinecrest Group Campground — Big Cypress National Preserve

    Large clearing for group camping

    The only indication that you have reached the turn off for Pinecrest group campground is the brown tent sign. The sign for the campground itself is parallel to the road, so you won't see it until you are upon it. You'll need to reserve a campsite online in advance. Otherwise the gate to the campground is locked. Each of the 4 sites can accommodate 15 campers/8 tents as they are paired in such a way that sites 1&2 are together and 3&4 occupy a separate corner, perfect if you're group requires two sites.. Each site has a picnic table, fire ring, and half of a bear box; extra tables were gathered in the center. There are vault toilets, but no running water. Plenty to do in the area...fishing, birding, boating, hinting. Explore the preserve or neighboring Everglades. It's off the gravel loop road south of Tamiami Trail Rd.

  • Sara B.
    Jan. 10, 2021

    Long Pine Key Campground — Everglades National Park

    FORGET IT

    DYRT IS WRONG, NO ELECTRIC AT ANY SITE and NO WATER AT SITES. If you are dry camping, go for it, IF your reservation exists when you arrive!  We booked a site, arrived and they did not have any record of our reservation.

    The showers are solar and only hot in the middle of the day.  Forget a shower at night if you get in late.   NO Generators after 8 PM.

  • Kelly L.
    Feb. 25, 2019

    Monument Lake Campground — Big Cypress National Preserve

    Go in the winter time

    My husband and I lucked out to get an absolutely gorgeous day to tent camp at this campground. The next day was back to Florida’s hot and humidity. This campground is in one of natire’s most wonderful places, big cypress national preserve. This campground has tent and rv sites. No electric sites. We went on a Sunday and the whole campground was full, it’s a popular spot, would recommend making reservations in advance. There are vault toilets over on the rv sites and flush toilets by the tent sites. There are campground hosts, fire pits in the tent area, and a lake that does have alligators, because this is Florida. The nite sky was perfect so many stars to see. Little to no noise pollution. Make sure to bring your insect repellent, I got eaten alive once the sun started setting. No trails at the campground but there are trails within big cypress. Tent campsites were level and not right on top of one another. There were a few trees for shade as well.

  • CThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jan. 21, 2025

    Flamingo Campground

    Very Clean but Costly

    Large paved pads on huge site. We were in electric site number 1 which included shade trees. No water at the sites but potable water and dump facilities are provided. There is no Verizon or T-Mobile service. There is Wi-Fi available in the Marina store area. The campground is very clean. (Lots of mosquitos even in January).

  • Liz M.
    Mar. 22, 2021

    Midway Campground — Big Cypress National Preserve

    Good for families/groups; lots of road noise

    This site was beautiful and well kept. The gentleman (park ranger?) who greeted everyone and made sure the rules were followed was very nice and answered all of our questions. I appreciated that he was around as it make me feel safer if I were to travel alone. This is a great site for families or groups as the sites are close together so one could reserve 2 and have a lot of room for multiple tents/cars. On the other hand, if you are looking to get away from people, this is not it. The sites are close to each other with little to no barriers/designation lines between them. This is a great site for those testing camping with their dogs or small children. Not too far of a trip, great walking space, and the ranger is great about making sure all dogs are kept on leash. It is near to the Oasis Ranger Station and the Florida Trail, as well as loop road and Shark Valley. The stars were absolutely incredible being so far from major cities. Other than how close the tent sites were, my one big negative is the amount of road noise. The closest campsites are maybe 100 meters from the Tamiami Trail so if you're a light sleeper, it is less than ideal.

  • G
    Jul. 15, 2016

    Flamingo Campground — Everglades National Park

    Very practical camping - a way to stay but not a reason to go!

    I have camped here many, many times. Since the other overnight options were destroyed by hurricanes, this is the only way to remain at the end of the road overnight without having to drive back out (40 miles) or wilderness camp.

    The campsites are separated into three sections, one for RVs, the other not, and a special "walk in" field. I've only stayed at the "tents" areas. Each is essentially a large mowed field with sparse trees. The "walk in" field is essentially treeless and probably best described as an overflow area for tent campers.

    The RV and regular camping areas are loops that allow vehicles to access and park close to the campsite, which is a parking pad, a picnic table, and a fire containment device for cooking and/or a campfire. BTW... you must bring your own fire wood.

    There is no privacy, the ambiance is more one of community than peaceful tranquility. The combined restroom, showers, and dish washing buildings are few but never far from any campsite. Consider their location when choosing your site, closer might not be better for you if you might be offended by foot traffic through your site. A recent upgrade to solar heated water for the showers is fantastic!

    The entire area is famously buggy in all but the coldest months, and even then you better be prepared. It is also incredibly hot during the summer, making the few shaded sites a consideration... but the bugs love shade too!

    Despite the above bleak description, the camping area is commonly filled to capacity (hence the "walk in" area) during the cooler months. But it is also commonly empty during the summer when only fanatical anglers will brave the conditions.


Guide to Homestead

Tent camping near Homestead, Florida requires careful preparation for water-based exploration, as most sites sit at sea level with exposure to coastal weather patterns. The southern end of the Everglades and Biscayne National Park create a unique saltwater-freshwater interface with seasonal water level fluctuations. Summer months bring temperatures above 90°F with high humidity, while winter camping offers milder conditions with temperatures between 60-80°F.

What to do

Snorkeling expeditions: Access coral reefs from Elliott Key in Biscayne National Park, though water conditions can vary. "This park is all about the water. Awesome kayaking, snorkling, and scuba diving. The water is beautiful, and the park itself is super relaxing!" notes visitor Sam D. from Elliott Key — Biscayne National Park.

Wildlife observation: Watch for marine species from chickee platforms. "We saw sharks, dolphins, alligators, and different type of fish. Be prepared!" reports Javier J., who paddled 3-4 hours to reach Backcountry Shark Point Chickee — Everglades National Park.

Paddling trails: Navigate the Hell's Bay Canoe Trail, which takes 3-4 hours each way. "The trail is well marked for the most part and easy enough for a beginner paddler," writes Katie L. about her January trip to Hell's Bay Chickee.

What campers like

Platform camping: Elevated chickees provide a unique camping surface above water. "This is a beautiful Chickee! Brand new and ADA certified as much as a platform over water can be! Both platforms have ladders and the eastern platform has small steps down towards the water level," reports Liz M. about Backcountry Pearl Bay Chickee — Everglades National Park.

Solitude options: Some sites offer complete separation from other campers. "Unlike the other chickees, it is a single platform, so your group will be the only ones out there. It is right on the wilderness waterway, so we did have 2 small skiffs go by, but other than that, we were completely alone," notes Liz M. about Backcountry Lane Bay Chickee — Everglades National Park.

Island camping: Small keys provide tent camping with ocean views. "This small island in Biscayne National Park offers a distant view of the Miami skyline, gorgeous aqua water for swimming, snorkeling, boating and fishing. A small lighthouse stands above the protected harbor," describes Jean C. of Boca Chita Key.

What you should know

Water transportation required: Access to most camping locations requires paddling or boating. "We kayaked the Hells Bay trail in January and had a great time. The trail is well marked for the most part and easy enough for a beginner paddler," notes Katie L.

Limited amenities: Most sites lack fresh water, with basic or no toilet facilities. "Bring potable water. There are picnic tables and grills available," advises Jean C. about Boca Chita Key — Biscayne National Park.

Insect preparation: Mosquitos become extremely active after sunset. "Pack some cards or something to do in the tent after sunset before bed. Beautiful sunrise," suggests Emily G. about Hell's Bay Chickee.

Water conditions: Wind and tides impact paddling difficulty. "Got lucky with the tide being with us for most of the way. Mud banks at low tide," notes David P. about Shark Point Chickee.

Tips for camping with families

Starter sites: Choose shorter paddling routes for first-time water camping. "This is a great one nighter, or a stop on the way to further sites like Hells Bay of Lane Bay chickee. It is semi-protected so one still gets a decent breeze," advises Liz M. about Pearl Bay Chickee.

Emergency planning: Be prepared for weather changes and difficult conditions. "Winds can change drastically and quickly, so make sure to tie of your watercraft really well; we went from flat calm to 25knots in just 5 minutes," warns Liz M.

Space considerations: Group sites have limitations. "We fit about 18 people in the group site," notes Leah W. about Elliott Key.

Tips from RVers

Alternative options: When water camping isn't feasible, seek established campgrounds near park boundaries. "My favorite place to go, hike and camp is within the Everglades National Park. I honestly don't think you can go wrong with this National Park," shares Sasha W. about Canepatch Wilderness Campground — Everglades National Park.

Permit planning: Obtain backcountry permits in advance of your trip. "You will need a backcountry permit in order to camp here. You can order that online... I believe the permit costs $15 (processing fee), and you also have to pay a small fee ($2) per person," explains Sasha W.

Facilities knowledge: Understand site limitations for vehicles and amenities. "This campground has grills and is waterside (accessible by boat). It has a beautiful waterfront view and plenty of picnic tables. Toilets are available but no showers, sinks or drinking water," notes Brenda K. about Boca Chita Key.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Homestead, FL?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Homestead, FL is Elliott Key — Biscayne National Park with a 4-star rating from 4 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Homestead, FL?

TheDyrt.com has all 26 tent camping locations near Homestead, FL, with real photos and reviews from campers.