Look no further for some of the best camping in Everglades National Park, plus tips to enjoy your stay from The Dyrt Ranger team the Switchback Kids.
3 Most Popular Campgrounds in Everglades National Park
Encompassing 1.5 millions acres, Everglades National Park is one of America’s great natural treasures. Home to thirteen endangered species and the largest mangrove ecosystem in the western hemisphere as well as being the largest designated wilderness in the eastern U.S., the Everglades is nothing short of impressive. Whether you’re spying alligators basking in the afternoon sun or kayaking amid the tangled mangrove canals, Everglades National park is a landscape of unparalleled beauty and adventure.
Here are three of the most popular campgrounds in this vast national park.
1. Flamingo Campground
Photo from The Dyrt user Leah W.
Located at the bottom of the Florida peninsula, Flamingo Campground offers the experience of camping deep inside Everglades National Park. With a free shower, pretty sites, palm trees and the opportunity to see some incredible wildlife, Flamingo is a great spot. Make sure you’re prepared for no-see-ums and mosquitoes, as they will dampen your camping spirit.
Reviews & Photos2. Long Pine Key Campground
Photo from The Dyrt user Sandra R.
If you’re after a real wilderness experience, then Long Pine Key Campground is for you. Located in a forest of tall pines, near the Homestead entrance to Everglades National Park, Long Pine Key is both private and convenient. While there aren’t any hookups, there are amenities including restrooms and showers, but the more prepared you are the better. Each campsite has a grassy area carved out of the forest and the campground is only a few miles from Anhinga Trail at Royal Palm.
Reviews & Photos3. Clubhouse Beach Campground
Photo from The Dyrt user Leah W.
Located on the shores of Florida Bay about 7 miles due west of Flamingo, Clubhouse Beach Campground offers a great backcountry camping experience. Clubhouse Beach is the only waterside backcountry campsite that can be reached by hikers, via the 9-mile Coastal Prairie Trail that runs west from the campground at Flamingo.
Reviews & PhotosExplore Everglades
With 150-million acres of national park, the biggest challenge is deciding where to start. There’s backcountry camping, sunrise strolls on boardwalks, bicycle tours, ranger-led activities and some awe-inspiring wildlife to check out. Everglades National Park is true wilderness and adventure at your fingertips.
The Dyrt’s Ranger duo the Switchback Kids, who spent a year visiting all 59 National Parks, have put together this incredible video to document their firsthand experience in Everglades with the hopes of improving the visit of others.
Switchback Kids Ranger Tip: About 10 times per year, much of the park is underwater from normal flooding. When this happens, you can set out in a kayak and paddle through the maze of trees, wherever you want. The flooding is not great for hiking, though, so check the current conditions before you head into the park.
Find more camping in Florida by browsing The Dyrt’s campsite reviews.
