Home › Florida › Gator Head Campground
Gator Head Campground
NPSNational Park Service — Ochopee · Florida · Big Cypress National Preserve
| Agency | NPSNational Park Service |
|---|---|
| Area | Big Cypress National Preserve |
| Location | Ochopee · Florida · Big Cypress National Preserve · 26.22380, -81.26780 · Map |
| Sites | 9 public sites counted from the federal listing — 9 standard nonelectric |
| Getting a site | Reservable — the federal listing marks this campground as taking reservations. Some sites or seasons may still be first-come; the listing’s own words are below. |
| Hookups | Electric at 0 of 9 sites Water hookups at 0 of 9 sites Sewer hookups at 0 of 9 sites Full hookups (all three at one site) at 0 of 9 sites Counted site by site from affirmative reports in the federal record. A site with no report is not counted either way. |
| Max RV length | Not reported in the federal data |
| Months open | Not in federal data — the federal listing does not publish a season for this campground. Check the official description below or Recreation.gov. |
| Fees | Fees are $10 per site all reservations must be made on Rec.gov |
| Check-in / out | In 02:00 PM · Out 12:00 PM (most common in the listing) |
| Phone | 239-695-1117 |
Check availability & book on Recreation.gov →
This site takes no reservations and shows no live availability. Source: Recreation.gov (RIDB export pulled November 5, 2026); this listing was last updated in the federal record on 2026-02-25.
From the official listing
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 WITH AN ORV PERMIT, FOOT, OR BICYCLE) THE GATE COMBO WILL ONLY BE GIVEN IF YOU HAVE THE PROPER ORV PERMIT AT THE PERMITING OFFICE. All ORVs must have a valid ORV permit . All campers must also carry a Backcountry permit . 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 239-631-9988 or review park Off Road Vehicle Use information. Hunting and fishing regulations can be found at Florida Fish and Wildfire Conservation Commission .
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. Nathaniel P. Reed Visitor Center is also located 30 miles to the south.
Directions, from the listing
From Naples: Head east on HWY 41 turn left on Turner River Rd, then go approx 20 miles up the dirt road until you come to a check station then turn left. YOU MUST HAVE AN ORV PERMIT AND GATE COMBO TO ACCESS THIS CAMPGROUND. Once in the gate you will come to a T intersection where you will then turn right and follow the trail until you come to the campground on the left.
From Miami: You will head west then same directions as above.
Nearest federal campgrounds
21 mi straight-line · Ochopee FloridaNPSNational Park ServiceBurns Lake Campground
24 mi straight-line · Ochopee FloridaNPSNational Park ServiceMonument Lake Campground
27 mi straight-line · Ochopee FloridaNPSNational Park ServiceMidway Campground (FL)
31 mi straight-line · Ochopee FloridaNPSNational Park ServiceMitchell Landing Campground
39 mi straight-line · Ochopee Florida
Trip Card — Gator Head Campground
Ochopee · Florida · Big Cypress National Preserve
| Agency | NPS · National Park Service |
|---|---|
| Location | Ochopee · Florida · Big Cypress National Preserve |
| Fees | Fees are $10 per site all reservations must be made on Rec.gov |
| Getting a site | Reservable |
| Hookups | None reported |
| Max RV | Not reported |
| Months open | Not in federal data |
| Sites | 9 sites |
Book: recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/10215924 · Source: Recreation.gov, pulled November 5, 2026. Facility details come from federal recreation data and may be out of date — this site takes no reservations and shows no live availability; confirm details and book through Recreation.gov or the managing agency.