National Park Service · Florida
Gator Head Campground
National Park Service · Florida, United States · in Big Cypress National Preserve
- Sites
- 9
- Hookups
- 9 no hookups
- Season
- August 15 to June 1
- Cost
- Fees are $10 per site all reservations must be made on Rec.gov
- Drinking water
- No
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Showers
- No
- Dump station
- No
- Laundry
- No
- Elevation
- 23 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1 · certified dark-sky place
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Lake
- Big Cypress National Preserve
- Nearest town
- Ochopee
- Address
- 33100 Tamiami Trail E, Ochopee, FL, 34141
- Phone
- 239-695-1117
- Activities
- Biking, Birding, Camping, Fishing, Off Road Vehicle Trails, Wildlife Viewing
About
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.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 74° | 55° | 36° | 86° | 0 of 11 |
| February | 83° | 64° | 42° | 87° | 0 of 11 |
| March | 85° | 64° | 44° | 90° | 0 of 11 |
| April | 86° | 67° | 52° | 94° | 0 of 11 |
| May | 90° | 71° | 64° | 97° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 88° | 74° | 69° | 92° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 90° | 75° | 71° | 95° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 90° | 75° | 71° | 96° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 88° | 75° | 71° | 93° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 84° | 71° | 57° | 90° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 81° | 67° | 48° | 87° | 0 of 10 |
| December | 80° | 63° | 42° | 87° | 0 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Pink Jeep Campground · National Park Service · 21 mi · 9 sites
- Burns Lake Campground · National Park Service · 24 mi · 14 sites
- CREW Marsh Trails Primitive Campsite · City, County & Regional Parks · 24 mi · 1 sites
- STA 5/6 Florida National Scenic Trail Campsite · City, County & Regional Parks · 25 mi · 1 sites
- Collier-Seminole State Park · Florida State Parks · 26 mi · 107 sites
All public campgrounds in Florida · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.