Cayo Costa State Park Campground

Closed — Overnight accommodations are currently unavailable due to hurricane damage. Ferry services, tram operations, electricity, and drinking water are also unavailable. The park beach is open daily from 8 a.m. to sunset for visitors arriving by private vessel only.

About

Cayo Costa State Park Campground sits on a remote barrier island located 4 nautical miles west of Pine Island in Charlotte Harbor, accessible only by private boat or kayak. The 2,436-acre park protects one of Florida's last undeveloped barrier islands, featuring nearly 9 miles of pristine Gulf of Mexico beaches, pine forests, oak-palm hammocks, and mangrove swamps. The campground typically offers primitive cabin rentals and tent camping sites. The cabins are extremely basic, sleeping up to 6 people with three bunk beds and a table, but no electricity or modern amenities. Tent sites accommodate up to 8 people per site. Both options provide access to centrally located restrooms with showers, charcoal grills, and picnic tables. The island's isolation and lack of development create an authentic wilderness camping experience. Cayo Costa is renowned for its world-class shelling, fishing, snorkeling, and wildlife viewing opportunities. The beaches are important nesting habitat for sea turtles and shorebirds. Visitors may encounter manatees, porpoises, and numerous species of coastal birds. The island served as a former fishing ground for the Calusa Indians and retains a step-back-in-time atmosphere with its subtropical wilderness and expansive undeveloped beaches.

Directions

Accessible only by private boat or kayak. Located 4 nautical miles west of Pine Island in Lee County. No ferry service currently available.

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