Gator Head Campground

About

Gator Head Campground provides a remote camping experience within the Bear Island Unit of Big Cypress National Preserve, part of the vast 720,000-acre swamp ecosystem that supports the neighboring Everglades and provides habitat for the endangered Florida panther. The campground has nine primitive sites accessible only by permitted off-road vehicle, bicycle, or on foot. Visitors must obtain both an ORV permit (which provides the gate combination) and a backcountry permit before arrival. The campground offers basic amenities including vault toilets, picnic tables at each site, fire rings, and seasonal food storage lockers and trash collection. No potable water is available, so campers must bring adequate supplies. Trailers and RVs are prohibited in the backcountry. Cell phone service is limited, making advance reservations through Recreation.gov strongly recommended. The Bear Island Unit offers over 20 miles of backcountry trails for ORV riding, hiking, and biking. Hunting and fishing are permitted with appropriate Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission licenses. Everglades City, located 30 miles south, provides dining and services, while the Nathaniel P. Reed Visitor Center offers park information and ORV permit processing Friday through Monday.

Directions

From Naples: Head east on Highway 41, turn left on Turner River Road, then continue approximately 20 miles on the dirt road until you reach a check station. Turn left. You must have a valid ORV permit and gate combination to access the campground. Once through the gate, you will reach a T intersection where you turn right and follow the trail until the campground appears on the left.