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Hard to BookNational Park

Bear Island Campground

Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida

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As of October 2026, Bear Island Campground is a campground in Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida with 40 campsites. Bear Island Campground is booked through Recreation.gov.

PermitSnag checks Bear Island Campground for availability and tells alert holders when a site opens up.

people allowed on each site: 6

Bear Island Campground reservations and next available dates

October 2026

November 2026

open, tap to book on Recreation.govsold outin your alert

Next Available Dates

Oct 1 (40 sites)Oct 2 (38 sites)

40 sites open on Oct 1 at Bear Island Campground. Book one now, or pick your dates above and get an alert when a site opens.

As of 30 September 2026, 04:24 UTC.

Stay and booking rules

Mid-stay changes allowed

Published by Recreation.gov for Bear Island Campground, read on September 29, 2026.

Campsites at Bear Island Campground

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Standard 40

Amenities

restrooms
potable water

At a glance: Access: Gravel road.

Things to do: fishing, hiking, wildlife, offroad.

All sites at Bear Island Campground, as listed by Recreation.gov

Site	Type	Sleeps
1	Standard	6
2	Standard	6
3	Standard	6
4	Standard	6
5	Standard	6
6	Standard	6
7	Standard	6
8	Standard	6
9	Standard	6
10	Standard	6
11	Standard	6
12	Standard	6
13	Standard	6
14	Standard	6
15	Standard	6
16	Standard	6
17	Standard	6
18	Standard	6
19	Standard	6
20	Standard	6

Site	Type	Sleeps
21	Standard	6
22	Standard	6
23	Standard	6
24	Standard	6
25	Standard	6
26	Standard	6
27	Standard	6
28	Standard	6
29	Standard	6
30	Standard	6
31	Standard	6
32	Standard	6
33	Standard	6
34	Standard	6
35	Standard	6
36	Standard	6
37	Standard	6
38	Standard	6
39	Standard	6
40	Standard	6

About Bear Island Campground

Overview

Bear Island Campground is a primitive campground located in Big Cypress National Preserve. Access to the campground is at the end of a 20-mile secondary gravel road. Located nearby are Gator Head and Pink Jeep campgrounds. Cell phone service is limited and it is highly encouraged that reservations be made in advance.

Bear Island campground has 40 campsites. Campsites 1-12 are open year round. Campsites 13-40 are open August 15- April 15. The campground offers tent and RV camping. Amenities include vault toilets, fire rings, shared food storage, and picnic tables. Visitors may enjoy nearby activities such as off-road vehicle trail access, hiking, and hunting.

Recreation

Bear Island Campground is the perfect location to enjoy much of what Big Cypress National Preserve has to offer. Visitors can enjoy nearby hiking, hunting, fishing, and off-road vehicle (ORV) trails with a permitted off-road vehicle. For information on ORV use please call 239-631-9988.Hunting and fishing regulations can be found at myfwc.com.

Facilities

Bear Island Campground is a primitive campground only accessible down a 20-mile secondary gravel road. Campsites have gravel or grass pads. It offers vault toilets, picnic tables, shared food storage, and fire rings. There is no water available.

Natural Features

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.

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.

Contact Info

For facility specific information, please call (239) 631-9988.

Rules and notices at Bear Island Campground

Recreation.gov does not date these notices. We last read them on September 29, 2026. Check Bear Island Campground on Recreation.gov

Notices from Recreation.gov

Access to this campground is down a 20-mile secondary gravel road.

An off-road vehicle (ORV) permit is required for ORV use. For information on ORV use, please contact the off-road vehicle office at 239-631-9988 or visit our website at https://www.nps.gov/bicy/planyourvisit/orv-use.htm.

Prevent injury to your pets by keeping them on a leash or otherwise restrained at all times. Pets are not allowed in public buildings, on trails, in the backcountry, or on the water. Pets may not be left unattended. Pet owners are required to immediately remove and properly dispose of fecal matter deposited by their pets.

Cash payments are not accepted at this campground. Payments must be made online. There is limited to no cell phone coverage at the campground, advance reservations are highly recommended.

No fresh water is available.

Do not feed the wildlife, including birds. This is unhealthy for wild animals and invites human/animal confrontations. Food should be properly stored.

Property left unattended longer than 24 hours will be impounded, and the campsite forfeited, regardless of whether or not it is reservable or non-reservable.

Be considerate of your fellow campers by observing quiet hours from 10:00 pm to 6:00 am. All generators must be off at 10:00 pm

Protect YOUR national preserve. Do not destroy, injure, deface, dig, collect or otherwise disturb any national preserve resources, including plants and animals (dead or alive), fossils, rocks, or artifacts. It is a violation of national preserve rules and regulations to possess natural/cultural resources. Metal detectors are not allowed in any unit of the National Park System. Please report any illegal activities to a park ranger.

Don’t Move Firewood: Help protect our forests! Prevent the spread of tree-killing pests by obtaining firewood at or near your destination and burning it onsite. Moving firewood is illegal in some states. Visit dontmovefirewood.org to learn more.

Any violations of park rules or regulations will cause a revocation of your camping permit and no refund will be given.

Recreation.gov permit and campground cancellations →

Bear Island Campground FAQ

How hard is it to get a campsite at Bear Island Campground?

Bear Island Campground is rated "Hard to Book" based on historical demand. This campground is popular and often books out weeks in advance. Your best strategy is to monitor cancellations.

How do I find last-minute availability at Bear Island Campground?

Cancellations happen frequently at Bear Island Campground, especially 1-2 weeks before check-in dates. PermitSnag monitors availability 24/7 and sends instant alerts when sites open up due to cancellations. This is often the best way to snag popular campsites.

How many campsites does Bear Island Campground have?

Bear Island Campground has 40 campsites.