Kayak or Boat Wilderness Camping Everglades Gulf Coast (Everglades National Park), Florida

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Start planning your trip today with our Wilderness Trip Planner page. Campers can obtain permits at the Flamingo Visitor Center and the Gulf Coast Visitor Contact Station daily. During the summer season (mid-April through mid-November) permits are free, but are still required. They are available 24 hours 7 days per week. Follow self-registration instructions at either visitor center. Campers must register in person. Permits are currently free and obtainable no more than a day in advance of the start of a trip.Practice Leave No Trace principles and plan to pack in and pack out all waste. Be aware that many sites do not have restrooms and those that do are not able to serviced regularly.Permits are required for ALL backcountry campsites. Permits may obtained from either the Gulf Coast Visitor Contact Station or the Flamingo Visitor Center prior to backcountry camping.Reminder: All backcountry campsites are only accessible by water. Winter is the best season to go. Summers are hot, muggy, and mosquitoes are plentiful. The coastal campsites going north to south are: Tiger Key: Capacity 12, Beach campsite Picnic Key: Capacity 16, Beach campsite Jewel Key: Capacity 8, Beach campsite - Camping is allowed on back san dspit by toilet. No gulf side camping. Rabbit Key: Capacity 8, Beach campsite Pavilion Key: Capacity 24, Beach campsite Mormon Key: Capacity 12, Beach campsite New Turkey Key: Capacity 10, Beach campsite Highland Beach: Capacity 24, Beach campsite Graveyard Creek: Capacity 8, Ground campsite Northwest Cape: Capacity 36, Beach campsite Middle Cape: Capacity 60, Beach campsite East Cape: Capacity 60, Beach campsite Clubhouse Beach: Capacity 24, Beach campsite - May be accessible by foot. Check with the Flamingo Visitor Center on trail status. A backcountry permit is required for all wilderness campsites and issued the day before or the day of your trip. During the winter season (mid-November through mid-April) backcountry permits must be obtained in person at the Gulf Coast Visitor Center or at the Flamingo Visitor Center between the hours of 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM. A permit processing fee of $15 will be charged as well as a $2 per person per day camping fee. During the summer season (mid-April through mid-November) permits are free but are still required. They are available 24 hours 7 days per week. Follow self-registration instructions at either visitor center. Permits are not issued over the telephone except for visitors coming in from the Florida Keys to camp at North Nest Key, Little Rabbit Key, Shark Point Chickee, Johnson Key Chickee and Cape Sable. Please call 239-695-2945 or 239-695-3311. Note: The maximum backcountry stay is 14 days. A few tips on getting backcountry permits: For sites where only one or two campers are allowed, people should arrive at the ranger station a day in advance to secure permits on busy weekends. If you seek a permit for the day you arrive, plan to be flexible and have alternative sites in mind. There are a high number of permits allowed for beach camping along Cape Sable, so it's generally possible to obtain a permit for these on the morning of your departure. A few backcountry sites are accessed via the Florida Keys and you can reserve these by phone the day before.

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