Southwest Florida Camping
There are threecampgrounds inside the park, Chekika, Flamingo and Long Pine Key. Chekika spresently open for day-use only. Camping is not available, pendingrepairs of damage from Hurricane Irene in October 1999. Located sixmiles (10 km) west of Krome Ave (State Road 997) on SW 168 Street. (ForMore Information on this campground please call 305-242-7700) All campgrounds are openyear round. Reservations can be made for campsites at Flamingo and LongPine Key Campgrounds at 1-800-365-2267. Camping from May through October will be by self-registration at allcampgrounds. Fees are not charged from June to August. If you have aGolden Age Pass (U.S. citizen 62 or older) or Golden Access Pass(permanently disabled), camping is half price. This does not applytoward group sites. Campground Information Campground Open Sites Water Fire Grates Picnic Tables Showers Groceries Dump Station Fees All Year 234 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes $14.00 Long Pine Key All Year 108 Yes Yes Yes No No Yes $14.00
Camping and recreation The campground at Flamingo Camping sites are available year-round in Everglades National Park.Frontcountry camping, with some services, is available at Long PineKey, close to the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center, where 108 sites areaccessible by car. Near Flamingo234 campsites with some services are alsoavailable. Recreational vehicle camping is available at these sites,although not with all necessary services. Backcountrypermits are required for campsites along theWilderness Waterway, Gulf Coast sites, and sites in the various keys.Several backcountry sites are chickees; others are beach and groundsites.[89] Low-powered motorboats are allowed into the park, although the majorityof salt water areas are no-wake zones to protect manatees from harm. Jet skis, airboats, and other motorized personal watercraft areprohibited. However, manytrails allow kayaks and canoes. A state license isrequired for fishing, and although fresh water licenses are not sold inthe park, a salt water license may be available. Swimming is not recommended within the park boundaries, since watermoccasins, snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina), alligators andcrocodiles thrive in fresh water; and sharks, barracuda, and sharpdangerous coral are plentiful in salt water. Visibility is low in bothkinds.[90] *Top-Rated Attractions VisitorCenters Visitor centers arelocated at the main entrance (west ofHomestead),Royal Palm, Flamingo, Shark Valley, and Gulf Coast (south ofEverglades City). Main Entrance (near Homesteadand Florida City) is open daily: 24 hours a day The Ernest F. Coe VisitorCenter is open all year from 8:00 am to 5:00pm daily The Royal PalmVisitor Center is open daily from 8:00 am to4:15 pm The FlamingoVisitor Center is open from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm- Nov through Apr Shark Valleyis open daily, 8:30 am to 6:00 pm while the Visitor Center is opendaily from 8:30 am to 5:15 pm Gulf CoastVisitor Center is open daily - Nov to Apr 7:30am to 5:00 pm and - May to Nov 8:30 am to 5:00 pm Ernest F. Coe VisitorCenter Phone: 305-242-7700 Located at the mainpark entrance west of Homestead and Florida City, the CoeVisitor Center is open daily from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Educationaldisplays, orientation films, brochures, and information are available.Books, film, postcards, and insect repellent may be purchased in thebookstore. No trails start from this visitor center. The Long Pine Key Campgroundand Picnic Area is six miles further west, and is surrounded by anabundance of hiking trails. In December, 1996, this new visitor center was opened and dedicated inhonor of Ernest F. Coe, whose efforts over twenty years led to thePark's establishment. The new center replaces one destroyed in 1992'sHurricane Andrew. It employs state of the art technology to orientvisitors to the Park and the issues confronting the South Floridaecosystem. Royal Palm Visitor Center Phone: 305-242-7700 Located four miles west of the main entrance station, the Royal PalmVisitor Center is open daily from 8:00 am to 4:15 pm. It has displayswith recorded messages that interpret the park's unique ecosystems.Books, film, postcards, and insect repellent are available for sale,and vending machines dispense snacks and soft drinks. (No food or drink are permittedon the interpretive trails.) The Anhinga and Gumbo Limbotrails begin here. FlamingoVisitor Center Phone: 941-695-2945 Flamingo is 38 miles (61 km) southwest from the main entrance at thesouthern end of the park. The visitor center, open November throughApril from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm, offers natural history exhibits andinformation. A restaurant, gift shop, lodge, and campground are nearby.Boat tours and canoe rentals are available at the marina. The marinaalso sells gas and general supplies. A post office is located in thelobby of the lodge. Several hiking and canoeing trails begin atFlamingo or nearby, including the south end of the Wilderness Waterway.Abundant wildlife may be found here year-round. Gulf Coast Visitor Center Phone: 941-695-3311 The Gulf Coast Visitor Center is located in EvergladesCity, in the northwest corner of the park. The visitorcenter has natural history exhibits, and information, and issues backcountry permits and parkpasses. It is open daily from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm Novemberto April, and 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. May to November. Gulf Coast is the gateway for exploring the Ten Thousand Islands, amaze of mangrove islands and waterways that extends south to Flamingoand Florida Bay. Manatees (Trichechus manatus), dolphins (Tursiopstruncatus), and osprey (Pandion haliaetus) coexist in this saltwaterportion of the Everglades. A 1 hour 45 minute narrated boat tripprovides an overall description of this saltwater ecosystem. Canoes maybe rented to explore ChokoloskeeBay and the Turner River. For the more adventurous, the 99 mile (159 km) WildernessWaterway, accessible by canoe, kayak, or small motorboat,winds through the mangrove islands all the way to Flamingo. Nauticalcharts are recommended, and backcountrypermits are required for camping. Shark Valley Visitor Center Phone: 305-221-8776 Shark Valley is located along U.S. 41 (Tamiami Trail) on the northernborder of the park. The visitor center is open daily from 8:30 am to5:15 pm, and features exhibits, information, and book sales. Shark Valley lies in theheart of the "river ofgrass" thatstretches 100 miles (160 km) from Lake Okeechobee to the Gulf of Mexico.Wildlife abounds here in a freshwater ecosystem of saw grass marsh andtree islands. A fifteen mile (24 km) tram road (not open to privatemotorized vehicles) extends into the marsh, offering one of the bestopportunities to view alligators and the endangered snail kite(Rostrhamus sociabilis plumbeus) in Everglades National Park. A twohour narrated tram ride provides an overview of the freshwaterEverglades, and bicycles are available to rent. Those wishing toexplore alone can walk the short trails and portions of the tram road,or bike. An observation tower located halfway around the tram roadprovides a spectacular view into the saw grass marsh. Permits and Fees Permits are required for backcountry camping. Film permits and specialuse permits are handled on an individual basis; call: 305-242-7700. Forresearch and collection permits, call: 305-242-7800. BackcountryFees This fee, for the issuance of the required backcountry permit, will bea single charge per group. See the Camping Page. $ 10.00 Per Permit(14 Day Permit) Plus $ 2.00 PerPerson Per Night (14 Day Permit) There is a fee charged to all vehicles entering the park with boats,including canoes, kayaks, and power boats. See the Boating Page fordetails. It is a per boat charge: $ 5.00 - 7 day boatlaunch fee $ 3.00 - 7 daynon-motorized boat fee $ 60.00 - Annualboat launch pass Camping FeesSee the Camping Page for details. Regular Sites: $ 14.00 - maximum of 8 persons Group Sites: $ 28.00 - maximum of 15 persons at Flamingo and Lone PineKey Group Sites: $ 28.00 - maximum of 20 persons at Chekika Freshwater and saltwaterfishing require separate Florida fishing licenses. See the Fishing Pagefor details. Park regulations require that any group of more than 20 bicyclistsobtain a Special Use Permit prior to their planned ride. Groups whowish to bicycle after park hours are also required to have a permit andare limited to no more than 25 persons. See the Hiking and Biking Pagefor details. Applications for Special Use Permits can be obtained by calling:305-225-3004 or 305-221-8776. To request an application in writing,contact: Fee CollectionSupervisor S.R. 42 - SharkValley Everglades NationalPark Ochopee, FL 34141 EntranceFees Private Non-commercialVehicle $ 10.00 (Seven DayPass) Individual Entry (Bike,Foot) $ 5.00 (Seven Day Pass) Annual Everglades Pass $ 25.00 (Season) Gold Access Pass(Blind or permanently disabled individuals)<br/> Free (Lifetime - goodin all natl parks) GoldenAge Pass (1 time fee - for those 62+ yearsyoung) <br/> $ 10.00(Lifetime - good in all natl parks)
 Florida Camping - Everglades National Park
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