Can you reserve a site at Bear Island Campground?

Yes, Bear Island Campground is reservable through Recreation.gov.

Are pets allowed at Bear Island Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Bear Island Campground.

Are campfires allowed at Bear Island Campground?

Campfires are allowed at Bear Island Campground. Check for a current fire restriction before you go.

Bear Island Campground, Florida — 40 sites, fees and cancellation alerts

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.

The facts

40 bookable sites
Up to 6 people per site

Site types

40 Standard Nonelectric

Amenities

Campfires allowed
Fire pits
Picnic tables
Pets allowed
Water hookups — not available

Not recorded upstream: electric hookups, sewer hookups, grills, shade.

Book on Recreation.gov

40 campsites at Bear Island Campground

Check-in 02:00 PM · Check-out 12:00 PM

Site	Loop	Type	Entry	Surface	Max rig	People
1	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
10	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
11	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
12	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
13	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
14	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
15	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
16	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
17	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
18	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
19	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
2	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
20	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
21	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
22	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
23	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
24	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
25	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
26	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
27	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
28	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
29	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
3	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
30	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
31	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
32	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
33	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
34	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
35	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
36	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
37	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
38	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
39	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
4	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
40	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
5	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
6	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
7	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
8	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾
9	—	Standard Nonelectric	—	—	—	6	🐾

Getting there

From Naples follow US HWY 41 east to Turner River Road. Follow Turner River Road approximately 20 miles and turn right into Bear Island Campground.

From Miami follow US HWY 41 west to Turner River Road. Follow Turner River Road approximately 20 miles and turn right into Bear Island Campground.

Fees and stay limits

Campsites are $10.00 a night.

From Recreation.gov, which is not always current. The operator's own page is the authority on what you will be charged.

Common questions about Bear Island Campground

Can you reserve a site at Bear Island Campground?: Yes, Bear Island Campground is reservable through Recreation.gov.
How many campsites does Bear Island Campground have?: 40 sites.
Are pets allowed at Bear Island Campground?: Yes, pets are allowed at Bear Island Campground.
Does Bear Island Campground have hookups?: No hookups are recorded here.
Are campfires allowed at Bear Island Campground?: Campfires are allowed at Bear Island Campground. Check for a current fire restriction before you go.

Contact

Recreation.gov last updated this record on 2026-03-11.

Bear Island Campground