Everglades National Park | FLAMINGO CAMPGROUND

Tent camping at Flamingo Campground in Everglades National Park

Tent camping at Flamingo Campground in Everglades National Park


See the Flamingo Area web page for an interactive location map.


CAMPING SEASON

Flamingo Campground in Everglades National Park is open year-round. Peak season runs from mid-November through mid-April.

NUMBER OF CAMPSITES

The main section of Flamingo Campground is comprised of two loops that have 120 drive-in campsites. There are 55 campsites for tent campers in A Loop and 65 sites for RVs in T Loop. Four of the A Loop campsites are designed for disabled visitors.

There is a separate field with 38 walk-in tent campsites and 3 group campsites. However, this area is often wet, so it may be closed. The walk-in sites are typically only available during the dry season, which runs from November through April, though the best chance is January, February, and March. If you try to make an online reservation and no walk-in sites are available, this is the reason.

Walk-in campsites along Florida Bay at the Flamingo Campground, Everglades National Park

Walk-in campsites along Florida Bay at the Flamingo Campground, Everglades National Park

Flamingo Campground also has 20 Eco Tents. These are canvas tents that are already set up and have beds, chairs, and electricity for a fan and lights.

Eco Tent a Flamingo Campground in Everglades National Park

Eco Tent a Flamingo Campground in Everglades National Park

TYPE OF CAMPING

Flamingo Campground can accommodate tent campers and those in RVs and other self-contained sleeping vehicles. Eco Tents are also available.

The A Loop is supposedly for tent camping only, though I did see a few camper vans at some sites. Each campsite can accommodate up to six people and is permitted to have two tents. There is parking for two vehicles per site. All campsites are pretty much the same, so other than your preference for being near or away from the bathroom, there is no need to put much thought into picking a campsite.

Tent sites in the A Loop of Flamingo Campground in Everglades National Park

Tent sites in the A Loop of Flamingo Campground in Everglades National Park

T Loop is for RVs only, and it is here that you will find the large, pull-through parking spaces. Also, 41 of the T Loop sites have electricity hook-ups (no water). There is no electricity at the remaining 24 campsites. Each campsite can accommodate up to six people and is permitted one RV and one tent. Only two vehicles per site are allowed.

RVs at T Loop of Flamingo Campground in Everglades National Park

RVs at T Loop of Flamingo Campground in Everglades National Park

The walk-in campsites are for tent campers only, as are the three group sites. Individual campsites are allowed up to six people and two tents, while the group sites can have up to 15 people and however many tents are needed. Two vehicles are allowed per individual campsite and three for each group campsite. Parking is done in a common parking lot, and campers must carry their gear to the campsites, which are anywhere from 50 to 200 yards away.

Tent site next to Florida Bay in the walk-in section of Flamingo Campground at Everglades National Park

Tent site next to Florida Bay in the walk-in section of Flamingo Campground at Everglades National Park

The Eco Tents are located next to the walk-in tent sites. Depending on the size, the tents sleep anywhere from 2 to 4 people. One tent is wheelchair accessible. Three tents have one double bed (including the wheelchair-accessible tent), seven tents have two double beds, and 10 tents have one queen-size bed.

Inside of an Eco Tent at Flamingo Campground in Everglades National Park

Inside of an Eco Tent at Flamingo Campground in Everglades National Park

TERRAIN

Flamingo Campground is completely flat and covered in grass. Some campsites in the A Loop have shade trees, but there are plenty of sites completely out in the open as well. Most campsites in the T Loop have a shade tree. The trees that do exist are not very tall and have a very bushy canopy, so they do offer good shade. Due to the lack of shrubs and other ground-covering vegetation, there is no privacy between campsites.

Shade trees at Flamingo Campground in Everglades National Park

Shade trees at Flamingo Campground in Everglades National Park

There is no privacy between campsites at Flamingo Campground in Everglades National Park

There is no privacy between campsites at Flamingo Campground in Everglades National Park

There are a lot of birds at Flamingo Campground—ibis, vultures, herons—and if they are in the trees and your tent is directly underneath, well, you know the potential consequences. Also, vultures love to tear at the rubber and soft tops of vehicles, so if you leave a car unattended during the day, be sure to cover it completely with a tarp. Use bungee cords to attach it.

Flock of Ibis at the Flamingo Campground in Everglades National Park

Flock of Ibis at the Flamingo Campground in Everglades National Park

The walk-in tent campsites and group campsites are on a large, open field with not a tree in sight. The campground is situated next to the Florida Bay, but it is a long haul to the water, so most of the tent sites taken are those near the road and bathroom. The closest tent sites are about 50 yards from the parking area, whereas those along the bay are 150 to 200 yards away.

No trees at all at the Walk-in campsites at Flamingo Campground in Everglades National Park

No trees at all at the Walk-in campsites at Flamingo Campground in Everglades National Park

The walk-in tent sites at Flamingo Campground in Everglades National Park are located on a large field

The walk-in tent sites at Flamingo Campground in Everglades National Park are located on a large field

The Group Campground is located on the same field, but at the far end near the Guy Bradley Trail and amphitheater. Each campsite can hold up to fifteen people. As with the other sites on the field, there is no shade.

The Eco Tents are next to the walk-in tent area and surrounded by taller grass and brush. Boardwalks carry guests over this more unruly vegetation. As with the walk-in campsites, there are no shade trees, and you must carry your gear to the tents from a common parking lot.

Boardwalk to the Eco Tent area of Flamingo Campground in Everglades National Park

Boardwalk to the Eco Tent area of Flamingo Campground in Everglades National Park

Most, but not all, of the Eco Tents have a view of the Florida Bay.

Eco Tent in the Flamingo Campground with a view of Florida Bay, Everglades National Park

Eco Tent in the Flamingo Campground with a view of Florida Bay, Everglades National Park

I stayed at Flamingo Campground on two occasions in the winter. During my first visit in February 2015, mosquitoes were a problem in the morning and evening. Once the sun warmed things up during the day, they disappeared. I’m sure the numbers were only a fraction of what comes as the warmer months approach, but there were enough that I had no desire to eat outside or sit around a campfire. I burned a Citronella candle inside my tent and sprayed it with Permethrin, but this did not help. Every time I opened the door I got a dozen mosquitoes inside. In the morning, mosquitoes were clinging to the netting with salivating mouths just waiting for me to come out. This took me by surprise because I rarely saw a mosquito or other annoying insect anywhere else in Everglades National Park, and I had been to all locations; Flamingo was my last stop.

During my January 2021 visit, I rarely saw a mosquito at Flamingo. There were a few, no doubt, but thinking I was in store for a 2015 repeat, I was extremely surprised and happy. I even ate my meals outside in the evening. I suppose the moral to the story is that you just never know what the mosquito situation will be from year to year.

The humidity is high even during the winter. If your tent has a mesh section and you do not use the rain cover at night, by morning everything inside will be soaked, even on a perfectly clear night. Anything left outside your tent or RV will also be soaked.

AMENITIES

Forty-one of sixty-five campsites in the T-Loop have electricity hook-ups (20, 30, and 50 Amp). While there are no water hook-ups, there is a water filling station next to the dump station located in the center of T Loop.

Site with electric hook-up in the T Loop at Flamingo Campground in Everglades National Park

Site with electric hook-up in the T Loop at Flamingo Campground in Everglades National Park

All loops have at least one modern restroom with showers, though only hot-water showers are in the A Loop and the walk-in tent area. Those camping in the T-Loop are free to use these facilities. The water is heated with solar power, but of the four showers I took, I got hot water once, lukewarm water once, and cold water the other two times. All depends on the sun and temperature that day and how many people took a shower before you. The more people camping, the less likely you’ll get hot water. All I can say is to assume there are no hot water showers and be pleasantly surprised if you get hot water. (Note: while I didn’t test this theory, there are two hot-water showers in the tents-only section, and that’s probably the least used area of the campground. I suspect that these showers are more likely to have hot water than the A Loop showers.)

Each campsite has a picnic table and a fire ring / grill.

There is a dump station in the T-Loop.

Camp supplies, ice, convenience store-type foods, gasoline, and even beer can be purchased at the Flamingo Marina store. This is located near the Flamingo Visitor Center less than a mile down the road. The next nearest place for services is in Homestead, about 50 miles away.

RESERVATIONS

Camping at the T-Loop of the Flamingo Campground at Everglades National Park

Camping in the T-Loop of the Flamingo Campground at Everglades National Park

The Flamingo Campground is now run by Guest Services, Inc., the park concessionaire that also operates the marina. You can make a reservation by calling (855) 708-2207 or by visiting the Flamingo Adventures website.

The RV campsites with electricity are usually booked all winter long, so don’t even bother showing up without a reservation if you want one of these. The tent campsites are much easier to get. During my two stays at Flamingo Campground in a January and a February, during the week the tent sites were half empty, and even on the weekends there were a few sites available. In the summer the campground will never fill up (you’d have to be insane to camp at that time).

FEES AND PAYMENT

You can pay with credit card, cash, or check when the campground office is open. If you arrive after hours or can’t find anyone on duty, just drive around and find a campsite that is not marked as RESERVED, then pay in the morning. Of course those making a reservation must use a credit card.

The current camping fees are listed on the Flamingo Adventures website.

CAMPGROUND RULES

  • Check-out time is 10 AM.
  • Quiet hours are from 10 PM to 6 AM. Generators can operate from 8 AM to 8 PM. No generators are allowed in the walk-in or group sections.
  • Pets must be kept on a leash and cannot be left unattended.
  • Dishwashing sinks are located in the rear of each restroom building. Do not wash dishes in the restroom sinks.
  • The maximum stay is 14 days during the winter and 30 days total for the year. The only exception would be if empty sites are available. This is determined on a day-to-day basis.
  • Store food in hard shell containers or your vehicle.

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Last updated on September 10, 2024
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