Long Pine Key Campground at Everglades National Park

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See the Royal Palm Area web page for an interactive location map.

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CAMPING SEASON

The Long Pine Key Campground is open from November until the end of April. It is closed at other times. The opening date can vary depending on the weather, so call (855) 708-2207 to check the schedule. The campground is now run by Guest Services, Inc., the same park concessionaire that operates the Flamingo Marina and the Flamingo Campground.

NUMBER OF SITES

There are 108 individual campsites and one group campsite at the Lone Pine Key Campground.

Long Pine Key Campground Map (click to enlarge)

TYPE OF CAMPING

Both tent campers and RVs are welcome, though certain campsites are set aside for tents only. What the campground operators refer to as RV sites are really campsites open to both RVs and tent campers.

Each individual campsite is allowed two tents or one RV and one tent, a maximum of eight people, and two vehicles. The group site is for tents only and can accommodate up to 15 people.

RVs at Long Pine Key Campground in Everglades National Park

Most campsites have back-in parking, but there are a few curbside parking spots for larger RVs. Not all campsites can accommodate large RVs (see the above map for a key to the parking space sizes). If you have an extra car or a large trailer pulled by a pick-up and these vehicles cannot fit in the paved parking space, they must be parked on the shoulder and off of the road.

Extra car parked properly on the grass at the Long Pine Key Campground in Everglades National Park

The campground is basically one, large oval with roads cutting through from one side to the other, each given a letter (A-K). The I-K loops are for tents only, otherwise campsites are open to tents or RVs. Two campsites are set aside for handicapped visitors.

Tent camping at Long Key Pine Campground in Everglades National Park

Curbside parking space at Long Key Pine Campground in Everglades National Park

TERRAIN

All campsites are open to the sun—there is very little shade. The terrain is flat, and each campsite is covered in plush grass and set into its own cubbyhole cut into the brush, so there is some privacy. Though there is a lot of vegetation, mosquitoes were not a big problem during my two stays, once in January and once in February.

Typical campsite at Long Pine Key Campground in Everglades National Park

AMENITIES

There are no electric or water hook-ups at the campground. There are modern restrooms with flush toilets, a dish washing station, and solar-powered hot-water showers. However, this does not mean you will get a hot shower, as all depends on the sun and temperature that day and how many people took a shower before you. I did not take a shower after my friend reported that the water was lukewarm. I need a hot shower or no shower at all. There are four bathrooms at Long Pine Key Campground, and according to one of the employees I spoke to, the one in section J is most likely to have hot water.

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

Campsite at Long Pine Key Campground in Everglades National Park

A dump station for RVs is located at the entrance.

There is no camp store, so you must bring all your supplies and purchase firewood locally.

Fishing is allowed in the lake next to the campground, though it is not advised to eat the fish due to high mercury levels in the meat. No swimming is allowed because alligators live in the water. There is a trail that goes around the lake.

Fishing in Long Pine Key Lake, Everglades National Park

Long Pine “Key” is the small island in the middle of the lake.

Long Pine Key in Long Pine Key Lake, Everglades National Park

RESERVATIONS

Reservations are made through Flamingo Adventures. Those not reserved in advance are available on a first come, first served basis on the day of arrival. All campsites are pretty much the same, so don’t waste time trying to figure out which one is the best.

Long Pine Key Campground at Everglades National Park

When speaking with the campground host in February, she said the place had been booked full every day since MLK Day. “I don’t know if that’s the new norm, but it’s usually not this full,” she told me. Under normal circumstances, weekends during the tourist season (Christmas until the end of April) tend to fill up, but during the week there are plenty of spots. The weekends see an influx of three-day campers from Miami. If the campground is full, you can try the Flamingo Campground farther south or camp at one of the private campgrounds in Homestead, Florida.

FEES AND PAYMENTS

The campground office is usually open from 8 AM to 5 PM, though it may open at 7 AM on the weekends. For those who arrive without a reservation, you can pay with credit card, cash, or check. If you arrive after hours or cannot find anyone on duty, just drive around and find a site, then pay in the morning. Check the Flamingo Adventures website for the latest fees.

CAMPGROUND RULES

• Check-out time is 12 PM.
• Vehicles that cannot fit in the driveway must park in the grass parallel to the road.
• Quiet hours are from 10 PM to 6 AM. Generators can operate from 8 AM to 8 PM. No generators are allowed in the TENTS ONLY sites.
• 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 at one campground and 30 days total for the year during the tourist season. 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.

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