Otis Pike Wilderness Backcountry Camping Map (click to enlarge)
Otis Pike Fire Island High Dune Wilderness Home Page
Backcountry camping within the Otis Pike Fire Island High Dune Wilderness is allowed year-round at Fire Island National Seashore. The camping area is divided into two zones: east and west of Bellport Beach, a private strip of land owned by the Long Island community of Bellport. The western section is most easily reached from Watch Hill and the eastern section from the Wilderness Visitor Center. The division comes into play because each zone is allotted a certain number of campers each night. Twelve campers with a maximum of four people per camping group are allowed in the eastern zone. The western zone can hold twenty-four campers with a maximum of eight people per camping group. Signs indicate where the camping zones begin and end.
From Watch Hill, campers must walk one mile to reach the western zone, which then stretches for two miles, making it a three-mile walk to the eastern end. For those who wish to continue to the eastern zone through Bellport Beach, it is another mile to the start of the eastern zone, and that zone is a mile wide.
From mid-May to mid-October a ferry runs directly to Watch Hill from Long Island on select days of the week, but in the off-season campers must take the ferry to Davis Park and walk a mile just to get to Watch Hill. An alternative is to kayak or canoe from either Robert Moses State Park or Smith Point County Park.
From the Wilderness Visitor Center, it is a 2.25-mile walk to the start of the eastern zone and other two miles to the start of the western zone (roughly 4.25 miles overall to the start of the western zone). The Wilderness Visitor Center is accessibly by vehicle year-round.
Backcountry camping is limited to three nights. A fee-based permit is required and can only be obtained at Recreation.gov by a person at least 21 years old (and this person must be a member of the camping party). No walk-ups are allowed. The fee is per group, not per person. In addition to obtaining a permit, campers must register just before starting their trip either at the Watch Hill Visitor Center or the Wilderness Visitor Center when they are open, or at one of the self-registration kiosks in the off-season. Details and regulations can be found on Recreation.gov.
From the day after Labor Day through March 14th, backcountry camping in the wilderness means “in the wilderness,” not on the beach. You must stay on the bay side of the primary sand dune that runs the length of the island. Furthermore, you must find a sandy clearing, as you cannot camp on any vegetation. Keep in mind that waterfowl hunting is allowed in the Otis Pike Wilderness from November through December 31st, so do what you can to keep from getting shot.
Typical terrain in the Otis Pike Wilderness, Fire Island National Seashore
Beach camping is allowed from March 15th through Labor Day, though you still have the option of camping in the wilderness if you are crazy enough to do so. During the summer the wilderness if full of poison ivy, ticks, and a mosquito population on par with the Everglades. The beach, on the other hand, shouldn’t be too bad as long as there is a breeze. If the wind dies down, you won’t find as many mosquitoes as in the wilderness, but you will have to deal with them. Also, no pets are allowed on the beach at this time.
Beach camping in the Otis Pike Wilderness (photo by the National Park Service)
The following rules apply to backcountry camping at Fire Island National Seashore:
- Check-in is required. Campers must check in upon arrival at the Visitor Center during hours of operation. A self check-in station is available at the Dune Station along the main dune crossing for after hours and off-season arrivals or you may email your permit number and check-in date to: fiis_camping_check-in@nps.gov
- Permittee is required to have one print or digital copy of their permit upon check-in. Permit is to be retained by the permittee at all times during camping.
- Permittee must be 21 years of age or older and carry valid, government issued photo ID.
- Camping permits only valid for the length of stay that they are issued for.
- No camping on the primary dunes or within 20 feet of the toe of the dunes.
- No open fires; camp stoves only.
- Bury human waste in cat-holes dug six to eight inches deep and at least 200 feet from water.
- Camp at least 300 feet away from other campers.
- No camping within 1,000 feet of Bellport Beach.
- No trenching around tent.
- No camping within 200 feet of piping plover enclosures or nesting threatened and endangered species.
- No camping within symbolic fencing.
- No permanent camping facilities will be built.
- No vehicle access permitted for camping.
- No camping permits will be issued to hunters.
- Carry in/carry out all trash and personal items.
- No pets permitted March 15 through Labor Day on the beach or in the wilderness.
With a few exceptions, use of any photograph on the National Park Planner website requires a paid Royalty Free Editorial Use License or Commercial Use License. See the Photo Usage page for details.
Last updated on September 27, 2024
