National park · Homestead, FL
Everglades National Park
What the source pages say
RV Max Length in Feet - 35
nps.gov, read Sep 24, 2026It offers solar-heated showers, two dump stations, picnic tables, grills, and an amphitheater for seasonal Ranger programs.
nps.gov, read Sep 24, 2026Long Pine Key Campground is open seasonally November - April (closed May to October)
nps.gov, read Sep 24, 2026
Going to Everglades National Park? Tell us the nights.
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Everglades National Park questions
- What length RV fits Everglades National Park?
- Max rig length at Long Pine Key: 35 ft — per nps.gov, read Sep 24, 2026.
- Is there a dump station at Everglades National Park?
- Dump stations at Flamingo: Two — per nps.gov, read Sep 24, 2026.
- Can I run a generator at Everglades National Park?
- Long Pine Key: 8 am to 8 pm only. — per nps.gov, read Sep 24, 2026.
- When is the camping season at Everglades National Park?
- Season at Long Pine Key: Nov – Apr — per nps.gov, read Sep 24, 2026.
PickRV
Published by PickRV
Official park page confirmed live on July 25, 2026.
More on Everglades National ParkField notes, rig limits by loop, seasons, what to do, quiet spots
Everglades National Park sprawls across 1.5 million acres of sawgrass marsh, mangrove estuary, and slough at the southern tip of Florida — the largest tropical wilderness in the United States. The Homestead (main) entrance at 40001 State Road 9336 feeds a single dead-end road that runs 38 miles south to Flamingo on Florida Bay. Two frontcountry campgrounds take RVs: Flamingo (year-round, 65 RV sites in the T-loop, 41 with electric) and Long Pine Key (seasonal Nov-May, dry camping only). Shark Valley (the famous 15-mile tram loop) sits on a totally separate road — US-41/Tamiami Trail, 25 miles west of Miami — with no camping. Reservations route through the park concessionaire, not Recreation.gov.
The notes below are PickRV's editorial record. Only the figures in the strip at the top of the page, each with its link and date, were re-read on the park's own pages.
What Everglades National Park's own pages say
- When can a generator run at Long Pine Key?
- Long Pine Key: 8 am to 8 pm only. nps.gov, read Sep 24, 2026
What the official site doesn't tell you
PickRV editor's field notes
NPS.gov lists Flamingo and Long Pine Key but buries the part that actually plans your trip: only Flamingo has electric, and it's 38 miles down a fuel-less dead-end road, so a midsummer AC failure leaves you sweating in the most mosquito-heavy spot in the park system. Rangers literally hand out mosquito forecasts at Flamingo — May through October the bugs are bad enough to force big-rig owners to eat dinner inside. Second: 'no hookups' at Long Pine Key means NO water at the pad either, not just no power — you arrive with full fresh tanks or you don't camp. Third: reservations are NOT on Recreation.gov (that's only for backcountry/chickee permits); Flamingo and Long Pine Key go through the concessionaire, so the usual rec.gov 'release date at 10am' tricks don't apply. Fourth and least obvious: Shark Valley — the iconic alligator-lined tram loop — has zero camping and a tiny lot that fills before 10am, so the smart RV play is to base at Flamingo or Big Cypress and day-trip Shark Valley in a toad, never the rig.
Rig limits by loop and road
Length + clearance
- ·Park-wide, our record: 35 ft
- ·Flamingo Campground T-loop: 35 ft — 65 RV sites; 41 carry electric hookups (20/30/50 amp). No water or sewer at sites — fill/dump at the T-loop dump station.
- ·Long Pine Key Campground: 35 ft — Dry camping ONLY — no electric, no water, no sewer at any site. Potable water + dump station are at the campground entrance, not the pads.
- ·Shark Valley (US-41) is day-use only — there is NO campground and the standard lot fills by 9-10am in dry season; long rigs are far better staged at Flamingo or Big Cypress, then day-tripped in.
- ·The 38-mile Main Park Road to Flamingo is a flat, 2-lane dead-end with no fuel and minimal pull-offs — top off your tank in Homestead before committing; nearest gas is ~40 miles back out.
Dump + generator
- ·Dump station: Flamingo Campground T-loop, plus a second dump station serving the campground; Long Pine Key has one at the entrance (Included with campsite fee for registered campers)
- ·Generators: Generators permitted in designated loops during posted daytime hours only — confirm current window at check-in; quiet hours are strictly enforced near the mangroves
Boondock alternative within Midway is ~45 min from the Shark Valley entrance on US-41; dispersed sites are first-come, no hookups, bring water and dump before arrival
Big Cypress National Preserve — Midway Campground (26 RV sites, 30/50 amp, RVs to 45ft, ~$30/night) on US-41; free dispersed/primitive camping permitted in Big Cypress south of I-75 away from developed areas
Seasons and closures
Full season: December - April (dry season — low water concentrates wildlife, mosquitoes manageable, best RV window; book Flamingo electric sites months ahead)
Limited access: May - November (wet season — daily downpours, oppressive humidity, and brutal mosquitoes at Flamingo; Long Pine Key Campground is closed, typically reopening in November)
Known closures:
- ·Hurricane season (Jun-Nov): the park closes entirely ahead of major storms and Flamingo has historically taken the worst damage — Hurricane Irma (2017) and Ian (2022) both shuttered the Flamingo District for extended periods. Check the NPS Alerts & Conditions page before towing 38 miles in.
- ·Long Pine Key Campground closes seasonally (roughly May-October) — only Flamingo stays open year-round.
- ·Shark Valley tram road can close to the public during construction or flooding events; verify before driving the 25 miles from Miami.
What to do at Everglades National Park
- Anhinga Trail
- Under 1 mile, paved/boardwalk near the Coe entrance — closest, easiest, densest alligator + wading-bird viewing in the park; parking lot near the rig-friendly main road, no shuttle needed
- Shark Valley 15-mile tram loop
- Day-use only on US-41, 25 mi west of Miami — NO camping; ride the 2-hour tram or bike it. Stage the rig elsewhere and arrive before 9am in dry season
- Flamingo Visitor Center & Florida Bay
- End of the 38-mile road; launch point for manatee/crocodile-water boat tours and the Eco Pond loop. Camp here for electric and walk-to access
- Pa-hay-okee Overlook
- Short boardwalk off the Main Park Road with the classic 'River of Grass' sawgrass panorama; quick stop while towing toward Flamingo
Hidden — not on the official map
PickRV editor's quiet spots
Mahogany Hammock
Boardwalk loop through a dense tropical hardwood hammock off the Main Park Road — shaded, mosquito-prone but uncrowded; an easy break on the long Flamingo drive
Eco Pond at Flamingo
Short loop steps from the campground — dawn and dusk birding without driving anywhere; the campground perk most visitors never walk to
Big Cypress Midway Campground (US-41)
Honest paid alternative when Flamingo electric is full — 30/50 amp, fits rigs to 45ft, and you're already on the Shark Valley side of the park
Florida scenery around Everglades National Park
Landscapes from around Florida — the country you cross on a Everglades National Park RV trip.
Weather, air, sky and park alerts right nowLive for Everglades National Park. Open-Meteo, sunrise-sunset.org, National Park Service alerts.
Will my rig fit? Try your lengthChecks a length against the park caps in our record.
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This guide is provided for general informational purposes only. PickRV is not an insurer, legal advisor, or vehicle-safety authority. Trip planning, route selection, rig suitability, weather, and emergency decisions are the renter's responsibility. Always consult the rig manufacturer's owner's manual, your insurance provider, the U.S. National Park Service (nps.gov), NOAA / NWS weather alerts (weather.gov), state and local emergency-management agencies, and current local regulations before and during travel. Cost figures, season windows, road conditions, and fee references on this page are estimates as of May 2026 and vary by season, location, rig, carrier, and operator. Mentions of brand names, state-tourism marks, national-park feature names, or third-party programs are informational only and do not imply affiliation, sponsorship, or endorsement.
Florida rules to know before you rent
Per-state legal callout · FL
Before you rent in Florida — key local rules
Class E covers most motorhomes; no special endorsement under 26,001 lbs
Florida exempts drivers of recreational vehicles (as defined in s. 320.01) from the commercial driver license requirement — the exemption in FL Stat §322.53(2)(d) carries no weight cap. A standard Class E license covers personal-use motorhomes; out-of-state visitors with a valid home-state license may drive them.
Florida Statutes §322.53 · verified 2026-05-24
Boating Safety ID Card required if born on or after Jan 1, 1988
Florida requires anyone born on or after January 1, 1988 to pass a NASBLA-approved boating safety course and carry the Boating Safety Education ID Card, together with photo ID, when operating a vessel powered by a motor of 10 hp or more (FL Stat §327.395). The card never expires — one course covers you for life.
Florida FWC — Boating Safety Education · verified 2026-08-02
0.08 BAC; open containers banned except in motorhomes over 21 ft
Florida sets the DUI threshold at a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 or more (FL Stat §316.193). Under FL Stat §316.1936 neither the driver nor any passenger may possess an open container anywhere in or on the vehicle — there is no front-seat-only line in Florida law. The single exception is a passenger riding in a self-contained motor home longer than 21 feet; the person driving is never exempt.
Florida Statutes §316.1936 · verified 2026-08-02
All OHVs must be titled; no separate trail sticker (state lands)
Florida requires every OHV operated on public land to be titled (FL Stat §261.20). State Forests sell trail-use day passes; no statewide trail sticker. ATV operators under 16 must complete a Hunter Safety / OHV safety course.
Florida DACS — Florida Forest Service OHV · verified 2026-05-24