Camping the Everglades Wilderness Waterway is a wonderfully remote Florida experience, but it is not a show-up-and-paddle kind of trip. Whether you are planning a one-night kayak outing from Flamingo or tackling the full 99-mile route between Flamingo and Everglades City, you need a wilderness permit for overnight stays at designated chickees, ground sites and beach sites.
The good news: the reservation confirmation itself is now your permit. Reserve online through Recreation.gov, save a digital copy or print it, and keep it with you on the water. You do not need to stop at a visitor center to pick up a paper permit.
When Everglades wilderness reservations open
Reservations are released on a rolling 90-day window at 10 a.m. Eastern Time each day. That means a popular winter weekend or a specific chickee can disappear quickly, so it pays to work backward from your launch date and be ready when your date becomes available. You can reserve up to and including your trip’s start date if space remains.
Build your entire consecutive itinerary in one reservation rather than booking every night separately. The current charge is a $21 nonrefundable administrative fee per permit, plus a $2 per-person, per-night recreation fee. Everglades National Park entrance fees are separate, although eligible federal recreation passes are accepted. Check current details before you go, since fees and booking rules can change.
Choosing between chickees, ground sites and beaches
Chickees are roofed, elevated wooden platforms over the water, generally used where dry ground is unavailable. Each platform is 10 by 12 feet and holds one party of up to six people. Double chickees, including locations such as Hell’s Bay, Pearl Bay and Sweetwater, have two separately reservable platforms. Your group’s free-standing tent must fit entirely on its assigned platform; do not bring stakes or plan to drive nails into the deck. Chickees have a self-contained toilet, but no campfire is allowed.
Ground sites sit on slightly raised land along bays and rivers. They can accommodate multiple parties and, depending on the site, larger groups than a chickee. Expect a more primitive, bug-prone setup, and use a gas stove only: wood, charcoal and coal-fueled cooking devices are prohibited.
Beach sites are the choice for sand camping along the coast, including Cape Sable and other remote keys. Their breezes can make insects more manageable, but low tides, mud flats and rough water can complicate access. These are the only wilderness sites where fires are allowed, and they must be below the high-tide line. Many beach sites have no toilet, table or fresh water.
How to make a smart reservation
- Plan the route before clicking reserve. The full Wilderness Waterway is intended for experienced paddlers; most allow at least eight days. For a first trip, the park suggests a one- or two-night route, such as the marked Hell’s Bay Canoe Trail from Flamingo.
- Match each campsite to realistic mileage and tides. Experienced paddlers often cover 8 to 12 miles a day, but wind, weather and shallow water can slow that dramatically. The Waterway has sections passable only at high tide.
- Choose capacity carefully. A single chickee is ideal for a small party seeking solitude, while a ground or beach site may suit a bigger group. Campsite capacity rules apply year-round, and sites must be vacated by noon.
- Keep a backup itinerary. If a first-choice platform is gone, consider a nearby ground or beach site that fits your route and group size rather than assuming rangers can create extra space.
What to bring—and what not to overlook
There is no potable water anywhere in the coastal wilderness, so bring at least one gallon per person per day for drinking and cooking, preferably in hard-sided containers that wildlife cannot chew through. Pack nautical charts and a compass; the park specifically cautions that the maze of mangrove creeks and bays can be difficult to navigate. A waterproof phone pouch is useful for protecting your permit screenshot and backup navigation tools, but it is not a replacement for charts and the skills to use them.
Pets are not allowed at backcountry sites, beaches or ashore in the wilderness. Store food, water and trash securely, never feed wildlife, and pack out all trash. Bring a free-standing tent for a chickee, bug protection for every type of site, and a gas camp stove for anywhere other than a permitted beach fire.
Practical takeaway: Reserve the moment your 90-day window opens, book the whole route as one itinerary, and make conservative daily mileage your priority. In the Everglades, a campsite reservation is only the first step; safe navigation, water, tides and weather are what make the trip work.
