NPS · Big Cypress National Preserve · Ochopee, FL

Burns Lake Campground

Burns Lake Campground offers lake views from every campsite. Offering direct backcountry access, this campground is the ideal place for hunters and off-road vehicle enthusiasts.

Reservable · Recreation.gov14 sitesDark sky50 ft maxNo hookupsPets okFires ok

More like this: reservable in Florida · big rigs in Florida · pets allowed in Florida · dark sky in Florida

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Burns Lake CampgroundBurns Lake Campground Day UseBurns Lake Campground SignBurns Lake Campground Wildlife
Photos courtesy of BICY · Recreation.gov
1fire
active
Set Cpi 6 Rx 1015 (prescribed burn) · 30 mi away
Interagency incident data as of 2026-10-16
Incident details ↓

Site mix

RV, no hookups8
Tent-only6
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

Will my RV fit

The longest site here provides 50 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

14 sites in 2 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteLoopTypeEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadeWaterfrontPeople / vehiclesFiresAccessibleRating
03RV NONELECTRICRVPull-through50GravelLakefront6 / 2YesYesBasic
04RV NONELECTRICRVPull-through50GravelLakefront6 / 2YesYesBasic
05RV NONELECTRICRVPull-through50GravelLakefront6 / 2YesYesBasic
06RV NONELECTRICRVPull-through50GravelLakefront6 / 2YesYesBasic
07RV NONELECTRICRVPull-through50GravelLakefront6 / 2YesYesBasic
08RV NONELECTRICRVPull-through50GravelLakefront6 / 2YesYesBasic
09RV NONELECTRICRVPull-through50GravelLakefront6 / 2YesYesBasic
10RV NONELECTRICRVPull-through50GravelLakefront6 / 2YesYesBasic
11Tent Only NonElectricTent onlyGravelPartialLakefront6 / 2YesYesBasic
12Tent Only NonElectricTent onlyGravelPartialLakefront6 / 2YesYesBasic

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
Max vehicle length50 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
Dark skyInside Big Cypress National Preserve, a certified International Dark Sky Park
AccessibilitySites 03, 04, 05, 06 and 10 more are listed accessible

This campground offers a picnic day use area, vault toilets, and an off-road vehicle parking lot and access point. No fresh water is available.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Burns Lake Campground60°70°80°90°January: 1.70 inches of precipitationFebruary: 2.11 inches of precipitationMarch: 2.28 inches of precipitationApril: 2.61 inches of precipitationMay: 3.71 inches of precipitationJune: 11.70 inches of precipitationJuly: 7.44 inches of precipitationAugust: 7.66 inches of precipitationSeptember: 9.05 inches of precipitationOctober: 3.76 inches of precipitationNovember: 1.45 inches of precipitationDecember: 1.81 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 65.1°F averageFebruary: 68.2°F averageMarch: 70.3°F averageApril: 74.4°F averageMay: 78.2°F averageJune: 81.7°F averageJuly: 83.7°F averageAugust: 83.9°F averageSeptember: 82.8°F averageOctober: 78.7°F averageNovember: 72.4°F averageDecember: 68.5°F average0 in5 in10 in15 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Everglades City 5 NE, 6 miles from the campground at 4 feet, station USW00092826 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 55 inches a year.

Getting there

From Naples: Follow US HWY 41 east until you see signs for campground (approximately mile marker 67). From Miami: Follow US HWY 41 west until you see signs for campground (approximately mile marker 67)

Nearest townOchopee, Florida
Coordinates25.8839° N, 81.2189° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Set Cpi 6 Rx 1015

    30 mi from the campground

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗14.5 mi
Outdoor gearSportsman's Warehouse ↗41.6 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

⛺ Burns Lake Campground Review // Boondocking in the Florida Everglades - USACE

Worth a stop

Campers can enjoy local sight-seeing attractions such as airboat and swamp buggy tours, museums, art galleries, and boardwalks. This campground is located close to multiple national and state parks.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

Surrounded by towering pine trees and wrapping around a lake, this campground allows you to feel like you are getting away while still being close enough to modern conveniences.

Recreation

Burns Lake offers a great access point for your permitted off-road vehicle. Campers can enjoy fishing in the lake and surrounding areas with the appropriate licensure. Just far enough from any major highway, this campground offers countless wildlife viewing opportunities.

Guidebooks for Florida

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Best Tent Camping: Florida
    Johnny Molloy, 2016
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Camping Florida
    Rick Sapp, 2010
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Florida Lighthouse Trail
    Thomas W. Taylor and Chris Belcher, 2020
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Burns Lake Campground?

Sites at Burns Lake Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Burns Lake Campground?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Burns Lake Campground have?

14 sites, including 8 RV sites without hookups and 6 tent-only sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Burns Lake Campground?

The longest site here provides 50 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Are pets allowed at Burns Lake Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Burns Lake Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Burns Lake Campground?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there is 1 active fire within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one.

Source: Fire nearby

Are there accessible sites at Burns Lake Campground?

Sites 03, 04, 05, and 06 are listed accessible on Recreation.gov, 14 sites in all. What that covers (a paved pad, an accessible table, a nearby accessible restroom) is on each site's booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Burns Lake Campground good for stargazing?

Yes. Burns Lake Campground sits inside Big Cypress National Preserve, a certified International Dark Sky Park.

Source: DarkSky International

What is there to do at Burns Lake Campground?

Burns Lake offers a great access point for your permitted off-road vehicle. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Burns Lake Campground?

Ochopee, Florida. Campers can enjoy local sight-seeing attractions such as airboat and swamp buggy tours, museums, art galleries, and boardwalks.

Source: Getting there

What if Burns Lake Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Monument Lake Campground (6.6 mi), Pink Jeep Campground (10.5 mi), and Midway Campground (14.6 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby

Which national park is Burns Lake Campground in?

Burns Lake Campground is a Big Cypress National Preserve campground. Entrance fees, alerts, and hours are on Park Atlas.

Source: Big Cypress National Preserve