W.P. Franklin N
12 mi northeast · US Army Corps of Engineers
Visitors flock to W.P. Franklin Campground for its well-kept facilities and location on the Caloosahatchee River, where campers can fish, boat and take it easy in sunny southwest Florida.

Outdoors
Campgrounds and camping areas near Fort Myers on federal land, with which ones take reservations on Recreation.gov.
Good to know: Popular campgrounds book up months ahead on Recreation.gov; first-come sites fill early on weekends and holidays.
12 mi northeast · US Army Corps of Engineers
Visitors flock to W.P. Franklin Campground for its well-kept facilities and location on the Caloosahatchee River, where campers can fish, boat and take it easy in sunny southwest Florida.
12 mi northeast · US Army Corps of Engineers
WP Franklin South Recreation Area is a day use area located on the Caloosahatchee River adjacent to the WP Franklin Lock and Dam.
36 mi east · US Army Corps of Engineers
Ortona South is a perfect campground for a quiet, sunny escape to South Florida. The campground is set along the Caloosahatchie River.
Map of 17 places loads as you scroll.
Visitors flock to W.P. Franklin Campground for its well-kept facilities and location on the Caloosahatchee River, where campers can fish, boat and take it easy in sunny southwest Florida.
WP Franklin South Recreation Area is a day use area located on the Caloosahatchee River adjacent to the WP Franklin Lock and Dam.
Ortona South is a perfect campground for a quiet, sunny escape to South Florida. The campground is set along the Caloosahatchie River.
An amazing world exists within the pristine mangrove-fringed waterways, uplands and freshwater wetlands that can be found only a few miles away from downtown Naples.
Gator Head Campground is a primitive campground located within the Bear Island Unit of Big Cypress National Preserve.
Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1996 under provisions of the Arizona-Florida Land Exchange Act of 1988.
As lake, waterway and surrounding countryside, Okeechobee shows the many faces of Florida. A canopy of moss-draped live oaks hides clusters of sabal palms. A tangle of water plants marks the boundary where wetland meets lakeshore.
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.
The freshwaters of the Big Cypress Swamp, essential to the health of the neighboring Everglades, support the rich marine estuaries along Florida's southwest coast.
Monument Lake Campground is a beautiful place where visitors can enjoy the surrounding preserve while sitting at their picnic table.
Midway Campground is a beautiful place where visitors can enjoy the surrounding preserve while sitting at their picnic table.
Pinecrest Campground offers four group campsites that provide a nice, quiet and relaxing atmosphere. This is a wonderful location for a group to start their south Florida adventure.
St. Lucie Campground provides a relaxing camping experience on the St. Lucie Canal, part of the 152 mile Okeechobee Waterway that spans South Florida from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico.
Established in 1947 as the first national park created for its biodiversity, Everglades National Park protects 1.5 million acres of wetland, forest, and marine habitats and the native plants and animals that call it home.
Within sight of Miami, yet worlds away, Biscayne protects a rare combination of aquamarine waters, emerald islands, and fish-bejeweled coral reefs.
Boca Chita Key is only accessible by boat. No services are available on the island. Boca Chita Key is the park's most popular island. It features beautiful waterfront views, a grassy camping area, picnic tables and grills.
Eliott Key is only accessible by boat. No services are available on the island. Elliott Key is the park's largest island. Restrooms with sinks and cold water showers, picnic tables and grills are available.
Distances are straight-line miles from downtown Fort Myers. Listings come from Recreation.gov’s federal recreation database; check each official page for hours, fees, fire restrictions and closures before you go.

THINGS TO DO · YOUTUBE SHORT
A local activity Short shared by Matador Network.
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THINGS TO DO · YOUTUBE SHORT
A local activity Short shared by Moving to Fort Myers Florida with Chelsea Robinson.
Watch on YouTube ↗


W.P. Franklin N (US Army Corps of Engineers), about 12 miles northeast of Fort Myers as the crow flies. Next are W.P. Franklin South Recreation Area (12 mi) and Ortona South (36 mi).
Based on Fort Myers’s average highs, November–March. Conditions at higher elevations can be much cooler.
11 of the 17 places listed here take reservations on Recreation.gov; others are first come, first served.
Federal agencies including National Park Service, US Army Corps of Engineers, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Each listing links to its official page for hours, fees, closures and current conditions.