Fort Pickens Campground

Fort Pickens Campground is located on Santa Rosa Island within the Gulf Islands National Seashore, south of Pensacola, Florida. The campground offers quick access to the Gulf’s iconic white sand beaches and scenic coastal environments, including marshes and groves of live oaks that provide habitat for both resident and migratory birds. Within walking distance are swimming, snorkeling, hiking and fishing, as well as historical sites such as the pentagonal Fort Pickens, built in 1834 to defend Pensacola Bay.

Campsites feature a fire pit, picnic table, and paved pad. Facilities include heated showers, flush toilets, potable drinking water, and a dump station. Electric and non-electric sites are available, with many sites offering 20, 30, and 50 amp electric hookups. There are wheelchair accessible sites with electricity and water. Campground regulations limit each camper to a single RV or trailer and one tent, or two tents with two vehicles per site. Maximum stay is 14 consecutive nights.

Nearby attractions include the Pensacola Naval Air Station and Aviation Museum, Pensacola Lighthouse, and numerous restaurants and nightlife spots. The campground is only a quarter-mile from the Gulf’s beaches and Pensacola Bay. Recreational opportunities abound with hiking trails through dunes, fishing without a Florida license on the local pier, swimming, and direct access to area beaches.

Pets are allowed in the campground but are strictly prohibited from all beaches, piers, forts, batteries, pavilions, and inside facilities within the Gulf Islands National Seashore. The Fort Pickens area operates year-round and is among the ten busiest national park campgrounds in the U.S. Entrance fees must be paid in addition to camping fees. Reservations are required and can be made up to six months in advance.