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Special events are permitted at Florida State Parks. Please check with your park of your choice for special details.

Fishing locations are abundant in Florida's state parks. Check the individual park's webpage for specific information.

In general, parks offer picnic shelters on a first-come, first-served basis. However, some picnic shelters may be reserved.

The use of metal detectors is allowed in certain designated areas in Florida State Parks. Metal detectors may be used at coastal parks between the waterline and toe of the dune, as determined by the park manager, except at archaeological sites within the zone.

Metal detectors may also be used during authorized archaeological research projects, and to recover lost personal items, with supervision of a park staff member. Please check with the park of your choice for special details and arrangements.

Florida's state parks are managed as natural systems. All plant and animal life is protected in state parks. Limited hunting with a special permit from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is allowed at Rock Springs Run State Reserve, Cedar Key Scrub State Reserve and the Marshall Swamp area of the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway.

To fully enjoy the experience of visiting a wilderness area it is recommended that you contact the reserves in advance of your visit.

Resource protection is foremost at all state parks and swimming with manatees is NOT allowed.

However, the endangered Florida manatee can be seen every day at Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park. Visitors can go below the water’s surface to view these gentle giants from the underwater observatory in Homosassa's main spring.

No. Pets are not permitted in state park cabins, cottages or lodges. Pets are permitted in designated campgrounds.

Service animals are welcome in all public areas of Florida's State Parks.

• The Pet Policy shares guidelines for bringing your pets to the park.

Yes. Reservations can be made securely from mobile devices using our reservation website. This website is responsive and friendly for users of mobile devices.

Website and phone reservations, cancellations and transfers are subject to transaction fees.

No. The reservation system does not give an advantage to any particular group or individual in making reservations.

Everyone has the same opportunity to call or go online and make a reservation. Everyone also has access to the bookable inventory at the same time. However online reservation seekers do have a slight advantage over those who use the call center. The call takes longer than making online reservations.

Online reservation seekers can use multiple computers at the same time which can increase their success of getting a desired reservation.

Base camping fees remain the same, ranging from $16 to $42, depending on the park. Visitors pay a $6.70 nonrefundable reservation fee when making reservations online or through the call center. Visitors pay fees of $17.75 to cancel and $10 to change a reservation. A $7 per night utility fee also will be applied per unit, per day for all RV, boat, cabin and yurt sites at all parks. This fee does not apply to tent camping.

Camping and cabin reservations can be made using one of the following methods:
• Online - Reserve.FloridaStateParks.org.
• Call center – 800-326-3521 or TDD 888-433-0287 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time.
• At a park – Visitors can contact the park directly to make reservations for primitive sites, primitive group camps and developed group camps.

Most state parks are open 8 a.m. to sundown, 365 days a year. Visitors may make campsite or cabin reservations before 1 p.m. on the same day until 11 months in advance. 

Cabin reservations may be made from one day up to 11 months in advance of your arrival date. 

Reservations can be made beyond 11 months only when the reservation period starts within the 11-month period and ends outside that period. The result is reservations could extend 11 months and 14 days in the future.   

To ensure fairness in reserving campsites and cabins, reservations made with a departure date beyond the 11-month advance reservations window may not be changed until 18 days after the reservation is made.

Campsite reservations may be made before 1 p.m. on the same day until 11 months in advance of your arrival date. Reservations can be made beyond 11 months only when the reservation period starts within the 11-month period and ends outside that period. The result is reservations could extend 11 months and 14 days in the future.   

To ensure fairness in reserving campsites and cabins, reservations made with a departure date beyond the 11-month advance reservations window may not be changed until 18 days after the reservation is made.

Camping fees range from $16 to $42 per night. Visit the park's webpage for specific fee information. 

There is also a nonrefundable $6.70 reservation fee per transaction, which visitors will pay at the time they make their reservation either online or through the call center.

Additionally, there is a $7 nightly utility fee for all RV, boat, cabin and yurt units at all parks. This fee does not apply to tent camping.

Wakulla Springs State Park is home to a 27-room lodge, and 21 state parks from Pensacola to the Florida Keys include overnight cabin accommodations. Some are modern vacation cabins with two bedrooms, and some are rustic.

Cabin fees range from $30 to $180 per night. Reservations may be made from one day to 11 months in advance online through our reservation website or by calling toll-free 800-326-3521 or TDD 888-433-0287 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern time. 

New sites become available for reservation at 8 a.m. Eastern time daily. Any new sites that become available throughout the day due to a cancellation are randomly released back into inventory following the cancellation.

Camping in Florida State Parks is a very popular activity and we have ensured that everyone has the same opportunity to call or go online and make a reservation.  We welcome visitors from Florida and from throughout the world to our award winning parks each year. 

Over the past five years, Florida residents have made up, on average, over 61% of all of our overnight visitors annually.

US eDirect provides a comprehensive reservation system to support online and call center reservations for visitors. Additionally, this system allows for quick check-in upon arrival. The system also provides an integrated point-of-sale system for day-use visitors. In the future, this system may expand to include annual entrance pass sales, pavilion rentals, recreation equipment rentals and more. This company is the best partner available to handle the robust volume of reservations needed for Florida’s state parks, which include more than 2 million annual overnight stays and more than 22 million annual day visitors.

A $17.75 cancellation fee will be assessed for each reservation being cancelled until the day prior to arrival. Visitors canceling on the day of arrival will be assessed a $17.75 cancellation fee and the first night's use fee.

If canceling after the day of arrival, visitors will receive a prorated refund (minus the $17.75 cancellation fee). Fees may be applied up to the total amount paid for the reservation.

All cancellation fees plus the $6.70 reservation fee are waived for visitors who make their cancellations within 24 hours of booking the reservation, provided they  contact the reservation call center to request the fees be waived. Customers should call 800-326-3521 and request a full refund with all fees waived.

RV campsites are available for vehicles ranging in length from 10' to 104'. Most campsites maintain a soft gravel pad and each is equipped with water and electricity.

• Accessible campsites are available. 
• Most parks have a central dump station.
• Some parks offer drive-through and waterfront locations.

Check the park's webpage for specific information on site-specific amenities and maximum vehicle length.

No. Tent campers will not be assessed the fee but can use electric and water as available on their site. This includes tent campers staying in a standard RV site.

Campers staying in any equipment other than a tent will be assessed the entire $7 nightly utility fee, even if they choose not to use some or all of the utilities offered.

When making a new reservation, visitors will select the equipment type they will use for their reservation (i.e., tent, RV, etc.).

A $7 nightly utility fee will be automatically applied for all RV, boat, bungalow, cabin and yurt units at all parks. The nightly utility fee does not apply to tent camping.

No. Discounts do not apply to the $7 nightly utility fee. The $7 nightly utility fee will be applied as a taxable charge to the reservation on top of the base campsite/cabin fee.

Total attendance over the three days of the festival may approach 20,000 attendees. There will be adequate public safety personnel to ensure good order and crowd control.

A first aid station will be set up to handle health emergencies. As is the case throughout the country, a telephone call to 911 will summon an immediate response.

Coolers are welcome at the festival. However, please keep in mind that it may not be convenient to bring large coolers into the festival due to the spacious grounds.

Alcoholic beverages may not be brought into the festival.

Pets are not permitted on the festival grounds. Service animals are always welcome. 

Public camping is not available at Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park during the Folk Festival. 

We suggest you visit our lodging page for local camping information.

Performance schedules will be available on our website in early March. 

Festival-goers are provided with a copy of the complete schedule at the gate.

Handicapped parking is available at the festival. Accessible restrooms, port-a-lets and shuttle transportation (including a chair lift) are available throughout the festival site.

Paved roadways and sidewalks make the festival accessible by wheelchair or other approved modes of transportation. Please keep in mind that the festival is an outdoor event.

• Golf carts are not permitted.
• Sign language interpreters are provided at main stages.

No. The Florida Folk Festival is a three-day event, beginning Friday and lasting through Sunday evening.

There is an ATM scheduled to be on the festival grounds. Checks may be cashed for a fee in White Springs. There is also an ATM in White Springs.

Many visitors bring their own chairs to the festival. A limited number of folding chairs are provided for your use at each stage. 

• The festival gates open each day at 8 a.m.
• Performers go on stage at 10 a.m.
• Final performances of the day end about 11 p.m.

The festival is always held the Friday, Saturday and Sunday preceding the observed Memorial Day holiday in May.

We recommend you utilize the festival's north entrance. From the festival walk-in entrance, proceed one mile north on U.S. 41 and turn left at the Florida Folk Festival sign.

• Golf cart shuttles regularly make stops in the parking area. 
• A limited number of VIP parking permits are available for purchase at the gate.

Alcoholic beverages are prohibited in public areas in all state parks.

In some instances when private, fee-based events are scheduled, alcoholic beverages may be allowed.

• Seniors (65+) and 100% disabled Florida residents (maximum four people per site) receive half (50%) off the base fee for camping.
• Discounts on the Annual Entrance Pass are available for U.S. military veterans and service members, as well as for foster families and adoptive parents.
• Visit the Fees page for more information about fees and discounts. 

Effective Feb. 1, 2018, Gift Cards are no longer available for purchase. Gift cards themselves are non-refundable. 

Most of Florida's state parks offer accessible amenities and programs. For additional access to trails and beaches, all-terrain wheelchairs are located in parks throughout the state.

Accessible boat tours are available at some parks. Sign language interpreters can be provided, with advance notice. Many parks with video programs offer an open-captioned version, as well as transcribed copies of audio programs.

If you need information about specific amenities and programs, please contact that park directly. 

All parks will close when they reach capacity. 

Each park has a set carrying capacity which is established based on the estimated number of users a recreation resource can accommodate while maintaining the quality of the recreational experience and avoiding unacceptable resource degradation. Should a park close once they reach capacity, no further vehicles, bicycles or walk-in visitors will be allowed to enter until space becomes available – with exception to registered campers. 

If you are renting a pavilion, hosting an event or have been invited to an event, please plan accordingly. If you leave the park, you will not be allowed to re-enter until space is available. 

Please be advised that many of our parks offer entry access located off busy highways, however we ask our visitors not to block access for emergency vehicles and not to park on the road shoulders. 

At many parks, for safety reasons, visitors may not be allowed to wait in line in the park when the park has closed.

• The entrance fee for most state parks ranges from $4 to $10 per vehicle, up to eight people.
• Pedestrians, bicyclists, extra passengers are $2 per person.
• There may be additional fees for camping, tours and museum entrances.

Check the park's webpage for specific information, or visit the Fees page for the official fee schedule.
*Prices subject to change without notice.

Effective Feb. 1, 2018, gift cards are no longer available for purchase. Gift cards may have been purchased for any amount starting at $5 and up. 

Visitors can check their balance on their gift card online by selecting “Check My Balance” on the gift card page.

Individual and family passes are available. Passes may be purchased through all park ranger stations and museums.

Most of Florida's state parks are open from 8 a.m. to sunset, every day of the year.

Museums, visitor centers and historic sites may be closed two days per week and hours may vary. Check the park's webpage for specific information.

Effective Feb. 1, 2018, gift cards are no longer available for purchase.
Gift cards may only be used to make reservations for camping and cabins at Florida State Parks; however, a few exceptions apply. Those exceptions are:

• Concession-Operated Campgrounds or Cabins
• Wakulla Springs Lodge
• Caladesi Island State Park (only including walk-in reservations)
• Cayo Costa State Park (only including walk-in reservations)
• Primitive Camping Sites, Primitive Group Camping, Developed Group Camping

Gift cards cannot be redeemed for canoe/kayak rentals or the purchase of merchandise (patches, license plates, etc.). 

Gift cards may be redeemed for reservations made online, through the call center and as walk-ins. They are not redeemable for past purchases or other merchandise, fees, rentals and are not redeemable for camping or cabin reservations in other states (exclusive to Florida State Parks).

All state parks accept cash for entrance fees.

Overnight accommodations may be secured with major credit cards including MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover.

Effective February 1, 2018, Gift Cards are no longer available for purchase.

Florida State Parks will continue to honor all Gift Cards purchased prior to February 1, 2018.

After reviewing these comments and thoroughly evaluating all options, DEP decided the best course of action is to restore the beach and dune system, conserve the shoals adjacent to the breach site, rebuild the access road, restore the utility lines, and repair overnight accommodations and staff housing.

This path forward will incorporate coastal resiliency concepts to ensure the park is able to recover quickly from any future severe storm events.

No, just the opposite.

Immediately following the storm, the breach was approximately 1,000 feet wide and more than 20-feet deep. However, the currents have naturally deposited sand over the past eight months, and as of May 26, 2019, the park has been reconnected at the breach site.

Following Hurricane Michael, the salinity measured by DEP’s water monitoring sites in St. Joseph Bay was lower than all previously recorded at these locations.

The salinity continued to drop, but over the past few months has begun to increase to salinity ranges similar to previous data collected. This salinity change has coincided with the natural reconnection of the park at the breach site.

No, this was a non-historical occurrence. 

Stabilizing the beach and dune system will help promote park resiliency and the ability to adapt to future conditions such as sea level rise. 

The breach severed the 2,790-acre park 1-mile north of the entrance, leaving 8.5-miles of park as an island, leaving the campground and cabins inaccessible.

While the park has been reconnected at the breach site, the main road through the park was damaged during the hurricane and the areas north of the breach site remain inaccessible.

Using sand from the offshore borrow area, a contractor, in coordination with DEP, will place an estimated 150,000 cubic yards of sand in the park to help stabilize and restore the beach and dune system. Based on the current schedule, we anticipate work at the park will begin in October and last approximately 10 days.

Following the restoration of the beach and dune system, DEP will address the park’s roads, utilities and infrastructure impacted by the hurricane. This path forward will include coastal resiliency concepts to ensure the park is able to recover quickly from any future severe storm events. 

T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park suffered significant damage from Hurricane Michael, including impacts to the park’s roads, utilities and facilities.

The storm also caused a breach through the park that connected the Gulf of Mexico to St. Joseph Bay. The breach severed the 2,790-acre park 1 mile north of the entrance, leaving 8.5-miles of park as an island.

During a storm, rising storm surge inundates the beach system and those currents and waves carry large volumes of sand from the seaward to the landward side of the island.

When water levels subside, currents may reverse direction carrying sediment from sounds and bays back to the open ocean. These strong currents may carve a channel in the island, causing the island to be bisected in a process known as breaching. Small breaches often naturally fill with sand in the months following the storm.

DEP is committed to ensuring that impacts to wildlife are avoided during the beach nourishment process and to conserving the shoals adjacent to the breach site.

The department will establish a multi-agency working group consisting of DEP, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Northwest Florida Water Management District.

The goal of this workgroup will be to leverage guidance and efforts across the agencies to continue to protect Florida’s environment.

In determining the path forward, DEP must consider the balance of recreational, environmental and cultural preservation.

DEP hosted meetings on Jan. 15 and April 30, 2019, for the public to provide input on recovery efforts at the park. We also encouraged residents, visitors and stakeholders to share comments with DEP via telephone, email and/or regular mail. More than 200 public comments were received by DEP.

Out of this process, there emerged six options that were evaluated:

1. Closing the breach and rebuilding the park north of the breach
2. Leaving the breach to natural processes and rebuilding the park north of the breach
3. Leaving the breach to natural processes and discontinuing facilities north of the beach
4. Maintaining the breach and rebuilding the park north of the breach
5. Maintaining the breach and discontinuing facilities north of the breach
6. Closing the breach and discontinuing facilities north of the breach

To protect the shoals, sand for the beach nourishment will be taken from an existing offshore borrow area. This borrow areas is the same that will be used in the upcoming Gulf County beach restoration project.

DEP has funding available that will be used to partner with Gulf County to leverage their upcoming beach restoration project to help lower the cost associated with the park’s beach and dune project.

This path encourages sustainable public use while reducing impacts to coastal resources and habitats.

Now that the park has been reconnected at the breach site, DEP can begin efforts to restore access to 90% of the park that includes overnight accommodations, a popular water-access day use area, networks of interpretive trails and boardwalks, and a nearly 2,100-acre designated wilderness preserve.

Last year, the park welcomed approximately 261,000 visitors who collectively contributed over $21 million to the local economy. This spending supports over 300 jobs in the area.

The park’s natural areas and sandy beaches provide opportunities for resource-based outdoor recreation and conservation for the enjoyment of Florida residents and visitors.

The park is home to wide range of wildlife, including imperiled species. If the breach is not closed, some of these species, such as the endangered beach mouse, will become isolated.

The natural closing of the breach will restore access and allow us to monitor and reduce the threat to nesting shorebirds.

While more research is needed to definitively determine the if the closure may be contributing to the return of previously measured salinity levels, previous statewide post-storm monitoring does not support a benefit of maintaining the breach. 

No. Entry into all Florida State Parks is on a first-come, first-served basis. Many parks fill to capacity, especially on weekends and holidays. Pre-purchased day passes do not guarantee park entry upon arrival. 

Should the park be at capacity when you arrive, you will not be allowed to enter the park at that time. Park staff may suggest that you try visiting at an alternate time during that day. If you are unable to enter a park due to park capacity issues, you may request a full refund for your day pass by calling 800-326-3521.

No. Florida State Parks that are open to the public will offer other options to pay at the park for admission.

No. Your day pass is only valid for admission to the single Florida State Park selected at check-out, on the date of purchase.

No. Your day pass is valid for park admission only and does not waive other special use fees. 

Yes. Call 800-326-3521 to request a refund. Please be prepared to provide the confirmation number from your order.

You may be asked to show park staff either a printed copy of your receipt or a digital copy (on your phone or mobile device) for park entry. If a printed or electronic copy of your receipt cannot be provided at the time of entry, admission may be denied.

Florida State Parks Annual Entrance Passes will be honored for park admission. If you are a current Florida State Parks Annual Entrance Pass holder, you do not need to purchase a day pass online – your pass will be honored. 

Please view our website for complete Florida State Parks Annual Entrance Pass Program Benefits. Due to recent statewide park closures from COVID-19, Florida State Parks will honor all current Annual Entrance Passes two monthspast the marked expiration date. Simply present your pass card, like normal, at the time of admission.

Maybe. Most Florida State Parks have limited entry points into the park. Please be prepared to wait in line to show park staff your day pass receipt.

Fire managers and burn bosses in the Florida Park Service spend time planning and prepping prior to implementing a prescribed fire to ensure both public and firefighter safety. 

Control lines with fire breaks are established previous to the ignition of the fire. These fire breaks consist of removing all the flammable vegetation from an area twice the expected flame height at the edge of the fire. These lines usually consist of a disked, plowed or mowed line.

The smoke is controlled by carefully selecting the days on the which we burn. Weather forecast and advanced smoke modeling tools are utilized in the planning process.

The best ways you can get involved is visiting Florida's State Parks and becoming more informed about fire's important natural role. 

Due to the nature of a prescribed fire it occurs throughout the duration of a day. Most of the animals have time get out of the area or seek refuge before the burn impacts them directly. 

Prescribed fire is a safe and controlled planned management activity. Prescribed fire is implemented by highly trained professionals and is a planned event that takes place under optimal conditions. 

As part of the planning process we carefully select which weather parameters will be acceptable to burn under, making sure to avoid impacts to smoke sensitive areas. 

Prescribed fires mimic a natural process under chosen conditions which help prevent the impacts of smoke.

After the fire, crews are careful to mop up or extinguish any burning and smoking material which could be a threat to the control lines. Staff then monitors the weather and checks the burn area, ensuring there are no holding concerns until the fire is completely out. 

The biggest difference between a wildfire and a prescribed fire is that a prescribed fire is a planned event and therefore it occurs under the best possible circumstances.

Wildfires often occur under extreme conditions such as prolonged drought whereas prescribed fires are implemented when the weather and natural conditions are desirable. Prescribed fire reduces the risk of wildfires by reducing the amount of hazardous natural fuels and fills the important role of maintaining fire in fire dependent natural communities.

Florida is a fire adapted landscape with some of the highest numbers of lightning strikes in the country and world. All of this lightning activity historically produced wildfires which Florida's native vegetation has evolved to thrive alongside.

Management zones which contain fire dependent natural communities are selected for prescribed fire. The fire return interval in these natural communities ranges between one year and up to 45 years in Florida.

The Florida Park Service is tasked with managing 290,000 fire-type acres of Florida's public lands. This landscape is now fragmented by highways, byways and housing developments that prevent the natural process of fires occurring across the landscape.

This is why it is crucial for us to implement prescribed fire to ensure that fire-dependent species and ecosystems are maintained for future generations.

Yes, members are provided one Class A Polo, five Class B shirts, five khaki service pants, one FLCC jacket and one sunhat. Other personal protection equipment is issued as needed and varies by project area.

Members are required to be in uniform any time they are completing service hours. Members also agree to a uniform and personal appearance standard when they are enrolled.

All applicants must create an application at my.AmeriCorps.gov. Please note that an application can be created at any time, but you may only submit an application to the any of the FLCC projects during recruitment season.

Typically, the application pages are open from mid-October through January.

The Florida Conservation Corps manages AmeriCorps grant based programs (Projects A.N.T., R.O.A.R., and T.R.E.C.) and is overseen by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Volunteer Florida.

Within DEP the Florida Park Service’s Bureau of Natural and Cultural Resources manages the Florida Conservation Corps. FLCC directly administers the AmeriCorps Projects. FLCC administration is made up of a Program Coordinator, an Assistant Program Coordinator, and a Program Assistant.

During a term of service, members gain valuable experience in resource management, trail restoration and/or volunteer recruitment while also improving their knowledge of conservation and restoration ecology. Members also learn useful skills such as interpretive program development and volunteer/community outreach.

Aside from personal growth, members receive $1,140 a month as a living stipend, and upon successful completion of a full term, members qualify for a Segal education award of $5,775.

Potential members must be at least 18 years of age and authorized to work in the U.S. without restrictions. We do not have any formal education requirement (but a High School Diploma or equivalent is needed to receive the education award).

A background in a related field is very helpful for applicants seeking a member position. This can come in the form of education, volunteer service or work experience.

Each FLCC project will offer a member a unique experience within Florida State Parks. Members are assigned to a service location depending on the project they have applied for and are expected to complete an 11-month (1,700 hour) term of service.

During their term, members focus on a set series of performance measures and are guided by Florida Park Service staff on goal setting and work expectations. Depending on the project, members may work in the field treating invasive exotic plants, they may be working on repairing a trail, or they may be developing outreach material and recruiting volunteers to aid state parks.

After completing a full season of field experience in direct resource management, many members are prepared for successful careers in related industries. Many members have gone on to work in environmental agencies at the local, state or federal level. However, results will vary.

The FLCC AmeriCorps Programs are an excellent opportunity to develop skills needed to be an effective resource manager, team member, and environmental advocate while also having fun and enjoying the great state of Florida.

FLCC staff does not have administrative powers over the my.AmeriCorps.gov website.

If technical issues are experienced please contact the my.AmeriCorps Support Desk at 1-800-942-2677.

The application page is relatively simple and asks for prior work, education, and service experience along with a motivational statement. If you have experience related to the service description it is suggested that you include that as we are a competitive program, and many of our members have prior experience in a related field.

Additionally, you will be asked to provide contact information for a minimum of two professional references. These references will be emailed with a questionnaire that will need to be filled out on your behalf. It is advised that you notify these contacts as your application may be considered incomplete until the questionnaire is finished.

The Florida Conservation Corps (FLCC) is an office within the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Florida Park Service that operates an AmeriCorps National Service Program.

This program is divided into three project areas that each address either a major issue facing Florida State Parks or a component of the FLCC mission.

1. Project A.N.T. (AmeriCorps Non-native plant Terminators)
2. Project R.O.A.R. (Regional Outreach and Awareness Recruiters)
3. Project T.R.E.C. (Trail Restoration and Enhancement Corps

Each project and service location has a different work schedule. As long as the 1,700 hours in eleven months are completed, many parks or service sites are willing to work with members for a flexible schedule if needed.

The standard however, is roughly 40 hours per week, typically Monday – Friday 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., with some weekend events or travel opportunities to neighboring locations.