Fort Pickens Campground

Need to make sites longer so we can park our truck with camper. Most campers only need an extra 5 feet, you would only need to remove the parking slabs. also everyone around us was complaining about the camp host being rude, but we didn't have any problems other then the hard looks at our truck being close to the road. Lot's of complaining but one of the nicest places we have visited in Florida. just don't have a camper over 24 feet long or you might have to park your truck way over in the overflow parking lot.

The facilities are well-kept and the trails that branch off of the campground offer excellent avenues for exploring. HOWEVER, as even leashed dogs are not allowed on the beach, my experience was limited. PLEASE allow dogs on the beach.

My husband and I have been camping a Fort Pickens campgrounds for the last 5 years and we love it. You have access to several beaches, you are close to the restrooms and showers from your campsite. We will be going back again next year, maybe sooner if I can work things out.

The campground and bathhouse were clean and neat.
Thought it was great to have a picnic table on which we could cook and eat.

Only wish two cars could park vs. 1

First time here. Their website says this is the most popular CG in the NPS system. But I don't see why.

Fees - When you come in the entrance you are still several miles from the CG. And the entrance fee is not included in the CG fee. I have a lifetime veteran pass so we didn't have to pay the entry fee. This CG is part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore, which is a huge park system. Before coming here we stayed at the Davis Bayou CG in Mississippi which is also part of this NP. But the nightly fee there was just $22 compared to $40 here.

Campground - The CG check-in was closed. We were told at the entrance station to go straight to our site. Our CG pass was clipped to our post on arrival. Over 200 sites in 5 loops. The 'loops' are really just rows in a giant CG. Sites are not right on top of one another but there is no privacy. Parking pads are narrow. I was all the way over to the left and was just able to keep my steps on the pad. Water was conveniently located mid way back. But the electrical post was 5ft tall and 15ft behind the rear of the pad so I needed an extension cord to plug in. Most sites are small and the roads are narrow, with trees close to the edge of the road. So getting my 30ft 5th wheel into my site was a challenge. But the biggest challenge was getting my RAM 2500 into my site without it being on the grass. I did it. But anything longer and you'd have to put your truck/toad in the extra parking down by the dumpsters.

Water went out on our 3rd day. We switched over to our tank but there were many campers who were unprepared.

Bathrooms - The E 'loop' restroom was closed for remodel. And they need it. The ones that have been remodeled have new flooring and paint but weren't really any cleaner. The next nearest was the C bathroom. Small, and not clean. Dirty, broken light fixtures, smelly. Many door closers are broken or missing. The showers are uni-sex rooms. No curtains, but they have a bench and a partition to keep the bench dry, plus hooks. Showers get hot and had good pressure but aren't adjustable. You have to get right up next to the wall for the spray to hit you. And it ran out of hot water after 5 minutes. So we just showered onboard after that.

Park - We're not beach people so this wasn't my first choice, but the CG at Big Lagoon state park was closed and the others didn't have openings. We've been to several coastal forts so didn't need to see this one. But it has some history. We went to a ranger talk at the Fort which was interesting. Other than that, there isn't much to do.

There are a number of easy walks around the park and we did several of them. The visitors center is closed for remodel and there are no maps available. The only map is on the NPS app. Fort Barrancas is part of the park. It's actually inside NAS Pensacola across the bay. Unfortunately the base has been on lock down and civilian access is limited.

We camped at Fort Pickens Campground in a Fifth Wheel.

Love all the upgrades ❤️
However the tank drain station was a big miss. The 7” block made it impossible to use our tow-behind tank to drain mid-week. It also was difficult to drain the trailer when we exited. Apparently who ever designed this has never been camping.

We enjoyed our stay at Fort Pickens! The campground is well cared for and there are plenty of trails and beautiful beaches to explore. It will be even better when the bathroom renovation is complete.

Beautiful campground

Great location on the national seashore. Restrooms and showers available

Wet much enjoyed my three nights here. Camp site was large and level with nice fire pits. Bath house was recently remodeled, albeit the workmanship wasn’t great as the showers already had some paint peeling. Overall, they were clean and maintained pretty well. The park itself has something for everyone. Tremendous history, great beaches, a great resort town nearby, and at least in February, fairly sparse crowds. Camp hosts were very nice and as attentive as they could be given the size of the park. I will most certainly plan my next trip to the coast around staying here.