Midway Campground, Big Cypress National

[JudyJB]

City and State: Ochopee, Florida (Along Tamiami Trail half-way between Naples and Miami)

Name of CG: Midway

CG Website: http://www.nps.gov/bicy/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm

Overall Rating: (on a scale of 1 – 10) 9

Pros: Federal campground with electric hookups along Tamiami Trail, so senior pass gives you a 50% discount. Cost me $10 per night. Camp hosts were friendly and very helpful. Fairly large spaces on one side of road only. Thirty RV sites are in a circle around a large "borrow" pond. Roads are asphalt and site pads are asphalt also and in very good condition. Grassy lawns made this a pleasant place to stay. Dump station and potable water source, plus rest rooms. About 6 tent spaces away from RV sites. I stayed here in a motorhome in January, so temps were good and there was a breeze blowing which kept bugs at bay.

Cons: I would NOT stay here in the summer because of the heat, humidity, and bugs then. No shade, and almost no cell service, although I was able to get OK internet with Verizon hotspot. No activities, either, although you can drive to Oasis Visitor Center down the road. No reservations.

Comments: Seems to be undiscovered because they had vacancies both times I stopped even when everything but expensive commercial sites were booked. There is another very nice, but a bit less developed campground, Monument Lake, just down the road with good cell service but no electric, which is important in hot weather to me, at least.

Rate: $20 nightly rate, $10 with Senior or Access Pass.