What to Look For

Red Flags to Avoid

Share Your Itinerary

Tell a trusted friend or family member:

• Exact campground name and location
• Your site number if it is assigned
• Arrival and departure dates and times
• The check-in schedule you will follow
• The park’s emergency contact number

Set Up Check-Ins

Establish a schedule and stick to it:

• When you arrive
• Before bed each night
• In the morning when you wake
• When you leave

If they do not hear from you, they know to call the park.

Download Offline Maps

• Google Maps offline area saved for the region
• AllTrails offline maps if you plan to hike
• The park map PDF saved to your phone
• Emergency contacts saved where they work without signal

Pack Safety Essentials

• Charged phone and a power bank
• Whistle, which carries further than your voice
• First aid kit
• Flashlight and spare batteries
• Weather radio or a weather app with alerts
• Written emergency contact card, in case the phone dies

Alligators

• Never feed an alligator. It is illegal and it is what creates a dangerous animal.
• Keep a safe distance. FWC does not publish a number of feet, so use judgment and give it far more room than feels necessary.
• Swim only in designated swimming areas, in daylight, and without your dog
• Keep pets leashed and away from the water’s edge
• Be extra alert at dawn and dusk
• If one approaches, back away slowly
• Concerned about a specific animal? Call FWC’s nuisance alligator line, 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286)

Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Snakes

Florida has around 50 native snake species and only six are venomous. Most of what you see is harmless.

• Watch where you step, sit and put your hands
• Never reach into a dark space you cannot see into
• Wear closed-toe shoes, and boots in tall grass
• Never handle a snake, including one that appears dead

If a Snake Bites You

Do this:

• Call 911 and get to a hospital. Do not wait for symptoms.
• Poison Control, 1-800-222-1222, will talk you through it
• Sit or lie down, keep the bite in a neutral, comfortable position
• Take off rings and watches before swelling starts
• Wash with soap and water, cover with a clean dry dressing
• Mark the edge of the swelling on the skin and write the time next to it
• Photograph the snake only from a safe distance

Never do this:

• No tourniquet
• Do not cut the wound
• Do not try to suck out the venom
• No ice and do not soak it in water
• No alcohol, aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen

Source: CDC

Black Bears

Florida has a healthy black bear population. Ocala National Forest and the state forests are bear country, and the Forest Service has a food storage order.

• Store food in a bear-resistant container or inside a hard-topped vehicle
• If you must hang it, 10 feet up and 4 feet out from the trunk
• Attractants means more than food: toothpaste, soap, toiletries, cooking grease, pet food and garbage
• Never burn, bury, or leave food out
• In a campground, move away slowly and get into your vehicle. Do not run.

Source: US Forest Service, National Forests in Florida

Mosquitoes and Ticks

• Worst at dawn and dusk
• Use an EPA-registered repellent. DEET works; picaridin is an alternative if you dislike the feel.
• Long sleeves and long trousers in the woods
• Check yourself for ticks every day, and again before bed
• Remove a tick with fine-tipped tweezers, grasp close to the skin and pull straight up without twisting

Lightning

Florida no longer tops the country for lightning strike density, Oklahoma did in 2025, but Florida still leads the nation in lightning deaths. Treat every storm seriously.

• Get inside a hard-topped vehicle or a real building
• Never shelter under a tree, and never in a tent
• Wait 30 minutes after the last rumble of thunder before going back out

Sources: AEM and Vaisala 2025 annual lightning reports; National Weather Service

Heat and Humidity

Know the difference between the two, because one is uncomfortable and the other can kill you.

• Heat exhaustion: headache, nausea, dizziness, weakness, irritability, thirst, heavy sweating, less urine than normal. Get into shade, loosen clothing, cool the head and neck, sip cool water, and get checked.
• Heat stroke is a 911 emergency: confusion, slurred speech, altered behavior, loss of consciousness, seizures, very high body temperature, skin that is hot and dry or drenched. Call 911, then cool the person fast with cold wet cloths at the neck, armpits and groin.
• Drink before you feel thirsty, sun protection, and take breaks in the shade

Source: CDC

Storms and Hurricane Season

Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, which covers most of the camping year in Florida.

• Afternoon thunderstorms are normal, keep rain gear where you can reach it
• Secure or stow loose gear before you go to bed
• Most afternoon storms pass quickly
• In hurricane season, check the forecast daily and know the park’s evacuation route
• Do not wait for an order. If a storm is tracking your way, leave early while the roads are clear.

• 911. Worth knowing: in the US a mobile phone can usually reach 911 over any available carrier’s network, even with no bars showing for your own carrier and even with no active plan. Text-to-911 works in many but not all Florida counties, so do not count on it.
• Park ranger station, non-emergency
• The park’s posted emergency number
• Your emergency contact person
• Nearest hospital, looked up before you leave
• Poison Control, 1-800-222-1222
• FWC nuisance alligator line, 866-392-4286
• FWC wildlife alert, 888-404-3922, for poaching or a wildlife emergency