Collier-Seminole State Park Campground

The good: Clean bathrooms, close location to Naples and Marco island, they offer rentals for powerboat tours and kayak rentals. If that's your thing (we didn't do).
The bad: terrible attitude of staff. Just unfriendly and not helpful. Mosquitoes even with the thermocell but no surprise because you are in the Everglades after all. These sites are very tight and most have zero privacy. Also, many of the sites have loud road noise as there's a major road that backs right up to you. There's really nothing to do at this site at all. There is a 3 mile bike or hiking trail, but it was closed the entire time we were there. And even even the other short trails were closed. In short, we wouldn't return to this state park.

This campground is conveniently located near many nice pieces of public land (Everglades National Park, Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge, Big Cypress) so it has its upsides.

But there are a few things that make it very frustrating to camp here.

1. According to a sign in the park there are 15 different species of mosquitoes. I think every single species got us. They are relentless.

2. FL State parks has a horrible reservation system, they know about it, and won't fix it. This park turns away many campers with reservations every day because the camper accidentally reserved a spot that is too small. When reserving you enter your camper length, most systems will then alert you if the campsite you selected is too small, or not let you add one that is too small. Not this one. It will give you a 10' site if you told it you have a 25' trailer. Our trip was cut in half because of this.

3. Sites are inconsistent in size and crammed into each other. Some sites in the RV loop are 10x10 while other sites in the Tent loop are 50'x 30. Our neighbors were jammed so tight into us that their tent touched our camper, they really didn't have much of a choice.

This park is close to Marco Island & Naples, both lovely cities to visit. That’s it for the positive.

Cell reception makes working remotely nearly impossible. We had one bar of 4G on T Mobile. We had a booster mailed here so my partner can work.

Our campsite (93) was decent but there’s no vegetation for privacy in between sites which is a little disappointing. There is kayaking and it wouldn’t be too far to pull your kayak on a cart to put in water. It’s just a straight run, though, which seemed kind of boring and I would have been eaten alive by bugs.

But it was the mosquitoes and ‘no see ums” (which until this trip I was blissfully unaware of) that made it no fun. I have Deet and I’m not afraid to use it. I sprayed it and just resigned myself to the fact I must shower before bed. Nbd. But that wasn’t good enough, why were things still biting me?! These ‘biting midges’ or ‘no see ums’ are all but immune to Deet. Yes, you heard me, look it up too if you don’t believe me. This makes being outside - the reason for camping - intolerable. Is this all year? Idk. Is it because it rained heavily recently, idk. But there are enough reviews mentioning mosquitoes that I’d err on the them being consistently obnoxious. In fact, there’s a “mosquito meter” at the ranger station and we’re at ‘blood donor’ on their chart. Maybe you can smoke them out with a campfire, we didn’t try because we have dogs who will smell the entire time.

And we killed 100+ mosquitoes in our travel trailer while there. It’s awesome squashing them and then wiping the blood off your walls. Some were squished between the dinette cushion and wall and you see the residual blood indicating their once-upon-a-time existence.

If you’re next to the largest swampland, you can rest assured there will be mosquitoes galore.

We won’t be returning.

The staff is friendly and well prepared for our visit. Many sites were available. Have a can of flying insect spray to set up. Power and water is at the rear of the sites. We were in site 97. Only one bar of T-mobile cell service. Minimal shade by black oaks but beautiful Royal palms and Washingtonian palm trees. Big downside is there is no kayak or canoe rental. The hiking trail is “permanently” closed. Finally, a short ride into Marco Island is a great outing. Also, Everglades City is an easy drive in the other direction.

This was our second stay at Collier Seminole … I wanted to update our first review because our opinion has changed. While, this park is still a mish mash of funny sized & oddly angled campsites, we have come to realize that it’s proximity to Marco Island & Naples + beaches & wildlife is worth the crazy campground layout. So? We already booked for next year. Best to choose ur site wisely tho … we have decided that there aren’t that many that would be acceptable for us. Think of ur first stay at this park as recon …. for your NEXT stay

Camp sites were on the small side, but it’s a very nice park. Bathrooms/showers are very clean. Handicap shower used in the family shower was very nice. Water was hot! A washer and dryer near the showers! Credit card only for use. Lots to see within the park! Office staff very nice. Water and electrical hook ups. Lots of tent camping, and those campsites were nice and private! They had water and electricity too.

While in a great location for exploring & close to a wonderful public beach on Marco Island …. The campground itself didn’t do it for me.

The sites are close together & have little privacy … we’ve had that before at other FL State Parks & it never bothered us.

The campsites here are a little disorganized. I think that might have been what I didn’t enjoy. Weird angles, some facing oddly out … packed tight on this corner & a bit more breathing room in another. No grids. No symmetry … I know that sounds odd … but it just made the whole campground feel messy to me.

Bathhouses are new & laundry machines are credit & rarely used. Lots of turnover at this park too

Easy access from Rt 41, check in did not require me to go into the ranger station, got my pass right at the window. Outer loop provides more space but sites are close to San Marco road with loud road noise. I mean extremely loud motorcycles and trucks, all day and some all night, coming from the biker bar on the corner of Rt 41 and San Marco road. If you stay here get a site away from San Marco Rd. Some sites are close together, some are better spaced.

Bathrooms were good, with sign saying closed from 11-12AM, but some days they were still working at 12:30.

No see ums come out at night and go through your RV screens so had to stay closed up at night. Lots of mosquitoes in the evening.

Close to Big Cypress National Preserve, Marco Island is about 20 minutes away. About 5 miles to restaurants and grocery stores in Naples.

AT&T cell service was fair but streamable, 1-2 bars; RSPR -105 boosted to -70. Only 2 HDTV channels came in.

80 degree days and 60 degree nights in January for $25 dollars/day (including fees and taxes) is a good deal.
The sites were considerably closer than most state parks we have been in, my only reason for 4 stars rather than 5. However clientele were older (very few kids) so was reasonably quiet.
Facilities were kept clean and showers were usually hot. They have some laundry facilities which we utilized - $2.50/wash and $1.75/dry. We appreciated the signage on the three bathroom facilities noting daily cleaning times.
We biked a trail adjacent to the park - Prarie-Hammock (3.5 miles) and hiked another (Flatwoods, 3.3 miles). We also canoed the Blackwater river ($50/4 hrs). - so there is plenty to do there if you are not a beach person. We did go to Marcos Island and walk the beach as well - about a 15 mile drive.