The answer was Big Cypress Midway Campground, strategically placed “midway” between Miami and Naples — hence its name. It served as a controlled, environmentally responsible area for travelers to rest while experiencing the wild beauty of the swamp.
Constructed in the late 1970s, Midway was designed with simplicity and sustainability in mind. The site featured gravel parking pads, picnic tables, fire rings, and — most distinctively — a small pond at its center, providing habitat for birds and alligators. With just over two dozen campsites, it maintained an atmosphere of solitude amid vast wilderness.
Early Visitors and the Spirit of Discovery
In its early years, Midway Campground drew a mix of adventurers: campers, birdwatchers, photographers, and naturalists seeking the “real Florida.” Many had been inspired by the growing environmental movement of the 1970s, eager to explore the ecosystems they had fought to protect.
For these visitors, camping at Midway was an immersive experience. At night, the calls of barred owls echoed across the pond, and the sky glowed with stars unobscured by city lights. During the day, travelers ventured into nearby trails and waterways — spotting herons, turtles, and the occasional black bear.
Unlike commercial campgrounds, Midway offered no luxury — only authenticity. It became a place where people could reconnect with nature, unplug from modernity, and experience the landscape as early settlers and tribes once had. shutdown123