Backcountry Camping in Biscayne National Park?

[Joseph Schmidt]

The only camping options currently available within Biscayne National Park at Boca Chita Key and Elliot Key are more suited to powerboats and leave much to be desired for a more primitive overnight backcountry experience. Both of these options also effectively limit access of human propelled vessels within the southern region of the Park near the Adam's Key, Jones Lagoon, and Broad Creek where exploration via canoe or kayak is ideal. These areas are only 7 - 9 miles from two public launch facilities at Bayfront Park/Dante Fascell Visitor Center and Card Sound Road, but without suitable backcountry camping options this makes for a very long day trip. I have done a few of these long day trips and have even ventured offshore to Ball Buoy reef in a canoe, and I can tell you that being able to spend a night or two at a ground or chickee site would have significantly improved the experience. Perhaps a paddle-in only backcountry ground site could be created on Totten Key or Porgy Key (Jones Planation) and an Everglades-style double chickee could be constructed immediately west of Jones Lagoon or off of Broad Creek near Swan Key (see attached).  

Does anyone else feel this way?

If so, how would we go about adding additional backcountry camping options that are more paddler friendly in Biscayne National Park?