New Campground Reservations For Fort De Soto And Shell Key Preserve Will Resume Wednesday

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — Beginning Wednesday, May 20, Pinellas County’s Parks and Conservation Resources Department will resume campsite reservations for visitors to Fort De Soto Campground and Shell Key Preserve. New reservations were temporarily suspended due to concerns about the COVID-19 virus.

Fort De Soto campground visitors with existing reservations will receive an email from CivicRec Recreation Management inviting them to update their profiles. Any reservations made before the upgrade are still valid and will not require any action. The new Parks and Conservation Resources reservation system offers easier access to parks facility reservations. The mobile-friendly software allows users to search for facility availability, register and pay from a smartphone or tablet.

To help customers with the new process, how-to instructions will be posted online. Due to expected high call volume, Parks and Conservation Resources encourages any potential campers to initiate their reservation online at www.pinellascounty.org/parks.

The public is encouraged to continue following social distancing by keeping 6-feet distance between people and avoiding gatherings of more than 10 individuals when camping.

New rules at Shell Key require a $6 permit fee to camp, a permit is limited to six people per party and all names must be listed on the permit. A vessel registration is now required to receive a Shell Key Preserve permit as well. The preserve will limit visitation to 150 people daily or up to 25 permitted parties per day.

Because CDC guidelines remain in effect, new park shelter reservations will remain unavailable on the park reservation system until further notice.

This press release was produced by the Pinellas County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.