Openings · last 7 days
0
01 · Detected Opening History · the openings record · file CS-261793
When W.p. Franklin South Recreation Area reopens
W.p. Franklin South Recreation Area's openings record: every site-date Campsite Sniper detected turning available, logged and time-stamped. Refreshed hourly.
Openings · last 30 days
0
Openings · last 90 days
33
Only 33 openings in the last 90 days: not enough recent activity for a reliable pattern. A free Campsite Sniper alert watches around the clock instead, and pings you the moment one opens.
02 · Availability Outlook · Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027 · of 2 monitored sites
Of the 366 tracked reservation dates (Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027): 349 open for online reservation · 17 reserved.
Where the open windows are
4.6% of tracked reservation dates are not currently open for online reservation. 349 of 366 remain open; here is where they are.
Load status
Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027Not open online4.6%
Open reservation dates349 / 366
Reserved (of online inventory)17 / 366
Weekday openings207
Weekend openings142
Of the open reservation dates on mapped day-use units, 207 fall on weekdays and 142 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
Open dates by month
Sep 2026 – Mar 2027December holds the most room. 62 of 62 reservation dates are still open there.
Holiday windows — day use
Units open per date · of 2 day-use units| Window | Date | Units open | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Day | SAT Sep 5 | 0 | None open |
| SUN Sep 6 | 0 | None open | |
| MON Sep 7 | 0 | None open | |
| Thanksgiving | THU Nov 26 | 1 | Open |
| FRI Nov 27 | 2 | Open | |
| SAT Nov 28 | 2 | Open | |
| Christmas | THU Dec 24 | 2 | Open |
| FRI Dec 25 | 2 | Open | |
| New Year | THU Dec 31 | 2 | Open |
| FRI Jan 1 | 2 | Open |
Labor Day: no online availability on any tracked date. Thanksgiving: 1 day-use unit is available for all three dates. Christmas: 2 day-use units are available for both dates. New Year: 2 day-use units are available for both dates.
Availability by day-use unit
Most open reservation dates · tracked window| Unit | Open reservation dates |
|---|---|
| GS02 | 176 |
| GS01 | 173 |
The 2 day-use units with the most open reservation dates in the current snapshot. Pair a bookable date with a free alert to cover everything else.
Next windows
As of Sep 18, 2026 snapshotNext open dateFri · Sep 18
Next open weekendFri · Sep 18
The next bookable date is Sep 18; the first open weekend starts Sep 18. Campsite Sniper can watch later dates for you.
Reservation dates
349 available reservation dates across 2 day-use units at W.p. Franklin South Recreation Area, from the same hourly snapshot as everything above.
All 2 day-use units with current availability
| Unit | Open reservation dates | Consecutive dates | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS02 | 176 | 113 dates | Sep 18, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1 +164 more |
| GS01 | 173 | 117 dates | Sep 18, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 2 +161 more |
About W.p. Franklin South Recreation Area
Overview
WP Franklin South Recreation Area is a day use area located on the Caloosahatchee River adjacent to the WP Franklin Lock and Dam. Visitors can watch boats traversing the 152 mile Okeechobee Waterway that spans South Florida from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico, enjoy the exhibits at the visitor center or just relax with a picnic lunch.
Recreation
Boating, canoeing and kayaking on the Caloosahatchee River are popular activities. Anglers can try their luck with catching both freshwater and saltwater fish.
Facilities
This day use area has a visitor center, boat ramp, volleyball and horseshoe courts, a playground and several covered picnic sites. Flush toilets and drinking water are also available. There are two group picnic shelters available for reservation. Each shelter has water and electricity, six picnic tables, a large charcoal BBQ grill and can accommodate up to 50 people.
Nearby Attractions
Lee County Manatee Park is six miles west on Palm Beach Blvd. Hickeys Creek Mitigation Park is two miles east on Palm Beach Boulevard, Gulf of Mexico beaches and the J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge are 30 miles to the west.
2 monitored unitsDay use2 shadedMax party 25
Getting there
From Interstate 75, take Exit 141 (Palm Beach Blvd.) east for 7 miles to Old Olga Road. Make a left on Old Olga Road and proceed 0.3 miles to Franklin Lock Road. Make a right on Franklin Lock Road into the WP Franklin South Recreation Area.
1660 S Franklin Lock Road, Alva, FL 33920239-694-2582
BoatingCanoeingDay Use AreaFishingKayakingPicnickingVisitor Center
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
03 · Field Photos · roll CS-261793 · facility + sites
Photo gallery
Roll CS-261793 · W.p. Franklin South Recreation Area · Alva FL9 frames · facility + sites
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at W.p. Franklin South Recreation Area?
Reservations for W.p. Franklin South Recreation Area are made through Recreation.gov. The current snapshot shows substantial availability: 349 of 366 tracked reservation dates are open (95.4%), though availability can change. Campsite Sniper has also detected 33 site openings here in the last 90 days, so further dates may appear. Pick the unit on the map to see its reservation calendar, or set a free Campsite Sniper alert. You complete the reservation yourself on Recreation.gov.
Does Campsite Sniper book this facility for me?
No. Campsite Sniper sends alerts and direct Recreation.gov links. It never books, pays for, holds, hoards, or resells reservations.
How current is this availability data?
Campsite Sniper re-checks public Recreation.gov availability for this facility every hour and republishes whenever anything changes. This facility's data last changed at Sep 18, 2026 17:19 UTC; an older timestamp means nothing has changed since that time, not that checking stopped. Always confirm final availability on Recreation.gov when you book.
How often do new openings appear at W.p. Franklin South Recreation Area?
Campsite Sniper detected 33 site-date openings here over the last 90 days, none in the last 7. A free alert watches around the clock and pings you the moment one appears.
Which month has the most availability at W.p. Franklin South Recreation Area?
December 2026, with 62 open reservation dates in the current snapshot of 62.
When is the next open date at W.p. Franklin South Recreation Area?
As of the Sep 18, 2026 snapshot: the next open date is Fri, Sep 18 and the next open weekend starts Fri, Sep 18. Detected openings can add earlier dates at any time; a free Campsite Sniper alert catches those the moment they appear.
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Pick dates
Choose the reservation dates you want at W.p. Franklin South Recreation Area.
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Get the ping
When a selected date becomes available, you get a push with a Recreation.gov link so you can review and book it yourself.