Big Cypress National Preserve
Information courtesy of National Park Services - U.S. Department of the Interior
The first National Preserve in the National Park System, Big Cypress has a mixture of pines, hardwoods, prairies, mangrove forests, cypress strands and domes. White-tailed deer, bear and Florida panther can be found here along with the more tropical linguus tree snail, royal palm and cigar orchid. This meeting place of temperate and tropical species is a hotbed of biological diversity. Hydrologically, the Preserve serves as a supply of fresh, clean water for the vital estuaries of the ten thousand islands area near Everglades City.
Visitors will find a recreational paradise with camping, canoeing, kayaking, hiking and birdwatching opportunities. Those passing through may be enticed to linger in this remnant of wild Florida to search for evidence of the elusive Florida panther or to watch an endangered woodstork feeding along a roadside canal.
The visitor center’s entrance is accessible with automated sliding doors. Inside the visitor center we have restrooms, an information desk, and a film about the Big Cypress National Preserve, all of which are accessible. The film is also captioned.
View the film at the visitor center; birding and wildlife viewing are excellent during the winter season along the scenic drives. Picnicking, hiking, and canoeing are delightful in winter.
FOR KIDS
Stop by the Oasis Visitor Center and pick up a newspaper. This informative guide describes the activities available at the four different South Florida National Parks. Theses four parks include: Big Cypress National Preserve, Everglades National Park, Biscayne National Park, and Dry Tortugas National Park. Click on the the link below to see our Big Cypress National Preserve winter-season ranger-guided programs. Also, don’t miss the touch table at the Oasis Visitor Center, where you can touch an alligator skull and see panther tracks!
Junior Ranger Program
Big Cypress National Preserve, Everglades National Park, and Biscayne National Park have a joint Junior Ranger Program for kids who visit the parks. You may pick up a Junior Ranger Booklet at any visitor center. Complete at least 3 of the activities which apply to a park, and you will receive a Junior Ranger Badge for that specific park. If you complete the entire booklet you can then receive the Junior Ranger Patch.
BE SURE TO READ THE SAFETY AND PERMIT/REGULATION PAGES BEFORE HIKING IN THE PRESERVE - Free Backcountry Permits are Required!
Big Cypress offers the hiker challenging conditions. Do not let the lack of elevation fool you! Pinnacle rock, muddy prairies, and waist deep water over trails make hiking here a unique opportunity. Rewards are many - quietly watching an otter eat a fish like you would eat corn on the cob, feeling the wind rustling your hair and cooling your sweating neck.
The Florida Trail - This trail stretches across Florida from Gulf Islands National Seashore to Big Cypress National Preserve. The southernmost sections of the Florida National Scenic Trail lie within the Preserve. The Preserve portion of the trail can be logically divided into three sections:
Loop Road to Highway 41 - approximately 6.5 miles one way
The trail begins (or ends) at the Loop Road approximately 13 miles from its east end on Highway 41. The other end is across the highway from Big Cypress Visitor Center (55 west of Miami and 53 miles east of Naples on Highway 41). Please refer to maps on this WebPage or call the visitor center for detailed directions.
The trail winds through dwarf cypress and prairies and crosses through Robert’s Lake Strand. It is well marked and easy to moderate in the winter season, but knee to waist deep in water during the rainy season. This part of the trail is an easy and well-marked way to take a short walk into the Preserve to get that “out in the middle of nowhere” feeling. Sometimes the only sounds you hear are wind and the occasional jet flying over.
Highway 41 to Interstate 75 - approximately 28 miles one way
Trailheads are located on highway 41 near Big Cypress Visitor Center and on Interstate 75 (Alligator Alley) at the rest area at mile marker 63.
The trail passes through a variety of habitat types including hardwood hammocks, pinelands, prairies and cypress. Some high ground is available for camping at 13-mile camp. DURING THE DRY SEASON, THERE IS NO WATER AVAILABLE ON THIS ENTIRE ROUTE! YOU MUST CARRY ALL WATER! This walk is not for the casual hiker. It is not heavily marked and vegetation grows over it during the rainy season when there is little foot traffic.
Interstate 75 to Preserve North Boundary - approximately 8 miles one way
This section of trail follows Nobles Grade, an old oil road, through hardwood, prairie and pinelands. Beyond the Preserve Boundary the trail is limited to a small number of hikers who are members of the Florida Trail Association per month travelling through the Seminole Reservation. Please contact the Florida Trail Association for further information.
Big Cypress Visitor Center at Oasis
9:00 am - 4:30 pm Closed December 25
Contact By Mail
HCR 61, Box 110
Ochopee, FL 34141
Contact By Phone
Headquarters
239-695-2000
Visitor Information
239-695-1201
