• The Florida panther's watchful gaze- Courtesy- Ralph Arwood

    Big Cypress

    National Preserve Florida

There are park alerts in effect.
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  • Fire Activity

    Currently there is fire activity within the Preserve. More »

  • 2013 Zone 4 Closure

    Beginning at 12:01 am Monday, April 8, 2013, the Zone 4 airboat access within Big Cypress National Preserve will be closed due to low water conditions. More »

  • Interstate 75 Mile Marker 63 Closure

    Beginning summer of 2013 the rest area and backcountry access at mile marker 63 will be closed due to construction. More »

  • Campground Closures

    Beginning Monday, May 13 through Friday, August 16 camping will be available at the Midway Campground and the “loop” in the Bear Island Campground within Big Cypress National Preserve. All other established campgrounds will be closed. More »

Laws & Policies

Various public documents help guide the further management of natural and cultural resources, and the recreational opportunities within the preserve. Click on the links below to find out more.

BIG CYPRESS NATIONAL PRESERVE ENABLING LEGISLATION
(PL 93-440, as amended by PL 100-301)
Congress created the Big Cypress National Preserve in 1974, as one of the first national preserves within the National Park System.
Click here to download the law in its entirety.

COOPERATIVE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT BETWEEN NPS/FWC-2011
Click here for the agreement.

CRITERIA FOR OFF-ROAD VEHICLE & HUNTING ACCESS WITHIN BIG CYPRESS NATIONAL PRESERVE IN RESPONSE TO SURFACE WATER LEVELS- AUGUST 2006
In recent years the occurrence of high and low water conditions have prompted the National Park Service to temporarily close areas of the Preserve to off-road vehicles, such as swamp buggies, airboats, and all-terrain vehicles. This paper provides an overview of this subject, and discusses how hydrologic criteria can be used to assist future decision making.

BIG CYPRESS PROPERTY OWNERS QUESTION & ANSWERS- NOVEMBER 2005
This document answers commonly asked questions regarding the ownership of private property within the boundaries of Big Cypress National Preserve.

LONG RANGE INTERPRETIVE PLAN (LRIP)- 2002
The LRIP presents a visitor experience vision of the Preserve, based on purpose, significance, and mission identified in the Preserve's Strategic Plan.

OFF-ROAD VEHICLE MANAGEMENT PLAN- 2000
This document guides the implementation and management of the recreational off-road vehicle trail system within the Preserve.

BIG CYPRESS LAND PROTECTION PLAN- 1991
This document outlines the actions necessary to assure resource protection and provide essential public access.

Did You Know?

manatee

Mermaid sightings have been reported by sailors throughout history who often blamed the part-woman, part-fish beings for leading them astray. But folklore experts believe that what those sailors were seeing were not mermaids, but rather air-breathing manatees, or their dugong relatives. More...