Multi-Day Trip to Big Cypress National Preserve

This 36-mile contiguous section of the Florida National Scenic Trail is the southernmost portion of trail. This moderately strenuous hike can be difficult to traverse at certain times of year. The trail can be under up to 3 to 4 feet of water in the rainy season. During the dry season, there can be little to no water along the trail.

Dark skies are essential natural, scientific, cultural, and economic resources. National Park sites, including Big Cypress National Preserve, are home to some of the last remaining dark skies in the country and are committed to protecting the night sky resource.

The Nathaniel P. Reed Visitor Center offers exhibits, bathrooms, picnic areas, a short boardwalk, and visitor information materials that will help orient the first-time visitor and provide the latest information on conditions to returning visitors.

This one-mile moderate hike to Deep Lake is a unique experiences. Deep Lake is over 95 feet deep, and the deepest lake in south Florida. Leave yourself about an hour to complete the trail. During the wet season (May-October) the trail can be wet and muddy.

H.P. Williams Wayside Park is located immediately off of Highway 41. It includes a short boardwalk, picnic areas, and restrooms.

This immersive boardwalk will take you into a cypress strand. Good for the whole family, this boardwalk is open daily from an hour before sunrise until an hour after sunset.

This 24 mile long drive, on a mostly unpaved gravel road, is a great scenic drive through the cypress swamp. See a variety of plant and wildlife species, while getting a closeup look at the park's namesake cypress trees.

This moderately strenuous hike is a highly-immersive experience. Journey into the the Gator Hook Strand. Walk through water that is ankle to knee-deep. See alligators, snakes, birds, bromeliads (air plants), and mature cypress trees.

Paddle from one river to another through a cypress slough! Explore quiet oxbow lakes and bayous along the way on this 4.8-mile paddling trail.

This five-mile long out and back trail is a great way to see the sawgrass prairies of Big Cypress National Preserve. Good for all skill levels, this trail provides unique viewing areas of some of the more elusive wildlife here. Bring plenty of water, sunscreen, and a hat.

Dark skies are essential natural, scientific, cultural, and economic resources. National Park sites, including Big Cypress National Preserve, are home to some of the last remaining dark skies in the country and are committed to protecting the night sky resource.

This short boardwalk is a great viewing platform of alligators, birds, turtles, and fish.

This 16-mile loop drive is a great way to get away from the traffic along Highway 41, and take a slower drive through the Preserve. It offers the opportunity to see some of the many plant and animal species that call this place home.