Big Cypress National Preserve Reviews

very clean national park volunteers where helpful. could use a few more trail signs though. many of the trails where flooded out , but there was still lots to see.

We took the drive to the Preserve and had a wonderful day in nature. The alligators were out everywhere just relaxing and sunning themselves. The road we turned onto was 24 miles of nature (Loop Road)...Alligators, birds, lush plants. I love seeing nature as it should be! No need for binoculars because they are just right by the road. Stop your car, take a picture, watch them and drive another 20 feet and repeat! The folks working there were very knowledge and friendly! Bonus!

We did three separate activities with the Big Cypress Institute: A 'wet walk' on the Gator Hook Trail, a bike ride on the Fire Prairie Trail, and a canoe trip on the Turner River. All three were great. The wet walk was probably our favorite, taking us into a fantastic, surreal bald cypress dome.

The Institute does a great job. Maybe needs more advertising as we were the only ones on all three trips (great fur us, but not for the Institute).

We needed a place to stretch or legs after driving for a spell. Nice visitor center and walkway to see alligators. Picnic area too.

Enjoyed seeing at least 20 alligators while here, the staff were all very knowledgeable and friendly.

There is so much wildlife to see here, and it really is a remarkable preserve showcasing the best of Southwest Florida's wildlife!

Alligators sunning/swimming, gar fish, great blue heron, snowy egret, palm warbler, double-crested cormorants in the trees. Very peaceful.

Western part of the Everglades this is a wonderful place to visit. Very nice movie at the visitor center and knowledgeable park rangers. Hiking, biking and fishing are available to those who want to take advantage of this preserve. Air boat tours are available in the area as well. You will see alligators. Lots of alligators. Beautiful birds are seen everywhere. A must stop.

We stopped without big expecations at the visitor center just out of curiosity, and this was so far our best stop. Based on ranger recommendation we went for one of the back country roads and saw lots of animals, and a landscape we would have never expected with the Cypress and then Pines. Wow. I highly recommend adding this gem to your trip if you're on your tour through Florida.Even our son was happy.

I was here in the "dry" season so the alligators were confined to the small pools that were left. This made them easy to find and watch. Lot's of birds to watch also. Nice place to visit and wildlife watch.

Get out of your car and walk, float, fish or swamp buggy ride to learn about this really fascinating place. Spend some time with a guide or a naturalist.

We drove here on route 41 out of Naples for the sole purpose of seeing wild alligators. When we first arrived there were no gators visible from the boardwalk behind the visitor center. When we asked the ranger where we could see gators she directed us to several other areas further down route 41. The first stop we made was on Birdon road and was not worth it. The road was in terrible condition, no gators were in sight, and we turned around after over a mile of not seeing anything. The second stop was one of the lookout areas off of route 41 and we saw nothing there except two turtles. After this, we drove back towards the visitor center and managed to see several gators in the canal next to the road. We stopped at the visitor center again and finally saw two gators and one of them came up next to the boardwalk. We were happy that this finally happened but we wish that viewing would have been easier from the visitor center and that Birdon road was in better shape.

We tried to begin our visit by going to the Oasis Visitor Center, but unfortunately there was a sign on the door saying it was closed for a couple weeks even though the website said it was open. There is a boardwalk along a canal in front of the building where we did see quite a few gators of all sizes. Anyway, we backtracked and drove the Loop Road, which was fabulous. Driving through the woods we saw so much wildlife, and had several opportunities to slow down and pull over to lean out the window and get pictures. It's a gravel road so you can't drive too fast, so it will take a decent amount of time to travel the route, but definitely worth it.

... with very little effort. Definitely walk all of the boardwalks to see alligators and many birds not seen in the north... And flowers! So cool.
The loop road is pretty awesome, too.

The Cypress trees lose their leaves in the winter. Nonetheless, the area is lovely in winter. You can really see the trees. The preserve is hard to see, except from the main roads, Loop Road, and roadside parks/trails.

This is nature in all it's glory. It's hot, wet, and dirty but if that's your thing, you'll love it. Be aware that there are no fences or life guards and the swamp is full of mosquitoes, snakes, gators, bears, panthers and all sorts of other things that can hurt you and will hurt you if you give them the chance. Be sure to bring plenty of water and bug spray and, if you plan to hike very far off the trail, a good compass (and know how to use it). Don't depend on GPS, signals can be spotty. Warnings aside, there is plenty of nature to see here and it's not hard to imagine what the Spanish explorers and Seminoles went through to traverse this no man's land. It's worth the visit to see what we've destroyed in the name of 'progress'.

You'll benefit from one of the ranger walks/talks offered at the welcome center. Boardwalk in back of visitor center allows opportunity to see manatee. We saw three at our stop full body view close to water surface.

Incredible birds, trees, gators. Great facilities with boardwalks and wildlife viewing, excellent guided ranger tours for longer hikes (reserve early as these fill up fast)

A great place to learn about the Everglades. Great stop while visiting. The guides are helpful. Also a great place to pick up souvenirs for the kids too.

What a great backwoods place to visit to see tropical wildlife! We took a 10 mile drive on a dirt road (along with a number of other visitors) and we saw alligators galore. They were all over the edge of the roadway and in the swamp area next to the road. We lost count at 12. Most were fairly large-- at least 5 feet long. Many different kinds of birds were also visible in the trees and in the water. Really a great park where you could literally spend several days taking in all the sites. We took a day trip from the Venice area which was about a 2.5 hour drive. It was well worth the effort. There is no entrance fee for the park which makes it a real bargain. If you want to tourist action, you can go into Everglades City for an air boat ride, but I don't think you will see more gators than we saw from the comfort of our own car. It was fun!

Surprised by how many access points along the road. All the facilities looked in great shape. The wildlife was abundant and the recent prescribed fires looked fantastic. I'll be back!

Came to the Big Cypress Preserve in order to see my very first ever wild alligator and of course it didn't take long to find one. There are quite a few stops along the road to keep you busy. I also started off on the Alligator Hook trail but returned about half way as I really didn't like the path - very unsteady footing on rocks and tree stumps.
Tons of mosquitoes all over so bring plenty of repellent! I sprayed myself every hour and still got back home with over 450 bites :(

Headed South we spotted an easy pull off for dog walks that turned out to be a Big Cypress National Preserve Access Point, along with informational signage. We spent about 20 minutes checking it out and even saw an alligator in the water.

Stopped at the Big Cypress Swamp Visitor Center on our way out of Gulf Coast Visitor Center. We were lucky to arrive just as a Ranger was ready to give a short presentation about manatees. 4 are living in the waters behind the center. Staff recommended 4 additional quick stops along route 41. The boardwalk through the cypress swamp is really great.

As a well known Everglades Photographer, I will say that Big Cypress is a great place to visit in the cooler season. There are hiking trails, canoeing areas, fishing spots, airboats, swamp buggies and wonderful places to camp and/or see the milky way. During the winter the weather gets cooler and the chances for mosquitoes are very small. However, the evenings can drop to the 50s and 40s in the winter making it a great place to enjoy nature in a chilly atmosphere. Whether you are a hiker, an adventurer, a fisherman, a hunter or someone who loves the great outdoors. Big cypress in the place to be, just make sure you check out the FWC website for rules and regulations.

I visit the park at least 2-3 times a week and each trip is a whole new adventure.

Start at the ranger station where you get a overall picture of the preserve. The park rangers and the park volunteers are fabulous purveyors of information. There are also free nature walks and talks led by the aforementioned volunteers. There is a boardwalk right near the ranger station abutting a water channel? of the Everglades. If you are lucky (and we were) you might see Manatees gliding ever so silently in the water, of course birds and maybe and alligator or two. Ken, one of the volunteers led an walk/talk on wildlife and fauna of the area. It was very good and he is extremely personable and friendly. Iris another volunteer (Ken's wife) led a wonderful walk/talk about alligators on another boardwalk about a mile from the ranger station. There were three 'gators in the water gliding around, turtles, Anhinga (a diving bird) that dove and caught fish on the beak and then threw it in the air catching and swallowing it. Iris did a great job explaining the eco-system of the Everglades and how all things fit together including man. It was great. Well worth the time and it was free. Can't say that very often about government stuff.

The Visitor Center was pretty neat - there were a bunch of alligators in the canal and it's banks. At first we thought they were "kept" there but found out they came in on their own accord. We went a bit further down the road to the Kirby Storter boardwalk. There weren't many people so we were able to loiter a bit in different areas. We saw beautiful birds, flowering trees and saw an alligator and turtle together in one of the swampy areas. We enjoyed this far more than the tour of the Everglades we took 2 years ago and the air boat ride we took this visit. Best of all it's free!

Wade in the swamp with a park ranger or take a swamp buggy ride--you will not be disappointed! The wildlife is wonderful. You can spend all day watching the birds. But the plants and how they've adapted to this environment will leave you amazed.

I grew up in SoFla and am quite familiar with the Everglades, but I never bothered to check out Big Cypress. I was finally drawn out by the Tamiami Triathlon which was a great time. I arrived in late afternoon on Saturday and stayed for a night at Monument Lake. I found the tent sites to be kind of tight, but no big deal. Great sunsets, big skies, and lovely sunrise over the water. Why was I awake for sunrise? I was woken out of a dead sleep by the sound of gators bellowing all around. I recognized the sound from my hikes through a local CentFla preserve but it was unnerving and super cool so hear them all around like that. The first couple of miles of the Florida Trail were fantastic and I definitely look forward to coming back for more. The rangers that took us out for that portion were very friendly and knowledgeable and we got a real kick out of the fact that they were so used to middle schooler groups that there were times it was clear they were in sixth grader mode and forgot they were talking to adults :).

A word on Oasis Visitors Center. Lots of information in an easily digestible form, including a 25 minute video. The boardwalk was a short but fun walk chock full of alligators to gawk at. Friendly and helpful rangers, in particular the gentleman who helped hook me up with a towing service after exhausting attempts to get me some help with law enforcement. It was clear he had better things to do that spend time on the hapless tourist who can't even keep from locking himself out of his vehicle. I can't remember his name but I am immensely indebted to him for his help.

All in all a great experience at Big Cypress!

Yes, there are alligators....lots of them. Luckily, most of the tourists stop at the roadside pull offs to view these and leave the rest of the area to the locals or ones in the know. It's stunningly beautiful. To me, having been out west and experiencing that breathtaking beauty of the Tetons and such, this is Florida's version. Vast prairies and Cypress domes, swamp and sky. There are so many wildlife opportunities including bear and the Florida Panther. Being a wildlife photographer and snake enthusiast, I'm never disappointed here. Often times, you will find rattlesnakes or water moccasins crossing the roads. The trails are not heavily traveled and often muddy or underwater, but worth hiking when you can. I always feel home while exploring this area....and can't wait to go back.

We stopped there by chance and when noticed a wooden trail going into forest decided to follow it. We were surrounded by beautiful tall cypresses and other plants and trees. The trail ended by a natural pond with jumping fish, an alligator and a gorgeous white egret hunting for food. It was peaceful and pleasant to spend some time there just observing nature at its normal activities, fresh and undisturbed.

We saw more gators than I have ever seen in one place -- plus great birds. If you like nature, Big Cypress offers a lot and it is not crowded.

We stopped here along the road hoping to catch a glimpse of the alligators living in the are. This place did not disappoint! There was a huge gator lying across the path before the boardwalk starts which was a very exciting experience for all of us. Once on the boardwalk we saw snakes, alligators and birds. The bathrooms are three porta-potties which were very smelly but filled it's function. Signage could have been better from the parking lot but everyone seemed to find their way eventually. I can highly recommend this short hike for all ages.

Don't get me wrong, the low rating does not mean this place doesn't have its own beauty and value. But, from most tourist's perspective it's not worth a drive out of the way.

It was co to see signs on HWY 41 that day "Panther Crossing" as you don't see that in most places.

If you do go through the preserve, take the Loop Road (check your GPS or get a map) its mostly hard packed gravel, but no pot holes. It's very cool to stop where small bridges allow the flow of water from one side to the other.

The only wildlife we saw were fish, buzzards and lots of very aggressive mosquitos.

I did see a few trails along the way as well as camping areas.

Big Cypress is my very favorite place. Lots to see from birds and alligators, bromiliads and grand old cypress trees. Kayaking the Turner River is a fantastic experience!

The trail is actually behind what appears to be a home on the north side of the road. Just park and go. One portapotty at the entrance. Walk to the end to find a pair of gators in their swimming hole. Was about a 20 minute walk to the end of the boardwalk. Strangler figs were gorgeous. Also saw lots of lovely birds including the anhinga (snake bird) that stretches it wings to dry between fishing dips. In total saw 3 gators at this stop.

What a pleasant surprise. We stopped to take time to get out of our car to walk around. We picked the perfect spot. Lots of alligators and birds to see. The boardwalk style walkway allows you the opportunity to be above the water and have opportunity to see all there is to see.
There are multiple stops within Big Cypress along the Tamiami Trail.
The Visitor Center has the stamps that can be applied to a National Park Passport. The exhibits are very interesting. The staff was very pleasant. The Visitor Center has a nice giftshop.

We spent three nights camping at Monument Lake Campground, which is located on Rt. 41 about halfway through the Big Cypress National Preserve. The campground is rather rustic, with one restroom and shower, a laundry tub which serves as the campers' water source, and a vault toilet. There are no hookups. Our site was on the far side of the lake, near a marsh. The picnic table was close to the marsh, and mosquitoes were out in the evening, but the friendly and helpful campground host said we could park our travel trailer beside the lake, where the breeze kept the bugs at bay. Our site gave us a vantage point for amazing sunrises and sunsets, and songbirds provided music each morning.

There was an alligator in the lake, but he didn't bother us. Even when we unknowingly got close to him in our kayaks, he just jumped into the water and swam away.

Best of all, our campground was about halfway between the Oasis Visitors Center and the Kirby-Storter Roadside Park, so we got to take advantage of a lot of ranger led activities. We even took a hike in the swamp, wading in knee-deep water with a ranger who explained the amazing habitat that surrounded us.

In the swamp and along the Loop Road, we saw a huge variety of birds, including anhingas, cormorants, great blue herons, ibises, and many different songbirds. Alligators were a common sight, as were schools of fish that swam right past them.

We tried riding our bikes on a service road, but found the going rough. However, Rt. 41 is so straight, we felt safe riding there except for the busiest hours.

Before planning this trip to Florida, I'd never heard of Big Cypress. Now it's a place I want to visit many more times.

Camped at Big Cypress. Campgrounds are fairly basic, no showers. Can be quite noisy with large groups, especially on the weekend. Went to attend special astronomy lecture sponsored by the park service. Excellent, very little light pollution results in a spectacular night sky.

Get away from it all and go for a walk into Florida's last few remaining wild areas. Enjoy the wildlife, go slow and watch for panthers, bear, bob cat and many more. Take your camera, you never know what you may encounter.

Great trip very interesting seeing different parts of reserve. Some guided walking areas with information plaques lots wildlife

We loved visiting Big Cypress and the Everglades. So many places to see wildlife and birds, wish we could have spent more time exploring, especially by kayak.

Stopped at the roadside visitor center, interesting but driving down the road and gator look was fun, saw many, and the birds were great too?

Stopped at the visitors center even though the NPS is closed and walked along the boardwalk and saw LOTS of alligators and birds! Magnificent!

The Visitor Centre has interesting displays and the board walk was great for seeing manatees. There was a park interpreter there who was talking about manatees and pointing them out. They are difficult to spot if you do not know what to look for. It was well worth a visit to see these big marine mammals and learn about them.

The boardwalk at the visitor center was an amazing find! Gators, snakes, even a bobcat! We also did the scenic drive and saw so many orchid varieties. Make sure you have bug spray!

Saw gators within 5 feet of me....saw manatee for the first time....volunteer staff way more pleasant than rangers/staff in everglades....all of its free but u can make a donation....id call this a must see attraction

We stopped by the visitor center and staff member gave us great advice on spots to see birds. We went to the Kirby Storter roadside park and walked the 1/2 mile boardwalk into the woods. We saw several warblers, a pair of vultures and were pleasantly surprised to find an anhinga quietly perched in a tree when we reached the end of the trail. Majority of trail is shaded. Easy walk on flat surface- no stairs

Planned a stop on Oasis visitor centre between Florida Keys and Bonita Springs. We had read that the possibility of seeing alligators were good. We saw alligators, turtles, fish and birds. Absolutely worth a stop for everyone driving between east and west.

Do you want to have a close up experience of the Everglades? This preserve is the place to go. Right off Tamiami trail connecting Miami with Naples (ca. 2 hrs drive). Nice board-walks and other trip options. It a bit of a drive if you come from Miami - but can be well combined with visiting Shark Valley.

We were fully aware this wasn't the best season for wildlife spotting but saw loads of gators at HP Williams Roadside Park (the first time about a dozen, on a second visit maybe only 3-4).

We visited to take photos of wildlife..The trails, scenery and bird watching was wonderful.. we drove around and when we saw birds, stopped to take photos..The scenery is so so beautiful and the atmosphere was so peaceful..If in the area, please visit this area. No where else in the world are the Everglades.....

We stopped here by chance en route driving from Florida Keys across to Naples and were so glad we did. Saw such an abundance of wildlife with easy, accessible viewing options. We had a warm welcome in the visitors’ centre and the bonus of a talk from Kelly who was informative, entertaining and passionate about her role - a real asset to the centre. We hope the National Parks staff continue to be valued in these uncertain times.

We took the pole boat tour on the recommendation of our motel. This is the only thing we did that enabled us to really feel like we were in The Everglades ecosystem. My husband and I were in a flatboat with a naturalist who poled us along. He was very knowledgable about the whole ecosystem. We saw alligators and many birds including a little green heron, a palm warbler, a moorhen, a great egret and an anhinga (close up).

Beautiful drive. There are a few visitor centers along the way. Rangers are helpful. Not a lot of areas to stop and hike, but plenty of camping, picnic areas, and ATV back roads. I did not travel the Loop, but would love to come back and travel it. I did not see wildlife, but again, I didn't stop along the drive.

I found the scenery and wildlife here to be similar to that of the everglades with some fantastic boardwalks, a nice loop trail and all the birds you could imagine. I found the sunrises and sunsets to be amazing here. I would probably come here if i had kids than dropping the fortune to enter Shark Valley and ride the tram.

We drove the Birdon Road trail. This was awesome. We spotted at least 3 gators that day. The rangers are very helpful. The lady asked us what we wanted to see and she pointed us in the right direction. Lots to see out there!

Our purpose of this trip was to visit the Everglades National Park. We knew nothing of the National Preserve. It was quite a nice surprise, particularly since it is such an integral part of the Everglades National Park. Access is from US41. There are all sorts of viewing opportunities along the highway. Take a bit of extra time and view the Visitor Centers and viewing areas.

When you stop at one of these beautiful preserves, you realize why we MUST not allow development to overtake these natural wonders and wildlife habitats. There are numerous places to stop in the preserve and walk on trails and boardwalks and see wildlife including many birds and of course alligators. I had a great day of hiking the preserve.

The "Loop and Turner" Roads provide excellent places to see wildlife. We saw lots of birds, gators, fish, turtles, and other stuff. During our visit there was something like 25 alligators in a ditch in front of the Big Cypress visitor center. There is a abundance of wild life here. It's also super cool to see a cypress swamp. My favorite place in the whole are is the Sweet Water Strand. Another neat thing about this area is that there aren't many people around.

The Welcome Center has great exhibits inside and outside. Learned a lot and saw a lot while we strolled the outdoor walking paths. Inside, Athena, the ranger on duty, was incredibly helpful in identifying what we'd seen outside as well as directing us to other places within the preserve to stop and enjoy the natural wonder.

I did the wet walk (2 hrs) at Bass Lake with rangers CHERYL & JESSICA. Cheryl's presentation and information was impressive. She is a natural born story teller. Our walk was safe and very interesting. We learned so much about cypress domes, prairie marshes, subtropical vegetation and the animals that live in the everglades. I would highly recommend this tour. Book through the Reeds Visitor Centre 1-239-695-4758. The tour was free.

We went to Oasis visitor center and were truly amazed by the number of gators that we could see on the board walk. The area has lots of beautiful wildlife and enough parking. This was mind blowing experience to see alligators in their natural habitat

Be sure to stop at the visitor center first and let them go over the map and the boardwalks with you. It really helped. We drove one loop on the gravel road and we stopped and saw several alligators and turtles. There are lots of gars and other fish visible and it’s pretty fascinating.

Great natural area. We were under a time restraint and could only drive through. I'd love to return and walk trails & kayak. I do recommend visiting.

What a beautiful amazing place to watch the many kinds of birds that inhabit this area and alligators everywhere taking the sun!
We were lucky enough to also see a black bear as we took a swap buggy ride.
Couldn't believe how many gators in the wild we saw! Specially at the Oasis Visitor Center.
We would love to come back!

Hiking was easy and we saw a variety of birds, as well as beautiful landscapes. Trails were clearly marked.

One can take in this Preserve the quick way, at 60 miles per hour while crossing SoFL on Rte 41. Many do, I am sure. You can also stop at any of the numerous pullouts. We recommend the Welcome Center at the western side, where a boardwalk overlooks a pond where we observed manatees late in the afternoon. The "Loop Road" is a long dirt track, but worthwhile for those interested in exploring a bit.

We enjoyed stopping here at the visitors center. There are many displays to read and interact with. There were two employees here this day that answered our questions about the area. We enjoyed going out on the walkway and searching for manatees, but we didn't see any. But in days prior they had seen them in the water at this particular visitors center. There were some educational programs going on here at the time we stopped and also they were getting ready to do a presentation on manatee's as well.

Went here for the Swamp Heritage Festival as the Big Cypress Preserve is celebrating their 50th year anniversary and we had a great time. They are very organized and we also visited the Visitor's Center while we were there. We learned a lot about the history of the place and the locals part in keeping it together. There were great speakers and very good local vendors who were educational as well as selling local crafts.

Beautiful trip. Thanks. Family friendly and beautiful place to take pictures. The naturalists at the ranger sites were extremely helpful and knowledgeable.

the Big Cypress has always been a great place to walk and see wildlife. Great photo opportunities too! However, I recently went to the NIGHT SKY PROGRAM and it was amazing. If you are looking for something to do at night and it doesn't include a bar...this is it! Once a month rangers and astronomy enthusiasts set up telescopes and give a themed lecture about the night sky. It also brings attention to the "light pollution" which jeopardizes the beautiful night views that we are so lucky to have here in Southwest Florida. Big Cypress offers many lectures, talks, and walks, none of them should be missed. Oh did I mention the Night Sky lectures are FREE

We started at the Big Cypress Swamp Welcome Center and picked up maps of the two self-guided auto tours. The maps describe various stops along the routes and are very helpful. Both routes will allow sightings of alligators and the different birds. The Turner River Road tour is on a rough, mostly unpaved road. This is a prairie area with few trees to block your view. The Loop Road tour is on a paved road through strands of beautiful cypress trees. If you don't have time to take both routes, take the Loop Road - the cypress trees are beautiful.

The sweetest park Ranger lady worked at Big Cypress. She was so kind, helpful, and knowledgeable. If it wasn’t for her, we would have missed out on so much of Everglades National park! She guided us in all the right directions. Told is where to view the alligators and The Shark Valley tram! Do the wagon-wheel wildlife loop (stay in your car or you may be bit by a snake! You will see everything from gators, snakes, birds, turtles, you name it! Please stop and ask this wonderful ranger questions! Amazing way to begin your way Everglades adventure!

We lived this preserve! No charge and we drove the entire gravel road area which was recommended by the ranger. I would stop in at the welcome center and ask them where they have seen the most wildlife. We saw a few Manatees right at the boardwalk at the welcome center. Took the drive on the gravel road. Saw a croc on the road where all the panther signs are and then tons of Gators all over on the gravel road drive. Some were right there on the side of the road. We watched birds. One went swimming for fish and watch it eat the fish up close. Saw a snake in the water right by the bird too. Also saw a dead wild bore on the side of the road. We loved this preserve. So much that we skipped the Everglades. They are in distress and the preserve is still in good condition so we didn't anticipate seeing anything additional there. I recommend going to the preserve to everyone who likes nature and animals.

We stopped at the Oasis Visitors Center that is part of the preserve. It is very well maintained, with a board walk where people can view lots of fish, turtles, and alligators. We were impressed with how many big alligators were there. I counted 6 in one group.
There are rest rooms, and an information building with friendly and helpful park employees.
I also noticed some better than average souvenirs.
Suggest you check this out to give everyone a little break from the drive.

If travelling along through the Everglades along the Tamiami trail, stop at the Oasis visitor centre-as soon as you enter the car park you can see dozens of alligators in the waters alongside the road. Walkways allow you to get 'closer' to see them. The visitor centre has talks/exhibits for more info on the area.

Drove the Loop road arriving early AM, after a rather cool night before. The wildlife we saw was amazing, Alligators everywhere along the road sunning themselves, saw at least 50 gators. Just a very beautiful ride, with birds of every shape and kind. Highly recommended, but go early.

We stopped by the Seminole tribe at Billie's Swamp Safari and had good times the food was decent in the swamp cafethe swamp buggy guide was good and knowledgeable the Airboat guide Ferdinand or something was less than helpful.

Well worth the visit. According to the ranger recommendation, there are 4 major stops along the main road: Nathaniel P. Reed Visitor Center, with a small 400 foot boardwalk, H.P. Williams Roadside Park with an 800 foot boardwalk, Kirby Storter Roadside Park with an approx. mile boardwalk, and Oasis Visitor Center with an approx. 800 foot boardwalk. We saw the most gators at the Oasis Visitor Center and second, H.P. Williams. The mile long walk is well worth it, as you get a great view of the Cypress trees and a lot of interesting scenery, and we also saw some gators at the end.

Oh man...... not only were the mangroves out to hurt us, the bugs were INSANE! We came prepared with ample bug spray(s) but the bugs were having none of it! We were absolutely miserable. Swatting at the mangroves AND swatting at the bugs made for a miserable experience.

The Big Cypress is a beautiful place in South Florida. I suggest taking an airboat ride to really see its beauty. Lots of photo opportunities and plenty of places to spot alligators.

A great day trip from the Fort Myers/Naples area! We traveled to Big Cypress National Preserve and spent a couple of hours on "Loop Road". At first, it seems like an endless gravel road but as you go further and slow down near the swampy areas, you may see alligators, turtles and various birds. We saw several large alligators sunning themselves and a turtle trying to climb an embankment to cross the road. Do not get discouraged if you don't see anything right away...take it slow and take your time. There are no bathrooms or places to stop for food along loop road so make sure you have taken care of business beforehand. We had some snacks along as well. Enjoy!

A fantastic free stop on the Tamiami Trail . A free movie, restrooms , free parking , and a boardwalk. There were lots of lazy alligators, some birds and more fish than some aquariums which you can view easily from the boardwalk. In the area are bird rookeries, so watch the North west side of road as you drive the road.

We finished up our Everglades tour down the road from Big Cypress and decided to stop here as a sidebar. We should have allowed more time. The Visitors Center is small but there is a great video about panthers, well worth watching. Plus the rangers do a twice a day nature lecture that we just happened to be there in time to hear. The people at the desk are quite knowledgeable and ready to dispense information about the trails, boardwalks and what we might want to see. We only had time to do one of the board walks but saw several alligators and birds in their natural habitat. If you choose this venue, don't rush but plan to spend several hours taking in the sights and sounds of nature.

We stopped at the Nathanial P Reed Big Cypress Preserve Welcome Center, thinking we'd get another stamp in our parks passport book . DO NOT GET OUT OF VEHICLE WITHOUT BUG SPRAY!!!! You etner into a screened porch area before entering teh center proper. We stopped to get our passport books stamped. By the time I was finished (2-3 min?) I had 15-20 bites on my legs, arms, neck and face. Couldn't get away from them, and that was inside the welcome center!

I do have to say the ranger was very friendly, but they need A LOT more mosquito traps, esp in the restrooms. We practically ran back to the car, then sepnt a few minutes killing the bugs inside the car.

If you are driving the Tamiani trail, stop at the Evergaldes Shark Valley center. It's much larger, and we didn't get a single bite there.

Not to be missed if you're in the Everglades area. By all means, sign up for the ranger-led canoe trip down the Turner River. It is SO beautiful! They take you deep into the mangrove tunnels, where it is like a whole different world. And it is all free! I saw panther tracks on the Fire Prairie Trail. It is easy to find a spot to camp way out in Bear Island campground, too. (Only $10 for a spot, and it is beautiful.)

The best experience in Florida’s Big Cypress National Preserve is the Loop Road drive. This mostly unpaved road runs south off of US 41 - the Tamiami Trail - then turns east and returns to the Tamiami Trail. In all, it is 24 miles long. Take your time and drive slowly. This road offers the best collection of wild alligators in all of Florida. The gators lounge by the side of the road and can be seen wading into and out of the mangrove swamps which line the road. As if you were on an African safari, you don’t dare leave your car! Also , the bird viewing is spectacular, as the herons and anhingas take off and fly parallel to the road right in front of you. Much better than any alligator park, this trip is free. And very few people were driving on it. Don’t miss this drive if you want to see wild alligators!

We drove through stopping at the visitor center which was very helpful. They gave us lots of places to spot alligators. The Oasis had lots to see and a nice gift shop. A must see! We did the loop trail the second day. Saw a few alligators in a pond area and then a couple beside the road. Very picturesque.

The Big Cypress National Preserve borders directly on the Everglades. Here you can also see alligators. At times we felt like we were in the rainforest in Costa Rica, it was so cool. Absolutely recommended!

The preserve itself is beautiful and amazing. I could have spent the whole day there. Read the self guided brochure before you walk it if you aren’t taking a guided tour. It will give you some tips you won’t otherwise know. The downside is the people who aren’t respectful. There is to be no jogging, power walking, cell phone conversations or loud talking. We encountered this behavior all the way through the preserve. So the chances of seeing wildlife are greatly diminished.

This preserve offers up close views of alligators and manatees as well as myriad birds. There are three boardwalks. The Welcome Center offers views of manatees and alligators. The Oasis is alligator heaven and provides an interesting display about panthers. US Hwy. 41 is the main route through the Preserve which means you can travel at highway speeds to the various areas.

Just before the rainy season started, I went to check out the Preserve, specifically to drive on the Loop Road, before it became too wet. It was a fabulous afternoon. I stopped to chat with the ranger at the Welcome Center just east of Carniestown for tips and great maps. (It's important to have paper maps, as there is limited cell service within the Preserve) and asked where the gators were hanging out. I continued east on 41, stopped at the Kirby Storter Roadside Park for a nice boardwalk (herons, egrets, turtles) and then moved on to Loop road. The road is not paved except at the far northeastern end. But the drive was amazing. Alligators were everywhere, visible from the car (or you could sneak out to snap a pictures). Lots of birds: egrets, hawks, roseate spoonbills, herons. You can just pull over if you see something interesting. I was driving my sedan, but it would have been better in a taller vehicle. And afterwards, I did have to wash my car, as it definitely looked like I had been off-roading. Kept my phone charged and brought water and snacks. Wonderful drive, fabulous pictures. Highly recommend.

we went there to camp in a tent. The campground itself was quiet nice but it was off the main road and it was very noisy all night long. The trucks and traffic that goes by becomes very loud drowning out the natural sounds of the night in the wilderness. They do not have showers only a small toilet facility.

Lots and lots of gators. Great boardwalk to see them bathrooms are close but they do have poter johns. Lots of information at the visitors center friendly people

We made some photo stops along the road. It was a cooler day, but sunny, so we saw a lot of alligators sunning themselves on the banks. The scenery was gorgeous. Many varieties of birds, too. Such lovely scenery!

It is a beautiful place that I think people should put on their bucket list. A lot of wildlife to see.

Lived in FL for 16 years yet this was my first trip here. It was gorgeous, natural old Florida. So glad we came down.

I came to Florida to see the Everglades and fortunately came here first. This site, referred to as the Western Everglades, offers visitors a fascinating video of how the Everglades were formed and the threats to its survival. A short nature trail behind the visitors' center led us to a large pond where tourists could see unusual birds, a wide variety of large and small fish in the shallow water---and two alligators gliding through the water. What an introduction! Follow Highway 41.

If you want to see lots of wildlife there are two options here. You can take the tram at one entrance and see lots of birds flying around along with baby alligators. The tram was $20 a person and well worth it.

If you take the dirt road trail by car, there are snails in trees and alligators and crocodiles living side by side which is unusual. This section is free.

Around the park you can join fishing expeditions, take airboat tours, and eat great seafood. All separate fees because it’s not part of the national Park.

There is an entrance fee per a car and the parking lot can be full if you get to the tram entrance too late.

I always enjoy visiting all the natural places I can when I'm traveling. It's really the only way to get to see what that part of the country looked like before all the development and destruction that man has created in the name of advancement and civilization. I love that they were able to preserve this beautiful place.

We stopped at the visitorscentre. The staff was very helpfull and friendly ! We made a hike there and did see a lot of alligators, birds, …. A part of the trail was in knee deep water and because we only had sneakers on we took them off and walked a few parts barefoot. If you don't feel like hiking there is a little boardwalk were you might see some alligators. Do go inside for some more information.

Spent part of a day exploring the Big Cypress National Preserve along highway 41 (Tamiami Trail) with the family and everyone really enjoyed it.
The natural preserve is very large and offers a wide range of activities including trails, canoe paths, camping and structured visitor spots. We limited our exploration to the spots along the highway, but there is plenty more to explore.
After a brief stop at the welcome center we went to Kirby Storter Park and then on to the Oasis Visitor Center. All of these spots have good facilities and are excellent for families, including ones with younger children. The Kirby Storter Park has a raised walkway that takes you through different areas into the swamps and then to a pond. We saw plenty of interesting fauna and birds on the way and then an alligator, some turtles and fishes, including a Florida gar, at the pond. Safe, easy and enjoyable walk. At the Oasis Visitor Center there were plenty of alligators lounging in the channel that is right next to the visitor center. We spent quite a while there checking out the different gator - all from a raised platform that lets you see them up close.
This is a natural preserve that has a lot to offer to everyone, ranging from families with children to wilderness adventurers.

We drove thru on a birding trip. Lots of side roads to travel and bird watch from car. There are places to pull off and hike boardwalks or trails. We saw lots of birds in the 4 hrs we were driving around. Nice Visitors Center, but restrooms weren't working since hurricane Irma came thru. They did have port o potties.

This is an amazing place and we loved going on the Ranger tours for the wet walk and the canoe trip (we suggest you do not sit on the cushions or you may fall in). I love to visit National Parks, and I really enjoy those that show natural habitats and surroundings. The Park rangers are fabulous and if you can get one named Cheryl, she can tell you all about the biology while on the wet walk.

We drove through the preserve on highway 41 and I was amazed at all the spectacular sights visible just out the passenger window. The sun shining off black tire-like sheen from alligators napping on canal banks; belted kingfishers perched on power lines posed for spotting fish in the crystal clear waters below; stunning Wood storks, ibis, great blue herons, egrets are avian ornaments filling tree limbs near and far; Rosetta spoonbills adorned in pink plumage sail by in flight; sawgrass fields forever and an odd sight of palms meeting pines. The wondrous wheel journey is lovely and awe-inspiring as every inch produces natural beauty and marvels to behold!

The best way to see the Cypress National Preserve is via Highway 41 from Naples to Miami where there are a number of stops that provides walks through the swamps and views of animals such as akigators.Take time to do the walks as they are worthwhile and stop at the major National Parks Center on the Miami side which has good views of Aligators.

While we were somewhat disappointed with the Park itself, Their Dark Sky Night, held monthly on the night of a new moon, is not to be missed. It's free, and all ages are welcome (bring folding chairs) for a look at a night sky like you've never seen. Two astronomy experts give an easy to understand description of what you're looking at. Most of us, when we look up at the night sky, see very few stars. I'm old enough to remember when more were visible, but that view has long since diminished. well, the stars are out there, and you'll see more than you could ever have imagined. Don't miss it!

By the way, the gates to the park are open 24x7, so if you can't make it on the night of a new moon, you can go on your own. Even though you won't have the lecturers to explain what you're looking at, but I expect the view would still be pretty dramatic.

We spent the afternoon here. The boardwalks are well maintained and provide a great place to safely spot crocodiles. We also drove down the unpaved road and found many birds.

After visiting the Gulf Coast area of Everglades National Park we chose to visit nearby Big Cypress National Preserve. The welcome center is very close to the entrance of the Gulf side of the park. It is a very nice newer building with various displays, a gift shop, a theater that shows a film about the park and a boardwalk behind the building. Our daughter completed the junior ranger program and was given a new badge to add to her collection. Everglades, Big Cypress and Biscayne National Park all use the same Junior Ranger book.

I wish we had more time to explore the park and take one of the driving loops but after visiting the welcome center we drove to the other visitor center in the park which was around 20 miles away. A nice thing about this national park site as opposed to most is that there is a very flat highway that runs through the park and allows you to drive faster. I had read the older visitor center was a reliable place to see alligators and we were rewarded with seeing 5 of them. There is a boardwalk in front of the visitors center beside the main road where we saw them. Our visit was in early October and apparently during the winter you can often see many more. There is no admission charge for Big Cypress National Preserve.

Our main objective in visiting Big Cypress National Preserve was to see alligators in the wild and we were fortunate to be able to do so. I would love to return sometime in the future to explore other areas of this unique park.

We stopped as we drove along on our way to Everglades City and points beyond. It was very informative, with well done displays and easy to follow information. There is a great boardwalk just outside the front doors that you can walk along and view all sorts of birds and fish jumping as they feed, as well as quite a number of alligators basking in the sunshine. It’s a really good way to spend an hour or so, stretch your legs and stop in as you travel by.

Visited during shut down. Volunteers were staffing and all restrooms were open and clean even though no formal staff.

We did the scenic loop after coming from the Everglades Shark Valley Visitors Center. The two are very close together. We saw lots of wildlife including hundreds of gators, gar, turtles and predator birds. We got out at several stops and just watched the gators swim and sun. We did the snail hiking trail and saw some snails and some beautiful bromeliads in the trees. My wife found a few of the popular air plants you see in the stores a lot nowadays. The children enjoyed the drive and we went by the visitor center when we finished the scenic tour. The center was closed down for lunch but the boardwalk was open so we did that and saw even bigger gators here. I think with more time and planning we would come back in winter and not June but would like to hike through the park more. Will definitely be back sometime.

I drove the loop of Big Cypress in May 2017. The drive was quite a pleasant change from urban Miami. I didn't really have a plan and only an afternoon to spare so I just enjoyed a nice slow cruise through the Preserve. I was surprised by the different environments along the road from dry dusty savanna to wooded swamp. Someday I'd like to return and explore as I noted several trailheads to primitive campgrounds deep in the Preserve. The loop road started just west of the Oasis Visitor Center on Route 41 (I drove the loop counterclockwise). The Visitor center is about 45 minutes west of outer Miami proper depending on road construction near the Shark Valley entrance. On the road back I stopped at the Pilot Center for gas and had a very good (and inexpensive) expresso drink from the small coffee shop outside the gas station. Worth the drive if you like wild nature experiences even if you are just passing by.

Big Cypress National Preserve is large and fairly remote. I started my visit at the Oasis Visitor Center. I only stopped in the building long enough to stamp my National Park passport book, as I arrived much later than I wanted and the visitor center was about to close. There was a short boardwalk by the visitor center, so I walked that. It runs along a little body of water, which was filled with fish. I also saw several alligators in the water.

After leaving the visitor center, I drove down the road to a nearby trail, with another boardwalk. I did a portion of the trail. The boardwalk begins as grassland, but the enters the cypress trees for which the preserve is named.

I would have liked to have gone further on the trail and to have driven the loop road back, but it was getting dark. I did find the portion of the trail that I walked quiet lovely and it was a great spot for photography. Big Cypress was definitely worth the drive.

Me and my brother drove through and hiked through this area on our way home from Naples. By the visitors center, I saw a territorial dispute between 2 birds, an eastern meadowlark and northern mockingbird, a manatee, some warblers and killdeer. Saw a bald eagle in flight while driving through Tamiani Trail in Big Cypress National Preserve. When driving through Turner Road, saw a few large alligators. Turner Road was an unpaved dirt road so I recommend a SUV or pick-up truck when driving through those roads. I recommend it to anyone who loves seeing nature and wildlife.

Lots of interesting plants & trees to see, watch for wildlife, and see the Visitor's Centers. It was interesting to see the Base Camps for those fighting the fires that were occurring through the Park

Easy to see and enjoy nature and wildlife from or close to the highway. A number of parking lots with trails of different lengths. It is easy to see alligators here.

We were directed to many stops and walks in the park by very informative rangers. The displays were done very nice.

MAde several stops. Wildlife, alligators and Everglades beauty to be found. Skip I-75 and travel the Tamiami trail to see this wonderful area.

There's a mile boardwalk that goes out deep into the swamp. We saw alligators when we first entered the walk along with lots of baby alligators (not sure how safe this was). At the end is a pond where we saw a water moccasin snake, a little too close for me, and very large alligators. Excellent walk with all the wildlife and wildlife sounds.

Be advised that the turnoffs from the Tamiami Trail road to the Big Cypress driving loop trail are not well marked. Yes, there's a sign for Monroe Station, but it doesn't mention the loop drive. The other end is also discrete, beginning in a residential (Native American?) area. Once on the driving trail, the views are at the culverts, where you can see into the swamp. Lots of long-legged birds of various species are wading, perching or flying overhead. Countless air plants growing on the swamp trees. Flowers. About the gators, although you will probably see one on the side of the road, you'll see many more if you step out of your car and look into the swamp. Nevertheless, someone with mobility issues will be able to see some wonderful things from the comfort of their car.

Walking around this place was fabulous. Got to see lots of alligators and some fantastic bird life. You need mosquito spray unless you want to be eaten alive - and that's not by a gator!

Our visit was very interesting. We saw alligators and many different species of birds. We saw cypress swamps and mangrove swamps. vast grasslands and beautiful sunsets. I would highly recommend big cypress as a destinations in South Florida.

Tons of alligators. That was most of the wildlife we saw. I thought an extensive place like this would be teaming with birds, raccoons and many things, but no, mainly alligators

So many birds! And gators, of course. If you’re going to the Everglades or just driving across southern Florida don’t miss Big Cypress. It’s beautiful!

I went on a Sunday for a day trip alone. Wow what a beautiful place. There are plenty of air boat tours, hiking trails and fishing spots along the roads. A great visitor center as you enter the park as well. I took a look at some campgrounds for future reference and they were spacious for an RV. I saw a lot of gators but did not see any panthers. I would recommend at least 2 to 3 days to really explore. I would personally like to spend a week hiking and fishing in the near future.

This is a great day trip. The park is free and that is a plus for those who don’t want to pay to go into the Everglades Park. The big loop drive is very much like dodging winter potholes on Minnesota roads. It is unpaved and full of places that need to be driven over slowly, but you will see some awesome areas of cypress and alligators sunning themselves. The Oasis Visitor Center main building may not be open at all times, but the bathrooms and boardwalk are there. The boardwalk is awesome! There were so many alligators, birds and fish to view. The welcome center boardwalk had a manatee that was visiting in the waterways.

We had rain in Ft. Lauderdale so we headed west to visit the Everglades. The $3.25 we spent to drive down "Alligator Alley " on our way to Big Cypress was totally worth it! There are several recreational areas to stop along the road to see wildlife. Big Cypress National Preserve bleeds into several other small stops in the area to make for a exciting half day trip!

The loop trail offered an easy way to see some of the preserve, though the road was pretty rough. The scenery on this route did not have a great deal of variety, but it was a nice few hours.

It is a long drive across the Everglades but I think every American interested in the diversity of this country’s topography should see this. Make sure you stop at the visitor center to see the alligators.

NOT much here🙁 Sometimes you have to ask yourself WHY some National Parks are even listed🙁 They don’t even have a National Park sign by the entrance😳 Small visitors center and few gifts. The boardwalk out front of the visitors area is a short football field length at best. The boardwalk could use some repair love! Did see a BIG boy gator😃

Enjoyed visiting this area. Lots of birds and gators. Bugs were not out today. Lots of plants to view. Enjoyed seeing this region of the country.

We decided to stop here on the way to another destination and I'm glad we did. We saw alligators right from the boardwalk. Lots of birds too. Don't forget your camera!

Visited the preserve on the way to Naples, Florida. Nice views of wildlife - birds, fish, turtles and alligators. Take your camera, but watch taking your pet for a walk and keep an eye on your kids.

We parked in the free lot and walked into the visitor center. There were clean bathrooms and a gift shop. David gave us a map of Big Cypress and told us where to find the best animals. We were the only ones to watch a brief film about the plants & animals in the Big Cypress preserve.

Surprised that the Big Cypress National Preserve is over a million acres of park land, Indian communities, campgrounds... David told us that if we walk for more than a mile we will hit water, so we stayed on the boardwalk.

We walked outside and followed the short boardwalk along the alligator filled waters. Huge alligators were sunning on the rocks and others were swimming past us. There were a lot of alligators to watch. The waters were filled with fish, the huge alligator gar couldn't be missed, they didn't seem phased by the alligators.

Beautiful place with an awesome boardwalk and a fantastic nature and visitor center. Is it free? Nope but it’s worth the price of admission. It’s a great way to get a taste of the Everglades in a safe and relaxing environment. An abundance of birds and wildlife and just a very peaceful walk in nature.

Don't drive by. Stop. Great boardwalk experience. A nice introduction if you are heading east on 41.

Thank you americans of keeping well your nature, so pure, so rich, so clean! One can stop a car and enjoy alligators just 2 meters from your legs, numbers of different birds, plenty of fish, turtles and etc.

This is a very large preserve between the Everglades and the west coast. There are several areas along the Tamiami trail to stop and get out of the car. some have little boardwalk trails which are interesting. Many have alligators. All have birds and turtles and such. Take time to speak to the rangers in the visitor centers to figure out what you want to see.

Some of the areas had volunteers to help explain and point out wildlife

Well worth the time to stop and hike around

If you want to see alligators in their natural habitat this is the place to go. You can view them from a boardwalk high above the water. The visitor center had a lot of information.

Big Cypress National Preserve has a great scenic drive that includes lots of opportunities to view exotic plats and animals. We were there in June 2021.

After a bicycle tour of Shark Valley in the Everglades, we had some time in the afternoon and visited Big Cypress National Preserve. It's a very similar natural setting as the Everglades, but no admission to enter and it's much less crowded. We first stopped at the Oasis Visitor Center on Tamiami Trail. The boardwalk in front of the visitor center was great to spot a ton of alligators as well as anhingas and other wading birds. Almost no walking required! The southern terminus of the Florida National Scenic Trail is here. I like to hike on long-distance trails, even if just for a short ways. The ranger in the visitor center lent us hiking sticks since it could get muddy. We didn't make it very far, because it was really overgrown, but saw a lot of butterflies on the trail. We also stopped at the Swamp Welcome Center, closer to Everglades City. The canal behind the center sometimes has manatees, but there were none when we visited. A ranger suggested we drive the Turner River-Wagon Wheel loop road for more wildlife viewing opportunities. It's about 17 miles on wide gravel roads. Especially along Turner River Road, which runs along the canal, we saw a lot of birds from the car. All in all, it's definitely a great place to visit to spot wildlife and escape the crowds in the Everglades during the dry season.

If you are afraid of alligators; if you are the least bit claustrophobic; if you can't sit on the floor with your legs straight out, bend over and touch your nose to your knees; if you have a sit on top kayak (instead of a sit inside kayak); if you only have 4 hours; if you want good information about the history of this area and the animals and plants; if you want help when you tip your canoe over into the alligator infested waters; or if you are not physically fit or have any health concerns DON'T TAKE THIS TRIP! Let me explain.

We saw no less than a dozen alligators, several were VERY close. I was paddling across an open area toward the mangroves and suddenly caught a glimpse of TEETH in the branches....GATOR!!! another time, the canoe in front plowed into the reeds (guy in back "steering" should be flogged). As I came upon the spot they just exited I was stunned to see a large gator just sitting there....it never moved when that canoe nearly ran over it!These gators are WAY too comfortable being near us humans. In fact, as we paddled down the last stretch of our long (5+ hour) ordeal, I thought we were home free. Then I heard "Well hello there, would you like to jump in?" and as I came up where the lady had been, there was a gator RIGHT on the edge with its nose sticking out into the channel. I was so close as I passed, I could have reached over and touched the snout (teeth again!). All I could think of was "I hope it is not an angry gator or my toes are gone." (I was in a sit on top kayak).

I like mangrove tunnels when they are passable. These tunnels put us thru a grueling physical ordeal we will not soon forget. In some spots, I questioned whether we would even be able to get under the branches. I was in a sit on top kayak. In most mangrove tunnels you can lift up the branches and go under or push them aside. Not here! In fact, there was actually one branch that someone had cut about halfway through (clean saw cut was evident) and gave up! You pushed on these trees and they just laughed at you. No movement at all! Your choice was to lay back as flat as possible and hope your balance held or fold forward pressing your face to your knees. After scraping my scalp 10 times, the top of my head felt raw for days. My hamstrings screamed for days also.

There were some older folks (we are mid 50's so you decide what older means) and I just don't know how they endured. People in canoes had to get off their seats and sit on the cold wet metal bottom of the canoe (which by now is filled with a few inches of water along with everything that got knocked off, leaped off, swam into, or dropped into the bottom of the canoe). These were not short tunnels. We battled our way thru the first tunnel and the guide asked "Are you ready to go thru tunnel #2?" NOBODY answered...we were all thinking "No!"

OK tunnel #2 WAS just gorgeous in spots (the spots where you could actually sit up without hitting your head). I took lots of photos. We were really in a swamp. And then...my husband screamed - a snake had swam up his pant leg....nice.

We were nearly 4 hours into the trip and had reached the turn around mark thinking "How long IS this trip?!" And then we heard the shocking news...we had to do it all over again! It was like childbirth. The first time you had no idea how hard it could possibly be.The second time you KNOW what it will be like and it terrifies you. So....back we went slogging through the forest grunting and groaning with each unyielding branch.

Did I mention a woman fell out of her canoe, screamed "Help me! Help me!" and neither of the guides went to her aid? We finally looked at the guy at the back and said, "Dude, you need to get up there and help that woman." Wow....granted she was more scared than anything (considering the number of gators we'd seen). Still, when I take a tour with a guide, I expect their help when things go wrong. I shudder to think how we would have managed if someone actually got hurt.

I expected a pleasant journey down the Turner River with some good information from the guides about the area. There was very little information shared and when questions were posed, they knew nothing. The guides were there to paddle but nothing more than that. This was a 5 1/2 hour grueling journey in a group that was WAY too large in mangrove tunnels that were WAY too dense accompanied by gators that were WAY too comfortable with humans. If that's your scene go for it....

I have put 4 out of 5 because I can't understand that people can hunt in a preserve. I have seen people smoke and litter. But the trail are very nice and in good shape

We were so impressed by the beauty of Big Cypress that we enjoyed it more than the Everglades. The visitor center is not that big but the Ranger was very helpful in planning what we should do. We drove the scenic route and we saw a gator crossing the road. Lots of bird watching as well.

Stop at the visitor center to get a map of the area. The park ranger was very informative. We drove some dirt roads and so many alligators, birds. and wildlife.

This park is free to enter and has alligators galore. Easy to spot them at the HP Williams boardwalk and the Oasis visitor centre.

No fuel and not much food and drink in the park so suggest bringing your own with you.

We chose the Big Cypress Biking Trip which took place on the Fire Prairie Trail. It lasted two and one-half hours and covered five miles. We mostly learned about the flora in the forest and prairie in this part of the Preserve. We learned how a slight change in elevation means different plants and trees. We did see butterflies and some birds. Across from the trailhead, we saw alligators and more birds in a canal. My wife and I were the only ones who signed up for this tour so we had a private tour from the ranger and her two volunteer helpers. The fee is $40.00 if you bring your own bike and $60.00 if you use theirs. We found this tour well worth our money and time. After the tour, we biked on our own on Turner River Road.

The Big Cypress National Preserve is a place we go to every time we visit Florida.
This time with our kids. They really enjoyed the wilderness, we saw a snake, pigs and alligators such as turtles.
This walk is always an adventure for it's own.

Big Cypress is a unique preserve with 4 varied ecosystems. There are many hikes and boardwalks of varying length. All beautiful. The rangers in the visitors centers are excellent and informative. Don't miss a lovely boardwalk at Kirby Storter. And just for the heck of it, the gift shop at Big Cypress Swamp welcome center has some great nature oriented souvenirs.

We never expected to see so many alligators by just taking a 30' drive around the park loop. Real wild alligators, real close, and many of them! So many big birds too everywhere, such dense vegetation.

For a more intense experience, you need an airboat, or to get your feet wet.

We really recommend it!

Loop Road is mostly unpaved water is high now wildlife is there but hard to find due to high water , found two Alligators and some blue herons,road is OK to travel , give yourself some time due travel speed is slow because of traffic & dirt road also watch your speed Indian Police at end of loop road that is paved

The park is huge, several places to see and hike. You could spend an entire day here. Must see if you enjoy nature, birds, and gators

This is an incredible ecosystem to see. We drove through to the visitor center and got a Junior Ranger booklet for my son and checked out the visitor center a little. After going to another museum, we went on a nice hike along a canal and saw alligators.

This is a short boardwalk a few miles south of the Marco Junction (highway 92) on the east side of the highway next to an Indian Village and gift shop that I believe has no affiliation but serves as a good site marker. The great thing about this boardwalk is that there are almost always birds, gators and other wildlife that are easy to get to for children of all ages. Many times I have spotted my first gator before even getting to the boardwalk proper. For some it can be a little scary to understand that an animal of that size can be only a few yards away without any barriers or protection. But, the key is to remember that it is their home and our duty to avoid confrontation. Even if you don't see a lot of wildlife there or along the boardwalk, there is a viewing platform at the end that has always rewarded my visiting friends with some good photo opportunities.

Always keep your eyes open and take note that sunscreen is still a good idea since the canopy is not always as dense as it seems.

Thanks to the volunteers at the Big Cypress Swamp Welcome Center for keeping the visitors center open during the government shutdown and for all their good tips. There is a short boardwalk right behind the visitors center from which we saw 5 manatees swim by. We then drove the Birdon Road loop where we saw our first alligators and lots of birds. To easily find the alligators check by the fishermen. At the end of the loop is the H.P. Williams Roadside Park which has another short boardwalk where we saw more alligators. We then drove the loop road which begins at Monroe Station. We were able to see the beautiful cypress swamp and lots more alligators, including a HUGE 11 or 12 footer. After that we stopped at the Oasis Visitor center, which was closed due to the shutdown, but also has a short boardwalk where we saw many more alligators and birds.

I like National Parks and the beauty of nature. Ok this is a swamp. I love the humid, steamy haunting beauty of nature unspoiled. Big Cypress has its own heavy wet remoteness that can make you feel that you are in the middle of nowhere. The Cypress trees wade in green brackish muck...but they have a stolid beauty about them. If you have never seen a beautiful swamp.. you should give Big Cypress a look. I felt like I was the visitor in alien marshy world.

It is more fun to traverse Florida on The Tamiami Trail (41) the on Alligator Alley (75). Lost of place to stop and check stuff out. The people at the Big Cypress Swamp Visitors Center were really nice and helpful. We took the additional time to take the loop road. If you do, get the guide specifically for that loop. About 25% paved, the rest in pretty good condition. Take a picnic and enjoy the time and place.

Wonderful place to either hike or drive and view wildlife. Along Tamiami Trail (route 41) there are several spots you can pull off and walk along an elevated boardwalk to view fish, alligators and birds. The Oasis Visitor Center has a wonderful video that runs about 25 minutes. Great day trip.

Our experience with Big Cypress was overall "okay."

It took about an hour to drive the straight, flat road from west Miami to the Oasis Visitor Center. It was closed but the restrooms were open. Its wooden boardwalk parallels the road, so it's a bit noisy, but allows a good view into the water, where we saw various fish, including gar, a fairly large turtle, and an alligator sunning itself.

Continuing west, we stopped at the Kirby Storter area, which has some picnic tables under small roofs, a restroom, and an easy, one-mile boardwalk. It was quiet and a decent place for watching birds. A little further west is the H.P. Williams area; this boardwalk is rather short, but was a small treasure trove of alligators, a few camouflaged and a few cruising the water. There were also some picnic tables, a restroom, and some shade from trees.

A few more miles west is the N.P. Reed Visitor Center. As we entered, a young boy was reciting the oath to become a Junior Ranger, which always brings a smile to our faces. The front desk offers a spot to stamp the NPS Passport with both Big Cypress and Everglades stamps. There were minimal exhibits, a small store (including a few snacks), older but serviceable restrooms, and a very short boardwalk. No alligators were visible, but a marked pole was described on a board as showing how high the water will be in future years -- 12 feet in the year 2100.

A movie was already in progress in an empty room across the breezeway, which we stumbled upon by accident (there were no signs, no arrows, no announcement that there even was a movie). Shortly after we were joined by a large family with poorly-behaved children, one of whom kept shining a laser pointer about. Upon the movie's end, we decided to wait in order to catch the beginning, but three NPS employees (rangers?) came in and, weirdly, proceeded to have what appeared to be a little meeting. So we left. The video was from 2009, so it's due for an update.

On the drive back toward Miami, it was fun to see the little Post Office, the Clyde Butcher (photography) gallery, and some campgrounds, and we took note of the several swamp tour locations along the way. Would definitely take one next time we're in the area, which would hopefully add to the experience. It would also be lovely to return in the evening to photograph some ethereal swamp scenery.

While Big Cypress is not our favorite type of NPS site, and the NPS visitor encounters definitely need upgrading, it must be respected for what it preserves -- critical wetlands, marine life, wildlife, plants, diverse habitats. It is also our country's first national preserve.

We didn't do a ton here, but still enjoyed the drive through, and a couple stops at the visitor centers. Good place to see gators, birds, and lots of biodiversity.

We just took a quick walk down one of the walkways that are elevated above the swampy landscape, but it was fascinating. In an hour we saw a lot. Great natural landscape!

You get into this place on the way from Everglades city to Gator World via an Indian town. There are so many gators along the way ....

This is a National Preserve (not a National Park) covering more than 729,000 acres of southwestern Florida adjoining Everglades National Park. It's most easily accessed from Tamiami Trail (US 41). The closest services are at Everglades City and Naples; there are only a few restaurants along Tamiami Trail, so plan accordingly. There is no fee to enter the preserve, but some activities such as ranger-led tours or camping require a reservation and/or fee.

Things you can do (mileage given is from San Marco Blvd./State Rt. 92, on the west side of the preserve):

There are two Visitor Centers, one at either side of the preserve on Tamiami Trail. Big Cypress Swamp Welcome Center is on the west side (18.2 miles), and offers exhibits, gift shop, canoe launch, and restrooms (239-695-4758). Oasis Visitor Center is on the east side (37.1 miles), and also offers exhibits, information, small gift shop and restrooms (239-695-1201). At this location there is a nice boardwalk beside a canal where you can see alligators and wading birds. Both visitor centers are open everyday except Christmas, 9:00-4:30. Ask about scheduled tours and activities.

Besides the paved Tamiami Trail, there are two unpaved scenic loop roads through the preserve. Loop Road on the east side of the preserve (32.8 and 52.5 miles) is 27 miles long and ventures through cypress and pine forests. Turner River-Wagonwheel-Birdon Loop on the west side of the preserve (19 and 22.4 miles) is 17 miles long and passes through prairies and bird-watching areas. Inquire at Visitor Centers regarding the current conditions of the roads.

There are hundreds of miles of hiking trails in the preserve, including the Florida National Scenic Trail, which crosses Tamiami Trail near the Oasis Visitor Center (37.1 miles). The 2.4 mile Gator Hook Trail and short Tree Snail Hammock Trail are accessed from the scenic Loop Road. There are more trails - Consult the preserve website for a map of trails or stop at one of the visitor centers.

Two "roadside parks" are located on Tamiami Trail. HP Williams Roadside Park (22.4 miles) has a parking area by a viewing platform where alligators and wading birds can be seen. Picnic area and restrooms are available. Kirby Storter Roadside Park (29.4 miles) has a picnic area, restrooms, and a mile-long elevated boardwalk through prairie and cypress swamp.

There are also opportunities for camping, boating and canoeing in the preserve, but we did not try any of these activities.

The visitor centers, Oasis boardwalk, and both roadside parks are completely wheelchair accessible, including the boardwalk at Kirby Storter.

Most of these locations mentioned above have their own Tripadvisor pages, so check them for further information. If you don't have a lot of time, I recommend that the best places to stop are Oasis Visitor Center and Kirby Storter Roadside Park. We were not bothered by mosquitoes, but be prepared with repellent.

The preserve is impressive with lots of birds and alligators. We walked along the broadwalks and saw basking gators and swimming gators. We drove along the loop road for a little way and found two alligators along the road not 15 feet from our car! The road is paved on the east side, but in poor condtion on the west.

I knew going to BCNP that summer is not the best time to see wildlife. But I still wanted to go. Winter months are the time to see manatee and other wildlife. They also have ranger led activities in the winter months. But I still enjoyed my trip and walked the boardwalk to see the Cypress swamp. Be sure to stop by one of the 2 visitor centers and watch the film. It teaches you so much and makes your trip more meaningful. And be sure to stop by and see the smallest post office in the USA on Tamiami Trail

Beautiful place to drive through, stop, visit, take hikes and just enjoy this awesome place. We took many hikes and took hundreds of photos during our visit, while seeing lots of wildlife.

Ranger Patrick O’Reilly did a fabulous job introducing us to this awe inspiring place where we saw 25 plus alligators in a truly natural and apparently pristine environment. The hike to get there along the muddy trail was an education in itself about the panthers, deers, snails and birds that call this Cypress forest their home. Highly recommend this trip to one of the few sinkhole lakes in the area to see some real Florida. If you are lucky you will have a ranger as knowledgeable and quietly passionate as Patrick.

Sidebar: In the Preserve we stopped at the smallest post office in the US.

Also, we really enjoyed the preserve. There were several great trails with informative panels. And the visitor centres were staffed with knowledgeable and helpful folk.

Awesome time camping at Bear Island Campground inside Big Cypress National Preserve! Super friendly staff at visitor center when you get to park! Great campsite, first come first serve!

Free entry nice presentations displays of EG wildlife, nature trail and informative park Rangers. Decent distance between stops..Need a clean restroom, stop here.

We did not find the loop road to be in bad shape when we did it. Hardly a bump in the road.
You see most of the wildlife at the little bridges that cross the roads. The birds and alligators seems to collect here, otherwise on both sides of the road it is just a wall of green.
We saw lots of alligators, and quite a few herons, actually more here than in the everglades park.
We took our time and made it a real treasure hunt to find the different animals. Beautiful day, and lots to see, we thought it was worth the trip in.
We did go to the visitors centre, not much to see here, nor were the park rangers very friendly.

come and see real wildlife in real habitats visit every year for the last 25 years never get fed up with this wonderful place.

Great for the whole family. This free preserve is a great opportunity to see fantastic wildlife! Stop at this center first- the park rangers are friendly and have the best ideas. They can offer suggestions of an itinerary depending on your time available.

Plan a couple of hours to take it small in. We only did the board walk. Would be nice to try the hike, but we leave it for next time. The ranger program was canceled, but the inside rangers are very informative. The board walk is lovely to see the gators, fish and birds up close. Also, this is a place where painters paint the wildlife!

The boardwalk at the visitor center was absolutely amazing! There were many huge alligators and other wildlife to see there and we felt we could have stayed there for hours. However, time was short, so we moved on and drove the loop road. Very nice scenic drive through the Cyprus Forest/Swamp.

Loved feeding the Flamingos! We took our family here while they were in town visiting and they just loved it.

Great place to experience nature!!! Quite a long distance ride to get to the Preserve!!! Beautiful views of the Everglades as you travel along the highway. Knowledgeable docents in the lobby of the Visitors Center.

This is a whole other area right next to the Everglades, about 30 min west down the road after Shark Valley. This place has a whole host of trails and a great visitor's center as well, but I'd encourage you to check out the ranger-led activities. You could easily pay several hundred dollars for a canoe trip of the Everglades area, or you could make a reservation 2 weeks ahead for a canoe trip with two Big Cypress rangers. This was a ~4 hour trip that was one of the coolest experiences of the entire trip.

You can get the activities at the National Park Service website - navigate to BICY for Big Cypress, and then Plan your Visit, Ranger-Led-Activities. Call ahead for spots, particularly for the canoe trip! We met at the canoe trip location, got organized, and headed out on a short trip to get used to the canoes before starting on the longer part of the trip. We stopped after about 2.5 hours and took a lunch break - bring shoes you're comfortable with getting wet/muddy - and be comfortable with getting down in the canoe to duck through the mangrove tunnels. Lots of good wildlife viewing, lots of alligators, birds, etc., and ongoing educational talks by the rangers to let us know about the history, the wildlife, the trees, and other fun facts. Truly an unbelievably cool experience. Not to be missed!

I have been to the eastern part of the everglades many time but never to this area. At first glance people occasionally think it is pretty boring. Take the time to take a swamp tour with one of the many companies in the area. Take time to walk the trails and boardwalks. Also drive the dirt roads. I recommend the Loop Road. I drive it from east to west. The speed limit is 25 but that is too fast if you want to see the bird life and alligators. I drive 5 mph and hug the south side of the road. Look into all the openings and you will see lots of gators and black-crowned night herons. A lens of at least 400 mm and a tripod are needed for good photos. If you want to see the Liguus tree snails walk the Tree Snail Hammock Trail. It is especially good after a rain. I spotted nearly 100 snail in three days. Also try Birdon and Turner Roads. Just after dawn I spotted a Florida Panther on Birdon Road. Turner Road is great for birds and gators.The welcome center just east of Rte. 29 has free wi-fi. Be prepared for mosquitoes if you visit during the wet season.

Found this online and what a find. You can get a 4 to 5 hour canoe trip led by park rangers for free. What a wonderful experience. Our trip was led by Miles who was wonderful. The setting is pristine and the sights amazing. Canoeing next to alligators and through mangrove tunnels. One of the most exciting attractions I have experienced. Must make a reservation two weeks ahead. These trips fill up so be sure to call as soon as you can. Would do this again in a heartbeat

Started out by going to the visitors center on the Tamiami trail. It is a very nice area with lots of gators and birds in the canal. It's almost scary how "friendly" the gators are when you are on the platform to see them. Some come right out of the water up to the platform (they can't get you from there) looking at you like they're begging for food. My guess is some people feed them marshmallows or other sweets(food). DON'T DO THAT!!! That is NOT their natural food and is VERY bad for their health!!! It's not a good idea to do whatever it takes to get them to open their mouth and jump out of the water!!! Please let them do that in their natural habitat, without human intervention. They will open their mouth on their own on shore so as to regulate body temperature. I got great photos of that. Anyways, you can take swamp tours as I did, and view lots of mangrove trees, different habitat, insects,wildflowers and wildlife. It's an incredible area and very quiet compared to Everglades National Park.

My boyfriend and I are on vacation in Fort Myers, and drove about 2 hours to visit this preserve. We are so glad we did! We almost immediately saw alligators! Right from the start we saw alligators, birds and turtles. We opted to call and cancel the airboat tour we had planned later in the day in the Everglades because we were already seeing so much on our own. We are so glad we made that choice. We ended up driving around on the looped roads and spent 7+ hours checking out alligators in their natural habitat. It was phenomenal!! You will get epic photos and videos. We stayed in our car most of the time and kept our windows rolled down. We saw over 50 alligators. Absolutely incredible! Make sure to pack snacks, lunch, Waters etc because there is nothing near this area aside from a gas station outside the Preserve. Make sure you have plenty of gas too because you’ll definitely want to take your time
In the Preserve.

Awesome experience. Highly recommend it!

This is a must see if you are spending time in the Everglades. An absolutely beautiful serene place. I would definitely recommend the 22 mile loop.

Lot to see in Big Cypress, so long as you are willing to get out of your car and get your feet wet in the swamp. Lots of trails to explore, some of which are submerged under a foot or more of water depending upon the time of year you go. Big Cypress doesn't have a lot to offer people who want to stay in their cars, and there aren't a lot of boardwalks, although there are some.

Highly recommend- we stopped when we had a few hours before our flight home. It is close to the airport; you only pay for parking ($1 hour). The boardwalk is very nicely done. The boys could walk ahead without worrying. Bug spray is a must this time of year. We saw one alligator, lots of turtles and birds.

This preserve is home to numerous inhabitants: reptiles, deer, panther, tropical birds, fish, and the elusive Skunk Ape.
See the marshlands and the cypress trees. Watch out for gators and other native species.

Big Cypress was not on our original itinerary for our once in a lifetime Florida trip but luckily we had flexibility in our schedule and were able to spend time at visitor centers along the Tamiami Trial. We actually stopped at the Oasis Visitor Center twice for the boardwalk viewing of the alligators, turtles and fish.

Make sure to stop at the visitor centers to view the exhibits and learn of resources. Alligators and birds galore.

We enjoyed the everglades vegetation and saw a few alligators, too!! When we were there is wasn't too overpopulated with humans!!

When we popped in at the Oasis Visitor Center on Route 41, I explained we were short of time and what would she recommend if we only have an hour or two. She advised us to drive the Loop Road that starts only a few clicks west of the Oasis Visitor Center. We didn't drive the full loop, as she recommended. But this was such a great place.
This is an unpaved road but any car can handle it. (We went by dry weather and did the loop counterclockwise). For most of the ride you only see thick bushes at the side of the road, but every now there are clearings when you reach a bridge. you see open water with cypresses, all kinds of fish, the most incredible plants. And even more gators. These places are worth stopping and getting out of the car. This may well be the most beautiful piece of nature I have ever seen. We spotted alligators basking in the sun at both sides. So close we could see them from the car,
There is no cost and it is an AWESOME place to see. So worth it. Really. But make sure to use MOSQUITO repellent when you leave the car.

Started here on our way to the everglades. Recieved great information from the park Ranger at the information Center about where to go. Saw a ton of small alligators up close, along w fish and trees. Purchased the 100th anniversary of national parks stamp book.

There are trails, a wonderful visitors' center, and many various opportunities for activities. You could spend days, here. Be careful about snakes, alligators, and panthers, however. Oh, what a beautiful wetland forest! And, it is free! RJT

A must see when visiting the Everglades. An abundance of wildlife and an amazing ecosystem. Peaceful and calming section of Florida and well worth the visit.

This is my happy place. My husband and I come down at least once per month, we have seen so many alligators, beautiful birds, snakes and the most amazing views of the grasslands. If you are in south Florida this is a must if you like the out doors. There are many places to pull over or pull off and explore.

Great place to see mangroves, alligators, and nesting Birds. Great place to kayak and bring a picnic lunch. Well worth a visit.

Keep your eyes open on both sides of the road to see lots of alligators, turtles, and some really weird white-nosed squirrels. We saw a female guarding a clutch of young. She swam right up to us and let us know we better keep our distance. We saw huge males and a bunch of juveniles.

Wonderful area with lots to do. Be sure to start at the Welcome Center or Visitor Center. Manatee, alligator, tons of birds, Hiking, camping & star gazing.

Enjoyed the Big Cypress with birds everywhere. Also plenty of gators. Stop at any bridge and you should see some.

My husband and I plus seven others went on this adventure.3 of the others were children who look to range in age from 10 to 41/2. The two guides, Cody & Maisha (misspelled,sorry) were excellent with the different age ranges and extremely patient with the children. It was very interesting to get into the swamp, learn the history and importance of the area and see how important the swamp ecosystem is. We enjoyed our walk and would recommend it to other. It doesn’t cost anything! All you do is make the reservation with a phone call.

Saw lots of alligators and birds and the drive was free! Beats paying a ton of money for a swamp buggy ride where we saw 2 deer Only.

This was one of the highlights of our trip! We started our visit by stopping at the Oasis Visitor Center. The staff gave us great advice on where to hike and drive to see wildlife. We hiked 4 miles on the trail located at the oasis center. Trail was very flat and easy for our young kids. We then drove the Loop Road Scenic Drive, and saw more alligators than we could count. There is so much to do and explore here, more than we could fit into one day!

It's a 1200 square mile preserve with variety of eco systems but dominated by the river of grass, the wet lands.There are five campgrounds, but only Midway has hookups for RV's. Its the most developed with drinking water, electric, restrooms, a dump station, covered picnic tables and grills. There are 26 RV sites and 10 tent sites. Burns Lake has no hook ups but 10 RV and 5 tent sites. Mitchell's Landing has no hook ups and 12 sites with picnic tables. Monument Lake has no hook ups, but does have drinking water and flush toilets. Pinecrest has four group sites each site accommodates 8 tents. Bear Island has 40 sites.

We visited Big Cypress National Preserve and truly enjoy the experience. The landscape reminded me of what Florida must have been like when people first started to settle here. Big Cypress visitor center is very interesting. The visitor center has a small gift shop, museum quality displays & Park Rangers who can answer your questions and point you in the right direction, give you maps and information on where to hike and what to see. There’s also a nice movie that explains how Big Cypress Preserve came about. We learned that the difference between a National Preserve & a National Park. National Preserve allows fishing, hunting, canoeing, kyacking, camping, & off-roading & boating with permits. The landscape alone is a great reason to visit but you also might see alligators, otters, panthers, bobcats & many many kinds of beautiful birds. The visitor center also has a boardwalk with signs to tell you what to look for. Don’t forget the sun protection & bug spray.

I came to this area of Florida to visit Everglades National Park. I found out, though, that the famous Shark Valley area was flooded, the boat trips were booked, the kayaks were rented (and that it was too windy for kayaks anyway). Reluctantly, I decided to check out Big Cypress and realized it was better than anything I would have done in the National Park. There are multiple boardwalks and alligators were visible from almost all of them. At one of them, an alligator was camped out right in front of the parking area! One boardwalk includes a trip through a swampy area of the Everglades while another one has Cypress forests and another has an observation tower overlooking a swamp where I watched an alligator unsuccessfully stalk a heron.

If you love the outdoors and are in South Florida, this Preserve is a "must see" place. My husband and I loved learning about this special place. Go visit and learn more about water and immensely important and threatened ecosystems

We stopped at the Big Cypress Swamp welcome center. There is a short boardwalk out back and we happened to arrive when a ranger was back there. He pointed out manatees in the water there who are there during the winter in the warmer water. It was so interesting to see them.

Big Cypress National Preserve is a huge area. Highway 41 (Tamiami Trail) and Interstate 75 (Aligator Alley) both go through the park and there are a couple of linking haighways between the two. The Oasis visitor centre (Highway 41) has all the facilities you need and an excellent little 100 yard board walk overlooking a pond full of 'gators'. But if you have longer and are prepared to walk a bit, the visitor centre is the southern end of the long distance Florida Scenic hiking trail. The path is way-marked and, after a kilometer or so, it goes into some really beautiful pine and palmetto forest (we got wet feet - but well worth it!!). It's peaceful, lovely and great for bird watching. For a great pic nic and camping spot, visit the Midway camp site which is 3 miles East of Oasis Visitor Centre, on Highway 41. Again, excellent wildlife place. We saw aligator and had a great view of an American Bald Eagle (sitting in a tree and then swooping down to catch a snake). The campsite has picnic tables, excellent toilets, rubbish bins and you don't need to pay for pic-nic-ing (there is a fee for overnight camping).

I’ve always wanted to see alligators in the wild while in Florida. I drove to Everglades and entered from gulf side. Got all the necessary information from ranger. Big Cypress was on the way to Miami. I stopped and stretched my legs in Big Cypress while viewing alligators!

Alligators, Birds of all types, Owls and more. Not to mention the beautiful scenery, trees, marshes, swamps and plants. This is one of those places that is truly Florida and a must-see and is easy to do by car!

This place is incredible the drive is awesome I'm sure on a nicer day you would see alligators everywhere we did get to see a handful and one of them was at least 10 ft right next to the road birds are everywhere recommend this over the national Park but there are a lot of trails in the national Park that are short to walk five stars all the way on Big Cypress

A place that offers a wonderful contrast to the overcrowded and annoying Disney parks, so wonderfully original and in the off-season so wonderfully few people here, so that you can fully immerse yourself in nature and the animals and the whole atmosphere. We would visit this place anytime and again, you can't get enough of it. There is so much to see, hear, smell and feel. But it is nature - if you go in here expecting to see this or that - this is not a zoo where the animals are waiting for you, either you are lucky and patient or you are not. But there is a lot to see if you go through with your eyes open. We saw baby gators, some lizards and butterflies, Tillandsias grow on the trees and it is just wonderful there. Unless loud tourists come and chase everything away - they would be better off going to the zoos. We were grateful that there are still places like this that you can visit.

Avoid The Miccosukee Indian Reservation Service Plaza/Rest Stop unless your gas tank is on empty while driving on Alligator Alley between Miami and Naples. We stopped here out of curiousity on our way back from Key Largo on Sunday afternoon, July 3rd. The area where food was being served had a line that was 20 deep - not that you would want to eat anything coming out of those fryers. The cashiers looked puzzled. The rest rooms are in another building (if you can call the structure a building?) My dog and cat are more tidy than the typical guest in these rest rooms. There wasn't any hand soap nor any sign that there ever was. It was filthy - No one flushes toilets at this service plaza apparently. We bought nothing and left as soon as I found my Husband. Never again!

This was a great place to stop for bathrooms, maps and valuable advice from the nice employees. The woman suggested an alternate driving route South of hwy. 41 and some wonderful stops along the way. We walked out the door onto the boardwalk and immediately spied 2 large alligators!

Peaceful place. I visited the Big Cypress National Reserve with a group from Everglades Day Safari tours. The trail is an elevated wood deck so you get to see everything from safe distance. It’s very quiet, just nature sounds.

Big Cypress is comprised of quite a bit, and therefore it can be enjoyed whether one has little or a lot of time. I spent time on the boardwalks at the Nathaniel P. Reed and Oasis Visitor Centers, strolling the elevated viewing platforms and getting as close as I ever hope to get to gators on the latter (it was amazing seeing one floating down the waterway mere feet from where I was standing). I also spent some time on the longer boardwalk at the Kirby Storter Roadside Park in between the two (where I felt a sense of beautiful isolation unlike any I've ever experienced) and enjoyed one of the many scenic drives off Tamiami Trail. Everything is free- an added bonus.

Big Cypress Reserve is really big. Lots of places to stop and have lunch and enjoy the scenery. Gators cruising down the waterways and lying on the bank. Birds perched in the trees while hawks fly overhead. Sawgrass stretches forever with palm trees and pines dotting the landscape. Gift shops and airboat rides along the way are fun to visit. Some shops have native crafts and artists working in the shops. Culture is everywhere along with the beauty of the land.

This area is fascinating. Excellent roads. Interesting stops. A variety of wildlife (alligators, manatee, etc). Very much worth spending time in this area and exploring. Would be a great learning opportunity for children.

We walked around here for almost 2 hours home seen a lot of wildlife. Only thing I was a little bummed about was there wasn't much birds but that's because the water level is high right now. If you're in the area stop by and check it out

We had been looking forward to visiting both the Everglades and this preserve during our trip to Miami and had great anticipation for both. We stopped in at both visitor centers and walked several of the boardwalks. The centers were small with limited exhibits (we enjoyed the video, which was offered at both centers). We saw some wildlife on the trails but not a tremendous amount. This was our experience at the Everglades National Park trails as well, so I have to say that we were disappointed with our exploration of this particular area of Florida (we saw much more wildlife--including a panther--a previous year at Corkscrew Swamp in Naples and on Sanibel Island, which had an excellent visitor center). We were grateful that there were no insects bothering us on the trails, but in general this area was not particular beautiful or interesting to me. I am glad the Preserve was completely free of charge, but it was a long drive out from Miami with not much reward.

Stop in, look around and watch the video. There is a walkway in the back for safe wildlife viewing. They have water fountains as well and nice restrooms. There is no charge for this visitors center.

A beautiful drive. Be sure to stop at the visitors center. You'll see lots of gators. Actually you'll see gators all along the drive if you look.

Spent 4 days wandering around and living in the Big Cypress (wilderness ) Preserve this place is amazing. For a Wandering-Roaming person like me covid-19 is just another great reason to enjoy what i love most wandering Around enjoying solitude and backpacking firelanes in a wilderness. I dont do much reviews because im an instagramer #ngoodfellow55 1social media is enough for my wandering soul but i thought it would be a nice change to add a few pics to my trip advisor since its been awhile since i have .The scenery is beautiful the sounds are amazing especially at night and oh did i mention i didnt see one damn person the whole 4 days i was there thats the best part . This place is Wonderful!!

My friends told me that we should spend our time in the Everglades and Sanibel Island. Fortunately, I ignored them and we spent four nights in Everglade City. We went to bed at 8:30 p.m. and were up at 5 for sunrise. The rewards were enormous. So many roads and trails. Such great birds and wildlife. In our face contacts. We did our trip the first week of December. By comparison, Sanibel was barely adequate as the birds are only viewable at the right tides and at sunset the birds were severely backlit by the sun. The birds had not arrived in the Everglades and the only thing to see there were lots of mosquitoes. So glad we budged the majority of our time for Big Cypress National Preserve.

We absolutely enjoyed this National Preserve. We did the Big Cypress Bend and the other Boardwalk. Both were similar,but we enjoyed both . Lots to see and drive. The visitor centers are very informative. We stayed at Burns Lake Camppground which Put us in the middle of everything. Really handy and a nice campground.

This is a State Park where you will need to get out onto dirt paths full of wildlife. You must be willing to walk and not be afraid of finding animals cause you will!

A convenient stop along US41, this a lovely facility. So peaceful and so much wildlife. We saw many fish which we didn't recognise until a helpful ranger came to the rescue. Lots of alligators sunning and swimming. Great photo opportunity's for all animals - you need a polarising filter for the fish.

If you are driving out Tamiami Trail from Miami, keep driving at least until you get as far as Big Cypress. The Everglades change and, to me, became even more lovely.

We stopped first at the Big Cypress Swamp Welcome Center where a ranger gave us lots of tips about where to go to see wildlife, and a volunteer was stationed outside on the boardwalk to point out any manatees swimming by. Stop at the H.P.Williams Roadside Park! Walk along the fence and look for alligators on the banks, anhingas diving for fish, large turtles swimming by. February weather is perfect for seeing alligators basking on the banks. The cyprus swamp boardwalk further east brought us deep into a vibrant cyprus swamp. The Oasis Visitor Center at the eastern part of the preserve (before you reach the Shark Valley Visitor Center in Everglades National Park) had good exhibits inside with enthusiastic wildlife specialists ready to answer questions. Below the elevated boardwalk we counted 16 huge gators sunning themselves on the bank as others slowly cruised up the canal. What an amazing place!

The building was closed when we stopped and we weren't certain we were at the right place at first. There is no admission charge for this area but parking is limited. We started the short hike and before we even got to the boardwalk, we saw a family of otters playing in the tiny creek beside the trail. We had never seen otters in the wild before so we were delighted with this sighting. The boardwalk was quiet and pleasant as we passed through the cypress forest but we saw little wildlife until we got to the pond at the end. What a treasure trove! An enormous granddaddy gator was pulling out to sun himself on the narrow bank, and the pond was filled with birds! We saw a great egret, a tricolor heron, a great blue heron, a black-crowned night heron, and two green herons, all in this relatively tiny pond. We were happy to see this variety. A visit here doesn't take long, so don't miss it!

We saw more wildlife, by far, in Big Cypress National Preserve (or "Everglades West" as we call it) than Everglades National Park, but found the latter a bit prettier. Still, Big Cypress has numerous stops with boardwalks where you will surely see lots of gators, turtles, birds and other critters and get to enjoy walks through cypress and other forested areas. The Oasis Visitor Center has great gator viewing on the boardwalk right out front! Drive some of the side roads, float the very cool Turner River, fish, hike and when you are good and tired, have dinner and a beer at Joanie's.

It's off the beaten path and it's nature. If that is what you are looking for, it's great. It may not offer the jaw-dropping scenic views of other parks, but if you take it as (largely) undisturbed nature, you really get an appreciation for things. Plenty of birds and alligators. It's in the middle of nowhere to begin with, so it isn't hard to get away from the minimal activity and into peace and quiet.

Had no issues with the bugs in mid-December.

Was so happy to have stopped here on way to Clyde Butcher's Gallery. Very informative and was able to see Manatees from a viewing platform. The park ranger was very knowledgeable. Our National Parks are a true gift.

We passed through and stopped at Big Cypress reserve on our way up from the Keys to Bonita Springs - we were impressed with the area to came back a couple of days later to spend the whole day. We started by visiting the visitor centre and a very pleasant lady marked out on a map some trails that we could follow. Whilst we were there, we walked along the boardwalk and saw 3 manatees.

We travelled along one of the trails she suggested in the car, it is about 16 miles in total, hardly saw another person but masses of wildlife. I have to say, it did take a long time as we were constantly taking photos, there was so much to see that day.

On the journey back to Bonita Springs, we stopped at two other locations, one was a boardwalk which is about a mile long that we walked along (we were lucky enough to see an owl at the end) and the second was a viewing platform where, at dusk, all the birds come back to roost for the night. It was lovely to watch the sunset with all the birds fighting over branches in the trees.

If you are interested in nature, this is worth a visit, ever if you only have a short time.

We love driving in the country! As we are senior adults now we look for anything near us when we travel. We have visited the Everglades but had never done The Big Cypress Preserve. It was so fun. Yes, the Loop has MANY potholes, but we made it fine in our Chey SUV Lucky for us it had rained so it wasn’t dusty. We enjoyed watching for wildlife. We saw many gators, birds, turtles, an owl and a snake. We were thankful for the bug spray we had with us as there were many misquotes!

We had a wonderful time in Big Cypress! The weather was on the cool side, but we were able to see manatee, alligators galore, birds of all sizes and colors, wonderful mangroves, ferns, air plants, etc. We highly recommend stopping at the Nathaniel P Reed visitor center. The visitors and staff are very welcoming and knowledgeable, and the boardwalk behind the rest area had the manatees to see. The Oasis visitors center was ok, but they don't have working restrooms right now and the port a potties were due for an emptying. We were able to see multiple alligators, and a couple of spoonbills flying in the area. You will need to take snacks/meal and drinks. There are not a lot of options, and also a full tank of gas. There are several areas to picnic along the way. Also, stop at the smallest post office in the States along the way, 61 square feet!

There are plenty of wildlife photo ops just driving along US 41. Stop at the Oasis Visitor Center - gators in view, anhingas, herons, egrets, ibises wood storks all posing along the highway. There is also an unpaved loop road.

We visited Big Cypress for the *free* Heart of the Swamp canoe trip during the first week of January. With the guidance of two rangers our group of 15 paddled up and down the serene Turner River for a five hour journey. We called to make a reservation two weeks in advance--there are only 12 spots so the tour quickly fills up. The rangers provide canoes, paddles, and life preservers. You have to bring lunch, a hat, sunscreen, bug spray, and a good attitude!

The trip can be divided into three parts. You start by paddling north to the headwaters of the river. Along the way you will get up close and personal with the local wildlife. Beautiful birds, turtles, and of course alligators! As long as you stay to the opposite side of the river as the gators they won't give you any trouble. But this trip is a much better way to have an gator encounter than at the tourist trap farms.

The trip then turns south and you have to canoe through two extremely narrow, shallow, and low mangrove tunnels. It is a tremendous challenge to navigate the boat through these sections. You have to sometimes pull yourself forward using the mangrove roots and branches. You will crash into things and it will be slow going. But the rangers are patient and offer lots of helpful advice for getting through. On the other side of the tunnel there is a serene section of river to paddle through before a lunch stop.

No bathrooms are available on the trip by there are some private bushes near the lunch stop. The rangers are a wealth of information about Big Cypress and it is clear how much they care about the place and its inhabitants. They also offered great help when we had difficulty steering the canoe at the start of the trip. Highly highly recommended on any South Florida vacation.

after the airboat tour we headed to the loop road scenic drive. alligators at every bridge, you will see plenty of them, along with the typical landscape of the everglades. it takes about an hour and a half to travel the entire loop road scenic drive. absolutely recommended after the airboat safari

There are several stops along 41 to stop. Since it was the dry season the animals are congregated near water holes by the visitor centers, so you can see a lot of gators and birds. You can get a good bird pamphlet at visitor center store. Several walk like Storter are boardwalk so they are easy walks. Canoe and kayak trails around.

Great place to see Alligators for free . The welcome center has a bunch of gators 25 to 30. Bathrooms snack machines and a ranger area for questions.

It is a five miles drive to get to the natures trail. The drive is lined but scrubs and old trees. But be careful not to drive too near the border. If there is no car coming, drive slowly on the middle of the road, because we nearly ran over a small alligator sunning himself on the side of the road.
On the right hand side of this same riad, as one drives in, is a canal, or waterway. That is why the alligators were there.
Once there, are many " bridges" as referred to by the park volunteers. They are numbered on the side, watch for them. To me, they are elevated culverts. That is where one can see larger areas of water where birds, egrets, herons, ducks, alligators are found. We went as far as number 35 bridge. One can stop the car 🚗 on the sides of the road, . Usually on these bridges, the area are enlarged for this purposes.

This trail can take up to 2-3 hours, depending how much you like watching herons, one of which paced itself ever so slowly to cross the road right in front of us. We watched it for 10 minutes. Ever so graceful.

Alligators are just bathing in, with heads above water, or sunning themselves by the sides of the roads. They are anywhere from 2-3 feet to about 12 feet. Dark grey in colour. Where the sun peeks over the tall trees lining the trails, one can find these alligators sunning themselves.
There are fishermen also which means lots of fish there.
Although there are people, the place is quiet, no one talks above a whisper, just heavenly.
Do go around 11:00 to 13:00 hours, when they like to sun themselves.

It is a must visit if you are a nature lover.

Did the Loop Road early May. Alligators galore right from the start. But unfortunately most of them in small water ponds with only little amounts of water it. Due to the draught it was too dry and after substantial rainfall the drive would have been even more impressive. but it makes sense to do the trip and enjoy nature so close. The trip can be done in any car, not only SUVs and 4WDs. We've seen a Ford Mustang and a Corvette on the Loop which may have been a bit uncomfortable. Expect a dusty gravel/clay road very often in washboard (rattling) condition and only very little asphalt.

Spent 3 days in the area. Learned so much, saw so much. From the history of the area, to the wildlife and their habitat finishing the day with a spectacular Night Sky program.
There is more to this place than meets the eye. Don't just drive through at 45mph, you'll miss so much.

Big Cypress was an unexpected surprise. We visited after 2 full days in the Everglades. The drive from the glades to the visitor was beautiful and full of birds. The boardwalk at the Reed visitor center was loaded with alligators, birds, fish & even a snake. Finally saw a gar! We thoroughly enjoyed the Loop road scenic drive as well. More wildlife and beautiful scenery. It took us about 2 hours to complete with ample time for stopping. Highly recommended.

We drove this area of the park and we are so glad we did. As you drive down the unpaved road there are many culverts that attract all types of creatures. Alligators of all sizes line the banks at the edge of the road. The birds we saw were beautiful and plentiful. We were the only car on the road (except for a few passing us on their way out) and were able to pull over to take photographs.
This was a great experience.

After a drive to Everglades City and a great fresh fish lunch at Triad's, four of us drove to the Information Center at the beginning of Big Cypress Preserve. We were advised that a naturalist out back was starting a presentation the manatees in the river. We saw at least five manatees, including a mother and baby calf. We were told where the turnoff was to the Loop Rd., which we wanted to drive, and were advised to stop at Kirby Storter Boardwalk, a one mile roundtrip walk into the cypress strand where I saw literally hundreds of herons, egrets and buzzards walking in the middle of a beautiful shaded area. Don't be put off by the beginning of the walk where it is in the open. Fabulous!! The Loop Rd. was gravel and we drove slowly, spotting several gators and large herons and saw Indian fishermen fish with their kids, both with poles and with a bow and arrow. Important to drive when its sunny and the gators are sunning in and aside of the road.

Amazing place! Almost all water ways have alligators! Lots of birds. One of the trails that ended in a pool was full of snakes! One of the loop drives was closed due to a prescribed burn, but the other was great! Dirt road with alligators catching sun alongside. We even saw another snake slithering across the road. Take snacks, drinks, and plan to spend several hours checking out the sights.

There are several places to stop and observe wildlife and plant life along this beautiful drive. Be sure to stop at every opportunity as they are all a bit different. Be sure to take the gravel Loop Road Scenic Drive and keep your eyes sharp: no telling what you might see! You can only go about 5 miles per hour so be sure to allow enough time. While taking a photo of a squirrel I heard flapping and turned around to see a vulture only a couple of feet from me! You do need to stay aware as there is nothing to keep any alligators from coming out of the water here and there is water on both sides of the narrow road most of the way. This is a wonderful way to see the Everglades.

This environment is different from what many of us are accustomed to. There’s a certain beauty in this swampy preserve. Explore this freshwater swamp by meandering around the boardwalks that give you a closer view. In doing so, there’s a certain come that comes over you. Walk around, admire the beauty in this area and relax for a while. It would be easy to drive right past this preserve because it is not as popular as the Everglades. Nevertheless, you really ought to see this place.

Easy to miss, this 25 mile ride on Big Cypress's Loop Road parallels the Tamiami Trail and is loaded with birds, gators and old Florida anachronisms. It is a fun drive, but a bit dusty as most of the road is paved with gravel. Enjoy!!!

One of the best experiences I’ve ever had in Florida! Walking so deep through the water in Big Cypress National Preserve was something completely new for me, and it made the swamp walk with ranger Lisa absolutely unforgettable. The silence and raw beauty of the swamp felt magical, and Lisa’s passion and knowledge brought the entire ecosystem to life. I’ve seen some reviews complaining about mosquitoes or not spotting enough animals – but this is nature, not a zoo, and that’s exactly what makes it so special. For me, it was peaceful, eye-opening, and an adventure I’ll never forget.

We stopped several times on our west-to-east drive across Big Cypress on Highway 41. How wonderful! The "parks" along the way all had well-maintained boardwalks & restrooms, & the Visitor Centers on each end were staffed with knowledgeable Rangers & volunteers. This is a must-do add-on for any Everglades trip, & is worthy of being a destination of it's own!

Great nature walk! So interesting. Birds, snakes, fish and even an alligator. So many different trees and plants. We went twice. Felt like you were in a church, the beauty and the quite. Everyone was whispering not wanting to disturb nature, all but the few kids. 😊 It can be good for kids if them can talk a bit quietly.

This was recommended to us from the naturalist at Everglades Safari Park. This is a very different ecosystem from where we took the air boat ride. It is a nice easy trail through what I would consider a swap.

driving on the US41 from Homestead to Naples, you skirt the the Everglades (this part currently closed), but also drive through the Big Cypress National preserve. There are at least informative two visitor centres. The first had a pool with alligators basking in the sun.

The boardwalk is free but a sign and a box ask for a donation of $3 per person. The boardwalk goes into a cypress swamp.and is an excellent way to see part of the Everglades. It's a little more than a mile to the end at a pond and back to the parking area where there is a giftshop. On the dirt path to the walk, we saw an alligator as well as a young alligator sunning itself on a log. Near the beginning of the boardwalk we saw an eagle nest with two Bald Eagles. At the bond were a Great Blue Heron, a smaller heron, ibis's, and two Barred Owls. The sounds and the sights were wonderful.

Traveling from Port St Lucie, to Miami then to Our final Destination in Naples, we needed a pit stop and we are glad we did.
While on Route 41, we encountered plenty of areas to see but time was important to us in getting to Naples. A quick pit stop and it ended up 30 min later to check out this old historic building. Guided tours, information center, and pamphlets. Check out the walk way along the creek where there were numerous alligators basking in the sun. Just look down and they are just a few feet away below from you. Awesome photo op!!! Also a small, private aircraft runway in the back of the building.

If you never seen alligators from a safe distance, this is the place, and it's free!!!
Enjoy!!! Safe Travels!!!
🚙🚙🚙🐊🐊🐊

Pros: Saw a couple of alligators, lots of fish, some birds, lizards, spiders, and grasshoppers/locusts. the boardwalk was very scenic and easy to walk.

Cons: Visitor center closed at 4:30. Scenic road loop was hard to drive on gravel and you couldn't see very much because everything probably got scared off by the noise of the gravel road.

Tips: Go early so you can see the visitor centers. If you don't make it, though, stop anyway; the boardwalks just outside are where you can see lots of fish and alligators. Boardwalks are at: Oasis Visitor Center, Kirby Sorter Boardwalk Trail, and then another one at the junction of 839 and US-40.

We were actually directed up into Big Cypress by one of the Rangers in ENP. We were thrilled to find as much, if not more adventure here as we found in the "big name" parks.

We went canoeing through the mangroves, saw just a ton of gators, and walked some beautiful trails. I would highly recommend taking your time in this area in addition to the northern areas of the Everglades.

See my separate review of the Big Cypress Loop Road which had too many private residences as far as we were concerned.

Nonetheless, there is plenty to see in the Preserve, especially if looking for birds, which always seem so large in Florida near the swamps and coasts. Note that the visitor's center is at the west end of the highway. The nation's smallest U.S. post office also is on the main road, Route 41. There are several good spots for parking and hiking. Remember to carry your camera.

The first few miles along Route 41 when travelling from Miami to the Gulf Coast, there are numerous companies offering various tours, especially airboat rides. For the true swamp experience, one should be tried.

Great place to visit and see the Everglades, cypress trees and alligators.
We loved the Kirby Storter boardwalk. Easy 1 mile walk along a boardwalk amongst the cypress trees. Highly recommend.
At another stop, plenty of alligators to see. Again a convenient boardwalk allows for easy viewing.

Bring bugspray, an all-terrain vehicle/small SUV or cross-over type vehicle. Bring water. We drove a cherry red Mustang over several miles of tan dirt and gravel and when we left the car to go on the trail through the woods/prairie, the vultures started eating the rubber seal on the convertible. There are plenty of other trails and scenic drives in Big Cypress Preserve like Loop Road, but the places in the title of this review is where I went. We saw SO MANY alligators in the Turner River. Big ones and little ones. You can get out and look closer if you dare. We walked a little ways down Fire Prairie Trail and Saw a baby alligator on a log with a huge slider turtle. We were not as prepared as we would have liked to have been to go on that trail. We would have brought thicker boots and long sleeves and long pants. There is a wide enough trail, but it is still really wild out there. Lots of bugs and animals. It is like stepping back into a prehistoric time. The National Preserve is incredible in that way - we half expected a triceratops to come out of the jungle. The swamp water is black and the cypress trees rise out of it as if they've been there for millennia. There are air plants in the trees and blooming flowers that grow sideways out of them. This is a good place to see the Everglades "river of grass" showcased. It looks like a prairie when you look out across the vista, but when you look closer, it's all water and swamp. We went during one of the rainiest springs the Florida Everglades has seen in years, which is probably why we saw so many snakes. The photos below are actually of only two snakes, one big one small, from several different angles. But even then, that's a lot to see on the road like that. Apparently the excessive amount of water drives them upward to dryer areas like the road. Beautiful - fascinating - unique - a must-see

Great visit! We camped at Burns Lake and had a wonderful time. We were at site #2 but if we go back will try for #3 or 4, those seem to be the best ones. It is primitive camping but by have an outhouse. The stars are beautiful! The visitor centers are nice to learn about the preserve. There are trails for ATVs and lots of hiking trails. There are some unpaved roads where you can drive and count the alligators and see wildlife from your car too. All around great trip.
PS: bring bug spray!

This place was great. Everywhere we looked there was something to photograph. Alligators were laying about in the sun. Birds fishing or perched on logs. A beautiful place.

Had an great day enjoying the sights and open areas of this preserve. Loop Road has stops along the way to several trails. Gator Hook trail and Roberts Lake trail. If you want to hike in for a short walk you can give it a try. Was not busy but there were a few folks trying it. You can spend several hours on this trails.

In January 2016 I drove the loop trail, east, to west, in a regular car. A tiny bit of the road is paved, much is gravel, some is dirt. If the weather is bad, it could be a tough road. Understand, there's nothing there! No gas stations, no restaurants, no picnic spots, no scenic look-offs, no weather-protected 'you are here' maps. I drove up on a dozen buzzards, calmly walking up the road. They really did not want to get out of the way. When I got within 10 feet of them, they reluctantly took to flight, flying so low and so close that they obstructed my view out the windshield. I encountered a few people, mostly in 4WD vehicles. Although I did not see other wildlife during my drive-through, I am sure there are plenty of turtles and snakes and deer and 'gators and egrets. It's beautiful. But it's raw jungle. Go take a look. And please, pack out what you pack in. Thanks.

We stopped by mostly as a transit point between different parts of the Everglades. Ended up taking the "Turner River / Wagonwheel / Birdon Roads Loop Drive". While the first part seemed a little dull, once you make the turn onto wagonwheel there are lots more opportunites to see crocodiles 'sunning' themselves as well as multiple different types of birds. The landscapes are cool too.

Didn't know what to expect and felt this was a good compromise since we didn't have the time to do Everglades NP. But this is the everglades, too! So, big thrill. Next time we want to do the canoe trail or the water walks, but didn't have time on this visit. Birds galore. Wear long pants and sleeves. We didn't use bug spray but we were there in January. I can imagine the skeeters would be in high alert any other time of year.

We loved this place! There are a lot of nice hikes and some wood walk ways that get you up close and personal with the natural beauty of the Everglades. Travel Tip: do some research and go at a good time of year. Also, the earlier the better as the weather will be cooler and animals more active.

Came here as part of a bigger tour in 2011 and we stopped by for a mini-trek. Our guide was able to show us some interesting aspects to the local vegetation including not only trees, but also shrubs and even lichen and some fungi.
Loved the way the soft, peaty ground felt as we treaded....it was very spongy with a bit of bounce.
Definitely recommend coming here on a guided tour.

The day we had an opportunity to drive the Tamiami Trail was a cold and gray, windy, drizzly Saturday afternoon. The government shutdown just ended one day prior, so national parks weren't yet staffed. The State of Florida Parks department had a minimal crew filling in for federal employees in the gift shop, but ranger guided tours and live educational opportunities were not available.

Our first stop was at the Oasis Visitor Center at the eastern end of the preserve. The Florida Trail is accessible here, and this 38 mile stretch of walking trail is the most remote section in the entire state. Unfortunately rain was coming down hard, and we weren't in the mood for a drenching or for slogging through mud. We did check out the wooden boardwalk that overlooks a length of the swamp adjacent to Hwy 41 and saw dozens of native avians, as well as many 6-10 foot reptilians who appeared intent on dining on neighborhood birds.

Our second stop in Big Cypress was at the Swamp Welcome Center on the west end of the preserve. Again no guided tours, but this location has a more extensive boardwalk overlooking the swamp. Alligators lurked in abundant supply at the water's surface.

The educational signage along the boardwalk here could use updating, as some of it is worn, torn, or otherwise illegible. A picnic area at the welcome center could also use updating. The concrete tables and border wall were covered in mildew.

Though we weren't able to enjoy the full experience here, it was worth the time spent, and we intend to make a trip back here to better explore the preserve.

Make sure to stop and see the gators and the birds! Beautiful drive! 60mph seems fast, so we kept pulling over to let drivers by, that way we could enjoy the drive!
The big cypress trees house birds of all kinds! Keep your eyes peeled!

This is right off the highway and the boardwalk takes you well into the swamp away from the parking lot. Good sightings of gaters and snakes and birds, including close up of the anhinga. Very young to quite old cypress trees as well as many palmetto, orchids and mangroves. A few of the visitors need to respect the park more, including not climbing the trees or touching the gaters at every opportunity.

Looked up the nature reserve during a trip to the everglades.
Spoke to a ranger at the station who was able to pinpoint the places of interest to us on a map.
Did the 4 boardwalk walks and saw plenty of wildlife.
Highly recommend but wear lots of bug spray!

We just drove down the highway, but there was a lot to see. We were able to see lots of alligators and many species of birds, scenic drive.

saw tons of wildlife from this scenic drive. it will probably take 2 hrs to do the 25 mile loop but it is worth it. go out on sunny humid afternoon and do get out of the car to enjoy the sights and sounds of the pristine forest

My husband and I decided to visit Big Cypress Preserve in our Class B RV.
We did not have reservations to camp, but were lucky enough to find space at the campground in the Preserve. ( there are several) Big Cypress has so much to offer.
There are many boardwalks ( most all are handicapped accessible or have paved paths) to view wildlife, which was plentiful on our visit. Alligators, beautiful birds, a rattlesnake and abundant flora and fauna.
There are many trails you can hike or bike.
There is a tram ride (fee) at the Shark Valley visitor center. The ride is 2 hours long
that is narrated by very knowledgeable rangers, with tons of wildlife to see.
Arrive at the visitor center early, the parking lot fills up fast. You can also rent bikes here.
We drove on many of the gravel park roads.
Some are washboard, so travel is slow but the sites are worth it.
Insects were not a problem during the day, but a dawn and dusk were plentiful. Bring your deet!
If you plan to camp, fuel up and bring your food, ice and LOCAL firewood with you. There is very little to offer inside the Preserve except snacks, and there are not many stores (we saw none)or restaurants and the ones there are, are at least a 30-45 minute drive and some are only open for breakfast and lunch.
We spent 4 days here and plan to come back. There is so much we did not see and do.
Don’t miss this gem!
If you are 62 or older, buy the Senior Pass. It is $80.00 for a LIFETIME pass. You can use it at any National Park, Preserve etc. and you get various discounts on excursions and half off camping.

We toured both scenic drives, Kirby Storter, and visited both VCs. The Birdon Road scenic drive is okay. You'll see open prairie, but that's about it for 17 miles. The boardwalk at the eastern entrance to the drive is a great place to see gators and birds. The boardwalk at Kirby Storter is outstanding. The Loop Road drive provides the iconic Big Cypress swamp experience, but few places to stop and actually interact with the park.

We had a beautiful day at Big Cypress. The scenic road was in good shape. We saw many different animals and many cypress trees. Many photographic spots.

We took the turner river road and the scenic loop gravel roads in hopes to see alligators and we were sure rewarded with sightings of at least 30 alligators. We would drive the back roads that followed canals and stop at clearings or bridges to look for alligators and we saw a bunch!

We even saw a couple of groups of alligators sunning on the shoulder of the road, you could stop, roll down the windows and just gaze these amazing creatures from the safety of your car.

Went to Shark Valley to see alligators but there were not many to be seen. They were abundant in Big Cypress and very up close.

My brother and I spent a three nights at Monument Lake Campground in Big Cypress, as well as visiting the boardwalk at Big Cypress Bend and driving the entirety of the Loop Road.

The campground was great, with an idyllic lake where we saw some people fishing. Probably the most isolated campground in the Preserve that still has running water, it was very serene with good views of the sawgrass prarie and cypress stands. There are a few RVs, but the tent sites are set aside. Not fancy, but solid.

I can't really recommend the boardwalk at Big Cypress Bend (Fakahatchee State Park), unless perhaps you have young children. It had some interesting nature information on placards, but we didn't see as much wildlife as in other places and it was a bit crowded.

The Loop Road on the other hand was fascinating. Despite the presence of some other travelers and birdwatchers I really felt like I was off the beaten path. We saw many (5+) gators in under an hour, and spotted many fascinating looking birds including several birds of prey. It's long to do the whole thing (2 hours or so if you stop often to observe), but well worth it to get the feel of the place, and you could always turn back early.

We scoped out the beginning of the Gator Hook trail, but as expected it quickly became too swampy to continue with the footwear we brought. Still recommended as a stop on the Loop Road to get a look at the prarie.

There's a small visitor's center here with helpful rangers. They lead a short swamp tromp during the winter. There's also access to the northern and southern trails into Big Cypress along the Florida Trail. These are marked trails with blue blazes and there are designated backcountry camping areas. You must fill out a backcountry permit and put it into the kiosk thing or give it to the rangers during their normal business hours. The southern route takes you about 7.5 miles to loop road. And the northern route is about 30 miles to I-75 access and then it continues on much further. To go on a day hike or an overnight backpacking trip, you need to be prepared. The terrain is rough, with pitted limestone and mud and water. There will be snakes and alligators, even if you don't see them. You need the right shoes, pants, long sleeve shirts, hat, sun protection, water, a filter, hiking poles, etc. It is an amazing place to hike, but, it is not for everyone. On this trip, we headed south as they were readying to do a controlled burn on the northern route. It was very muddy for the first 1/4 mile, then it was about knee deep water. The cypress trees, which are deciduous, were starting to green up. And the bromeliads were in bloom. Yellow, red, and purple flowers speckled the landscape. We saw no gators or snakes. Because we had children and an older friend along, we only ventured an hour in and then out. But I have done the longer trails in both directions in the past. I highly recommend doing a small part to the entire trail.

Went to this place because we knew the area in Big Cypress in very beautiful. Lots of wild animals and alligators can be seen in just few inches away. We would have wanted to go to the trail but it was under water. You can go there with good boots and pants. In the trail you are alone with Everglades wild life. Good restroom facilities.

Loved the trail! In the winter a large portions of the trail is dry. We turned back when we reached the part of the trail that was submerged about 1.5 miles in, but it was still an exciting hike with changing landscape. Hidden gem in Everglades and free of charge!

The Big Cypress is beautiful in its own way, but I certainly would not make a special trip to see it alone. In conjunction with the Everglades, definitely.

This is a great day-trip from anywhere Orlando or south. It's got vistas that you just don't see anywhere else, particularly if there are dramatic clouds in the sky. It's super buggy in the summer, though, and only 100% deet really keeps them at bay. If you plan properly you can really see some beautiful land and swamp and preserves. Make sure to take SR41 though. Alligator Alley is a nice drive, too, but doesn't have the frequent off-road stopping points that SR41 has.

There were no planned activities, and there is very little to see or do. If you aren't stopping here to get your Junior Ranger badge, you can skip it.

We stopped at the Oasis Visitor Center where you can walk along and see. Cormorants Alligators Turtles Gar Fish and al sorts of critters. This was a great stop for pictures and scenery. Don’t hesitate to stop here.

Had an enjoyable day with a 2 hr drive to do the Loop Rd thru the park. Although most of the road is a dirt road, if you go slow enough, it's not too bad. It is about 20 miles long but the last 6 miles are paved. We saw many alligators, birds and scenery. We really enjoyed it.

Drove through this park, what a great experience. There were alligators every where laying along trails, in ditches sunning themselves. It was fun to see them in their natural environment. Would definitely drive through this park again

One of my favorite area nature viewing locations. This place is absolutely breath-taking to behold and I am never disappointed in any visits I make here. The wildlife viewing and hiking are some of the best around. Definitely check this place out if you haven't already!

Beautiful. Hiking is brutal. Be prepared. The ecosystem here is perfect for bears (which i was hoping to see) and other wildlife. Good day trip but plan accordingly. Not many safety protocols in place if your out in the forest and something happens your on your own.

The loop road may seem boring if you don't take your time and stop. There are tons of gators on the side strands and waters off the road. It felt more relaxed than the commercial airboats too. The trees are interesting filled with bromeliads. It took us over 2 hrs to drive the 24 miles. If you plan on the side hikes BRING bug spray. We saw otters, gators, wading birds, fish, turtles and many birds. Great choice for nature lovers.

This was so beautiful. I had always been a little scared to stop b/c I wasn't sure if it was safe. But, we saw a volunteer ranger and many other people walking the boardwalks. It was so peaceful and beautiful. We saw all kind of birds. The water was super low, so he said that the alligators had moved out when it got low. We really enjoyed it and it was a great way to stretch our legs before more driving!!

I spent a few days in south Florida on business on Big Cypress NP. I was very please with what I experienced. I saw tons of wildlife including alligators everywhere. The park borders Everglades NP and has similar scenery. The park staff does an excellent job of managing the plants and animals on the preserve. There is an excellent road system to get around the park to see all of the highlights. The park staff is very friendly and extremely knowledgable.

Hunting is allowed by permit at select times of the year. Airboat tours are available for the adventurous type. If you an get a ride on a swamp buggy, DO IT!

Big Cypress is easily accessible off Route 41, Tamiami Trail. There are several attractions within walking distance of the 20 miles that US 41 crosses the preserve. Oasis Visitor Center (east entrance) is a great place to see gators. Swamp visitor center (western entrance) is very nice and manatees are sometimes seen when weather is cooler. The preserve itself is a great place to experience the South Florida swamp ecosystem. I took a bike ride in the preserve and stopped to see a water snake cross the road and a gator eye me 15 feet away as it rested in one of the sloughs. Kirby Roadside park is also very nice and one can see gators and herons. The restrooms there are for willful noses, I waited.

Easy walks around the boardwalks to see alligators, fish, turtles and birds. Still very wet at the end of March so no hikes for us. Was able to participate in the Ranger led Canoe outing on the Turner River! Awesome experience and great information from Ranger Brett! Favorite things my kids (10,8) did on this trip! Paddling past the alligators and seeing them swim in the river was amazing!