Big Cypress National Preserve - Visiting Big Cypress

Visiting Big Cypress

A number (twelve to be exact) of campgrounds in Big Cypress are tailored to motor vehicles, where tourists planning overnight stays can park their vehicles and ORVs in designated areas. The southern terminus of the Florida National Scenic Trail is located in Big Cypress, and provides hiking opportunities during the winter months. For nature lovers who don't mind getting their feet wet, hiking throughout Big Cypress is enjoyable in all seasons, with most of the cypress country more hospitable to hikers than the dense sawgrass prairies of the central Everglades. Some of the most beautiful wading and walking can be found in cypress strands and prairies between the Loop Road and the Tamiami Trail. Because alligators are numerous and often large, wading through the cypress country requires constant alertness. Private walking and hiking tours are also available, including those from resident artist Clyde Butcher and others.

The preserve's visitor center offers an educational video about the surroundings and rangers often lead hikes in the dry winter months, as well as canoe trips and bicycle tours.