Big Cypress National Preserve
Big Cypress National Preserve
Big Cypress National Preserve
4.5
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
About
Land of biological diversity, measuring 729,000 acres, combines a mix of pines, hardwoods, prairies and mangrove forests along with a variety of wildlife including White-tailed deer and Florida panther.
Duration: 1-2 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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- daisymae531Minnesota423 contributionsAn Everglades MUSTThe 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!Visited October 2023Travelled with familyWritten 19 October 2023
- Joane vNew Orleans, Louisiana8 contributionsBass Lake wet walk - Big Cypress National PreserveI 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.Visited January 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 6 January 2024
- Margaret SMarco Island, Florida30 contributionsSwamp wonders wet walkMy 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.Visited February 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 28 February 2024
- Michele H25 contributionsCanoeing with GatorsEasy 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!Visited March 2024Travelled with familyWritten 3 April 2024
- co-director82 contributionsA wonderful bumpy journeyWe 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!Visited June 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 28 June 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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4.5
568 reviews
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395
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Janie S
Las Vegas, NV32 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
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.
Written 21 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jane
New York149 contributions
Apr 2022
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.
Written 15 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
404HappyTraveller
Saskatchewan, Canada481 contributions
Jan 2020
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.
Written 15 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Minnesota42
Osseo, MN226 contributions
Feb 2023 • Couples
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.
Written 9 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Teardrop Trailer Traveler
United States783 contributions
Dec 2021
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.
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.
Written 30 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Travel_Alex_2828
Augsburg, Germany347 contributions
Sept 2023 • Couples
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.
Written 3 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
allthegirls2014
Naples, FL129 contributions
Apr 2021
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.
Written 19 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The Pidge
Wayne, NJ597 contributions
Nov 2021
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.
Written 1 December 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kim B
Florida73 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
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!
Written 28 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carl W
1 contribution
Feb 2020
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.
Written 29 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Was planning on driving the Loop Road and/or the Turner River, Wagonwheel, Birdon loop roads next week. With all the rain recently (Mid June 2024), what are the current road conditions? Are those roads passable with a Ford Edge (small suv/crossover)? Hoping the area isn’t too flooded after all the recent rain….
Written 16 June 2024
We are in Sarasota and would like to visit Big Cypress NP (3hrs). We have 1 day, is it worth drive? Thank you.
Written 25 February 2022
Hello. I have done the everglades and shark valley and am now interested in doing Big Cypress. Could you recommend best ideas/tours in big cypress for two older adults as we would like to see as much wildlife as possible- alligators of course but more so panthers/cats if possible. I will be flying into Fort Myers and staying near there in March. Also any recommendations on places to stay as we were thinking Sanibel island. We want to relax but have fun during the day.
Thank you in advance-
Karen
Written 24 December 2019
Look at "Wootens tours in everglades" on trip advisor, we enjoyed it. They have an animal santuary with a variety of animals. Odds of seeing animals in the wild other than gators will be hit and miss. The Everglades national park is just down the road with nature trails for more opportunities to see wild life. Sanibel is a nice place to visit with plenty of places to eat but there is more to see and do in Ft Myers.
Written 25 December 2019
is the big cypress connect to Everglades national park? We coming from the Naples down, plan to stop the big cypress park first then to Everglades national park.
Written 25 May 2019
The 2 are neighbors. You should take 41, as recommended by the others. Along the route, there are boardwalk trails, the tram tours at shark valley, or bike rentals for the 15 mile loop at shark valley. There are ranger led hikes into the swamp at Big Cypress, or you can venture out yourself along the well marked Florida Trail extending north or south. Everglades Ntl Park is huge and has 4 entrances. You cannot go to all of them in 1 day, so choose just one.
Written 29 May 2019
Where is a more quiet camping spot located, for stargazing?
Written 16 December 2018
Trail lake campground on Tamiami trail, they rent chickee huts so you can get in tuned with nature. Other than that there are a few other campsites for RVs.
Written 16 January 2019
Hola a todos. La Loop Rd. Big Cipress National Preserve es transitable en coche tipo turismo?.. no en un todo terreno, en un coche tipo utilitario.
Written 12 May 2018
Bonjour, L’accès à la ballade est t-Elle gratuite? Merci
Written 12 April 2018
The trip that we did was a simple drive through the park - if you have a car there is no charge. There are some tours which can be a bit too touristy for me. The preserve was accessible and the birds and gators were in the natural habitat. I would not get too close though. Be sure to bring bug repellent and or wear lightweight long pants and sleeves. Some of the short trails are prone to mosquito too I believe I posted some photos too
Written 30 April 2018
Where is the nearest restaurant?
Written 5 March 2016
probably everglades city...there are a few decent ones there....maybe 15-20 minutes away
Written 8 March 2016
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