There are a few hiking trails, a few waterway trails and an extensive system of trails used for off-road vehicle (ORV) activity within Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida. Hunting is a long-established recreational activity in the area, and hunters were instrumental in protecting this corner of remote, wild Florida.
Hiking
Hiking Gator Hook, Big Cypress National Preserve / NPS via Flickr
If you are planning to set out on foot through this national monument, be aware established hiking trails are probably going to entail a little slogging through the water that might reach up to your waist during different times of the year. While the park’s website does not separately list or describe the few established trails, you can see them outlined on the park’s map.
Bicycling
Bear Island biking, Big Cypress National Preserve / NPS file
Not only is bicycling great exercise, but it's a different way to view Big Cypress at a slower pace than in your vehicle.
According to park staff:
Bicycling within the national preserve is allowed on the following roads and trails:
- Fire Prairie Trail
- Bear Island Grade including within the addition lands
- Established roads
- Designated off-road vehicle trails
- Nobles Grade (Nobles Grade is the raised road north of Mile Marker 63)
There are no repair stations within the preserve, so please plan to fix your own flats and other common problems. Be sure to practice "Leave No Trace" by taking your old tire tubes and any other trash with you.
Big Cypress is remote, and there are few places to refill your water. Our visitor centers are open daily. Make sure you carry sufficient water, as dehydration can happen quickly.
Obey all area closures and treat wildlife the same as if you were on foot -- you cannot run faster than a bear, and you cannot cycle faster than a bear can run.
Plan for many types of weather at any time in the park. Sun, heat, humidity, rain, lightning, and high wind are all possible in the summer.
ORV Trails
If you plan to use your ORV in this national monument, you are required to obtain an Off-Road Vehicle Permit. You can also see these trails outlined on the Big Cypress National Preserve map. For detailed description of the designated ORV trails in the park, click on each unit name below.
Note: According to park staff:
As part of a settlement agreement with plaintiffs related to the designation of secondary off-road vehicle (ORV) trails within Big Cypress National Preserve, the National Park Service will leave all secondary ORV trails closed until further environmental review and analysis can be completed.
The secondary trails are being analyzed through an environmental review currently being undertaken by the National Park Service. This current review effort will more clearly identify suitable trails that may be included within the designated trail network. Information on this review process can be found here.
If you don’t have an ORV but still want to explore more of Big Cypress than what you see from the main roads, you can take a tour with one of the commercial operators permitted in the national preserve.
Paddling The Waterways
Paddling the Turner River, Big Cypress National Preserve / NPS file
Big Cypress is a watery national preserve, with four different waterway trails allowing canoe and kayak access exploring sawgrass prairies, coastal and intertidal mangrove forests, and even open bay from the perspective of the water.
Hunting
Hunting activities include seasons for archery, muzzle loading and general gun. Typical game species are white-tailed deer, turkey, and hogs. Alligator hunting is not allowed within the national preserve.
Hunting within the Preserve is managed cooperatively between the National Park Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
