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Big Cypress
National Preserve |
The Preserve is located in southern Florida |
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| Big Cypress National Preserve offers plenty for those looking for a great outdoor family vacation or a camping trip. Besides the alligators that are readily seen, there are hunting, fishing, biking, canoeing, camping, hiking, and great bird watching opportunities that make exploring this preserve an exciting outdoor adventure. Don't miss out on one of Florida 's few wilderness areas. Check out below for excellent Big Cypress National Preserve information.
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| Park Navigator Preview |
Uniqueness - One of the first National Preserves in the National Park System, Big Cypress has a mixture of pines, hardwoods, prairies, mangrove forests, cypress strands and domes. White-tailed deer bear and Florid... (click here for more)
Park and Visitor Center Hours - The Preserve is open year around, 24 hours a day with a total of 426,988 visitors in 2004. It encompasses 729,000 acres. It was made a National Preserve on October 11, 1974. The visitor center is open... (click here for more)
History & Statistics - There were several Indian tribes in the Preserve area, but the most significant were the Calusa. Perhaps as early as 1450 B.C along the southwest Gulf coast lived the Calusa (Caloosa) Indians, a tribe... (click here for more)
Natural Features - The main resource is water, fresh water wending slowly seaward, requiring a day to flow across a full mile of the land's incredibly unrelieved flatness. Sixty inches of rain fall in an average year th... (click here for more)
Flora - “Big”, in the preserve's name refers not to the tree's size but to the swamp's extent of more than 2,400 square miles in subtropical Florida. “Swamp” is a misnomer, for the land consists of sandy isla... (click here for more)
Activities in the Park - There are several activities available in the preserve to help you plan your next outdoor adventure. Fishing and hunting have been popular sports at Big Cypress for years. There is gun and bow hunting... (click here for more)
Environmental Impact - Exotic plants are displacing native vegetation and destroying habitats needed for ecosystem health. In the Preserve, the melaleuca tree occupied more than 186 square miles of wetlands. Thanks to inten... (click here for more)
Weather - The climate is sub-tropical, with mild winters and hot, wet summers. Heavy rains occur frequently during the summer months. Light weight clothing is suggested for hot temperatures as well as sunscreen... (click here for more)
Rules, Regulations and Safety - Mosquito season can occur any time between May and November; however, June through August is usually the worst time. A 20 to 30 percent DEET product usually works best. Be aware that mosquitoes can bi... (click here for more)
Wildlife - Big Cypress is home to nine federally endanger-listed species including the bald eagle and the peregrine falcon. Five endangered birds, the snail kite, wood stork, Cape Sable seaside sparrow, and red ... (click here for more)
Wildlife Warnings - Never approach wildlife. Although there is little danger of attack by animals here, your approach may be interpreted as a threat. Keep your distance and allow the animal to make its way around you. Do... (click here for more)
Fees - Preserve entrance is free. There are six campgrounds, but only two charge fees of $19.00/night. The primitive campgrounds are free.
Off-Road Vehicle permit - $50.00 annually. Permits for off-road ... (click here for more)
Camping - There are four primitive campgrounds in the park. They are Bear Island, Burns Lake, Mitchell's Landing and Pinecrest. They have no water or rest room facilities. Camping on the Bear Island Unit is per... (click here for more)
Nearby Attractions - Everglades National Park, Biscayne National Park, Dry Tortugas National Park, De Soto National Memorial, Canaveral National Seashore, Gulf Islands National Seashore, Fort Matanzas National Monument, C... (click here for more)
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