Big Cypress National Preserve

Article by Ann C. Anderson

Images by Robert B. Anderson & Ann C. Anderson

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Big Cypress National Preserve “Big Cypress Swamp”—the name evokes images of  pond and bald cypresses, sedges and sawgrass, slash pines and hard wood hammocks, orchids and bromeliads, and in summer, mountainous thunderheads that provide rain to nurture this vast subtropical wilderness. The rains flood the cypress strands and sawgrass prairies and serve as the watershed for the Everglades to its south. In decades past, the Big Cypress, extending for 2400 square miles, was exploited for its rich resources—timber, oil, and the land itself, which was drained for farming, cattle ranching, and land speculation. When a jetport was proposed in the late 1960‘s on the swamp’s east side, the threat to the watershed was acknowledged which lead to the establishment of the  Big Cypress National Preserve.

The Big Cypress National Preserve encompasses approximately 45% of the Big Cypress Swamp. It’s 729,000 protected acres of watershed and wetlands now assures the integrity of this wild and beautiful habitat, while still providing access to the public for recreation and some preexisting uses. Some hunting, off-road vehicle use, and oil and gas exploration continues here as was practiced prior to the Preserve’s establishment. However, thanks to careful planning and monitoring, people can enjoy the resources of the area while preserving and protecting the environment.

The Big Cypress National Preserve is bounded by the Everglades National Park to its south;  its upper boundary is 7 miles north of  I-75, Alligator Alley. The interstate provides limited access to the Preserve, however, U.S. 41, the Tamiami Trail, from Naples to Miami, crosses the Preserve. This  scenic route provides access to the Preserve’s Visitor’s Center, scenic hiking trails and sightseeing by car.

We were told that the best time to visit Big Cypress is in winter or spring (January–April), during the “dry season”—particularly if we wanted to hike in the area. On a spring trip to beautiful Sanibel Island and Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, we visited the Big Cypress National Preserve for just a day—as a reconnaissance trip, really. We left Sanibel at 5 AM determined to reach the Preserve by sunrise. After all, the best photography is in the early morning!

We found excellent photographic opportunities accessible by car or short walks. Off U.S. 41 on the Preserve’s west side, Turner River Road, a wide unpaved but graded road,  runs north–south for approximately 18 miles through cypress stands and freshwater marl prairie.  A canal, dug for road fill,  parallels the road for its length. The canal is home to wading birds and large alligators. Wild flowers and song birds are common and just at dawn, you can see hawks and owls “change the guard.”  Rather than completing the full 18 miles, at approximately mile 7, you can turn west on CR 837 then south on Birdon Road to complete a “U” back to U.S. 41.

Further east is Loop Road. It is accessible from U..S. 41 at the Monroe Station or from the Preserve’s east side on U.S. 41 at Forty Mile Bend and the Tamiami Ranger Station. This is a very narrow road, unpaved except for the first 8 miles on its east side. There are potholes and puddles, and we are told that during the rainy season, water may flow over the road. However, the 26 mile ride brings you through beautiful dense cypress swamp. Even on a short drive along part of the Loop Road you may see very large alligators, snakes (safely, from the car!), and wading birds, and perhaps wild turkeys, otters, or very rarely, a bobcat or panther.

Continuing east from Loop Road at Monroe Station is the Preserve’s Visitor Center and the trail heads for the Florida Scenic Trail. Heading north from the Visitor’s Center, the trail runs for 28 miles to Alligator Alley through cypress stands,  pine lands, marsh, and hardwood hammocks. South of the Visitor’s Center is a particularly lovely 7 mile section of trail through bald-cypresses arrayed in bromeliads. Only a short walk (about a mile) will bring ample photographic opportunities. We could see that hiking the trails is best in late winter and early spring, before the rains begin. Judging from the water marks on the cypress trees, even this short walk south from the Visitor’s Center would be tough slogging in the peak of summer.

We retraced our path, for it was well into the heat of the afternoon and we were ready for a cool late lunch. We stopped at Everglades City and the Everglades Area Chamber of Commerce for information on the sites of south Florida. While Everglades City appears to be primarily a locus for boat/air boat tours and fishing charters, there appears to be a sufficient selection of motels and bed and breakfast inns to serve as a base for several days in the area. We returned “home” to Sanibel very late at night,  with lots of nice images, and the motivation to visit the Preserve again next spring.

Postscript

Big Cypress haunted us, calling us back. We returned in the peak of the “rainy season” (August) to find the cypress stands filled, string lilies in full bloom, grasshoppers in their glory, and alligators basking right at the road edge. The Loop Road has been repaired, and elevated with additional fill. There was no water washing across the road, even in the lowest spots. A treasure hunt along Tree Snail Trail, near the western end of Loop Road,  provided a number of stunning specimens. Early morning fog contributed to the timeless beauty of the area, and the welcoming rains reaffirmed the cycle of renewal.

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