Things to do nearBig Cypress National Preserve

Big Cypress National Preserve was established in 1974, becoming one of the first national preserves in the United States and marking a significant shift in how the federal government approached land conservation in South Florida. The preserve sits just north of Everglades National Park and functions as a critical freshwater recharge area, sending seasonal sheet flow southward to sustain the broader Everglades ecosystem. Visitors move through a mosaic of wet prairies, dwarf cypress flats, hardwood hammocks, and pine uplands, each habitat sheltering its own community of plants and animals.

The Florida panther, one of the most endangered mammals in North America, still roams these remote interior lands, and the preserve represents one of its last viable breeding territories. Birdwatchers find the area exceptional, with snail kites, limpkins, anhingas, and a wide range of wading birds present throughout the year.

Hiking trails range from short boardwalk loops to multi-day backcountry routes, while off-road vehicle trails attract swamp buggy and airboat enthusiasts who have used these lands for generations under a system of traditional use permits that predates the preserve itself. The small community of Ochopee, located along the Tamiami Trail, is home to what is often cited as the smallest post office in the United States, a converted irrigation shed that has become a roadside curiosity in its own right.

For anyone drawn to raw, unhurried wilderness where the natural world operates largely on its own terms, Big Cypress National Preserve offers an encounter with South Florida that few other places can match.