Parks / Big Cypress National Preserve
Big Cypress National Preserve
National Preserve · FL
The freshwaters of the Big Cypress Swamp, essential to the health of the neighboring Everglades, support the rich marine estuaries along Florida's southwest coast. Conserving over 729,000 acres of this vast swamp, Big Cypress National Preserve contains a mixture of tropical and temperate plant communities that are home to diverse wildlife, including the Endangered Florida panther.
Official NPS page →Current Alerts (3)
Off Road Vehicle Inspections
ORV renewals & new permits will be issued at the Nathanial P. Reed Visitor Center Friday-Monday, 9am-1:30pm. No permits will be issued Tuesday-Thursday. Permits will be issued first-come first-served. Visit our ORV page for more information
ORV Permits Sold Online
Starting May 1st, 2026 ORV permits will be able to be purchased online. The physical office will remain open for the summer Friday-Monday from 9am-1:30pm. Please click the link to PREVIEW the site until it goes live on May 1st.
Park Passes
Park passes, including: America the Beautiful, Veteran, Lifetime, etc., are UNAVAILABLE for purchase/pickup within Big Cypress. Shark Valley Visitor Center (Everglades) is the closest location to Big Cypress for purchase.
Entrance Fees
This park is fee-free.
Campgrounds (8)
Bear Island Campground
Primitive campground with no water. Vault toilets available. Forty designated sites. Access to the Bear Island Campground is at the end of a 20-mile secondary gravel road
Burns Lake
Primitive camping with no water. Vault toilets available. This site provides day use picnic area and backcountry access parking. The campground accommodates 15 designated RV/tent sites.
Gator Head
This is a primitive campground, which contains nine campsites. No water. Vault toilets are available. This campground is accessible only by permitted off-road vehicles, biking or hiking.
Midway Campground
This campground offers electric hookups for RV sites, dump station, flush toilets, and water. Each RV campsite has its own picnic table and hibachi style grill. Covered picnic areas are located around the lake for day use.
Mitchell's Landing
Primitive camping with no water. Vault toilets are available. Eleven sites available. Access to the Mitchell Landing Campground is along a secondary gravel road.
Monument Lake
Monument Lake campground offers restrooms, drinking water and designated 26 RV and 10 tent sites. NO HOOKUPS for electricity, sewer or water are available at this campground.
Pinecrest
This campground is for group camping only. Four sites available to accommodate eight tents at 15 people each.There is no water or restroom facilities. Access to the Pinecrest Campground is along a secondary gravel road.
Pink Jeep
This is a primitive campground, containing nine campsites. No water. Vault toilets are available. Pink Jeep can be accessed by off-road vehicle, hiking or biking. Backcountry permits are required for all, off-road vehicle permits are required for off-road vehicles.
Things to Do
Fire Prairie Trail
This five-mile long out and back trail is a great way to see the sawgrass prairies of Big Cypress National Preserve. Good for all skill levels, this trail provides unique viewing areas of some of the more elusive wildlife here. Bring plenty of water, sunscreen, and a hat.
Florida National Scenic Trail
This 36-mile contiguous section of the Florida National Scenic Trail is the southernmost portion of trail. This moderately strenuous hike can be difficult to traverse at certain times of year. The trail can be under up to 3 to 4 feet of water in the rainy season. During the dry season, there can be little to no water along the trail.
Gator Hook Trail
This moderately strenuous hike is a highly-immersive experience. Journey into the the Gator Hook Strand. Walk through water that is ankle to knee-deep. See alligators, snakes, birds, bromeliads (air plants), and mature cypress trees.
H.P. Williams Wayside Park
H.P. Williams Wayside Park is located immediately off of Highway 41. It includes a short boardwalk, picnic areas, and restrooms.
Kirby Storter Roadside Park
This immersive boardwalk will take you into a cypress strand. Good for the whole family, this boardwalk is open daily from an hour before sunrise until an hour after sunset.
Loop Road Scenic Drive
This 24 mile long drive, on a mostly unpaved gravel road, is a great scenic drive through the cypress swamp. See a variety of plant and wildlife species, while getting a closeup look at the park's namesake cypress trees.
Nathaniel P. Reed Visitor Center
The Nathaniel P. Reed Visitor Center offers exhibits, bathrooms, picnic areas, a short boardwalk, and visitor information materials that will help orient the first-time visitor and provide the latest information on conditions to returning visitors.
Oasis Visitor Center Boardwalk
This short boardwalk is a great viewing platform of alligators, birds, turtles, and fish.
Stargazing in Big Cypress
Dark skies are essential natural, scientific, cultural, and economic resources. National Park sites, including Big Cypress National Preserve, are home to some of the last remaining dark skies in the country and are committed to protecting the night sky resource.
The Deep Lake Trail
This one-mile moderate hike to Deep Lake is a unique experiences. Deep Lake is over 95 feet deep, and the deepest lake in south Florida. Leave yourself about an hour to complete the trail. During the wet season (May-October) the trail can be wet and muddy.
Turner River/Wagonwheel/Birdon Scenic Drive
This 16-mile loop drive is a great way to get away from the traffic along Highway 41, and take a slower drive through the Preserve. It offers the opportunity to see some of the many plant and animal species that call this place home.
Visitor Centers
- Nathaniel P. Reed Visitor Center
- Oasis Visitor Center
Source: National Park Service.