| Big Cypress National Preserve | Nearest city Everglades City, Florida | Coordinates 25°51′32′′N 81°02′02′′WCoordinates: 25°51′32′′N 81°02′02′′W |
|---|
How do I get to Big Cypress?
Take I-75 (Alligator Alley) South to Exit 80, SR-29. Head south on SR-29 (towards Everglades City) 17 miles to where it intersects with US-41 (Tamiami Trail). Turn left onto US-41 southbound and proceed approximately two miles. Big Cypress Swamp Welcome Center will be on your right, on the south side of US-41.
What is Big Cypress National Preserve known for?
The Big Cypress National Preserve freshwater swamp ecosystem
provides critical habitat for a variety of wildlife
. The Florida panther, one of the most endangered mammals in the United States, calls the preserve's backroads home.
Are there crocodiles in Big Cypress National Preserve?
Alligators can be found in several areas of the Preserve, while
there has been only one recorded sighting of a crocodile
.
Can you drive through Big Cypress National Preserve?
Discover the real Big Cypress National Preserve by getting off the highway and into the swamp.
Both roads can accommodate any passenger vehicle
. Take your time, enjoy the scenery, and watch for wildlife.
How many acres is Big Cypress in Florida?
Established October 11, 1974, Big Cypress is America's first national preserve. The preserve is
729,000 acres
. That's larger than Rhode Island. Approximately one million visitors visit the preserve each year.
Is Big Cypress National Preserve free?
Big Cypress National Preserve is free
. At a time when Everglades National Park is $30 per car, a visitor with only a few hours can still have an Everglades experience without a big admission fee.
What animals are in Big Cypress National Preserve?
Anhingas, egrets, and herons
are found in plentiful numbers feeding, displaying courtship feathers, and nesting in and among the cypress trees. Occasionally, one can witness river otter, bobcats, black bear, and the endangered Florida panther on the Preserve's back roads and trails.
What is the entrance fee for Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida?
There is
no entrance fee
to access the national preserve. Fees are collected within the national preserve for some facilities and the processing of off-road vehicle permits.
Who owns Big Cypress National Preserve?
The preserve is overseen by
the National Park Service
, but rights to some resources under the surface are privately owned. That means Collier Resources Company, from the Collier family that conveyed land for the preserve in the 1970s and kept the mineral rights, still has control.
How have humans impacted the Big Cypress National Preserve?
Swampland has been drained, cleared and cultivated, roads have been constructed, and homesteads established. Wildfires were stopped and non-native vegetation was introduced. Pollutants have also degraded water quality
.
Where does the water in Big Cypress National Preserve watershed come from?
It should be noted that the water shed is almost entirely driven by rainfall. Historically, 75 % of Big Cypress' water came from rainfall, the other 25% flowing from the Kissimmee River and Lake Okeechhobee, on it's slow meander to the Gulf of Mexico and Florida Bay.
What is a American alligators favorite food?
While still carnivorous, small alligators will often feed on their favorite food,
Florida gar, as well as small snails or other crustaceans
. The more the alligator grows, the bigger food source it will need. Some of these foods include fish, raccoons, birds, and even other alligators!
Why are all the trees dead in the Everglades?
A fungus called laurel wilt
is killing trees at a stunning pace in the Everglades. From climate change to polluted waters to pythons, there's always something threatening the beauty and serenity of the Everglades ecosystem. The latest monster is a fungus, and it's killing trees at a stunning pace.
How long can an alligator stay under the water?
How long can an alligator stay underwater? Easily 20 to 30 minutes and they can stay under from
1 hour to 24 hours
if necessary and conditions are right. They prepare slowly to stay underwater for those long period by slowing their heart beat, temperature, etc. When do alligators have their young?
Is Big Cypress worth visiting?
Even though you won't see numerous strands of large Cypress trees today,
the Preserve is well worth a visit
. Even if you only have a few hours or so, there are a few great spots to visit that we highly recommend and won't take much time at all.
Is Big Cypress open?
Big Cypress National Preserve is
open for public use 24 hours a day year round
. Visitors can enter or exit at any time. Overnight stays must be in a designated campground site or in the backcountry with a valid permit.
Is there a Road through the Everglades?
Loop Road is a 24-mile-long two-lane road that parallels Tamiami Trail through the Everglades in the belly of South Florida's undeveloped center
. The eastern seven miles are paved and after that, it's gravel or dirt. In the summer, parts of the road can be under water.
How did Big Cypress get its name?
The name “Big Cypress”
defines the size of the area, not the size of the trees
. Most specimens in the Big Cypress are the Dwarf Pond Cypress variety, mere shadows of the once-large cypress trees in the Preserve that were logged out between 1920-1950.
What was the first national preserve in the US?
The first national preserves were
Big Thicket National Preserve in Texas
and Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida, both established in 1974.
Can you hunt in Big Cypress?
Visitors hunting at Big Cypress National Preserve. A long-established recreational activity in the area, hunters were instrumental in protecting this corner of remote, wild Florida.
Hunting activities continue today and include seasons for archery, muzzle loading and general gun
.
Can you drive to Shark Valley observation tower?
The Shark Valley road is 15 miles but you can only see it by walking, biking, or taking a tram tour.
You cannot drive the Shark Valley road in your own car
! If you're biking to the observation tower, just do the whole loop.
How long is the Big Cypress trail?
Approximately 28 miles one way
The trail passes through a variety of habitat types including hardwood hammocks, pinelands, prairies and cypress.
What ecosystems are in Big Cypress National Preserve?
Big Cypress is remarkable for its temperate and tropical mixture of species found across five major habitats:
cypress swamps, marl prairies, pinelands, hardwood hammocks and estuaries including tidal marshes and mangrove forests
.
Are there bears in Big Cypress?
KEEP WILDLIFE WILD
Keep in mind that Big Cypress is home to a variety of creatures, including large species such as panthers, alligators and
black bears
. It is important that we act respectfully and never approach or feed the wildlife.
What animals live in Cypress?
Animals like
white-tailed deer, minks, raccoons, pileated woodpeckers, purple gallinules, egrets, herons, alligators, frogs, turtles, and snakes
are often found in cypress swamps.
What is a cypress strand?
Cypress strands are
swamps that are dominated by cypress trees
, similar to cypress domes, but the primary difference is that a strand is an elongated or linear feature like a strand of hair.
