About Big Cypress National Preserve
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.
Plan a Visit
Core visitor information on this page is sourced from the National Park Service. NPD proximity sections use NPS reference coordinates and straight-line distance. Local source bundle updated Sep 27, 2026. View the official NPS page.
Weather & Conditions
Big Cypress National Preserve experiences two predominant seasons- wet and dry. RAINY SEASON (May through October) While visiting during this season you may find daily afternoon thunderstorms, high humidity, temperatures in the mid-to-high 80s and a multitude of mosquitoes. DRY SEASON (November through April) Falling water levels within Big Cypress…
NPS Reference Location
Park state / territory membership: Florida. This map uses the National Park Service reference coordinate. It may represent an administrative or reference point rather than a park entrance, trailhead, visitor center, or the nearest access point. Use the official NPS directions below when planning travel.
Operating Hours
The preserve is open 24 hours a day 365 days a year. The Oasis Visitor Center and the Nathaniel P. Reed Visitor Center are closed on December 25th. No fee is charged for access to the preserve.
Activities
Current Alerts
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
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, 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.
Getting There
Big Cypress National Preserve is located along Tamiami Trail East (US 41) and I-75 in southern Florida. The preserve can be accessed by driving from the cities of Miami and Naples. The preserve's two visitor centers are located along Tamiami Trail East.
View Official DirectionsContact & Address
The NPS-listed address may be an administrative office, visitor center, mailing/contact location, or other park facility rather than a park entrance.
Topics & Themes
Things To Do
Stargazing in Big Cypress
Dark skies are essential natural, scientific, cultural, and economic resources. National Park sites, including Big Cypress National Preserve, are home…
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…
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…
Fire Prairie Trail
This five-mile long out and back trail is a great way to see the sawgrass prairies of Big Cypress National…
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…
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…
More Things to Do
Additional activities and experiences from the National Park Service.
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…
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…
Oasis Visitor Center Boardwalk
This short boardwalk is a great viewing platform of alligators, birds, turtles, and fish.
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…
Visitor Centers
Nathaniel P. Reed Visitor Center
Nathaniel P. Reed Visitor Center is a facility that was designed with energy conservation in mind, making maximum use of renewable resources. The visitor center…
Oasis Visitor Center
Built in the 1960s, this building was once a private airport with a hanger and restaurant. It was rather eye-catching from the road due to…
Campgrounds
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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.…
Nearby National Park Service Sites
These sites are ordered by straight-line distance between NPS reference coordinates. This is useful for comparison, but it is not road mileage. Trails, parkways, rivers, and distributed units may extend far from their reference point.
Nearby Cities for Trip Planning
These cities are ordered by straight-line distance from the NPS reference coordinate. They are comparison starting points, not official park gateways or road-distance estimates. Trails and other distributed units may extend far beyond this reference point.
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