Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park: Big Cypress Bend Trail (Blog Hike #244)

Trail: Big Cypress Bend Trail

Hike Location: Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park

Geographic Location: west of Carnestown, FL (25.94168, -81.46950)

Length: 1.2 mile

Difficulty: 0/10 (Easy)

Dates Hiked: May 2008, October 2014

Overview: A famous boardwalk trail passing through a bald cypress swamp.

Park Information: https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/fakahatchee-strand-preserve-state-park
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=721653
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: From the intersection of US 41 and SR 29 in south Florida, take US 41 west 6.5 miles to the signed boardwalk parking area on the right (a graveled spot beside the road, actually).  Park in this lot.

The hike: Comprising several thousand acres in southwest Florida, Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park is one of the State of Florida’s pieces of the Everglades.  Unlike the nearby national park, this land has seen extensive commercial activity.  In the first half of the 1900’s, several families lived off of this land, relying on gathering, hunting, and fishing to survive.  In the 1940’s and 1950’s the cypress forests of the glades were extensively logged, doing considerable harm to the ecosystems of the region.

            Fortunately, the State of Florida took over these lands, and while the remnants of the logging era remain in the form of tram roads that comprise many of the roads and trails in the park today, the forest is well on its way toward recovery.  Visitors to Fakahatchee Strand have various ways to see the recovering swamp forest.  The gravel Janes Scenic Drive begins at the park office and heads northwest on one of the old logging roads.  For those who want a real swamp experience, guided canoe trips are also available from the park office; contact the park for details.

            Somewhere in between these options is this 1 mile hike, one of the longest and most famous boardwalks in the Everglades.  You may not be able to hike every boardwalk trail in this region, but this one should definitely make your short list.  Since this trail passes beside much standing water, insect repellent or even long sleeves and pants are recommended for this hike.

Heading toward the boardwalk

            Begin following a gravel road past a donation station (where you can make a financial donation to the park) with black standing water on either side.  A dense swamp forest lies behind the pond on the right, and a restored Indian village lies behind the pond on the left.  At 0.15 miles, the gravel road ends and the boardwalk begins.  This is not the newest boardwalk, but it was still quite sturdy on my visit.

Tree growing through boardwalk

            You could walk quickly and get to the observation platform at the end of the boardwalk sooner, but you’ll be missing a lot if you do that.  Interpretive signs along the boardwalk give information about the plants and animals that populate the forest around you.  Orchids provide brilliant shows of color in season, but there are always things to see including birds such as herons, cranes, and songbirds or land-bound animals such as raccoons or the occasional alligator.

            The boardwalk alternates between land that is permanently submerged and land that meets air during the dry season.  At 0.6 miles, the boardwalk ends at a small observation platform beside another dark-watered pond.  Some well-placed benches make this your best opportunity for wildlife viewing.  On my visit, I saw a heron wading in the water, some fish swimming near the surface of the water, and a mother gator keeping watch on her baby gators, which appeared to be 6-9 months old.  The trail ends at the observation platform, so you will have to retrace your steps back along the boardwalk to return to your car and complete the hike.

Pond at end of boardwalk