Florida
hiking
National Parks
USA
Wet and Wild Swamp Walks in Big Cypress National Preserve
11/18/2016
Although many people associate Florida with Miami Beach and Disney World, this state actually has incredibly diverse natural wonders which are often overlooked by visitors. One such hidden treasure is Big Cypress National Preserve adjacent to the more famous Everglades National Park.
Both parks have a lot in common. In fact, they are divided by the Tamiami Trail, the only through road in the area connecting the Atlantic Ocean and The Gulf of Mexico. But what distinguishes one park from another are the cypress groves in Big Cypress and freshwater prairies in Everglades.
Big Cypress is a bit more elevated above the sea level which gives its hardwood flora more chances to cling to the soil and grow whereas Everglades gets flooded for most of the year.
A lot of the park is essentially a swamp which makes it mostly impassable, especially in the wet season (July to November). But the National Park Service offers a unique experience called Wet and Wild Swamp Walks.
It's a ranger-led tour which literally takes you beyond the road. It usually happens a few times per week from November till February-March, but the best time to go would be December when it's no longer raining, but the water is still high.
Park rangers recommend you wear long pants and sturdy boots and bring a change of clothing and shoes because you'll be actually wading in the water.
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Rangers said this is the most fun experience in the park. But I came in early May and the water had already receded, so I didn't get to experience the swamp wading yet.
They also said it's totally safe because people like me would be concerned with the alligators that call this area home. But I trust rangers since I've myself seen alligators at Everglades where they have plenty of food and have zero interest in human beings.
You can get an idea of what the water level is in December from the picture below. But it can get up to your hips. The good thing though - the water is super warm.
Beautiful air plants are close relatives of pineapples and look like decorations. Did you know that unlike orchids they are not parasites at all?
The bark on the cypress trees gives you a hint as to how high the water level can be.
There are some areas in the park covered with water even during the dry season. They are called strands.
A strand is like an oasis providing water and food to the park's inhabitants.
Vultures were having their annual meeting. These birds are huge and didn't mind my car at all.
Strands in the dry season are where big reptiles such as alligators can often be found.
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