“Alligators, orchids, and endless sky. Big Cypress is where Florida gets wonderfully wild.”
Long before airboats and boardwalks, this landscape was home and refuge to the Miccosukee and Seminole people, who learned to read every ripple in the water and every rustle in the sawgrass. Later, developers looked at the same wetlands and saw only “empty” land, even sketching plans for a giant jetport that would have paved over the swamp. Big Cypress is what remains: a preserved patch of real Florida where cypress trees wear curtains of moss, ibis pick through shallow pools, and the water moves so slowly it almost feels like it is standing still.
If “things to do near Miami” for you means something more than malls and nightlife, Big Cypress National Preserve is your kind of detour. Here, you trade billboards for broad horizons and swap traffic noise for frogs, birds, and the occasional splash of an alligator sliding off a bank. You get a close look at rare “living jewel” tree snails, old Miccosukee and Seminole stories, and the ongoing fight to keep this ecosystem alive in the shadow of highways and big plans.
Big Cypress Florida Self Guided Driving Tour turns the road between Miami and Ochopee into a quiet, narrated journey, with GPS triggered stories that play automatically as you pass trails, boardwalks, and odd little landmarks so you can keep your eyes on the landscape, not a map.
Tree Snail Hammock Trail reveals bright-shelled snails tucked into a shady island of hardwoods, and the legendary Loop Road wraps you in dense greenery and still water that once doubled as a “back way” through the swamp. Gator Hook Trail tempts adventurers willing to wade into the swamp itself, while Kirby Storter Roadside Park’s long boardwalk leads straight into a lush cypress strand where orchids, air plants, birds, and gators share the same flooded forest. Another roadside stop often rewards patient visitors with easy wildlife watching, and the tiny Ochopee Post Office, “smallest in America,” adds a quirky, only-in-Florida moment before the route ends at Nathaniel P. Reed Visitor Center, where exhibits and viewing decks tie it all together.
Warning: Side effects may include scanning every roadside ditch for gator eyes, knowing more about tree snails than you ever expected, and insisting to skeptical friends that “it is not just swamp, it is Big Cypress” every time Florida comes up.
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Know Before You Go
NOTE: Some parts of Big Cypress are unpaved. Please drive cautiously and enjoy the tour.
Nearby Tours
Driving
39 Stories
2 - 3 Hrs
Driving
40 Stories
1 - 2 Hrs
Walking
33 Stories
2 - 3 Hrs
Walking
41 Stories
1 - 2 Hrs Hrs
Big Cypress Map
Where To Start?
Starting Point Addresses
From Miami: Nathaniel P. Reed Visitor Center, 33000 Tamiami Trail E, Ochopee, FL 34141
From Ochopee: 29701 Tamiami Trl, Miami, FL 33194, USA
How Does It Work?
- Once you book a tour, you’ll get a text/email with instructions.
- Download the app (while in good Wi-Fi/signal) and use your unique password to access your tours. If multiple versions or entry points are available for your tour, be sure to download all the audio guides.
- Audio Setup: Connect your phone to the car stereo via Bluetooth, USB, or Aux, and bring headphones on walking tours. CarPlay and Android Auto are currently not supported; we’re working toward a solution with Apple.
- To begin touring, go to the starting point and launch the app.
- The audio starts automatically once you reach the starting point. Stick to the tour route and speed limit for the best experience.
- Please note that no one will meet you at the starting point.
Big Cypress Florida Audio Tour Stops
Things to do on the Tour Include:
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Welcome
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Five Habitats
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Miccosukee Indian Village
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The Seminole
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Sam Vinikoff
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Artists in Residence
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Tree Snail Hammock Trail
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Loop Road
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Colorful Characters
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Big Cypress Jetport
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Gator Hook Trail
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Preserve or Park?
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Kirby Storter Roadside Park
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Off-Road Woes
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Cypress Survival
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H.P. Williams Roadside Park
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Florida Panther
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The Smallest Post Office in America
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Visitor Center
Preview The Tour
Tour FAQs
The Big Cypress National Preserve is primarily managed for conservation purposes, aiming to protect its unique ecosystems, wildlife, and natural resources.
Big Cypress is important because it provides critical habitat for a diverse range of plant and animal species, including the endangered Florida panther. It also helps maintain the health of the Greater Everglades ecosystem.
Cypress wood is highly valued for its natural durability, resistance to rot, and beautiful grain patterns. It is often used in construction, furniture-making, and decorative applications.
Visitors can enjoy activities such as hiking, wildlife viewing, birdwatching, camping, kayaking, fishing, off-road vehicle tours, and nature photography in Big Cypress National Preserve.
Yes, pets are allowed in certain areas of Big Cypress National Preserve, but they must be kept on a leash at all times and are not permitted on designated wilderness trails.
There are several trails in Big Cypress National Preserve, including the Florida National Scenic Trail, Bear Island Trail, Gator Hook Trail, and the Kirby Storter Roadside Park Trail.
Big Cypress National Preserve is home to a variety of wildlife, including the Florida panther, black bear, alligator, white-tailed deer, otter, wading birds, and many species of reptiles and amphibians.
Numerous animals, including bobcats, raccoons, opossums, river otters, snakes, turtles, and various bird species, live in the preserve in addition to the Florida panther.
The Cypress Falls hike is approximately [Length of the hike] miles long. Please refer to the official park resources or trail guides for precise information.
No, the American crocodile is not commonly found in Big Cypress National Preserve. However, the American alligator, which is often confused with crocodiles, can be found in the preserve’s wetlands and waterways.
Big Cypress National Preserve is accessible by car via I-75 (Alligator Alley) or US-41 (Tamiami Trail). The preserve has various entry points and visitor centers, so it’s recommended to consult maps and park information for specific directions.
Big Cypress National Preserve features diverse landforms, including cypress domes, prairies, sloughs, wetlands, hardwood hammocks, and strands.
The winter dry season, from December to April, is generally considered the best time to visit Big Cypress National Preserve. The weather is pleasant, and wildlife is more active during this time.
Explore 200+ Tours
Inclusions and Exclusions
App on your phone: A link to download the Action Tour Guide App and Password for your tours.
Easy to use: Stories play automatically via GPS, hands‑free. Assistance available all day via call, chat, or email.
Flexible schedule: Use any day, any time. Tours are valid forever.
Interactive audio stories: Experience local history and culture through clear, concise narratives from experienced narrators.
At your own pace: No group. Take breaks for photos, snacks, hikes. Go at your own pace.
Offline use: No cell signal or Wi-Fi required. Offline GPS Map & route. Stop-to-stop direction.
Don’t miss a thing: Enjoy a full itinerary, travel tips, narrated videos, text guides, and hidden gems.
Transportation, parking fees, food, and drinks.
Entry tickets or reservations for any attractions along the route.
Car Rental: Please arrange a rental car at the closest airport or train station.
