Big Cypress Bend Boardwalk is on US-41 (Tamiami Trail) about 7 miles west of SR-29. You are about to enter one of the best examples of a subtropical strand swamp in the United States. The 2500 acres comprising the Boardwalk are only a small part of the 80,000 plus acres of the Preserve, the largest unit in the Florida Park Service. ON THE BOARDWALK YOU WILL SEE: the world’s only swamp forest containing both old growth bald cypress trees and native royal palm trees. Many of the bald cypress are hundreds of years old. a variety of bromeliads (airplants) and ferns, along with picturesque strangler fig plants and sabal palms (state tree of Florida) an active bald eagle’s nest, continuously used since 1991 a pond which is an active “alligator hole,” with adult and immature alligators, many species of wading birds, and occasional snakes and turtles. many species of birds including warblers, woodpeckers, flycatchers, gnatcatchers, owls, hawks and many others LENGTH OF YOUR WALK: 1.2 MILES (1.9 KM) ROUNDTRIP The trail leading to the Boardwalk is 865 feet long (approx 265 meters) The wooden Boardwalk is 3200 feet long (approx 975 meters) Rest benches are available 1700 feet (518 meters) and at 2300 feet (700 meters) from the parking lot. There is an observation platform at the end. © Copyright 2005 Friends of Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve, Inc. All Rights Reserved Site Design and Programming by: Exploritech, Inc. Recommended by: