Located in Naples on the western edge of the Everglades, Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is the world’s largest remaining old-growth bald cypress forest. An old-growth forest means a forest that has never been logged, which makes a trip to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary truly like stepping back in time. This ancient swamp is filled with giant cypress trees, ferns, swamp lilies, and air plants, and provides a habitat for various animals such as raccoons, otters, squirrels, and a plethora of bird species. We visited in October and the weather was perfect–warm but not overly hot, and there were no mosquitoes. We also got to enjoy fields of waving yellow sunflowers as October is peak swamp sunflower season in Florida. Read on to discover why Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is must-visit for anyone interested in Old Florida and eco-tourism.
Disclosure: This blog contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you. All opinions are our own.
HISTORY AND SIGNIFICANCE OF CORKSCREW SWAMP SANCTUARY
The history of Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary dates back to 1913, when National Audubon Society hired a gamekeeper to protect wading birds such as Great Egrets and Roseate Spoonbills from hunters who sought to use these birds’ feathers for hat ornamentation. In 1954, the community came together to purchase over 5,000 acres of the wetlands to protect the swamp from the logging industry, and the land officially became Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. A boardwalk was constructed in 1955 to allow visitors to experience the natural beauty of the wetlands.
Today, Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary encompasses more than 13,000 acres. The sanctuary is a refuge that protects multiple endangered species and unique ecosystems. National Audubon Society is actively involved in protecting and restoring the natural environment of the Western Everglades. Visitors can view educational exhibits and artwork at the Blair Visitor Center and experience the flora and fauna of the swamp on a 2.25-mile boardwalk through the heart of the bald cypress forest.
WHAT TO SEE AND DO AT CORKSCREW SWAMP SANCTUARY
BOARDWALK
Starting directly behind the Blair Visitor Center, the boardwalk winds 2.25 miles through pine flatwoods, a freshwater marsh, and the bald cypress forest. There is an optional shortcut trail that is a mile long for those who do not wish to walk the entire 2.25 miles. There are picnic areas at the beginning of the trail by the visitor’s center, but food is not allowed on the boardwalk itself. There are plenty of bench areas and observation platforms where you can rest along the walkway, but there are no restrooms or other facilities until you get back to the Visitor’s Center.
We highly recommend purchasing the Wildlife and Habitats Guide at the Visitor’s Center ($3.95) and bringing it with you on the boardwalk, as it provides pictures and information about the ecosystems you will see and is useful for identifying plants and animals. Binoculars are also very helpful, especially for spotting the different birds and viewing the rare ghost orchid. Ghost orchids are only found in Southwest Florida and Cuba and bloom from June through October. There is a “super” ghost orchid viewable from the boardwalk and a sign to help you find it. It is called a “super” ghost orchid because it is the largest ghost orchid discovered so far. The orchid was not blooming when we visited and we had a difficult time finding it. Binoculars would be very useful in spotting both the orchids and other plants and animals. You can rent them at the Visitor’s Center or bring your own.
WILDLIFE
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is home to a great variety of animals. Some mammals that live there include the rare and endangered Florida panther, as well as bobcats, raccoons, otters, squirrels, and deer. You may also spot birds such as anhingas, egrets, herons, and limpkins, in addition to reptiles and amphibians such as American Alligators, turtles, and green tree frogs.
During our visit, we spotted multiple woodpeckers, a limpkin, hawks, and the Florida apple snail. A chalkboard at the beginning of the boardwalk showed that others had recently glimpsed alligators, deer, raccoons, owls, and painted buntings. To increase your chances of seeing wildlife along the boardwalk, be sure to remain as quiet as possible. Noises travel easily in the forest and can both scare away wildlife and also disrupt the experience for other visitors.
PLANT LIFE
While we didn’t glimpse as many animals during our visit as we had hoped, we saw a great variety of plant life. The beginning of the boardwalk traverses through pine flatwoods, which are home to southern slash pines, sabal palms, and saw palmetto, as well as other shrubs and grasses. We happened to visit at the peak of swamp sunflower season (which occurs from August-November), and we were wowed by fields of gently waving, six-foot tall sunflowers.
After the pine flatwoods, the boardwalk passes through a wet prairie and a freshwater marsh, where plants such as sawgrass, sand cordgrass, pickerelweed, and lanceleaf arrowhead grow. The Wildlife and Habitats Guide was very helpful in identifying the different flora that we saw.
The remainder of the boardwalk meanders through the old-growth bald cypress forest, where 100 foot tall, 500-year-old cypress trees tower likes giants over a variety of ferns, mosses, and air plants. We truly felt like we were journeying back in time to the Jurassic period as we navigated through the dense green swamp.
VISITOR INFORMATION AND TIPS
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is open from 8am-1pm from May 1st to December 15th and 8am-3pm from December 16th to April 30th. Rangers will walk the boardwalk to make sure everyone has exited within two hours of closing time.
Tickets are $17 for adults and $6 for children ages 6-14. Children under 6 are free. Members of the U.S. Military and the National Audubon Society receive discounted rates. Tickets can be purchased the day of your visit, but the sanctuary recommends reserving them ahead of time online.
Parking is free at the sanctuary. Picnic tables are located near the parking lot and also by the entrance to the Visitor’s Center. While no food is allowed on the boardwalk itself, you are welcome to bring a picnic lunch to eat at the picnic tables, which is what we did. From December to April, the Cypress Cafe, located inside the Visitor’s Center, is also open.
When visiting Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, we recommend bringing sunscreen, insect repellant, and water with you on the boardwalk. The boardwalk is pretty shaded, but not entirely, and especially during the summer months, the Florida sun is very strong and can cause sunburns even with limited exposure. Fortunately, the bugs were not bad when we visited in October; however, it is a swamp and bugs are always possible, so bring insect repellant to be prepared. April through June in particular is horsefly season, and the sanctuary recommends the additional protection of long sleeves and pants to protect from these biting flies.
Also, bring water with you on the boardwalk since there are no places to purchase drinking water until you get back to the Visitor’s Center, and it’s easy to become dehydrated in Florida’s heat and humidity. You can bring your own or purchase water in the Visitor Center’s gift shop. There is also a water refill station located near the restrooms.
We also recommend wearing closed-toe walking or hiking shoes that have good traction, as the boardwalk can get slippery if wet.
Lastly, as we mentioned above, please remain as quiet as possible on the boardwalk as sounds carry in the forest and can disturb others and scare away wildlife. Also, remain on the boardwalk and do not pick any of the plants or interact with any of the wildlife, for both your safety and theirs.
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is definitely a worthwhile destination due to its ancient forest, rare plant and animal life, and the opportunity to experience a piece of Old Florida. We are extremely glad we had the chance to experience Florida’s natural beauty in this unique place, and we hope that you will have the chance to visit soon!
Looking for other things to do near the Everglades? Check out our South Florida page here!
Sarah
I am the main writer and website designer for Florida Unveiled. I love the parts of Florida visitors don’t often see: the tea-colored water that flows in cypress-laden rivers; the chorus of frogs after a hard rain; the rustle of palmetto as an unseen creature scampers by. Some of my favorite places in Florida are the Everglades, the Keys, Smyrna Dunes Park, Bok Tower Gardens, Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, and St. Augustine’s Historic District.
