Big Cypress National Preserve

Big Cypress National Preserve Welcome to the official Big Cypress National Preserve page. Please be considerate of other fan's opinions. National Park Service or the U.S.
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Please contribute your comments, photos, and videos about the wonders and your experiences at the preserve. Established in 1974, as America’s first national preserve, the site protects over 729,000 acres of a vast freshwater swamp ecosystem, which supports the rich marine estuaries along Florida’s southwest coast. Big Cypress National Preserve contains a mixture of tropical and temperate plant com

munities that are home to a broad diversity of wildlife, including the elusive and endangered Florida panther. Commenting Requirements:

While this is an open forum, it is also a family friendly one, so please keep your comments and wall posts clean. In addition to keeping it family friendly, we ask that you follow our posting guidelines here. If you do not comply, your message will be removed. We do not allow graphic, obscene, explicit or racial comments or submissions, nor do we allow comments that are abusive, hateful or intended to defame anyone or any organization. We do not allow solicitations or advertisements. This includes promotion or endorsement of any financial, commercial or non-governmental agency. Such posts and/or links are subject to deletion. People who continue to post such content and/or links may be subject to page participation restrictions and/or removal from the page. We do not allow attempts to defame or defraud any financial, commercial or non-governmental agency. We do not allow comments that suggest or encourage illegal activity. You participate at your own risk, taking personal responsibility for your comments, your username and any information provided. Posting of external links on this site that are intended as advertising (or to drive traffic to websites unrelated to Big Cypress National Preserve), or do not contribute to dialog and discussions about Big Cypress National Preserve may be deleted. People who continue to post such links may be subject to page participation restrictions and/or removal from the page. External links do not constitute official endorsement on behalf of the U.S. Department of Interior.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Earth Day cleanup at Big Cypress National Preserve With the help of our volu...
05/05/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Earth Day cleanup at Big Cypress National Preserve

With the help of our volunteers, we were able to remove a significant amount of trash from the preserve, helping protect the wildlife and landscapes that make this place so special.

It’s always inspiring to see our community come together to care for these spaces and spend time out in the preserve together.

Small actions like this make a big difference for places like Big Cypress. Every day is Earth Day! 💚🌎🐊

As of today, May 1, Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) permits for Big Cypress National Preserve are available for purchase through ...
05/01/2026

As of today, May 1, Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) permits for Big Cypress National Preserve are available for purchase through Recreation.gov.

Before your visit, please review all ORV regulations and requirements here: https://www.nps.gov/bicy/planyourvisit/orv-use.htm

The new permit site: https://www.recreation.gov/vehiclepermits/3332404

Before you go:

• All ORVs must meet inspection requirements as outlined in the Superintendent’s Compendium (https://www.nps.gov/bicy/learn/management/big-cypress-superintendent-compendium.htm)
• Visitors are responsible for conducting their own ORV inspection.
• Permits are limited to 2,000 per year.
• The ORV Office is open Friday–Monday from 9:00 AM to 1:30 PM for questions or assistance.

Have questions? Stop by the Nathaniel P. Reed Visitor Center or contact the ORV Office directly at (239) 631 -9988

The ORV Office is going digital! 🌿Beginning May 1, ORV permits can be purchased through Recreation.gov! This new system ...
04/28/2026

The ORV Office is going digital! 🌿

Beginning May 1, ORV permits can be purchased through Recreation.gov! This new system provides a convenient way to obtain permits in advance of your visit to Big Cypress National Preserve.

Visitors are encouraged to plan ahead and secure permits prior to arrival.

If you have questions or need assistance, staff are available at the Nathaniel P. Reed Visitor Center

By some estimates, nearly 80 percent of Americans are unable to view the Milky Way from their home. Enter the idea of "A...
04/16/2026

By some estimates, nearly 80 percent of Americans are unable to view the Milky Way from their home. Enter the idea of "Astrotourism." Astrotourism is the growing trend of traveling to locations known for skies dark enough for high-quality stargazing. Fortunately, there are still public spaces where we can stargaze for free - including right here at Big Cypress National Preserve!

Big Cypress National Preserve offers FREE public Night Sky Programs each winter season for astrotourists of all levels. Whether you are just launching your night sky exploration or you’re a seasoned astrotourist, these programs are for you! Each evening begins with a themed, interpretive Ranger talk related to the night sky. Weather permitting, local astronomers and astrophotographers join our Rangers at these events and kindly invite our visitors to come view the night sky through their lenses and dive deeper into exploration of the night sky. Again, these programs are entirely FREE and no registration is required!

We invite you to mark your calendars now for our Winter 2026-2027 Night Sky Programs:

Saturday, December 12, 2026
Saturday, January 9, 2027
Saturday, February 6, 2027
Saturday, March 6, 2027

Check back here or visit Big Cypress National Preserve Astronomy Programs for program start times and other information about how to have a great experience at our Night Sky Programs. These are fun evenings!

This marks the final post in our social media series for International Dark Sky Week 2026! We thank you for joining us and hope you have learned something new or have been inspired to Go Dark, take action, or just explore the night skies - and we hope to see you in December!

Some links to check out:
- https://www.nps.gov/bicy/planyourvisit/astronomy-programs.htm
-https://idsw.darksky.org/

Big Cypress National Preserve is celebrating International Dark Sky Week all week long with a social media series all ab...
04/15/2026

Big Cypress National Preserve is celebrating International Dark Sky Week all week long with a social media series all about preserving and protecting the dark night sky!

In previous posts we covered why dark skies are important and how we measure the darkness of our skies. Now we are turning to you for help protecting the sky in your own community! There are so many ways we can all contribute to this effort. Here are just a few:

We can address the outdoor lighting around our own homes;

We can work within our communities to spread the word about the importance of the dark night sky and push for community-wide lighting initiatives;

We can join people from all over the world in becoming citizen scientists;

And perhaps most importantly, we can get outside and take in all the beauty, wonder, and grandeur of our night sky while doing all the above!

Stay tuned for the final installation in our International Dark Sky Week social media series, where we will explore a new travel trend taking the world by storm - and learn how you can take part!

Some links to check out:
- https://idsw.darksky.org/
- https://darksky.org/what-we-do/advancing-responsible-outdoor-lighting/home/
- https://darksky.org/what-we-do/advancing-responsible-outdoor-lighting/darksky-outdoor-lighting-codes/
-https://darksky.org/resources/family-activities-to-enjoy-the-night-from-home/

Big Cypress National Preserve is celebrating International Dark Sky Week right here all week long! In our last post, we ...
04/14/2026

Big Cypress National Preserve is celebrating International Dark Sky Week right here all week long!

In our last post, we learned what light pollution is and why it matters that we work to conserve our dark night sky. So how do we measure light pollution? Rangers at Big Cypress National Preserve use Sky Quality Meters (SQMs) to measure the amount of night sky brightness directly overhead. SQMs are designed to mimic the response of the human eye to light. The SQM screen displays the sky brightness readings in magnitudes per square arcsecond, or mpsas. The lower the number, the higher the amount of light pollution. Rangers take multiple readings at various locations throughout the Preserve. These readings are compiled and reported in an effort to observe and record any changes to the night sky environment. At the end of each calendar year, these observations are submitted to DarkSky International as part of the Big Cypress National Preserve Night Sky Annual Report.

You don’t need a fancy Sky Quality Meter to estimate the darkness of the night sky! In 2001, amateur astronomer John E. Bortle created what is known as the Bortle Scale - a 9-level numeric scale - that measures the night sky’s brightness based on the visibility of celestial objects. Bortle Class 1 skies are the darkest skies on Earth and offer the best stargazing experience; Bortle Class 9 skies are the brightest skies - with so much light pollution, only the very brightest planets or stars are visible.

Many places at Big Cypress National Preserve measure about a 3 or 4 on the Bortle Scale. Nearby cities such as Miami, Naples, and Ft. Myers range from Bortle 7 to Bortle 9 - too bright for quality stargazing!

For more information about night sky quality survey methods, visit DarkSky International! Check back here for more of our International Dark Sky Week social media series - next up we'll offer some ways you can join the mission to preserve and protect the night sky in your corner of the universe!

Links to view:
-https://idsw.darksky.org/
-https://darksky.org/places/big-cypress-dark-sky-park/
-https://darksky.org/resources/guides-and-how-tos/how-to-conduct-a-night-sky-quality-survey/

Big Cypress National Preserve is celebrating International Dark Sky Week 2026 all week long! We invite you to join us th...
04/14/2026

Big Cypress National Preserve is celebrating International Dark Sky Week 2026 all week long! We invite you to join us this Saturday, April 18, at 1:00 pm in the Nathanial P. Reed Visitor Center auditorium for a special artist lecture and photography exhibit.

Dark Sky Scholar and fine-art photographer Matt Stock will present an exploration of the "parallel universe" of the night. Matt will share the meticulous technical process—and the deep philosophical mission—behind his hyper-real night photography. This talk examines why darkness is a natural resource as vital as the water in the swamp, and how we can use light to protect, rather than obscure, the beauty of Big Cypress National Preserve.

We hope to see you there! To learn more about how you can Go Dark with Big Cypress National Preserve, watch this space and visit the resources at DarkSky International!

Big Cypress National Preserve is celebrating International Dark Sky Week! Follow along all week as we share a social med...
04/13/2026

Big Cypress National Preserve is celebrating International Dark Sky Week! Follow along all week as we share a social media series about why protecting our dark skies matters, how rangers work to preserve the night sky, and how you can help.

So what is light pollution, and how does it affect us?

Light pollution is the human alteration of outdoor light levels, especially at night. Artificial light is part of our daily lives, but it comes at a cost.

You may have heard about sea turtle hatchlings becoming confused by artificial lights on their way to the ocean. But did you know about 70% of mammals are nocturnal? These animals rely on natural darkness for survival. Research shows they may change hunting and foraging behaviors to avoid artificial light even leaving areas where they’ve successfully found food before.

Artificial light also impacts birds. About 80–90% of migratory birds travel at night, using the moon and stars to navigate. Bright city lights can disorient them, causing some to stray off course. In response, cities along major migration routes sometimes encourage residents to turn off outdoor lights during peak seasons.

And what about humans? The night sky has long been a shared cultural and natural resource, inspiring stories, art, science, and exploration. It helped guide early navigation and continues to spark wonder today. Emerging research suggests access to natural darkness may also support our physical and emotional well-being.

For more on light pollution and its effects, visit DarkSky International and stay tuned for our next post on how Big Cypress rangers protect our night skies and how you can assess light pollution in your own neighborhood.

Big Cypress National Preserve invites you to join us as we launch International Dark Sky Week, April 13-20!Light polluti...
04/12/2026

Big Cypress National Preserve invites you to join us as we launch International Dark Sky Week, April 13-20!

Light pollution affects our lives and our skies nearly everywhere we go. By some estimates, nearly 80 percent of Americans are unable view the Milky Way from their home. As an International Dark Sky Park, part of our mission is to preserve and protect our dark skies for this and future generations. To learn more about how we do that, and how you, your family, and your friends can Go Dark with us, watch this space all week and check out the resources and ideas from DarkSky International!

Give back to the swamp 🌿 Join us for a Earth Day volunteer cleanup at Big Cypress National Preserve and help protect the...
04/07/2026

Give back to the swamp 🌿

Join us for a Earth Day volunteer cleanup at Big Cypress National Preserve and help protect the landscapes and wildlife that make this place so special.

🗓️ April 18, 2026
⏰ 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
📍 Meet at HP Williams Roadside Park
🚮 Cleanup area: Wagon Wheel Road

Trash doesn’t belong in the swamp! Whether you’re new to volunteering or have joined us before, we’d love to have you out there!

Plan to bring closed-toe shoes, sunscreen, a reusable water bottle, and a hat to stay comfortable while we work. We'll provide gloves and trash bags

🔗 Sign up on Volunteer.gov
🔗 https://www.volunteer.gov/s/volunteer-opportunity/a09SJ000009IWInYAO/big-cypress-earth-day-cleanup

Address

33100 Tamiami Trl E
Ochopee, FL
34141

Telephone

+12396952000

Website

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