Nearby parks and nature center Barefoot Beach State Recreation Area On the Gulf of Mexico at the north end of Wiggins Pass in Collier County, off the west end of Bonita Beach Road. In addition to cypress swamp, the preserve contains marsh, wet and dry prairie, mixed hardwood hammocks, sandy islands of slash pine and estuarine mangrove forests. This large tract of land is an important link in the hydrological system of southern Florida. The cycle begins as most of the preserve's 60 inches of annual precipitation falls, flooding cypress strands and prairies with a shallow sheet of life-giving water. Visitors find the park user friendly, with numerous points of entry off U.S. 41 and State Road 29.
Visitors can enjoy photography, birdwatching and fishing and hunting in season.
The Loop Road campgrounds are not suitable for large R.V.'s. When Big Cypress was established, more than 100 Seminole and Miccosukee Indians were living in the preserve. They continue to reside in small villages, and sell goods at points along U.S. 41. Big Cypress is home to the elusive and endangered Florida panther as well as black bear and other animals. It is also a key element in the watershed system of southern Florida.