Sometimes, I feel an intense urge to reconnect with nature, especially after living in a city nearly all my life. And when that pull hits, I seek out hiking trails in Florida that I know will offer me a unique experience. Take the Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve in Fort Myers as the perfect example. I recently trekked this 1.2-mile boardwalk slough trail (pronounced “slew”) and was pleasantly surprised at how many beautiful pockets of nature, brimming with wildlife, I came across. Let's dive into this special boardwalk trail in Florida.
Trust me, whenever I find little slivers of nature in South Florida, I run at the chance to sit and marvel. That’s what makes this recent trip to Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve so special.
This 3,500-acre wetland ecosystem offered a peaceful retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life, and provided a unique glimpse into the diverse wildlife and natural beauty of Southwest Florida.
The 1.2-mile boardwalk trail was very easy to access, and took me to a variety of habitats, including cypress swamps, hardwood hammocks, and pine flatwoods. There were trail maps right at the entrance of the trail, which was easy to get to from the parking lot. Parking did cost $1 an hour, which was plenty of time to complete the hike without rushing.
The boardwalk trail is elevated, which was great not just because I was worried about alligators nibbling my ankles (just kidding…sort of) but because that means the trail is open year-round, especially during the wet season when the ground is flooded.
Along the trail, various educational signs provide information about the ecosystem. I learned a ton about the variety of birds that like to hang around, plus different types of butterflies that flit through the sky here.
Many birds adapted to life in wetlands, like herons, egrets, and woodpeckers. But there are also animals, too, including otters, deer, and raccoons, as well as reptiles such as alligators and turtles.
The slough acts as a crucial corridor for migrating birds, making it an excellent spot for birdwatching, especially during migration seasons.
What I really enjoyed about the preserve was that the trail was well-maintained, and easily marked. I wandered at my own pace, stopping to snap photos, and then spent extra time under the shaded observation decks.
Although my goal of spotting river otters or at least a raccoon didn’t come true, I’m excited to go back again to disappear into the silence of nature and see what I can find.
What do you think of the Slough Preserve in Florida? Have you been here before? Sound off in the comments section! Or, if you have other hiking trails in Florida you think we should know about, make sure to shout them out, too.
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