ADDITION BACKCOUNTRY UNIT
See the Backcountry web page for information on the other six backcountry units at Big Cypress National Preserve.
The Addition Backcountry Unit got its name due to being an addition to Big Cypress National Preserve in 1988, and it appears that the National Park Service never came up with a better name. Environmental and sportsmen groups have been battling over these 147,000 acres since Day One, with the point of contention being vehicle access. The arguing is still going on as of 2026. For now, only those on foot or in a boat (motor, kayak, canoe) are allowed into the area. All trails are closed to motorized wheeled vehicles and bikes. Furthermore, no hunting is allowed.
The boundary of this area is not as easily defined as the boundaries for the other backcountry units, thus it is best to reference the map below. The unit is located in the northeast corner of the park and is most easily accessed along I-75 from the rest station at Mile Marker 63, where you can pick up the Florida Trail either north- or southbound, or from a westbound lane parking area at Mile Marker 51. The only other way into the area is by hiking the Florida Trail from its start at the Oasis Visitor Center.
Big Cypress Backcountry Zone Map (click to enlarge)
There are a few traditional hiking trails at Big Cypress National Preserve in the Addition unit, including the Florida Trail, a 1,300-mile trail that covers the state north to south starting at the Oasis Visitor Center (for more information, see the official Florida Trail Association web page). In fact, one of the only short loop hikes possible in the entire park is one pieced together from the Florida Trail and the other trails in the Addition Unit. See the Florida Trail report of details.
Hikers are free to venture off-trail when the terrain permits. The entire park is flat, and there are plenty of open areas. However, hike with caution because there are poisonous snakes and sharp vegetation in the backcountry. I heard a rattlesnake in the tall grass while walking on the Florida Trail but didn’t stick around long enough to see it.
Permits are no longer required to hike or bike in the backcountry of Big Cypress National Preserve. However, be sure to let somebody know of your plans and who to notify should you not return as scheduled.
Camping is allowed anywhere in the Addition unit provided that you pitch your tent at least a half mile from any developed areas such as roads, private homes, and established campgrounds. As with hiking, no permit is needed, but do let somebody know of your plans. For more information, see the Backcountry Camping web page here on National Park Planner.
No pets are allowed in the backcountry.
Access points are at the following stops on I-75 :
Mile Marker 63 Rest Area
At Mile Marker 63 you will find a full-fledged rest area (restrooms, picnic tables, etc.) on the eastbound side of I-75. There are Florida Trail parking areas on both the east- and westbound sides, and you can travel between the two under the highway bridge instead of having to drive further down the road to the nearest exit and turn around.
The parking area for the southbound trailhead is accessed from the eastbound lane of I-75. When you get off of the Interstate and enter the rest area, follow the “Hiker” signs. You will drive through the parking lot, continuing in the eastbound direction, until you come to the Public Safety building. Pull into its parking lot and take the first left that you come to, which passes in front of the building, and then follow this road until you come to a massive parking area. I don’t know how a parking area this size can be justified for the Florida Trail, but here it is.
Parking for those wanting to hike north on the Florida Trail is located on the westbound side of the Interstate. If you exit from the eastbound lane continue through the parking area as if heading to the southbound trail parking lot, but when you come to the Public Safety building take a left and go under the bridge. This leads to the northbound trail parking area, another massive lot that I can’t imagine ever filling up. The trailhead is on the right side of the parking lot.
If traveling westbound on I-75, the northbound trail parking lot is on your right once you come to the end of the exit ramp—you can’t miss it. If you want to get to the other side to hike southbound, turn left and head under the bridge. Take a left at the Public Safety Building and follow the directions above.
I-75 Mile Marker 63 rest area parking for the northbound Florida Trail trailhead, Big Cypress National Preserve
Mile Marker 51
Another parking area for the Addition unit can be accessed from the I-75 westbound lane only at mile marker 51. Those traveling east can exit the Interstate and turn around at Exit 49, the Miccosukee Service Plaza just outside of the park boundary. Here you will find a boat ramp where you can launch motorized boats, canoes, and kayaks into the Levee 28 Interceptor Canal. The enormous parking lot will more than accommodate cars and boat trailers.
I-75 Mile Marker 51 parking area, Big Cypress National Preserve
Boat ramp into Levee 28 Interceptor Canal in the Addition Unit of Big Cypress National Preserve
Unlike most of the other canals in the park which are narrow and overgrown, the Interceptor Canal is wide, clear, and well maintained. To the south, the canal peters out once it hits the Miccosukee Reservation, which requires a permit to enter anyway. To the north it stretches much further, but the land bordering the park is the Seminole Indian Reservation; a permit is needed to enter here as well. Thus, only a short stretch of the canal is on park land. I can’t see paddling in the canal for the sake of paddling, so I imagine anyone entering, regardless of watercraft, is here to fish.
There is a dirt road that follows the canal, and you can drive your vehicle—any vehicle, as no Off-Road Permit is needed—along it within the park boundary to reach a fishing spot. Biking is also allowed. If you travel north for a tenth of a mile, there is an old dirt road that heads westward and connects to other such roads. These are closed to vehicles and bikes, but they are open to hikers. There are also a few footpaths that lead directly from the parking lot, but in general, there are no traditional hiking trails in the Additions Unit, so be sure you know how to find your way around with a map and compass.
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Last updated on July 12, 2026
