Big Cypress National Preserve | SWAMP BUGGY TOUR

Swamp buggy tour into the Turner River Backcountry, Big Cypress National Preserve

Swamp buggy tour into the Turner River Backcountry, Big Cypress National Preserve

There are now a number of park concessionaires that conduct swamp buggy tours in Big Cypress National Preserve. I went with Captain Steve’s Swamp Buggy Adventures, which at the time was the only concessionaire offering swamp buggy tours, and it was a fairly new endeavor for the company. This review is not an endorsement of Captain Steve’s, and he may not even be an authorized concessionaire anymore for all I know, but I was entirely satisfied with the tour, the tour guide, and the service. If you don’t go with Captain Steve, I’m sure all swamp buggy tours are similar, and the information in this article should give you a general idea of what to expect. Swamp buggy tours are not for everyone, and you really need to understand what you are getting yourself into before you book one.

The tour route covered ground in the Turner River Backcountry Unit and began at the Concho Billie access point on Turner River Road (this is where you actually meet for the tour). I am not sure what the advertised duration of the tour was, but we were out in the backcountry for about 3.5 hours and covered around 8 miles. It is an out-and-back ride, so you cover the same ground twice. However, the repetition is irrelevant when it comes to spotting animals. You might not see a thing on the way out but may get lucky on the way back, for animals can be anywhere at any time.

What made the trip worthwhile was the guide. I believe his name was Cliff, and he was hands down one of the most informative guides I’ve had on any tour I’ve taken. He grew up in Big Cypress and he knew everything. He knew the plants, the animals, the birds. He hunted here. He fished here. He knew the people who lived here. He knew the local lore. He even knew the alligators by name. You’d expect such knowledge from an Ol’ Timer, but he was a fairly young guy. Unfortunately, I have no idea if he still works for Captain Steve’s, and even if he does, there is no guarantee that he’d be your tour guide.

As mentioned earlier, swamp buggy tours are not for everyone. This is not an exciting airboat ride. You won’t be “mudding” or “4 Wheeling” back in the swamp. In fact, if you go during the dry season (November through April) like 70 percent of the visitors to Big Cypress National Preserve, the “swamp” is most likely to be completely dry, other than a mud hole here and there. Without water, the trails are just dirt roads, and as Cliff said, even in the wet season they’re just dirt roads covered in water. You’ll be driving for about three hours at 5 MPH through the backcountry learning about the ecology and hopefully spotting animals. So who is this for?

The swamp during the dry season, Big Cypress National Preserve

The swamp during the dry season, Big Cypress National Preserve

First off, you need to be the type of person who wants to learn something. Captain Steve’s website points out that this is an “Eco-Tour,” not a Disney thrill ride. If you want thrills, book an airboat ride. I was on the tour with two other people, a husband and wife. She loved it because she was into birds and nature, while he was bored by the end.

Second, you need to be interested in plants and / or animals, but understand that this is not a zoo. Other than alligators, chances are slim of seeing any of the other big predators that live in Big Cypress National Preserve. There are only 150 panthers in the park and over 700,000 acres, so you probably have a better chance of getting struck by lightning than seeing one. Even Cliff has only seen one panther during all of his trips. Bears, same story. Even to see an alligator you’ll have to get off of the buggy and walk back to an alligator hole, for during the dry season you won’t find any sitting on the side of a dry, dirt road. Will your chances increase during the wet season? I doubt it, but I can’t say for sure. What I can say for sure is that I wouldn’t want to be in a south Florida swamp during the summer. Mosquitoes, heat, rain. What’s not to love?

About the only animals you are guaranteed to see are birds—hawks, osprey, storks—so bird watchers are likely to have a good time on the tour. The birds will be far off in the trees, so bring your binoculars. If you are into photography, you’ll need a 400+mm lens. Other animals that you might possibly see include deer, turkey, wild hogs, raccoon, and squirrels, and these are much more likely to be spotted than bear and panthers.

Red-shouldered hawk in the backcountry at Big Cypress National Preserve

Red-shouldered hawk in the backcountry at Big Cypress National Preserve

While most people want to see animals, those interested in botany will have plenty to talk about. Over the course of the eight miles we traveled into the backcountry, the terrain changed tremendously. At times the surrounding area resembled an African savanna or an open prairie. We also traveled through a young pine forest with palmetto bushes covering the ground (a favorite habitat of the panther), and at the alligator hole we walked through a cypress swamp, though it was dry at the time.

Grasslands of Big Cypress National Preserve during the dry season

Grasslands of Big Cypress National Preserve during the dry season

Pine tree and palmetto forest in Big Cypress National Preserve

Pine tree and palmetto forest in Big Cypress National Preserve

Cypress trees near the alligator hole in Big Cypress National Preserve

Cypress trees near the alligator hole in Big Cypress National Preserve

Depending on the season, you may also see flowers, including those of the bromeliads: airplants that grow on other plants but are not parasitic. There are sixteen species of bromeliads in the park, with the largest being the Cardinal bromeliad.

Cardinal Bromeliad in Big Cypress National Preserve

Cardinal Bromeliad in Big Cypress National Preserve

Finally, unless you have your own swamp buggy or ATV and $100 for a backcountry permit and the time to apply for one, a swamp buggy tour is the only way you will get into the backcountry other than by hiking or biking. Nearly all other concessionaires focus on canoe and kayak trips. The fee for the tour is $100+ per person, so it’s not cheap, but given the alternative—hiking or biking without anyone to tell you about what you are looking at—it’s a pretty good deal.

I’d be hesitant to bring small children, but you know your kids. My daughter would certainly love to learn about the bears and panthers and alligators, but there’s only so much information she could absorb without actually seeing these animals before she would get bored.

I thoroughly enjoyed the tour. I love learning, and I desperately wanted to see the backcountry if for no other reason than to write about it. With Cliff as the guide, I got my money’s worth. In fact, a lot of the information I provide throughout my review of Big Cypress National Preserve comes from him. If I write, “I was told…” I’m probably referring to Cliff.

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Last updated on June 9, 2023
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