Start of the Tree Snail Hammock Trail at Big Cypress National Preserve
See the Hiking web page for an interactive location map.
Length: .2-mile loop
Time: 10 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
The Tree Snail Hammock Trail at Big Cypress National Preserve is a very short nature trail located across from the Loop Road Education Center on the Loop Road. The trail’s purpose is to educate visitors about a hardwood hammock, a plot of land that has a higher elevation than the rest of the swampy areas of Big Cypress. The drier ground allows hardwood trees to grow, trees that cannot survive in the water soaked swamp. The trail is flat and has a smooth terrain, making it easy to hike for just about anyone. For those who can’t manage a .2-mile walk without tiring, there are benches along the way.
Typical terrain of the Tree Snail Hammock Trail at Big Cypress National Preserve
I certainly wouldn’t drive the dusty Loop Road to walk on the trail because the information signs that point out the trees and other natural elements of the hammock have rotted away—only one sign remained during my hike. With no real educational value and certainly no exercise value, there is no reason to waste your time on this trail. I am guessing that it is mainly used by Rangers from the Loop Road Education Center as the place to take school kids for lectures about the environment. The Education Center is run by the Everglades National Park and is open only to 5th and 6th grade students.
Sole remaining information sign on the Tree Snail Hammock Trail at Big Cypress National Preserve
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Last updated on June 9, 2023
