6 Fun and Easy Hiking and Walking Trails, Naples FL

Want to explore all the nature in southwest Florida on foot? There are plenty of state parks, peaceful preserves, wildlife refuges, and green spaces to discover.

And when it comes to cool hiking and walking trails, Naples FL delivers!

Yes, Naples has great beaches, and amazing shopping for weeks on end.

But Naples also attracts visitors wanting to escape and unwind, and get away from it all to relax in the great outdoors.

The Everglades ecosystem offers nature lovers the chance to see the local flora, experience some of the best hiking trails in Florida, and maybe even spot some of the incredible wildlife native to southwest Florida.

For nature lovers, hiking these swampy and scrubby trails are one of the best things to do in Naples.

So get out the sunscreen and insect repellent, dress to stay cool, and bring a hat and water.

It’s time to head outdoors.

Hiking In Naples FL

Hiking in Naples, Florida gives you the opportunity to experience the local ecosystems.

There are no overly-rigorous hikes in the area, and if you stick to marked trails, you likely won’t get lost.

Most of the hiking opportunities listed here are either on groomed trails or elevated boardwalks with railings to keep you safe and on the path.

One of the really great features of hiking in Naples is that no two trails are alike.

Depending on what hits your nature vibe, you have a lot of options.

So step away from the beaten path for the afternoon or take a fun side trip from Naples and explore the natural world along beachside trails, trails through cypress swamps, or a boardwalk through the mangroves. 

Here are 6 interesting and easily accessible trails and boardwalks that are among the best things to do in Naples for lovers of nature and the great outdoors.

6 Fun and Easy Walking Trails, Naples FL

1.  Gordon River Greenway, Naples

• No parking or entrance fee

• Wheelchair accessible

• Canoe and kayak launches

• Dog-friendly (on leash)

Right in the heart of Naples is the Gordon River Greenway, one of our favorite Naples hiking trails.

The 140-acre park features 2.5 miles of boardwalk, mulched paths, and a bit of asphalt.

There are two entrances to the Greenway. It can be accessed either from Golden Gate Parkway or at the back part of the parking lot of the Naples Zoo on Goodlette-Frank Road.

The trail is wide enough for cyclists and hikers to pass safely, and easily navigated by wheelchairs and strollers.

The Greenway accommodates jogging, cycling, walking, roller-blading, and skateboarding. 

If you’re a bird watching enthusiast bring along your binoculars or camera. With plenty of food and places to nest, the corridor along the river is a haven for native and migratory bird species.

There are scenic overlooks, educational signage and interpretive graphics highlighting native Florida plants, canoe and kayak launches, wildlife viewing stations, picnic shelters, and bridges where you can fish.

There’s even a small playground, water fountains, and restrooms.

Have your 4-legged friend along? Dogs are welcome but must be on a leash, and of course, cleaned-up after.

There are disposal stations all along the Greenway to get rid of wastes.

If you’re only in town for a few days and want to experience the natural environment, we highly recommend spending some time on the Gordon River Greenway.

2.  CREW Bird Rookery Swamp, Naples

• No Parking or Entrance fee

• Hiking Time: 5-7 Hours

• Dog friendly, leashed

This is another favorite Naples hike and one that never disappoints.

The 12 mile loop trail is part of the 50,000 acre Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed and offers incredible opportunities to hike or bike.

CREW Bird Rookery Swamp is one of the best accessible natural Florida settings you’ll find, though it can get sloshy or even flooded in places after a good rain.

Hike or cycle on the boardwalk and easy to follow trail through untamed cypress-maple swamps.

Along the way watch for egrets, herons, and the many bird species nesting in the rookery. 

Just beyond the transition from the boardwalk to the groomed trail there’s often a resident alligator in her wallow or sunning on the bank.

We’ve been fortunate to see many juveniles from her matings.

If you do see her, there’s plenty of room to walk behind her — just give her a very wide berth.

Be sure and carry any small kids or small dogs past her, and absolutely do not ever try to touch an alligator.

Parking is free, and there are portable toilets in the parking lot.

Be sure to bring water, snacks, sunscreen, insect repellent, and your camera and/or binoculars.

TIP:

Bring along some plastic grocery bags from the store to wrap on your car door handles.

There are a ton of vultures in this area, and the sound of flapping plastic in the breeze keeps them away from pecking on your car tires while you hike. Wascally wabbits!

3. Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, Naples

• Reservation and advanced ticket purchase required

• General Admission: $17; children under 8 are free

• Entry is timed from 8am until 3pm

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is located approximately 30 minutes east of Naples.

The Sanctuary is home to a wide variety of birds, egrets and herons, hawks, deer, turtles, and hundreds of alligators.

The natural ecosystems in Corkscrew cover over 13,000 acres.

For hikers, the 2.25 mile boardwalk passes through woodland including the largest old-growth cypress forest in North America.

And if you’re very very lucky you may spot the elusive Ghost Orchid.

Enter through the Blair Audubon Center and stop-by the Nature Store for unique educational souvenirs of your visit.

You can fill water bottles in the Living Machine before you start your hike.

Pack a lunch and picnic after your hike at tables in the parking area. 

Bring sunscreen, insect repellent, water, your camera and binoculars.

No food is allowed on the boardwalk and pets are not permitted.

4.  Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve, Ft. Myers

• No Entrance fee. Parking is $1/hour (max $5/day)

• Best during the wet season

If your visit includes Sanibel Island or Ft. Myers and you would enjoy a good hike, plan on hiking Six Mile Cypress Slough (pronounced slew) about 20 minutes from Ft. Myers.

The Slough is 3,500 acres, 11 miles long, and about one-third of a mile wide along most of its length.

During the wet season rainwater from the surrounding watershed collects in the Slough. with the excess water going to Estero Bay.

Here you will find much of the wildlife associated with this part of Florida.

Depending on rainfall which helps to create food sources, you can usually see egrets, herons, turtles, ospreys, hawks, alligators, and with a little luck, river otters.

The flora that emerges with the rain is every bit as interesting as the resident fauna.

The elevated 1.5 mile boardwalk makes for an easy hike.

You can hike on your own or sign-up for a guided 90 minute tour with a Florida naturalist.

It’s included in your parking fee.

Be sure to stop-by the Interpretive Center. It’s a certified “Green Building” and on its own a great reason to visit this preserve.

Constructed using specified materials and construction methods, green buildings are energy efficient with a minimal impact on the environment.

Inside the Center is lots of information and for the kids, and the kid in you, there are hands-on touch and feel displays.

Admission to the Center is included in the parking fee.

Here there are public restrooms, water fountains to refill you water bottle, and a picnic area.

But sorry, no pets allowed on the boardwalk.

5.  Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park, Naples (temporarily closed)

• Entrance fee - $6 per car

• Hiking Time: about 2 Hours

Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park is a barrier island with a dense mangrove forest.

This park includes one of the best beaches in Naples.

When you pay your fee at the entrance, the park ranger will give you a detailed map showing clearly defined parking lots, swimming and fishing sections of the beach, and places to picnic.

A great way to pass the time is to walk the beach looking for shells, lots of shells.

Tide in or tide out, it doesn’t matter. The constant movement of the tides continually deposits shells along the beach.

Please remember, if the occupant of the shell is home, gently toss it back into the water.

NOTE: It is unlawful and environmentally unsound to take live shells including sand dollars.

Running parallel to the beach is an unmarked but clearly distinguishable trail.

This is a great trail for a leisurely walk just off the beach in the shade, especially when it gets hot.

The path is just over a mile long, and if you get hungry, it’s easy to step back onto the open beach or grab something to eat from the occasional vendor in the parking lots.

A unique and fun thing to do is to look for a gopher tortoise crossing.

You never know when one will show up so be patient. One will show up soon, but just give them space to roam.

Although this is a great park and beach we’d be remiss if we didn’t tell you that during the “season”, this is a very popular place that can reach full capacity sometimes by noon.

When this happens, rangers close the gates.

If you’d like to hike the trail through this coastal eco-niche, get here early so you can take your time exploring.

Bring binoculars and/or a camera to help you with sightings and keeper photos of your trip.

Dogs are allowed in the park on a leash, but not on the beach.

6. Barefoot Beach Preserve, Naples (temporarily closed)

• Open year round 8 am to sunset

• Parking is $8; free with a Collier County Resident Beach Parking Permit

While hiking in Delnor-Wiggins you may have noticed the beautiful beach on the north side of Wiggins Pass.

But how to get there? It’s not difficult, but you’ll have to drive a short distance to Bonita Springs and the Preserve entrance.

Encompassing 342 acres, Barefoot Beach Preserve is quiet and consistently rated in the top ten beaches in the US. 

It’s certainly one of the most pristine beaches in Southwest Florida!

There is a vendor near the Ranger Station selling snacks and cold drinks. Public restrooms and outdoor showers to rinse the sand off are at parking lots #1 and #3.

If you’re traveling light, beach chairs, umbrellas, and kayaks can be rented during the season at the end of the boardwalk from parking lot #1.

Besides the fantastic shelling, hiking the Saylor Nature Trail is one of the best reasons to visit.

The trailheads can be found in the corners of parking lot #3. The trail winds through coastal woodlands for 1.25 miles and is mostly shaded.

Along the trail are educational signs that help to identify the flora and wildlife.

This is a quiet and peaceful hike through stands of huge sea grape trees, mangroves, and scatterings of Sable palms.

You can hike the path to the southern end of Barefoot Beach or continue on the loop back to the parking lot. If you take you time, you may spot a gopher tortoise. 

TIP:

Be sure to check under your car before moving. Gopher tortoises will hide in the shade under your car. 


Like all Collier County beaches, dogs are not permitted.

Have you been hiking in Naples?

There are more walking trails Naples FL has to offer, but these 6 are some of our favorites!