Best Preserves and State Parks in Southwest Florida to Experience Nature
If you want to get out into nature, there are hundreds of southwest Florida state parks and peaceful wildlife preserves from which to choose!
Whether you’re an avid birdwatcher wanting to log some new sightings of native species, a shelling enthusiast seeking new finds for your collection, or longing to see a pod of manatees, dolphins, or alligators in the wild, southwest Florida has the subtropical flora and fauna to discover.
Most visitors know of Everglades National Park, but may not be as familiar with the numerous adjacent refuges, preserves, State Parks, and other green spaces — such as Fakahatchee Strand, Big Cypress, and Collier-Seminole State Park — that add on hundreds of thousands of acres to the National Park.
And that’s just Naples and Marco Island!
The many biking and hiking trails through swamps and hammocks encourage you to get out and explore nature.
If being on the water is more to your liking, rent a kayak or canoe and paddle through mangroves and around estuaries to your heart’s content.
No matter how you wish to enjoy the experience, Mother Nature has something for everyone — lush tropical gardens, bountiful nature preserves, wildlife galore, tropical beaches for shelling, and accessible State Parks — in southwest Florida.
What’s In This Article
State Parks in Southwest Florida
Wildlife Preserves in Southwest Florida
Best Places to Experience Nature in Southwest Florida
State Parks in Southwest Florida
This list of State Parks in southwest Florida includes all 12 of the official State Parks you can explore, with hiking and paddling trails and other amenities to satisfy any outdoor lover.
Check out the Florida State Park website before you go in case of unexpected closures, maintenance, or other important tips to know.
Cayo Costa State Park - 4 nautical miles west of Pine Island, Cayo Costa FL
Charlotte Harbor State Park - 12301 Burnt Store Road, Punta Gorda FL
Collier-Seminole State Park - 20200 Tamiami Trail E, Naples FL
Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park - 11135 Gulfshore Drive, Naples FL
Don Pedro Island State Park - 8450 Placida Road, Cape Haze, FL
Estero Bay Preserve State Park - 4940 Broadway West, Estero FL
Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park - 137 Coastline Drive, Copeland FL — the largest State Park in southwest Florida!
Gasparilla Island State Park - 880 Belcher Road, Boca Grande, FL
Koreshan State Park - 3800 Corkscrew Road, Estero FL — see our detailed post on the fascinating Koreshan State Park and Historic Site.
Lovers Key State Park - 8700 Estero Blvd, Fort Myers Beach, FL
Mound Key Archeological State Park - 3800 Corkscrew Road, Estero FL
Stump Pass Beach State Park - 900 Gulf Blvd., Englewood, FL
National Wildlife Preserves in Southwest Florida
Managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Wildlife Preserves located in southwest Florida help preserve the region’s native flora and fauna. While not all of the preserves are accessible to the public, some parts are and it’s definitely worth exploring their website (if they have one) to find out more.
Caloosahatchee National Wildlife Refuge (40 acres) - North Fort Myers, FL
Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge (26,400 acres) - 12085 SR 29 South, Immokalee, FL (Education Center: 3860 Tollgate Blvd, Naples, FL)
Island Bay National Wildlife Refuge (20 acres) - Boca Grande, FL
J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Preserve (5,200 acres, the largest undeveloped mangrove ecosystem in the United States) - 1 Wildlife Dr, Sanibel, FL
Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge (538 acres) - St James City, FL
Pine Island National Wildlife Refuge (601 acres) - Bokeelia, FL
11 Best Places to Experience Nature in Southwest Florida
1. Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
375 Sanctuary Rd W, Naples
Reservations: and advanced ticket purchase required.
Hours: Timed entry daily 8am - 1pm, boardwalk closes at 3pm
Entry fee: $17, college student with valid school ID $10, ages 6-14 $6, children under 6 are free
Pets: Not permitted.
Website: https://corkscrew.audubon.org
Situated 30 miles east of Naples, the the 13,000 acre Corkscrew Sanctuary is home to an incredible amount of wildlife. Throughout the year there are a variety of bird species to be seen including herons, hawks, and egrets. You’ll also find turtles, deer, and a large population of alligators.
A 2.25 mile boardwalk winds through woodlands that include the largest old-growth cypress forest in North America. As you slowly make your way keep an eye out for the rare ghost orchid.
Stop in the Nature Store for educational souvenirs (great for when the kids go back to school).
There are public restrooms and a water bottle fill station to fill/refill your own water bottle. Adjacent to the parking area are picnic tables to relax with your lunch after the hike.
Be sure to bring sunscreen, insect repellent, and your camera. Complimentary wheelchairs are available by request.
2. Keewaydin Island
Latitude: 26° 02' 27.60" N - Longitude: -81° 46' 25.19" W
Reservations: Not required.
Hours: Sunrise to sunset. No overnight camping.
Entry fee: No entry or parking fee.
Pets: Dog friendly, must be leashed, and exercise caution around turtle nests and those of nesting birds.
Website: https://rookerybay.org/visit/explore-the-reserve/keewaydin-island/
Keewaydin Island is one of Naples’ hidden gems, and getting there is half the fun of being there. Situated between Naples and Marco Island, the island is only accessible by boat, giving it a very remote feel (the majority of the island is maintained by Rookery Bay, while the remaining 15% is privately owned).
This Gulf Coast barrier island is a playground for those with a boat or access to one. You can spend the day beach-combing or soaking up the sun — shelling here is amazing and its secluded location means its one of the best nesting grounds for Florida sea turtles — overall it makes a great day trip from Naples!
If you don’t have a boat, a local shuttle can get you there. Read our complete guide to Keewaydin Island for more info on how to get there and what to do when you go.
3. Babcock Ranch Preserve
8502 FL-31, approx. 17 miles east of Punta Gorda
Reservations: During season reservations are recommended.
Hours: Open October - April, 7 days/wk, 9am - 3pm; May - September, 7 days/wk, 9:30am - 2pm
Entry fee: No entry or parking fee.
Pets: Not recommended (see below)
Website: https://myfwc.com/recreation/cooperative/babcock-ranch-preserve/
Located a little over 17 miles east of Punta Gorda, Babcock Ranch Preserve is a nearly 68,000 acre preserve in southeast Charlotte County. The preserve provides habitat for white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, alligators, sandhill cranes, gopher tortoises, an incredible number of birds, and the Florida panther and black bear.
13 individual wildlife species that are listed as endangered, threatened, or of special concern are also protected within the preserve.
Several guided eco-tours are available. The guided swamp buggy tour is lots of fun — taken in an old school bus that’s been repainted in camo colors! Or take the walking tour, a little over a mile long. It’s an easy hike with lots of wildlife to see, photo ops, and is a good tour for kids.
For great photos to remember your visit by, take the “Photography Tour” in the morning on the first Saturday of the month.
Finally, for something truly unique try our favorite tour — “Sounds of the Night” — held in the evening on the last Saturday of each month.
After your tour grab lunch and a cold drink at the onsite Gator Shack Restaurant. The food is very good and some menu items change daily.
TIP: With the number of alligators and wild hogs in the preserve, this is not a safe place for your four-legged friend.
4. Crew Bird Rookery Swamp
1295 Shady Hollow Blvd. W, Naples
Reservations: Not required
Hours: Open 24 hours, hike at your own risk.
Entry fee: No Parking or entry fee.
Pets: Dog friendly, leashed, but exercise caution especially with small dogs as there are often gators present in the water or along part of the trail.
Website: https://crewtrust.org/bird-rookery-swamp-trail/
As part of the 50,000 acre Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed, Bird Rookery Swamp is one of the most accessible ecosystems in southwest Florida. This 12-mile loop trail is excellent for both hiking and biking.
During the wet season, the boardwalk will keep you above the water, but the remainder of the trail can get a bit muddy in places. The trail is easy to follow through the cypress trees so you can keep your attention on egrets, herons, anhingas, cormorants, and a wealth of other bird species during nesting season.
In the parking lot are portable toilets and a billboard showing the trail and it’s various sites. Remember to bring water, bug spray, and sunscreen.
TIP: There are a lot of vultures in the area that seem to have a penchant for picking at car tires. You can discourage them by closing plastic grocery bags in your car doors so they flap in the breeze and divert their attention from your tires.
5. Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
Educational Learning Center - 300 Tower Road, Naples
Boat Tours and Kayak Rentals - 10 Shell Island Rd, Naples
Reservations: Ecotours and kayak rentals - by reservation
Hours: Environmental Learning Center - Open Monday - Saturday, 9am - 4pm
Entry fee: Adults $8, $5 ages 6-12, under 6 - Free
Pets: No
Website: https://rookerybay.org/
Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve is a 110,000-acre reserve and the largest mangrove forest in North America.
Migrating seasonal birds by the thousands fly in to nest on small mangrove islands. There are also year-round residents like ospreys, bald eagles, and dolphins.
When the water is warm enough there are occasionally manatee sightings.
Rookery Bay specializes in educational eco-tours, which are led by their exclusive tour partner Rising Tide Explorers. Choose from an all around tour of the estuary system and its wildlife, a sunset bird rookery cruise, or shelling on Keewaydin Island, a relatively undisturbed pristine barrier island.
You can also rent a kayak and explore on your own by following the marked Shell Island Trail through the mangroves. Check the website for additional tours and pricing depending on the season.
The Educational Learning Center is great for families with many touch displays, a reef aquarium, the history of the Calusa Indians, and a guided walking tour.
6. J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge
1 Wildlife Dr, Sanibel
Reservations: Not required
Hours: Open daily, 9am - 4pm
Entry fee: Parking is free; 4-mile Wildlife Drive Loop - $10 per vehicle
Pets: Dog friendly for well-behaved and leashed dogs.
Website: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/jn-ding-darling/visit-us/locations/jn-ding-darling-national-wildlife-refuge
Located on beautiful Sanibel island on southwest Florida’s Gulf Coast, the J.N. “Ding” Darling Wildlife Refuge is home to 245 species of birds including nesting migratory birds, herons, and egrets. The Refuge is distinct as part of the largest undeveloped mangrove ecosystem in the United States. You’ll also see alligators and an occasional manatee or two.
This is a great place to go kayaking in Lee County, as you can immerse yourself in this subtropical ecosystem. Rent a kayak or canoe and spending a few hours paddling slowly through the mangroves.
The refuge is home to more than 245 bird species, so birdwatching and photography are fabulous.
Or you can choose to drive, bike, or hike the 4-mile Wildlife Drive. You can stop and park on the right side of the trail to access three different walking trails and two access points if you have your own kayak or canoe.
The Visitor and Education Center has public restrooms, a gift shop, and a water bottle refill station.
7. Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve
7751 Penzance Blvd, Fort Myers
Reservations: Not required
Hours: Open daily dawn to dusk; Interpretive Center open Tuesday - Sunday 10am - 4pm (check the website for current times)
Entry/Parking fee: $1 per hour up to a $5 maximum per visit
Pets: Pets are not permitted on the boardwalk.
Website: https://www.sloughpreserve.org
About 20 minutes from Fort Myers, Six Mile Cypress Slough (pronounced slew) is an over 3,500-acre tract of wetland and one of the fun things to see and do in Fort Myers.
During the wet season, rainwater from the watershed runs-off into the slough. The water is filtered as it passes through this ecosystem on its way to Estero Bay.
This phenomenon creates an ideal habitat for wading birds, ospreys, alligators, migrating birds, otters, turtles, and many others species of wildlife. Vegetation typical of the subtropics also appears with the rainfall.
There is a 1.5 mile boardwalk to keep you out of the water for a dry and easy hike.
If you’d prefer, you can sign-up for a 90-minute guided tour so you don’t miss anything. The tour is included in the parking fee.
The Interpretive Center is a certified “green building” with lots for kids including touch and feel displays. There are public restrooms, water fountains to refill you water bottle, and a picnic area.
8. Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park
11135 Gulf Shore Dr, Naples
Reservations: Not required
Hours: Open year round, 8am - sunset
Entry fee: Entry/parking fee is $6 per vehicle, credit cards accepted
Pets: Pets are allowed in the park, but not on the beaches.
Website: https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/delnor-wiggins-pass-state-park
Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park is one of the most popular natural places in Naples, and some of Naples’ best beaches are located here. But pristine beaches aside, there is also excellent fishing opportunities, and a dense mangrove forest that’s fun to explore.
At the gate you’ll receive a map showing parking lots, picnic areas, swimming and designated fishing beaches. Parking can get to capacity quickly on weekends and during season.
This are plenty of places for walking the beach and taking advantage of the great shelling but remember, if the animal is still using the shell, put it back into the ocean. Not only is it the law, it makes good ecological sense.
There is also a nature trail that runs nearly the length of the beach. It’s not marked but can clearly be identified. The trail is just over a mile long starting at the first parking lot and ending at a tall observation tower at the north end of the park.
Parking lot 4 has vendors selling light food and cold drinks, and renting beach gear.
Adjacent to the last parking lot are restrooms and outdoor showers. Here, there is also a raised pavilion that can be reserved for special occasions.
Keep an eye out for gopher tortoises crossing the road or resting in the shade under your car.
9. Naples Botanical Garden
4820 Bayshore Dr, Naples
Reservations: Not required
Hours: Open daily 9am - 5pm
Entry fee: Adults $25, ages 4-17 $10, under 4 free
Pets: Dogs are welcome on Tuesday and Sunday from 9-11am on a 6’ non-retractable leash
Website: https://www.naplesgarden.org/
Founded in 1933, visiting the Naples Botanical Garden is truly one of the best things to do in Naples!
The 170-acre garden features exhibits of flora that exists throughout most of the tropics. This world-class garden has been awarded the prestigious Award for Garden Excellence conferred by the American Public Gardens Association.
Throughout the garden are plantings representing the Caribbean, Brazil, Asia, and more as well as a spectacular water garden with huge pond lilies.
One of our favorite spots is the Balinese garden where you can sit under an authentic structure carved in Bali and constructed at the garden, while surrounded by beautiful Zen-like gardens and statuary.
The Naples Botanical Garden encourages you through education and conservation to become a “steward of the environment”.
After strolling the gardens, have lunch at the onsite Fogg Café and afterwards browse the Berger Shop in the Garden for unique botanical gifts. Tickets can be purchased online where you can also become a member.
10. Cayo Costa State Park
4 nautical miles west of Pine Island
Reservations: Not required
Hours: Open year round, 8am - sunset
Entry fee: $2 per person paid at the honor box
Pets: Pets are allowed in the park but not on the beaches or in the cabin area. They must be well-behaved and kept on a 6-foot, hand-held leash.
Camping: Tent camping - $22 per night (plus a $6.70 registration fee); Primitive cabins - $40 per night plus the reservation fee
Website: https://www.floridastateparks.org/CayoCosta
Cayo Costa is a pristine barrier island located north of Captiva Island and west of Pine Island in Lee County, and accessible only by boat or kayak.
The island is a natural playground with 9 miles of undeveloped beaches ideal for shelling, swimming, fishing, snorkeling, and bird watching. There is also access to several walking and biking trails.
The shoreline is visited regularly by dolphins and manatees, and seasonally by sea turtles.
If you love rustic camping, this State Park has 30 designated tent campsites for overnight stays as well as 11 single room no-frills cabins for rent. Both have a picnic table, ground grills, and access to potable water. Nearby are restrooms with flush toilets and cold showers. No sites have electricity but all are near the beach.
Ferry service from several mainland locations will get you to the island and back (check the website for locations, schedules and rates). The docks are about a mile from the campsites, but a tram service that runs between 10am and 4 pm will get you and your gear to your campsite and back.
Kayaks, bicycles, ice, and basic camp items are available for rent at the gift shop at the dock.
11. Lovers Key State Park
8700 Estero Blvd, Fort Myers Beach
Reservations: Not required
Hours: Open 365 days a year, 8am - sunset
Entry/Parking fee: $8 per vehicle
Pets: Dogs are allowed on the hiking trails but not on the beach. They must be leashed.
Website: https://www.floridastateparks.org/Lovers-Key
With over 2.5 miles of sugary white sand beaches, the 712-acre barrier island park is actually made up of three other islands: Black Island, Inner Island, and Long Key. All of them are beautiful and teeming with wildlife.
There are trams from the parking lot to the beach or you can walk along the boardwalk about 10 minutes to the beach.
You can enjoy paddling a kayak or stand-up paddle board, either your own or pick up a rental in the park from Lovers Key Adventures. They also rent bicycles so you can bike, or hike, the 2.5 mile Black island Trail or the 1.1 mile Eagle Trail which pass through a maritime hammock.
The wildlife in the hammocks changes with the season and the trails are well worth exploring. You’ll see nesting ospreys to roseate spoonbills, egrets, herons, and the American kestrel.
With the extensive number of beaches on the Gulf of Mexico, swimming, shelling, and soaking up rays are as excellent as you’d imagine. Dolphins and manatees can often be seen swimming just offshore.
Want to bring your own boat to Lover’s Key? There is a launch ramp and an onsite bait shop.
Picnic areas with tables are throughout the park and some have grills. A pavilion at the south beach seats 80 people and is available for weddings, large family gatherings, and special events. All of these can be rented through Lovers Key Adventures & Events.
When you get hungry, Hurricane Charley’s restaurant on the south beach offers hamburgers, hot dogs and other beach style foods.
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No matter where you visit in SWFL, you’re never far from the quiet, natural spaces that make this such a special place. So when you’re looking to immerse yourself in nature, these refuges, preserves, and state parks in southwest Florida is the place to start.
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