Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary near Naples, Florida, is a 13,000-acre preserve managed by the National Audubon Society containing the largest old-growth bald cypress forest remaining in North America. The ancient cypress trees here are among the oldest in the United States, with some specimens dating back 500 to 700 years, their massive trunks draped in resurrection fern and Spanish moss rising from a shallow peat-bottomed swamp to create a cathedral-like canopy above the boardwalk. The 2.5-mile elevated boardwalk winds through multiple distinct ecosystem zones — pond cypress forest, bald cypress old growth, wet prairie, pine flatwoods, and open marsh — offering an extraordinarily diverse sequence of habitats within a single continuous walk. Wood storks, the only stork native to North America, nest in Corkscrew's cypress canopy in one of the species' most important remaining colonies; nesting season from January through April brings hundreds of nesting pairs and represents one of Florida's finest wildlife spectacles. The understory hosts barred owls, pileated woodpeckers, and prothonotary warblers, while the Florida panther roams the upland pine sections of the preserve — though sightings are extremely rare. Alligators glide through the peat-dark water beneath the boardwalk, and the occasional river otter passes below the observation platforms. Ghost orchids — the rarest and most dramatic wild orchid in the United States — grow in the cypress canopy and bloom unpredictably in summer; spotting one requires luck and the guidance of sanctuary naturalists. The visitor center provides educational exhibits and staff biologists who can direct visitors to current wildlife activity throughout the seasons.