Trails and Nails!
That is the maintenance focus of our Resource Management Team during this summer season.
Resource management techs Russ, Joseph and Leila work alongside the Florida Trails Association, Naples Chapter (Alligator Amblers), District 4 Panther Team and regular park staff in the beautiful and dense woods of our hiking trails. Much of the work was done through the winter season but there is more maintenance needed. They cut dead trees, clear underbrush and clear fireline roads essential for wildland firefighting and suppression. The Alligator Amblers and staff re-blaze trail pathways and repair existing bridges.
Our popular trails for hiking and biking:
- Strand Swamp Trail (5-mile) & Flatwoods Trail (3-mile). Hiking only. Located on the park's northern side of US 41.
- Prairie Hammock Trail (3.5-mile) hiking/biking trail. Located on the park's southern side of US 41.
Licensed contractors have treated 129 acres of invasive plants such as Melaleuca, Brazilian pepper, Lygodium (Old World Climbing Fern), Java Plum, and Earleaf Acacia. Another contractor has installed 13,000 ft of hardened road for a low water crossing on the park’s northside improving access for park staff during the wet season.
Looking ahead, a proposed project for 240 acres of non-native plant treatment is currently in the works.
Our Resource Management Team's hard work makes our trails safer and easier to navigate. It also provides a healthier environment for the native wildlife who will call it home for generations to come.
We invite you to visit these trails to enjoy their natural beauty and to create new memories while you travel through various natural communities. When planning your day, please call the park at 239-393-7306 to get current trail conditions.
If you have been thinking about volunteering and how you can help, just follow the link below to become part of our resource management team.
Learn How You Can Get Involved!
