Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary: Old-Growth Cypress & World-Class Birding

Twenty minutes past the edge of the suburbs, Naples gives way to one of the most remarkable wild places in Florida. Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary protects the largest remaining old-growth bald cypress forest in North America — and a 2.25-mile boardwalk lets you walk right through the middle of it.

A walk among 600-year-old trees

The boardwalk is the star. It winds for 2.25 miles through five distinct habitats — the ancient cypress forest, pine flatwoods, wet prairie, a sawgrass pond, and central marsh — beneath cypress trees that have stood here for nearly 600 years. It’s flat, fully wheelchair accessible, and quiet in the best way; you set the pace, and the swamp does the rest.

One of Florida’s great birding spots

Corkscrew is a designated Ramsar Wetland of International Importance and one of the best birdwatching destinations in the state, with more than 250 species recorded. Winter is spectacular — the jewel-toned painted bunting is a star migrant, alongside wading birds, raptors, and songbirds year-round. Bring binoculars (or borrow a pair at the visitor center) and take your time.

Plan your visit

• Admission: about $17 adults, with discounts — and it funds conservation.
• Hours: seasonal — roughly 8–5 in winter (last entry 3), 8–3 off-season (last entry 1).
• Start at the Blair Audubon Visitor Center, with naturalists, a sightings log, the new Spurlino Discovery Center exhibits, the Gallery Café, and a nature store.
• Best time: dry-season mornings (see our Naples weather guide). Summer is greener but hot and buggy.

The famous ghost orchid — and how it compares to CREW

Corkscrew’s celebrity resident is the “Super” Ghost Orchid, a rare bloom roughly 50 feet up a bald cypress and about 100 feet off the boardwalk that has flowered in nearly every month across two decades — though it skipped 2025 during a regional drought, so bring binoculars and treat any sighting as a bonus. The sanctuary is also famous for its historic wood stork rookery, the largest in the U.S., though nesting swings year to year with water levels. If you want a wilder, free alternative, the nearby CREW Bird Rookery Swamp offers roughly 12 miles of open tram-road trails — without Corkscrew’s old-growth canopy and amenities, and with a temporary boardwalk closure, so check its status first. One more planning note: Corkscrew typically closes for about two weeks each year (late August) for boardwalk maintenance — verify dates before a late-summer trip.

Part of wild Naples

Corkscrew is the headliner of the natural side of Naples life — the same side that includes the public parks, the Gordon River Greenway, and the beaches. It’s a reminder that for all the golf and galas, this is still the edge of the Western Everglades. For more of what’s happening around town, see the Naples events calendar — and if you’re drawn to the quieter, nature-rich side of the area, reach out and I’ll point you toward the neighborhoods that fit.

Sources: Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary (audubon.org/corkscrew) and Florida birding & visitor guides. Hours, admission, and access change seasonally — verify on Audubon’s site before you go.