Kirby Storter Roadside Park (in Big Cypress National Preserve) is located on the south side of Tamiami Trail, 3.3 miles west of Monroe Station. In the park there is a pleasant half-mile-long boardwalk that passes through a cypress swamp.
Even though we didn't see too many animals while hiking there (just a couple of turtles and a water snake), we liked the boardwalk, as it led us through a very different environment than all the previous trails we hiked in the area. It felt more like a prairie, rather than a swamp. Most of the trees lost their leaves in anticipation of winter, and the grass was yellow-orange in color, as if burnt by the summer sun.
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| Kirby Storter Boardwalk |
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| Kirby Storter Boardwalk |
Still, clearly it was a swamp, as the roots of many trees were submerged in water.
Anil was very happy to see this snake in the park. When we first spotted it, it was graciously swimming in the water. Then it climbed out, and started zig-zagging around the trees, likely in search of breakfast.
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| A water snake |
I didn't care that much about the snake, but was pleased to see a turtle warming up on a dead tree trunk.
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| A turtle |
