Coming to Cockscrew Swamp Sanctuary has been on my bucket list for a long time.
In three years, I have visited this natural paradise twice because I have many things to do around this place.
Is Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary free?
You have to make some payments before you can gain entry into the sanctuary.
If you visit Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary you will see a gentle, pristine wilderness that is about 600 years old.
There is a 2.25-mile boardwalk that runs through pine flatwood, wet prairie, around a marsh, and finally terminates in North America at the biggest old-growth bald cypress forest.
Is Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary free?
Is Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Free?
No, Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary has a fee for everyone.
Accessing the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is not free.
To gain entry, full-time college students with valid school IDs pay $17, children between 6 and 14 years pay $6, and entry for children under 6 years is a fee.
There are lots of attractions for nature lovers at this preserve which is located 30 miles northeast of Naples, and approximately 47 miles south of Fort Myers.
There are about 600-year-old trees in the preserve.
It is also home to otters, alligators, and lots of endangered bird species.
You can walk on a boardwalk that runs through the sanctuary for a tour where you will see what Florida was like before its development.
There are naturalists stationed at different places along the boardwalk who will give answers to all your questions.
A recent visitor I saw said it took him about three hours to walk through the 3-mile sanctuary.
Things to Know About Corkscrew Swamp
You can access the sanctuary from 7 a.m.
to 5:30 p.m.
every day, except for any day the weather is not friendly.
You have to pay a minimal entry fee of $14 for adults, and $4 for children between the ages of 6 and 18.
You are not allowed entry into the boardwalk with any kind of food except bottled water.
You will see the picnic area around the parking lots.
The boardwalk does not have restrooms.
We can trace the history of the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary back to 1913.
The plumes of birds such as egrets and herons were usually used as accessories for fashion in the early 1900s.
An opportunity was created for hunters by the high demand for this material.
As of then, it was unfortunate that many of the hunters were ignorant of the basic principles of conservation.
Their ignorance led to the devastation of most bird species and habitats by plume hunters.
This destruction got the Audubon Society upset, so they employed Rhett Green as a warden who was soon feared by the hunters.
There was news that he sent out a warning through two plume hunters that he would shoot any man at sight who he saw attempting to enter the Corkscrew with a gun.
The plume hunters obeyed the words of Rhett Green and kept away from the Corkscrew Swamp.
The Audubon Society
The Audubon Society published an article in 1953 in the Miami Herald where they called upon the then-governor to protect Corkscrew Swamp as an area of ecological, and aesthetic importance.
Unfortunately, the governor did not listen to this call, so they bought over the swampy in 1955.
The massive 13,450 acres which are presently owned by the Audubon Society were paid for by donations from the public.
No one is sure of the true origin of Corkscrew Swamp’s name.
However, there is a belief that it was named after corkscrews as a result of a long twisting river that used to flow into the Gulf of Mexico through the south Florida wilderness.
This is not the first place Corkscrew has been used as the name of a place.
There is a Golf Club at Corkscrew Road, about just a mile from Corkscrew Trace Airpark named the Old Corkscrew Golf Club.
Another one is the Corkscrew Village shopping plaza with the motto “stop and get a Publix Sub, you’ll thank us later” which is located at the end of Corkscrew Road.
If you want to explore the boardwalk, it will be nice if you go along with water, bug spray, binoculars, and a camera.
However, there is a place at the Blair Audubon Visitor Center where you can rent Water bottles, bug spray, and binoculars.
The boardwalk rules are:
- Please walk
- Use of drones prohibited
- Quiet, please
- Animals and Plants are protected
- No smoking – smoking is not allowed at all places in the sanctuary
- Stay on the trail
- Do not litter
- Do not harass wildlife
- Do not feed wildlife
- No pets
- Children must be supervised
- Leave trail during high winds and lightning
Warning about flies:
Between March and November each year there is always an increase in the presence of yellow flies and deer flies in Florida.
The picking period is between April and June.
These insects will attack every part of your body that is not covered.
You may not be aware they are on your body until you feel a sharp pain because of their quiet nature.
The inserts are visual and odor hunters, so they can be repelled with products that contain DEET, but it will not stop their nuisance.
The best thing you can do during the flies’ peak season is to put on long sleeves and long pants.
You do not need to come with your pets if they are comfortable at home.
Only service animals are allowed on the boardwalk, for the safety of everyone.
There is enough parking space at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary.
Get your car properly locked, do not expose anything in the car to be visible to passers-by, and do not leave your most treasured belongings in the car.
Put your cell phone on silence, and vibration mode.
If you want to see as much wildlife as possible when you go visit the boardwalk, keep your voice low.
The Blair Visitor Center and the parking lot entrance on the outside feature public restrooms, but the boardwalk does not have public restrooms.
FAQs
Can you bring dogs to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary?
No, you cannot bring dogs to the sanctuary, only certified service dogs are allowed on the boardwalk.
How many acres is Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary?
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is about 13,450 acres in size.
Who owns Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary?
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary belongs to the National Audubon Society.
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is located in southwest Florida, north of Naples, and east of Bonita Springs.
It is a National Audubon Society sanctuary.
