Huge birds everywhere! Decent sized gators. Its a great safe 12 mile loop through the swamp. Some parts are pretty wet and muddy but its pretty well kept and clear. Found no issue with spiders or snakes yet. The whole place is Pretty freaking rad.

Great place to take the Mountain Bike ! Good trail, little muddy at times, but saw lots of wildlife and not many people!

Always has been a very beautiful and amazing place to go.

Alligators can be seen in water around the trail. The boardwalk section of the trail was beautiful.

Always a great trail to hit. At around 12 miles its great for biking. Lots of wildlife, deer. Boar, alligators, birds of a wide variety.

Was not my destination today. Just want to check it out... The side visited was awesome.... A typical florida swamp wildlife, exuberante vegetation, wild flowers, birds and people....just 17 miles from downtown naples, very relaxing... a long boarding walk accessible to all ages end or take you to a natural trail the it is suppose that you will share with alegate but safe thought. ... I decide not to do it by myself and come back sooner and walk with a programed guided group....

Very beayteful and peacefull in the early morning! When you go of the boardwALK THE TRAIL CAN GET VERY MUDDY AND WET SO WEAR WATERPROoF SHOES .......and enjoy

By far the best trail in Naples, I have been many times and never dissapointed. You will always see some kind of wildlife and the diversity of habitats you see is awesome. There are plenty of informational signs, benches and even a picnic table a few miles in. Some animals I have seen are otters, deer, many birds, turtles, water snakes and of course Gators. One trip I saw so many gators I lost count! Even compared to some trails I have walked in the Everglades this blows it away as far as how much of the habitat you can actually see since they cut back alot and you can look directly into swamp ponds as opposed to it being covered by bush. If you are in Naples visiting or a local you need to check out this trail! Warning: if youre not local just scare the gators on the path by clapping!

Absolutely love it here! Be prepared to share the trail with alligators that come out and sun on the trail. Been coming here for a few years, and easily has the most wildlife activity that Ive seen within reasonable distance from Lee County. Whether youre into birding, or youre in love with reptiles, you wont be disappointed. Be smart before coming out, read up on it on the CREW website and get to know what youre getting yourself into first.

Great place to visit. We saw a couple of Gators, birds, fish, rabbits, and we only walked out half a mile.

Great trail with lovely views and plenty of rest spots

I wanted to find a wild area trail that I might see an alligator on. Took my bike and took the long loop. First 3 miles were uneventful, however, the rest was full of wildlife. Saw around 20 alligators, within 10 feet of the trail. Ran into 5 more that were actually on our near the trail. Passed within 2 to 4 feet of some of them. Not for the faint of heart! I would not take a dog or small child on this nature trek! It took me over 2 hours with frequent photo opps. In that time, I only encountered 4 walkers and 2 bikers. Alone 99% of the time. A good ride, I will be back!

A great resource right here in our own backyard. The trail is dry and hard the entire length here in March 2020. If you decide to make the full loop, you will find that the worn trail is reduced to single track in the middle section - so single file if walking in a group or pair. Great plant and wild life for those who leave time to observe.

Nice trail, dry when others are wet. Great birds and gators. There is a well signed 12 mile loop but few go beyond the first 2 or 3. Trail runs on an old railroad bed so generally dry though did have to wade across one water crossing - this was the day after a 4 inch rain!

The board walk is rickety and dangerous a few spots I was concerned I would fall through.The trail is lovely but the safety of that boardwalk to get there leaves something to be desired.

This was such a peaceful and beautiful walk to really appreciate the real world in which we live. There are numerous bird of many species as well as many gators. Be careful where you walk and plan to bring your water with you. There is a porta-potty in the parking lot. I would suggest this trail to anyone wanting to see the true Everglades. My Daughter and I loved all the varied creeping flowers that cover the path on the side. Absolutely well kept and clean!

Check trail conditions on their website before you go.You can see a lot of wildlife, especially if you go early and have the trail for yourself. Started at 10 and was the first one in the parking lot.Some parts of the loop had waist high grass, others were pretty swampy. Had to get out of my running shoes to cross two streams, could jump over others. If I had checked the trail status I wod have come better prepared.Was fun nevertheless. Many aligators, snakes and birds. And an otter. So cute.

Had a blast here with my friends. Got to see all the things!!!! Well worth the trip!

This is an awesome place if you want to take in GODs wonderful creations. Also you can get your step count in because the trail is 10+ miles.We saw lots of nature. If you have a few dollar Bills, bring a few to donate as this is 100% free and donations help.

Absolutely fantastic natural area. I think a bike is best if planning to go the entire 12 miles. If you like seeing alligators close up, youll be in heaven. If you go earlier in the morning leaving before 8 you are more likely to see deer, otters and fewer alligators.

This is Freedom, a natural park as close as you can get. Beautiful.

Great 12 mile swamp hike without getting your feet wet

Great place for pictures... It can be quite a long walk if you do the whole thing..

My favorite nature trail in Naples. Just be prepared to hike 13 miles. This trail is definitely not for the athletically handicapped. If you do manage to do the whole trail, most people dont, theres so much to see on the other side. Way more wild than the first few miles. Alot of history there. The first naples settlement in the 1900 s built a railroad there and its still there, old wooden bridge for the train is also there. So many different birds to look at, hundreds of gators. Theres one gator in particular who is nicknamed big momma, shes about 14 ft long, maybe if I had to guess, around 800lbs. A dinosaur. Saw some baby black bear cubs and snakes as well. Plus plenty of beautiful wild flowers, old cypress trees. Great trail, great cardio.

There is always something to see. Alligators, bobcats, otters, birds of all kinds . I love ut there

Busy today, brought my two sons (4&2). We were able to walk about a mile and half of trails and boardwalk. Saw 6 gators of various size, turtles, lizards, and a ton of different birds. We all had a good time.

The Bird Rookery Swamp Trail never disappoints. Even if you never leave the boardwalk, wildlife can be found along the trails and ponds. Early morning and sunset are the best times for wildlife viewing. Alligators are usually in close proximity to this trail, if not directly on it. Dont be in a rush, take your time and enjoy this unique area you are passing through.

Beautiful trail! We saw a ton of alligators. There are several right on the trail so be careful and take a bunch of water. The entire trail adds up to 13 miles.

Awesome place to see a variety of plants and wildlife!

Love this place! Such a great place to get back to nature. A little scary when you get off the boardwalk but all in all, its very relaxing!

Great hike to the 3.5 mile mark and back. Saw a pair of extremely large gators at that point.

Saw a black bear cross the street before pulling into the parking lot. Always some sort of nature to be seen or heard here. There is a board walk at the beginning of the trail which is beautiful, but all of the fun stuff is on the nature walk! Walk a couple of miles into the swamp and appreciate the purest of Florida habitats.

Too crowded. Too many bikes. Too many dogs. No wildlife. Recommend going elsewhere. Not worth the trip.

Bird watchers will enjoy this trail. Bring binoculars. Bikes will contend with roots galore on the path. Several alligator obliged us with close up and personal views. Two just off the trail.

We are back again and it was phenomenal. Could have done 13 miles but we did four out and came back. Saw a lots of baby alligators and two large alligators on the path. Amazing but people just walk right by them. Including with their dogs. Saw a black snake with a huge catfish in its mouth and a bittern bird wanted either the snake or fish. Tons of wildlife. It was like being in a National Geographic show10 months earlier: Great natural place to walk. Very secluded with no one around except many alligators. Past the decking is a very long trail. Not a good idea to bring your dog, or texting while walking. Haha

The wild life here is absolutely beautiful and dangerous. You will see HUGE gators, snakes, raccoons, otters and birds after the boardwalk. I decided to bike the 12 mile trail instead of walking it. This trail was very difficult and NOT a easy ride after marker #2. The trail is well marked but not well maintain. The grass is way to tall and some parts were too muddy. This is a great place to see the wildlife and to hike. Bring lots of water and bug spray.

Went here after seeing the reviews and being bored on a Sunday. This is by far the best trail in this area. The amount of wildlife and nature in this area is truly amazing. Coming face to face with a gator with nothing between you and it is a once in a lifetime experience. Being a native floridian this place truly is what makes me a proud to call this place home. If your a avid hiker, there is a 12 mile hike that goes around the cypress swamp. Along the way, youll see old remnants of the logging industry and walk along the old railroad tramway.

13 miles loop trail, bike, walk or run .Big gators and babies along the trail.

Great outdoors action FLY HIGH AERIAL

Very pretty! Wanted to see alligators, but the weather was too cold for them to be out and about I think. It was a nice day here and the board walk was clean and a good distance.

Great place to bike.

Beautiful place to see wildlife.

Boardwalk through scenic swamp, then path. Lots of gators!

We walked from Points 1 to about 2.5 (3+ miles out and back) and saw lots of gorgeous birds, a few alligators, interesting swampy geography, Spanish Moss covered trees ...

My favorite place to walk and take photos. I typically go in fall and winter due to mosquitoes and water levels. You can see tons of wildlife and alligators are right next to the path so be careful with small children or pets. Animals seen include Alligator, raccoon, deer, turtles, and countless bird species.

Even though it was crazy windy, cold and overcast, bird viewing was great from the moment we got to the parking lot. We did not have close alligator encounters due to the temperature, but there were a couple of nice young ones posing attractively on a raft for the visitors. Will definitely be back...possibly with my bike too. Very positive discovery!

Nice place to walk

Love riding my mountain bike here! Lots of alligators

Beware of the areas where the water is next to the trail. There are large alligators sunning or below the surface. Be alert and do not bring small children and dogs! There needs to be a raised boardwalk section with side fence at the main pond area.

I took the family here in the summer and was able to see lots of wildlife including small gators, large birds, snakes, lizards of all sizes, and tons of plants and flowers. The trails are well maintained and include a long section of boardwalk. There were very few people there (I passed maybe a dozen) which made things even more peaceful. I will go back with a bike next time so that we can see even more of the trail.

This place is awesome if you like nature up close and personal. A 12 mile trail you can walk, jog, or bike through a swamp. Alligators share the trail in water along the path so be alert. Birds a plenty!

Loved going with our 9 and 7 year old. We only walked about a mile but in that time saw 3 gators, 1 snake and endless birds and turtles. Pretty easy walking trail, we would bring bear deterrent when we come back.

Very nice place. Saw several alligators and deer today

Love this place. Don’t waste money at the actual Audobon Sanctuary not far from here. Have the biggest gators here than anywhere else. Best time is in April/May, when gators are breeding and birds are too/migrating. You’ll be so close to the bull alligators bellowing it’ll make the hair stand up on the back of your next. Have had cottonmouth slither right across the trail in front of us. Saw an American Bittern (uncommon as they are shy), all the FL wading and fishing birds you can imagine. Numerous different types of hawks, swallow -tailed kites, river otters, raccoons fishing/ scavenging for aquatic life, numerous different types of snakes, baby gators... it’s incredible ! No need to drive down to the Everglades unless you want to. A few things to keep in mind: boardwalk doesn’t get you too far to see wildlife, if you are with someone who uses a wheelchair or a stroller, I don’t recommend this trail. You also have to walk a fair distance from the parking lot to even get to the boardwalk. Taking small children and dogs is not recommended as the trail (former rail road bed) brings you astoundingly close to the wildlife (gator ponds), hold them close! There is absolutely no fencing to keep you safe. If you prefer a barrier, go to the Audubon Sanctuary, you can see gators there at times. Vultures here will eat the weather stripping on your car, unless you hate your car, bring plastic bags with you and close the windows on them so they’ll flap in the breeze. Cover your wipers with a towel. BUG SPRAY to the tenth power. If you are adventurous and able-bodied, get out here with a camera, and early, it is true wild SWFL conveniently located only 11 miles from 75.

Take a walk on the old logging trail. Wildlife abounds. Wading birds can be found on both sides of the trail. Small song birds flit around. See gators sunning as well as painted turtles. You can walk for miles on the circular route. You never know what you will see. Maybe bear.

We love to take the grandbabies and the dog here

Beautiful trail and boardwalk to bike ride and take in Nature

Fun trail to walk or bike down. We saw various birds, snakes, alligators and turtles!

Very natural (I rode trail bike) was wet and muddy, overgrown in some places. Saw mostly juvenile alligators. Many animal sounds. Bring lots of water. I went at 11:30, so would recommend earlier start. I would not bring dogs or small children. See the real Florida swamp though

12 mile loop to walk. Lots of alligators. Bring sunscreen and water, it does not have much shade. Dont be dumb and bring your dog like i saw some people doing as alligators were only a few feet from me walking on the trail a couple of times

Do not leave any valuables In your car . I was there today and my car was broken Into while we were riding the trails. All my wifes cash and credit cards were stolen. Thankfully they left her phone. By the time we were done with the trails we already had a text from the fraud department for over $800 charged at Best Buy and a second charge that was denied on just one of the cards .On a positive note the trails are great. Different scenery every time we go. A lot of alligators today.Definitely take a bike if you want to see the most wildlife.Leave your purse at home!

Great place if you want to (and are okay with) possibly being face-to-face with swamp animals! There really is no staff here so be aware of that. Watch where you walk and thoroughly check the benches where you can sit. We almost stepped on and have sat next to cottonmouth snakes. The only facilities are portajohns in the parking lot so hit that before attempting the many, many miles of trailhead. Bring lots and lots of water! Most visitors are respectful but weve met people from different countries, theres gonna be some buttheads who are loud and obnoxious when youre trying to walk around and catch a glimpse of a barred owl, otters playing, very shy bobcat, etc. And, yes, Im fortunate enough to have seen and photographed them.

If you love nature and hiking you will love it. After the first short gravel trail there is a nice long boardwalk that is very accessible for all. Lots of interesting trees and plants but the creme of da creme here is the birds. From small regular sparrows to huge blackbirds and lots of native Florida wetlanf birds. The trail is huge we traveled almost forty minutes and there was still plenty to go. Seems to be one or two bike riders. The little lake area at the beginning is stunning.

Awesome nature walk. talk about being one with nature.

This trail is amazing, so beautiful, and possibly the best nature experience Ive ever had. But it is not for the weak! You are walking sometimes within feet of gators large and small. What amazed me is that they just lay there! Warming in the sun. I wouldnt do anything to crazy! Just let them be, keep walking. Show respect to mother nature. This is one of the best things Ive ever done.

All natural.

Way too many loud people probably why there’s no wildlife

The swamp trail is about 12 miles long and perfect for a casual two hour bike ride. Alligators are in great abundance from babies through very large ones.It can be pretty exciting riding a bike on the trail that goes between swamps on both sides when the alligators are warming themselves on the trail. It seems safe enough as long as you dont stop or fall off the bike near them. :-)As the name implies, a wide variety of birds can also be seen and watched.

Great hiking spot. Plan on spending some time. Plenty of wildlife

Love this nature trail. True nature trail without much human interference. Lots of alligators, birds, and snakes in the water. Gorgeous swamp land with wood boardwalk that goes into another longer trail. Lots of bicycle riders.

Love walking this trail, especially when you see alligators.

Beauty of the nature! Absolutely love this place!

Always a great real Florida experience

You have to go. A friend and I hiked the whole trail. Took a bit longer then expected only because we had to stop and look at everything. We seen over 100 gators. Im pretty sure we lost count. Take plenty of water.

Lots of nature to see. Walk slow and look closely. Otters, birds, gators, turtles. Also ants a d snakes.

Lots of wild life and birds to see. Go early in the day. Preferably bring a bicycle so you can go further into the trail. Dont forget to bring water and snacks for yourself.

This is a great place to get a walk in and also see see wildlifeLast week we saw an otter, red shoulder hawk, ibis, American bittern and moreToday 3 racoons, paineted bunting, more hawks, a variety of herons plus othersNice even boardwalk and a former train bed for walking and even biking.

My boyfriend and I love this trail! Always something to see and just so beautiful! Just be mindful of the gators!

Love this hike, much quieter than the sanctuary, and great wildlife! Gators galore!

Took lots of pictures would have liked markings about distances. First time seeing an alligator and it was near the parking lot.

Very nice trail. Saw 3 gators!

Great place for wilderness hiking/biking! Regularly see several species of large birds, alligators, snakes, etc.

Beautiful place

This is a great trail to walk with lots of birds to see!

Saw at least 21 Gators on this trail

Great for wildlife viewing and walking in the woods.

It was amazing

Well maintained trail. A dozen baby alligators within spitting distance of the trail with momma lurking in the background. Many anhingas, egrets, and even Roseate spoonbills. Had a great time. Watch for the snakes

Corkscrew Audubon Bird Rookery and Boardwark. Its a great place to visit if u r local, or take a guest. Lots of educational information to read inside if you take your time. The boardwalk is great, however, go early to see the most wildlife. I have seen here or near by, bear, panther, otter, deer, turkey, eagle, alligator plus every other critter that is in the Everglades ecosystem excluding the Everglades Mink, which you have a better chance of seeing a skunk ape before this little mink! I saw a dead one in our office once that got hit by a car in the 30 + years of my living in this biome. It is a nice place to get out in nature without getting your feet wet or muddy. If that is what you want, (getting into the earth literally) go West on Shady Hollow Rd., look for the Crew Bird Sanctuary trail head sign on the right, it is a nature walk, in nature no buildings, on eye level (dirt trail, some gravel)! Several miles of trails, plan on getting your shoes and clothing dirty if your going to do it right. Gators move off the trails if you throw sticks or anything their way, lots of biodiversity, dont forget some deet, or the mosquitoes will eat! :-) Great place for walking, getting out to see the true S.W. Florida, while still on a trail! :-)

Great hiking trails and preservation against the urban sprawl of Naples. Beware of Gators on path, tread with caution!

Saw alligators..met co o l people

Nice place.

Nice nature hike. 1 mile to 10 miles. Real Florida woods and wildlife

Beautiful trail. Well maintained. Watch for gators!

So many baby gators. I thought they hatched in June, but was pleasantly surprised to see them.This is a definite daytime only walk

Amazing! Great trail with lots of gators, snakes, birds and other wildlife. Close up and personal.

Ride your bike or walk the complete loop. Youll see more alligators in their natural habitate than in a zoo. Great experience!

Beautiful!

Was amazed to see so ospreys and Hawks as soon as I stepped out the car. I didnt get to do much exploring, as most of the trail was closed off due to damage from hurricane Irma. Despite that I will come back next time Im in the area as it seems theres potential to see alot of different discuss of birds further in the trail... Maybe even a bear.

Peaceful and always something to see!