Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve

I decided to check out Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve, about an hour’s drive south of Venice, near Ft Meyers. Its main attraction is a 1 ¼ mile boardwalk through a freshwater cypress marsh, called a slough. A slough (sloo) is a slow moving shallow creek that can be many miles wide. Flow rates are commonly 100 feet per day or less.

Entrance

The park was easy to find, right off busy Ben Pratt Parkway, about 2 miles from I75. At 10:30 in the morning the parking lot was starting to fill. I put 2 bucks into the honor parking machine, visited the head and began my leisurely trek into the marsh. 

Map Of Park

1 1/4 Mile Boardwalk

 Benches and viewing areas are located at strategic points. Engraved famous musings about nature are a nice touch. 

 Mid-March is the height of the dry season, so the water levels along the walk varied from zero to about two feet. But even where there was no water, the black earth was wet. The predominant tree in the marsh was the Bald Cypress.

Bald Cypress

Slash Pines and Oak were growing where the ground was a little drier. The predominant understory was ferns, Wax Myrtle, Saw Palmetto and Prairie Iris,  which thrive in the shady humid environment. Numerous Air Plants and Wild Pines were attached to the branches and trunks of the trees.

Prairie Iris

Quill-Leaf



Observing animal wildlife is always more fun (for me) than studying greenery. So I focused on spotting movement in and around the boardwalk. I noticed right away that the birds here were abundant and not shy. Great Egret, Anhinga, Ibis, Tri-Color Heron and even a Night Heron were feeding within a few feet of the boardwalk.

White Ibis

 Young Night Heron (look close)

  Even the normally very shy smaller wrens and warblers were close and plainly visible. I’m not sure to what to attribute this unusual boldness. My guess is that this 2000 acre park provides a protected oasis for them to feed and breed. Also the park is located in a suburban environment and the birds are obviously not afraid of people.

Several open ponds were located along the path. I spotted otters, turtles, and gators here. A young Green Water Snake with unusual spots was seen sleeping on the sunny bank. 

Green Water Snake

This park offers better than usual bird sighting opportunities. It is a great example of a cypress marsh, although the trees are relatively young. Like much of Florida, most of the original old growth cypress was cleared in the last century. Replanting was done in the 1990’s when the park was first opened. I did however find one example of a cypress that missed the woodsman’s axe.

500 Year Old Cypress

It is difficult to estimate the age of a tree based on its diameter alone. Lots of factors affect the growth rate. But based on studies of cut trees, the Bald Cypress will add an inch of trunk diameter at breast height (DBH) every 7 to 8.5 years. That means this 6 foot diameter cypress was born about the time Columbus “discovered” America.  

The park and the boardwalk are well maintained. Guided walks are available twice a day. There is also a chalkboard with recent spottings. 

 I’d rate Six Mile Cypress Slough an 8 out of 10.  Had it been a little bigger, more remote and less crowded (I’m selfish), I’d give it a 10.