The are several boardwalk and nature trails close to Marco Island. These beautiful areas offer our guests to Sea Mar Condo an opportunity to see the varied landscapes and wildlife around the area. All of these boardwalks and trails are within an hours drive from Marco Island and are great day trips.
Briggs Nature Center Boardwalk Trail
This trail is a .6 mile loop trail with light traffic located near Naples. It offers scenic views and is good for all skill levels. The trail is accessible year round and is perfect for birding, hiking, walking, and nature trips. Dogs are allowed on the trail, but must be kept of leash.
Rookery Bay Boardwalk
Across from Walmart on Rt.951 (15 minutes away from Marco) , this trail is about a 1 mile loop. It’s close, easy, and offers great birding. Visitors can experience a brief trek through tangles mangroves, palms and oaks with resurrection ferns, bromeliads, and orchids growing in oak tree bark. The trail winds past an old homestead dating back to post-Civil War times.
Serenity Walk
Located on Route 951 nine tenths of a mile north of Rattlesnake Hammock Road. Serenity Walk Park is small but very interesting. The trail is dirt/sand and is a 1 mile loop winding around pine flatwoods and a cypress pine mixed forest.
Bird Rookery Swamp
This trail is located on Shady Hollow Road (45 minutes away from Marco). It offers 12 miles of hiking and biking trails and a 1500 foot boardwalk. The trails are old tram roads used when the area was logged many years ago. The maple-cypress swamp is home to alligators, otters, Florida panthers, bobcats, and white-tailed deer. The trail also is great for birding with many raptors and wading birds in the area.
Freedom Park
This park is located at 1515 Golden Gate Parkway in Naples (about 1/2 hour from Marco Island). Freedom Park includes a 5 acre lake with 3500 feet of boardwalk throughout the 50 acre park. It also has 6 lookout pavilions and numerous walking trails.
Corkscrew Bird Sanctuary
This sanctuary is located on Immokalee Rd. (About 50 minutes from Marco). The 2.5 mile boardwalk trail takes you through pine flatwoods, wet prairie, around a marsh, and into the largest old growth Bald Cypress forest in North America. The area is home to hundreds of alligators, otters, white-tailed deer and red-bellied turtles. A wide variety of wading birds, songbirds, raptors and the painted bunting can also been seen throughout the year. Guided walks are available.
Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve
This slough is located on Six Mile Cypress Parkway near Ft. Myers (about an hour away from Marco). A Slough is a long, narrow wetland with slowly flowing freshwater. During the rainy time of year, the Slough catches and slowly filters rainwater on its way towards Estero Bay. Animals that have adapted to the wetlands, like alligators, turtles, otters, and wading birds, live at the Slough year-round. Additionally, many types of migratory birds use the Slough as a rest stop and feeding area. The park has 3,500 acres with wildlife, a butterfly garden, and boardwalk trails through wetlands.
We highly recommend these boardwalk and nature trails close to Marco Island to our guests! It’s a great way to take a break from beach activity to see mangroves and animal life. It is also an enjoyable way to get exercise while on vacation! We also recommend you take bug spray, especially during the rainy summer months and always wear sunscreen in the outdoors.
Visit our website at https://seamarcondo.com to see our rates and availability. Our website also provides more information on Sea Mar Condo and Marco Island.
Let us help you make the most of your Marco Island vacation!