Central southern Florida from Lake Okeechobee to the Everglades National Park is a wetland of slow moving water. As the area was developed for residential neighborhoods, farms, and ranches in the early 1900s, dikes and canals were built to drain the land and provide flood control, altering the delicate ecosystem. The Marshall NWR is one of only three water conservation areas in southern Florida. These areas and part of the Everglades National Park are all that remain of the original Everglades fresh water marsh.
The Marshall NWR is home to 250 species of migratory and year round birds plus numerous mammals, amphibians, and reptiles. Most of the 143,954 acres of the refuge is accessible by boat, canoe, or kayak but small section the eastern edge features a very informative visitor center, a short boardwalk loop through a bald cypress swamp, and a grid of trails and gravel roads for walking and biking.
The visitor center and the boardwalk are accessible. The trails and gravel roads are accessible but wheelchair users may need assistance due to uneven and lumpy ground.
Visitors with oversized vehicles should drive past the visitor center parking lot and turn right into the small bus and RV lot. This is a pull in only lot so it’s necessary to back up when leaving. If you’re towing try turning left and parking in the lot at the end of the spur road. Refuge 26.49867, -80.2134
I always enjoy visiting NWR's, unless the bugs are biting! You guys have traveled pretty far south, staying out of the cold winter weather. Smart!
ReplyDeleteNWR areas seem to be overlooked by most people. They usually have good flat trails - not the most exciting scenery but always interesting things to discover. Fortunately we usually miss the buggy seasons!
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