Due to popular demand, we have added three more guided hikes led by our fabulous volunteer Master Naturalist, Dr. David Cooper. These hikes are general natural history and interpretive hikes that stroll approximately 3 miles through pine flatwoods, oak hammock, popash slough and sawgrass marsh. Hikes run from 9 AM to noon.
In addition to his usual 3rd Tuesday hikes, the new hike dates are:
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Saturday March 17, 2012
and Saturday, April 21, 2012.
Do you want to hike the Bird Rookery Swamp trails with an expert naturalist and storyteller? Here’s your chance to learn all about the cultural and natural history of Bird Rookery Swamp. See bobcat and bear sign, find birds and butterflies, enjoy gorgeous scenery, and hike among the beautiful cypress and maple trees.
CREW volunteer, George Luther, will be leading hikes on most Wednesday mornings, January through March 2012 from 9:00 AM to noon. George’s sense of humor, extraordinary knowledge and outdoor skills will have you coming back for more.
Dates for the hikes are: January 4, 11, and 25; February 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29; March 7, 14, 21, and 28.
Space is limited. Register today! To register for a guided Wednesday Hike at Bird Rookery Swamp, go to http://crewbrshike.eventbrite.com or click here
photos 1-3 by Anthony Eugenio; 4-5 by Molly DuVall
Registration is required.
For the adventurous, the CREW Trails have two free primitive campsites – one near the Corkscrew Marsh deep into the woods and away from traffic (at Gate 3), and one tucked into the pines near the trailhead at the Cypress Dome Trails (Gate 5).
The Gate 3 campsite is located in a beautiful oak hammock surrounded by marsh. The Gate 5 campsite is nestled among tall pines.
The sites are suitable for up to 20 people. A grill, picnic tables, and a fire ring are provided for you. There are no restroom facilities, no trash cans and no running water.Â
Families, scout troops, friends, and even solo campers appreciate getting away from it all at CREW. Each site is permitted to only one group at a time, up to 20 people.
All campers are expected to use Leave No Trace principles to minimize impacts to the campsites and to keep the sites in good shape for future campers. Proper disposal of waste and storage of food is critical to a good user experience. If you arrive at your camp site and find any trash or broken equipment please report the conditions to the CREW Trust office immediately, 239-657-2253.
If you’re not an experienced primitive camper, here are some resources that may help you learn the in’s and out’s of camping without water and toilets:
To request a special use license (and to check availability), complete the South Florida Water Management District Special Use License (SUL) application online:
You may bring up to six horses at a time on one permit. There is no horse concession at CREW – bring your own. Enjoy, these are beautiful places to ride!
For more information, contact the CREW Trust at 239-657-2253 or Kim Willis at the SFWMD at 800-432-2045 x3333 or 561-924-5310 x3333 or email kwillis@sfwmd.gov . HAPPY TRAILS!
At the CREW trails as of 2021 there will have been… 290 Traditional Caches… 59 Mystery Caches… 21 Letterbox Caches… 12 Event Caches… 10 Multi Caches… 7 Wherigo Caches… 1 Earthcache…
Altogether 122 active geocaches and specifically 36 at the CREW Cypress Dome trails… 41 at the CREW Marsh trails… 45 at the CREW Bird Rookery Swamp trails!Â
Go to www.geocaching.com for more information on geocaching and to search for caches in the area. Caches sometimes change locations or get swapped out, so check that site often.
Join local geocachers for a fun and informative event at the CREW trails. Local experts, Milla and Pete, will be on hand to give tips and explain geocaching to new cachers. The day starts with a breakfast and meet-and-greet at 9 a.m. Bring your own GPS unit or smart phone; GPS units may be available to borrow on a limited basis.
CREW Bird Rookery Swamp on the far northwestern portion. Photo by Brandon Stossel
The CREW Trust has worked diligently with the South Florida Water Management District and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to ensure public access and recreation opportunities on these public lands we call CREW.
There are exceptional recreational opportunities for people of all ages on over 40 miles of hiking trails, with more planned in the future. The CREW project now has four trail systems open to the public, two located off of Corkscrew Road (County Road 850), one off of Bonita Beach Road and one located off of Immokalee Road (see map above).
For more information about visiting each of the trails, click the links below.
