Photograph by Jack Dykinga The “big” in Big Cypress is much more
about land and sky than about trees. Most of the preserve’s
giant cypress trees were long ago logged out, leaving behind
their stunted kin. But few places can match the sense of
spacious wilderness (720,000 acres, or 292,000 hectares) and
primal pleasure of Big Cypress Swamp when you hike it under its
own terms. Which, we submit, is when it’s underwater. That’s
right—conventional wisdom may say to stick to the dry season,
and that’s fine. But take a cue from a peculiar breed of Florida
hiker called the swamp tromper and go for a sawgrass prairie
slosh in July through October. You'll walk through calf-deep to
knee-deep water on a 30-mile (48-kilometer) segment of the
1,500-mile (2,414-kilometer) Florida Trail that cuts across the
preserve. For one thing, water keeps the marl soil compacted;
“dry” usually means “muddy” here. For another, it’s just plain
fun—and decidedly magical. The water is crystal clear. You’ll
see primeval avians like wood sto