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Loop Road

The Road to Pahayokee

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Click on any thumbnail to view a larger image

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South Florida is well known for it’s bird and photography "hot spots" in the winter months. As a native of South Florida, I spend a large amount of time exploring and photographing these and other less known areas. There is a myriad of highly rewarding photographic opportunities throughout the Florida wilderness areas.

Loop Road, a twenty six mile drive through the Big Cypress Swamp, offers such an opportunity. The road travels through a remote and beautiful area of the Big Cypress Swamp National Preserve, a photographic treasure of birds, wildlife, cypress swamps and wetlands. This road remains one of my favorite places; every visit results in new and creative images.

The Big Cypress Swamp lies just north of the Everglades National Park, a unique watery combination of hardwoods and swamps covering over two million acres, more than half of southern Florida. The Big Cypress, covering over 700,000 acres, differs from the Everglades in that it has a slightly raised terrain with standing water covering most of its swamp. The Everglades, on the other hand, is famous for its wetlands and constantly flowing ‘river of grass’. Together, the Big Cypress and the Everglades cover most of the area between densely populated cities on the east and west coasts of Florida. Both wilderness areas are in perilous danger of demise from chemicals, pollution and population.

Through the early 1960’s, the area around Loop Road was alive with hunters, residents and commercial enterprises. The federal government began acquiring most of this land to create a buffer between the endangered Everglades and the encroaching civilization. During the next ten years the government purchased over 700,000 acres, and in 1974 the Big Cypress Swamp National Preserve was created, designed to protect the area. Other than a few remaining residences, most of land in the National Preserve has succumbed to the swamp. Loop Road is one of the few designated Scenic Routes inside the National Preserve, yet you will encounter very few travelers along the way because of the remoteness and condition of the road.

Access to Loop Road is along US 41 at two points, both on the south side of US 41. The western access is at Monroe Station, an old hunting lodge, while the eastern access is at the ‘forty mile bend’, about four miles west of Shark Valley, part of Everglades National Park. From the east, Loop Road is paved for the first ten miles and then becomes an unimproved, single lane gravel road that passes through cypress and wetland habitats over the remaining sixteen miles.

For this article, we’ll enter Loop Road from the east at the forty mile bend. This portion generally has more bird and wildlife activity in the morning.  As a bonus, when you begin driving into the middle and western parts of the road later in the morning, the light generally remains good because of the dense canopies of cypress trees.

The first two miles pass through a new residential area in the Miccosukee Indian reservation. The Reservation, in the heart of the Everglades, has expanded considerably over the past ten years, using special care to blend new construction with the environment in order to retain the essence of the swamp. The Miccosukees have lived in the Everglades since the mid 1800’s, and the Tribe’s current population exceeds 500 members.

Once past the residential area, you'll enter the National Preserve and begin to encounter ponds, wetlands and ecosystems frequented by wading birds and wildlife. You may see herons, ibises, egrets, limpkins, bitterns, purple gallinules, ducks, anhingas and woodstorks, along with alligators, otter, deer, fox, hogs and turtles. Most of the wading bird activity occurs along the first ten miles of Loop Road. The best months for bird activity are January through March, but there's always some type of activity year round.

During the driest part of the year (late winter into early summer), many of the ponds attract a large number of alligators, creating gator holes, and the birds move on to other spots. Beside wading birds, there are many other species. Look carefully among the trees, rocks and wetlands and you’ll see hawks, osprey, kites, barred owls, woodpeckers and a host of other birds. These non-waders are encountered anywhere along Loop Road.

To photograph birds on Loop Road, you should have a long lens (preferably 400mm or longer plus tele-converters) and a sturdy tripod. Use the car as a blind or park a distance from the activity and walk back.  I’ll photograph from the car in this area since the road is narrow and the action occurs fairly close to the road. When photographing from the car, use a beanbag or a window mount to support your camera and lens, especially when using a long lens. A towel or shirt rolled up will double as a beanbag in a pinch. 

While photographing scenics and landscapes, stay attuned to the light. The cypress canopies can create a mottled effect during full sunlight, which may or may not be desirable. On the other hand, watch for individual beams of sunlight streaming down and highlighting subjects. Consider using a portable reflector and white umbrella to diffuse the sunlight and smaller subjects and create golden reflected light.

Ten miles in from US 41, you’ll pass a small community of two or three houses along with the National Park Loop Road Environmental Center. This is where the pavement ends and the road becomes unimproved for the next sixteen miles. Although rocky, the unimproved portion of the road is generally accessible by two-wheel-drive vehicles. The wilderness takes over at this point, and the road travels through some beautiful areas of the Big Cypress. During the rainy season watch for water flowing over the road, along with hidden potholes.

Several trails lead off of Loop Road. Most are for amphibious vehicles of which a few are accessible by foot during the dry season. The trails traverse open prairies, bald cypress strands, pine hammocks, wetlands and swamps. Although generally not accessible by foot during the wet season, a short walk during dry season can result in creative and dramatic scenic images. For the more adventurous, you can wade through the swamp. If you do, protect your equipment and wade slowly; at times it is difficult to maintain footing in the muck.

Take your time and explore off road. On the north side of the road in the middle and west portions, look for ghostly remains of abandoned houses and vehicles. These structures can create unusual settings for images. Remember that you are in the swamp; watch for snakes (there are several venomous species), vermin and poisonous plants. This is their territory; tread lightly and do not intrude on them. Also, there are still private homes in the National Preserve; they are well marked so be sure to respect their privacy and do not trespass.

Since the Big Cypress is a diverse ecosystem you will encounter a wide variety of wildlife. Shortly after sunrise watch for otter, deer, red fox, and the endangered, elusive Florida panther. Alligators and turtles can be seen in the canal running along Loop Road throughout the day, and if you're lucky enough to catch a gator in the midst of a kill you'll produce some remarkable images. This might take an investment of time and patience, though. Otters are a challenge to photograph since they are constantly on the move and can be shy at times.

Bromeliads (air plants) and other wildflowers bloom throughout the year in the Big Cypress. Many of the flowers and plants are excellent subjects for both landscape and close-up or macro work. 

A few hours exploring along Loop Road creates a wealth of photographic opportunities in a diverse portion of the Big Cypress Swamp National Preserve. Enjoy the area, tread lightly, and "pack it in, pack it out" – don’t litter and don’t damage anything. Leave the area as it was when you arrived, and you’ll find Loop Road both a memorable and rewarding Big Cypress treasure.