For those used to hiking on the nearby CREW lands, Hidden Cypress lacks the nice parking lots and well marked trails. Parking is on the side of the road and you’ll need to take a photo of the map at the entrance to aid in navigation. The upside is that you’ll most likely have this preserve to yourself and there is no litter and even very few signs of human footprints. This preserve feels larger than you might expect and has a variety of ecosystems from pine uplands, cypress and palms, marshland, open prairie, and a clear lake with a limestone shelf for swimming. No sign of gators but you’ll find the usual snakes here including cottonmouths. Yes, it borders I-75 and you’ll hear traffic through the preserve. But except at the far western end, the traffic sounds more like ocean waves than vehicles. There’s a real wilderness feel to Hidden Cypress despite its location. Note the northern trails will likely be flooded or at least muddy.

Sort of rough at this point, parking situation not good. Not very nice scenery, but you can see that crews have chopped down Every melaluca and planted a lot of cypress. So, in 10 years, it will be phenomenal! Saw a few deer, lots of birds, tons of wildflower variety.