Top rated Nature preserves in Fort Myers, United States to elevate your visit (Updated March, 2024)

Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve

Nature preserve

3,500-acre park offering wildlife, a butterfly garden & boardwalk trails through the wetlands.

4.80 (3.5K reviews) (~9.02 km from centre)

Octagon Wildlife Sanctuary

Nature preserve

Wildlife rescue/rehabilitation center housing abandoned wild animals & offering self-guided tours.

4.80 (1K reviews) (~19.39 km from centre)

Babcock Ranch Eco Tours

Tourist attraction

👍👍 We had an awesome time! Our guide was excellent! Also, I highly recommend their Gator Shack for lunch! Dar Dar is so funny and has such a cool personality! The fried shrimp and burgers are very good! We will be going back for sure! Thank you all for such a great and memorable day!

4.80 (740 reviews) (~28.35 km from centre)

CREW Marsh Trails

Hiking area

👍👍 Had such a lovely time exploring these trails. The educational signs and components were very high quality, and we saw lots of wildlife! (Mostly birds). I recommend going early in the morning and packing plenty of water.

4.80 (149 reviews) (~37.46 km from centre)

Barefoot Beach County Preserve

Nature preserve

Undeveloped barrier island with a sandy beach, learning center, butterfly garden & walking trail.

4.70 (2.6K reviews) (~37.97 km from centre)

Fred C. Babcock/Cecil M. Webb Wildlife Management Area

Nature preserve

Primitive campsites, fishing, hiking & a range of wildlife in a picturesque, sprawling preserve.

4.70 (1.1K reviews) (~25.98 km from centre)

CREW Bird Rookery Swamp Trails

Hiking area

A former logging site, this birders' haven offers 12 miles of hiking & biking trails & a boardwalk.

4.70 (785 reviews) (~43.59 km from centre)

Gasparilla Sound - Charlotte Harbor Aquatic Preserve

Nature preserve

Estuary preserve featuring dense seagrass beds, fishing, boating, recreational islands & more.

4.70 (594 reviews) (~31.76 km from centre)

J N Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge Visitor & Education Center

Nature preserve

👍👍 Visiting this refuge is all about timing. One December, during a low tide, we saw thousands of birds, including some 500 white pelicans feeding in the shallows along with reddish egrets, snowy and great egrets, and white ibis. Yesterday, I drove through at 8 a.m. and saw one yellow-crowned night her...

4.70 (158 reviews) (~32.28 km from centre)

CREW Cypress Dome Trails

Hiking area

👍👍 Very cool hike! Happened upon one of the largest alligators we’ve seen in the wild, sunning on the side of a canal. She patiently let us photograph her before we walked away. We made it about 3/4’s of the trail before the

4.70 (126 reviews) (~37.01 km from centre)

Pepper Ranch Preserve

Nature preserve

👍👍 This place was so neat and definitely worth the visit. I would bring shoes you don't mind getting dirty if you are hiking. Also this isn't the place for you if you are scared of cows, it could feel intimidating. Otherwise definitely go!

4.70 (115 reviews) (~44.26 km from centre)

Bailey Homestead Preserve, Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation

Nature preserve

👍👍 Beautiful nursery with a large selection of native plants. The staff is very helpful and kind, and they care about what they do. Even if you visit just to walk around, you will see lots of wildlife. You can also walk down the trail behind the nursery which is really nice. You can't go inside the hou...

4.70 (54 reviews) (~27.94 km from centre)

Caracara Prairie Preserve

Nature preserve

👍👍 I got there early morning, the GPS took me to a gate that was not the right one. ...a poster hanging on the gate, put me on the road again for 1/4 more mile, straight to the parking lot at Crew Cypress Dome Trailhead.... Trails are designed by colors, ... Yellow, Green, White and red, all connected...

4.70 (47 reviews) (~38.25 km from centre)