Ridge Trail
- 5.1 mi
- round trip
- 97 ft
- climb
- 16 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Nov–Apr
- best months
Is Ridge Trail open right now?
No closures listed
The National Park Service lists no closures for Big Cypress National Preserve.
As of · Source: NPS · Big Cypress National Preserve. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Ridge Trail is a 5.14-mile moderate hike in Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida, managed by the National Park Service. The route is an out-and-back that totals about 10.3 miles round trip, with the low point at 13 feet and the high at 16 feet. The trail is nearly flat, with the steepest stretch at about 0.5 miles in, where the grade reaches 2 percent. Winter and early spring are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Big Cypress show January highs around 75°F with lows near 52°F and only about six wet days a month. Summer is hotter and wetter, with highs near 92°F and 18 to 19 wet days a month in July and August. The trail is free to use, and no fee is charged. Windmill Trail starts just 0.1 mile away, and Hard Rock Trail and Harold Strand Trail are both within about 2 miles. Perocchi Grade is about 3.5 miles off.
Local outfitters
- Tour The Glades - Wildlife Tours27 mi away
- Everglades Area Tours29 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
- Windmill TrailHiking0.1 mi
- Hard Rock TrailHiking1.5 mi
- Harold Strand TrailHiking1.9 mi
- Perocchi GradeHiking3.5 mi
- Bear Island GradeHiking5 mi
- Fire Prairie East TrailHiking9.3 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
East Main TramHiking · ~31 min drivePhoto: formulanone from Huntsville, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- Mud LakeHiking · ~28 min drive
PoppenhagerHiking · ~38 min drivePhoto: Andrew Turner, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- Boot Hill WestHiking · ~34 min drive
- Monument BypassHiking · ~38 min drivePhoto: Andrew Turner, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
- Oasis TRUHiking · ~38 min drive
- Hard Rock TrailHiking · ~3 min drive
- Sandy RoadHiking · ~43 min drive
- Harold Strand TrailHiking · ~3 min drive
- Skillet NorthHiking · ~44 min drive
Best time to visit Ridge Trail
Best months: November–April. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
75° / 52°
6 wet
Feb
78° / 55°
6 wet
Mar
81° / 57°
6 wet
Apr
85° / 60°
6 wet
May
89° / 66°
10 wet
Jun
91° / 71°
16 wet
Jul
92° / 73°
18 wet
Aug
92° / 74°
19 wet
Sep
90° / 73°
16 wet
Oct
86° / 68°
10 wet
Nov
81° / 61°
6 wet
Dec
77° / 55°
7 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Big Cypress, FL, 18.1 mi away at 15 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
