This could be one of the great hiking seasons in recent memory for Southwest Florida as the landscape is already primed for trailer beaters and ramblers.
While the Fort Myers-Cape Coral isn’t exactly known for its sweeping vistas or Yellowstone-like landscapes, there are several wonderful trails, boardwalks and preserves that make for great day trips during the late fall, winter and spring.
Southwest Florida is a land of two seasons: the rainy, wet summer and the long, sometime chilly but dry winter and spring. Swamp hiking is a great summer pastime, but hiking on dry land (or semi-dry) is often faster and easier on the body.
Winter and spring are also the times of year when bugs are least likely to be at nightmare levels.
The coming hiking and camping season should be even warmer and drier than most winters as a weak La Nina has established itself, meaning higher daytime temperatures and fewer chances of rain.
A barred owl perches at Six Mile Cypress Slough in Fort Myers on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025.
With the height of the season approaching, now is the time to plan that hike, big or small, to make sure you take advantage of some of the best winter weather in the nation.
So, here are four day trekking places in Lee County, ranging from mild strolls to overnight possibilities.
J.N. ‘Ding’ Darling National Wildlife Refuge
The gem of Sanibel Island, “Ding” Darling is known more for birding than hiking, but it’s a great place to do both. Driving to wildlife spots along the roadway is a popular pastime on the island, and you can take a bicycle or walk some stretches of the road. There are also marked trails along the way. This is a choice mostly for people who want to stretch their legs a little but not overdo it. Just be careful while you’re walking as cars may pass.
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Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve
A massive wetland system that stretches across the Fort Myers area, Six Mile Cypress Slough is a great place to see songbirds, squirrels and otters as well as transitional and season wetlands. This is a great choice for people who want to see birds but also keep their feet nice and dry as they walk on a boardwalk. It’s also a safe bet for people who live in the Fort Myers area and want to get their outdoor fix in without having to drive 45 minutes or more.
Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed, or CREW
CREW is a 60,000-acre wetland and preserve that spans most of rural southeast Lee County, and it’s home to miles of marked trail networks. Located at the eastern end of Corkscrew Road, the preserve connects to a section of trails in the Bonita Springs area and provides access to seasonal wetlands, open prairies and pasture lands. The preserve is known for its variety and plethora of wildflowers as well as passing Florida panthers. You can hike 10 miles or more here, mostly on access roads. Limited camping is allowed.
Estero Bay Preserve State Park
This popular trail network was mostly a massive thicket of invasive melaleuca 25 years ago, but the state purchased the land and added it to the Estero Bay Buffer Preserve, which is mostly a series of mangroves along the eastern shoreline of Estero Bay. Wildlife is plentiful here as swallow-tailed kites and red-shouldered hawks can often be seen riding thermals overhead. One trail leads to the Estero River. Reach this preserve by driving west on Broadway in Estero. The trails start at the end of Broadway.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Fort Myers, Sanibel home to great winter day hikes, wildlife strolls