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Collier Memorial at Collier-Seminole State Park

Collier-Seminole State Park

Protecting the largest natural hammock of royal palms in the United States, Collier-Seminole State Park opened in 1947 south of Naples along the Tamiami Trail.

Naples      ( 25.992111,-81.589968 )      

It was meant to be a national park, the largest natural hammock of royal palms in the United States, set aside by developer Barron Collier during his push to create the Tamiami Trail across the Everglades.

The Federal government wasn’t interested, so the state of Florida stepped in and created Collier-Seminole State Park, which opened in 1947.


Resources

Resources for exploring the area

South Florida Explorers Guide book cover 50 Hikes in South Florida book cover Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State book cover

Disclosure: As authors and affiliates, we receive earnings when you buy these through our links. This helps us provide public information on this website.


Overview

Location: Naples
Trailhead: 25.992111,-81.589968
Address: 20200 Tamiami Trail E, Naples
Fees: $4-5 per vehicle
Land Manager: Florida State Parks
Phone: 239-394-3397

Open 8 AM until sunset daily. Leashed pets welcome.

Bring insect repellent. Mosquitoes are fierce here all times of year.


Directions

 
From Interstate 75, take exit 101, Naples / Marco Island. Drive south on CR 951 for 7.1 miles to US 41. Turn left to continue east 8.5 miles to the park entrance on the right, just beyond the turnoff to Marco Island at Royal Palm Hammock. From the east, the Collier-Seminole State Park entrance is 15.5 miles west of the FL 29 / US 41 junction north of Everglades City.

About the Park

When Barron Collier died in March 1939, he was Florida’s largest landowner, thanks to his grand scheme of draining Southwest Florida for development in return for vast tracts of land. This was one of the pieces he’d set aside for conservation.

In addition to viewing the Bay City Walking Dredge, one of the original dredges used by Collier’s workers to build the Tamiami Trail, and a monument to Collier, the park offers several wilderness adventures.

Launch your canoe or kayak for a paddling trip, or put in your boat for a ride down the mangrove-lined Blackwater River. Camp out in a pleasant tropical campground, ride your mountain bike on a 3.5-mile loop.

Walk the nature trail and look carefully in the trees for colorful tropical liguus tree snails, or go for a hard-core 6.5 mile swamp-slogging backcountry trek through the wilds of the Big Cypress Swamp, with a dry spot for camping.

The symphony of mosquitoes at this particular state park is one of the loudest, especially at dawn and dusk.


Trail Map


Explore More!

Related Articles

Collier Seminole Hiking Trail

Collier-Seminole Hiking Trail

A wet and wild 6-mile loop into the watery wilderness of the Big Cypress Swamp, the Collier-Seminole Hiking Trail provides a challenging wade into beauty

John photographs a liguus tree snail in Everglades National Park

Adding to the Life List

Although John is a native Floridian, our research trip to South Florida became an opportunity for him to see many natural “firsts” in Florida that most people have on their life lists.

Liguus tree snail

Thinking small at Collier-Seminole

One of Florida’s most beautiful nature trails, Collier-Seminole State Park’s Royal Palm Hammock Trail can be a challenge, but worth it for both vistas and details

Royal Palm Hammock Trail

Royal Palm Hammock Trail

At Collier-Seminole State Park, the short and intriguing Royal Palm Hammock Trail is a wild but gentle introduction to the habitats protected by this park. Although the boardwalks are slippery, you can explore the coastal prairie and mangrove marsh without getting your feet wet.

Nearby Adventures

More worth exploring while you’re in this area.

Fakahatchee Strand State Park

Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park

It’s the Amazon of North America, home of the ghost orchid. Protecting more than 85,000 acres, Fakahatchee Strand is Florida’s largest state preserve and most certainly our wildest.

Ten Thousand Islands mangrove atoll

Ten Thousand Islands

Where the waters of Big Cypress and the Everglades meet the Gulf Coast, the Ten Thousand Islands are a maze of mangrove forest: the second largest mangrove forest in the world, bested only by Bangladesh

Big Cypress orchid

Big Cypress National Preserve

Protecting nearly three quarters of the million-acre Big Cypress Swamp, Big Cypress National Preserve is Florida’s largest and most remote wilderness.

Florida Panther NWR

Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge

The longer of two loops at Florida Panther NWR guarantees a wet walk through panther habitat of wet pine flatwoods and cypress domes

Trail Map (PDF) Reserve Campsite Official Website

Category: Camping, Canoe & Kayak Rentals, Florida State Parks, Paddling, Parks, South Florida, Southwest FloridaTag: Accessible, Birding, Boating, Botanical, Car Camping, Collier-Seminole State Park, Developed Camping, Everglades City, Fishing, Florida State Parks, Marco Island, Naples, Primitive Camping, Seminole Wars, Wildlife Viewing

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Well worn path through a wet pine flatwoods landscape

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Bridge edged by alligator flag

Okaloacoochee Slough Tram Loop

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Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest

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Collier Seminole Hiking Trail

Collier-Seminole Hiking Trail

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