A sprawling 2,700 acres along the shores of Lake Trafford in Immokalee, Pepper Ranch Preserve is open seasonally from November to June except during scheduled hunts.
Beyond nearly 18 miles of trails, It is known for its occasional superblooms of swamp sunflowers as well as being part of a natural lands corridor where Florida panthers roam.
Pasture BoardwalkResources
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Overview
Location: Immokalee
Length: 17.6 miles in six trails
Visitor Center: 26.43778, -81.48956
Address: 6315 Pepper Rd, Immokalee
Fees: Free
Restroom: At the park office
Land manager: Collier County
Phone: 239-657-1999 or 239-252-2961
Open Fri, Sat and Sun from November to June, 7:30 AM to 4 PM. If the gates aren’t open, neither is the preserve.
Always check their website or call ahead before driving out, as scheduled hunts and land management activities may close the preserve on some of the above weekends.
Pets are not allowed. Visitors must sign in at the park office and obtain a day use permit before roaming the preserve. Primitive camping is available, call ahead.
Trails are often flooded after heavy rain events. Their website provides updates to the conditions of each trail.
Working pastures are interspersed with natural habitatsDirections
From the intersection of Lake Trafford Rd and SR 29 in Immokalee, head west on Lake Trafford Rd for 2.9 miles before turning right onto Pepper Rd. Follow Pepper Rd for one mile until the road ends at three gates. The gate furthest to the left is the entrance to the visitor’s center and campground. Follow the dirt road for 0.2 mile to a parking area next to the office.
About the Preserve
Purchased by Collier County in 2009, the Pepper Ranch Preserve was previously owned by the Pepper family, who acquired the property in the 1920s.
Over several decades, the Peppers oversaw a fish camp, farms, cattle ranching, and oil drilling on the land. Large portions of the pastures are still used as active cattle operations.
Cattle pastureFraming the northeastern boundary of the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed, the preserve is part of an extensive area of protected wetlands and a wildlife corridor extending from Estero to the Everglades.
Live oak and cabbage palm hammocks blend with mesic flatwoods at the south end, transitioning to pastureland and strand swamps on the northwest portion of the park.
Wild coffee under a shady canopyOnly open on certain weekends eight months out of the year, the preserve is a quiet destination to spend a day or two exploring varied landscapes.
The extensive trail system is separated by different uses. All trails are open to hiking, although some are also designated as biking or equestrian.
Trail marker and air plantA covered picnic area sits next to the visitor’s center, alongside the campground and a boardwalk leading to the shoreline of Lake Trafford.
A short loop trail is accessible from the campground. All other trails are located deeper in the preserve. To explore them, go into the park office to get a free permit and gate code.
Lake Trafford overlookHiking Pepper Ranch Preserve
Next to the visitor’s center, the 1.4 mile hiking-only Kowachobee Trail weaves through densely shaded mixed forests.
It crosses a swampy area on a sturdy bridge near the beginning of the loop. Many of the trails feature prominent map signs that show your current location on the trail.
Trail map sign on the Kowachobee TrailDriving into the gated portion of the preserve, the Tuskawilla Trail is accessible from the first trailhead to the left.
Leading westward through mesic flatwoods and alongside depression marshes, this trail has potential to be very wet.
Pepper Ranch Tuskawilla Trail Near the center of Pepper Ranch Preserve, the 2.2 mile Tuskawilla Trail immerses hikers and equestrians in a lush South Florida mesic flatwoods habitat.Shared with equestrians, this route leads across to the main road on the other side of the preserve as a linear hike, or an out and back loop of 2.2 miles.
Depression marsh on the Tuskawilla TrailThe Kite Flight Trail is the longest of the trails, tracing a large five mile loop around the pastures on the north end of the park.
Pepper Ranch Kite Flight Trail On the Kite Flight Trail, explore hammocks, bottomland forests, and strand swamps on a wild perimeter surrounding expansive cattle pastures at Pepper Ranch Preserve.Shared with bikes, the paths mainly traverse berms alongside wetlands, crossing sections of water on a series of wooden bridges.
Berm on the Kite Flight TrailGeared more towards mountain bikes, the Panther Pass and Black Bear Berm trails wind through cabbage palms and pines for 2.3 miles before returning to the trailhead.
Although well marked, navigating the route can be challenging due to the number of twists and turns.
Panther Pass and Black Bear Berm TrailheadNestled in the southwest corner of the preserve, the Sunflower Trace Trail is designated for hiking and equestrians.
Following a wide pathway through bottomland and mixed forest for 2.7 miles, this is the most remote trail in the park.
A few trail cameras attached to trees in this area provide pictures of endangered animals that frequent the preserve.
Trail cameraCamping
Ten tent only primitive campsites circle a large field next to the visitor’s center. Each site has a fire ring and picnic table and flat grassy areas to set up a tent.
An impressive variety of songbirds, owls, eagles, and hawks frequent the camping area, and flashing patterns of fireflies add to the ambiance at night.
Reservations can be made in advance online or at the park office.
Campsite #1Trail Map
Brown: Kowachobee.
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Video
Hiking Pepper Ranch Preserve
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