Loop Road Scenic Drive

Reviews

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  Isabella Ramos
3 weeks ago
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  Donna
4 months ago
If you are going to the Everglades to see wildlife, then I can highly recommend the Loop Road Scenic Drive.Firstly, it can be quite a bumpy ride in parts. The surface is mostly compacted dirt. Some parts felt like a wash board, and other parts were smooth, some rather large pot holes. Nothing too taxing that good careful driving can't handle.It's around 24 miles long. So bear that in mind when you're driving along between 10-20mph trying to spot the wildlife that it will seem like the road is never-ending!Wildlife - Oh my goodness, did we see wildlife! Do you long to see, film, or photograph alligators in the wild? This is the road for you. We saw a total of 8 Alligators whilst driving this route. From small to big, under the water & on top of the water. Right there, in front of us, maybe 2 metres away! Holy macrol. You have to understand that this road cuts through their backyard. Do not leave children or pets unsupervised anywhere near the roadside. You are surrounded by water/everglades on both sides. Getting out of the vehicle to view the wildlife is also a nerve-racking task If I could have climbed through the sunroof, I would have.Loads of birds, white/black or grey ingrits? Vultures, heron looking birds, birds of prey, fish, deer. It's amazing for wildlife lovers, I wished we'd had more time. Sadly, we didn't see the panther, maybe next time?

  Jovana Ivancevic
2 weeks ago
Great experience for free, must do it! We saw more than 23 aligators ca 2 meter away from us, some turtles and lots of birds. Most of animals were on the right side of the road when driving west >east, mostly very peaceful while sunbathing so we did a lot of nice photos. The road was first 10-15min bumpy and after that ok. We were driving very slowly 20-30kmh and it took us 1.5h to end the road. At the end of the road we were very lucky to see the biggest aligator in the middle of driveway and took some crazy photos outside of vehicle.

  Richard Tolly T
2 months ago
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  Cole
5 months ago
Took the Class-C down this road averaging around 5-12mph because the road was a little washboard.We of course made stops along the way to admire the wildlife. Lots of Gators! Use caution and don t get too close. Keep an eye on your little ones!From East to West the scenic road took a little over an hour.All the cool kids don t litter! Pack it in, pack it out.

  S Stanley
2 months ago
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  Lindsey Morris
a month ago
So so so good! Road is really rough at the end but such BA gorgeous drive with so much wildlife every where you look. Definitely recommend

  Tim Robinson
7 months ago
Well worth doing the drive - beautiful scenery (mixture of cypress swamps, pines, hardwoods, flooded grasslands) and lots of opportunities to see animals.In September, parts of the road are pools of water, and there are potholes. You would probably not want to drive this in a sedan or something with low ground clearance.

  Andre Neubauer
5 months ago
Such a scenic drive with lots of opportunities to spot alligators/ crocodiles and others in the wild.Important: Be aware that 2/3 of the drive is a gravel road. Especially the first part (coming from Naples) is bumpy.

  Connie Lowry
2 months ago
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  Jalpa
3 months ago
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  Neil C
5 months ago
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  Brandy D
10 months ago
We heard Loop Road was full of wildlife so we decided to take it back on our way home, it was totally worth! The neighborhood road goes into the scenic dirt road and it s about 20 miles the whole stretch. We stopped numerous times along the way. There was lots of large lubber grasshoppers everywhere. 100s of gators just lounging in the swamps. You can stop along and take photos.It was an amazing drive! There are a few trails along the way. The Hammock Tree Snail Trail is a short little nature walk that says it takes 30 mins. We did it in about 8. Then few miles up there is the Gator Hook Trailhead. Had a small area with picnic table & over head shade.There s an outhouse bathroom. Didn t smell the greatest but you are out in the middle of nowhere.We walked that trail for about a mile and it was dry season so the path was really awesome but isn t for anyone who has balance issues and it s a rough rocky terrain! Normally, the water sits in that area and covers the trail and you walk along the trail in ankle deep water

  Pavan Vaswani
a year ago
Highly recommend, probably our favorite part of visiting the Everglades. If you're coming from the east, make sure to drive far enough until the road becomes gravel, and give yourself some time. We saw tons wildlife just by the road - just keep your eyes peeled and stop and pull over at the clearings. (dozens of alligators, beautiful birds - spoonbill rosette, wood storks, others)

  Alison Joslyn
a year ago
One of my favorite places to visit in the Everglades. A great and comfortable way to introduce visitors to the Everglades where they can get a taste of the scenery and wildlife without having to worry much about mosquitoes or discomfort in general. Typically spot a fair number of gators though wildlife is never guaranteed and see quite a few wading birds from ibis to egret to herons. Have also seen turtles and even the odd snake though always at a distance. Trees are beautiful and interesting to note varying water levels depending on the time of year. Road condition varies and can be quite full of potholes if it hasn t been graded for a while. Always manageable with an SUV but I d be careful with anything that has low clearance. Also a great spot for gravel bike rides! The shade helps!

  Kiely Perrus
8 months ago
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  Zuzanna Wierzba
a month ago
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  Lindsey Brockish
a year ago
This is find is a gem! We did the loop road scenic drive instead of an airboat tour and couldn t have been happier with the decision. Like other reviewers, we spent much more time than we planned to.The first 4-5 miles coming from the west you won t be able to see much. No need to take your time there! But as soon as you start seeing clearings on the right side of the road, slow down and keep your eyes peeled. My favorite we're the groups of baby gators.

  Jana L
a year ago
What an amazing hidden gem! We would have never taken this road on our trip to Everglades & Key West but my friend told us that we had to check it out. It is very easy to miss so make sure you're glancing at your map/GPS. The whole time we've seen only two cars there. It is a gravel road but it's really not bad at all, to me it seems like any car should make it, at least it dry conditions. It is actually part of the Big Cypress Preserve. The moment we started our drive we saw a huge owl staring at us from the branch. A minute later, there was a huge gator hanging out right in the side of the road, just a few feet away from our car. Later we saw a ton of gators, fish, and all kinds of birds. What a wonderful drive, I highly recommend it!

  Debourah Thorsell
a month ago
Just a super great drive! Lots to see! If you hike get your gear

  Ray Maestas
8 months ago
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  Ariz Himani
a year ago
If you are going to drive on this road, be ready to spend some time here. It took longer than expected, especially because we kept seeing wildlife and kept stopping to take pictures of the alligators and turtles. It's a dirt road, so make sure your car can handle it. Also, depending on the time of the year, there will be lots of grasshoppers. It's possible that they were something else, but they looked like grasshoppers. There is also a restroom along the way, but when we arrived, it was covered (and I mean covered) in all kinds of moths, grasshoppers, and miscellaneous crittery things.

  Eilon Shany
a year ago
A lot of life along the canals. Many crocodiles and bird life. One have to stop every now and then and look out for them.One can spend up to 3 hours at least there And once it is dark you cannot see anything.Suitable for all cars if you don't mind dirt roads

  Anita Bollinger
3 months ago
I don't know how many times I have made the loop and not once was I disappointed. Had I listened to the reviews I would have missed out. It is a dirt road and it does on occasion get a little bumpy if you try to speed through. This is a drive best taken slowly with multiple opportunities to stop and fill your sd card with memories of all the best the glades have to offer.* If you stop to look at the water you will have an up close and personal experience with an alligator. Remember that while they are dangerous and you should not forget that for a second. * They are generally only aggressive during mating season if you are between them and the mate they are seeking. You will know, the call is very distinct. Like all moms, gators are very protective of their young. They only need to feed every few months and rarely hunt when it's cool.*** You will be within inches of one and not even know sometimes. Be vigilant and aware that they can jump the lengths of their bodies out of the water like they were shot out of a gun. Don't bring your pups or small children that are prone to misbehaving might fall into the water

  KONNEXER
2 months ago
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  Tony Bowles
a year ago
Get ready for an adventure on Loop Road Scenic Drive! This rustic road is surrounded by cypress and pine trees, and home to alligators, vultures, and turtles. If you're looking for a wild and scenic experience, this is the place to be. Located off the Tamiami Trail in the Everglades, Loop Road offers an up-close look at some of Florida's most fascinating natural wonders. Don't forget to bring your camera to capture all the amazing sights! #LoopRoad #ScenicDrive #Everglades #Wildlife #Adventure #Florida #TamiamiTrail

  Matt East
10 months ago
Great place to sight see and catch some close ups of some alligators. 4 stars because potholes! Collier Co. portion of this road is in some desperate need of smoothing out. A minivan full of kids made for an eventful ride with the amount of potholes along the journey hahahaha! Still had a great time seeing all the wildlife throughout the trip. Make sure you have plenty of gas in the tank before you make a trip down this road. Plan for at least a few hours as you will definitely stop multiple times as you see all the wildlife the Everglades has to offer.

  MARCUS DE MATOS
2 years ago
Leave the road, take the trails. Loop Road is highly recommend if you are a nature lover. The road itself, mostly unpaved in the wild is great for the eyes. You will see some kind of bridge or wildlife bypass about every 1/2 miles, during our most two recent visits, we saw alligators on every single stop.The last trip, I counted 19 aligators in one stop.Don't think there alligators are just like the ones you see at the zoo or these alligators restling shows, they are real wild alligators and will come after you if you don't pay attention.Several trails along the loop, highly recommend it.

  Bryce Garner
a year ago
If you have about 45 minutes to an hour, take the Loop Road Scenic Drive. We saw so many alligators along the road and many birds and air plants. It is worth the time.

  will stanek
2 months ago
The sights were cool, we got to see a few alligators up close towards the east end. Unfortunately the north half of the trail when you get out of Collier county is in terrible shape. I drive on gravel roads daily and this was one of the worst conditioned oulnes I've encountered. Hitting it with a grader a few times per year is all it would take