Celebrate National Trails Day* on this 2.5 - 3 hour, 5-mile long hike through the new trails at Caracara Prairie Preserve (adjacent to the CREW Cypress Dome Trails). Trails are grassy/sandy with some small elevation changes. Trails are in partial shade for most of the hike. This hike will introduce you to a new and very unique trail on public property with an active cattle lease. It runs through prairie, marsh, oak hammock, and majestic pines. Caracara Prairie Preserve is home to caracaras, gopher tortoises, sandhill cranes, white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, swallow-tailed kites, and much more. An active cattle lease provides the additional adventure of seeing cows while hiking. 

Come get a "first look" at this newest Collier County trail with staff from both Conservatinon Collier and the CREW Land & Water Trust. The trails will be open to the public to hike on your own on June 2nd, but the first 25 to register here will be a part of the first public guided hike.

Bring hat, sunscreen, water to drink. Cameras and binoculars (optional). Wear closed-toed shoes and comfortable hiking clothes. 

Conservation Collier and the CREW Land & Water Trust are joint owners of Caracara Prairie Preserve in northeastern Collier County. Caracara Prairie Preserve is adjacent to the CREW Cypress Dome Trail. For more information about Caracara Prairie Preserve go to http://www.colliergov.net/Index.aspx?page=3338

To get to the trails, you enter the CREW Cypress Dome Trails and hike a portion of the yellow and green loop trails (.85 miles) to the crossover into Caracara Prairie Preserve (the red trail).  

*National Trails Day is a trademark of the American Hiking Society. For more information on National Trails Day, go to http://www.americanhiking.org/national-trails-day/.