South Florida is well known for it's bird and photography hot spots in the winter months.  As a native of South Florida, I spend a large amount of time exploring and photographing these and other less known areas. 
 
Loop Road, a twenty six mile drive through the Big Cypress Swamp, is one of the lesser known spots.  It is an amazing journey through a remote and beautiful area of the Big Cypress Swamp National Preserve.  It is a photographic treasure of birds, wildlife, cypress swamps and wetlands.  This road remains one of my favorite places; every visit results in new and creative images.
 
The Big Cypress Swamp lies just north of the Florida Everglades, which is a unique watery combination of hardwoods and swamps covering more than half of southern Florida.  The Big Cypress, about half the size, differs from the Everglades in that it has a slightly raised terrain with standing water covering most of its swamp.  The Everglades, on the other hand, is famous for its wetlands and constantly flowing 'river of grass'.  Together, the Big Cypress and the Everglades cover most of the area between densely populated cities on the east and west coasts of Florida.  Both are well known to be in perilous danger from chemicals, pollution and population. 
 
Through the early 1960's, the area around Loop Road was alive with hunters, residents and commercial enterprises.  The federal government began buying most of this land to create a buffer between the endangered Everglades and the encroaching civilization.  During the next ten years the government purchased over 700,000 acres, and in 1974 the Big Cypress Swamp National Preserve was created, designed to protect the area.  Other than a few remaining residences, most of land in the National Preserve has succumbed to the swamp.  Loop Road is one of very few roads inside the National Preserve, yet you will encounter very few travelers along the way because of the remoteness and condition of the road.
 
Access to Loop Road is along US 41 at two points, both on the south side of the highway.  The west access is at Monroe Station, an old hunting lodge, while the east access is at the 'forty mile bend', just west of the Miccosukee Indian Reservation.  From the east access, Loop Road is a paved road for the first ten miles and then becomes an unimproved, single lane road that passes through cypress and wetland habitats over the remaining sixteen miles. 
 
For this article, we'll enter Loop Road from the east at the forty mile bend.  This portion generally has more bird and wildlife activity in the morning.  As a bonus, the light along the middle and west portion of the road remains good later in the morning because of the canopies of bald cypress and other trees. 
 
The first two miles pass through a residential area in the Miccosukee Indian reservation.  The Reservation, in the heart of the Everglades, has expanded considerably over recent years, using special care to blend new construction with the wilderness in order to retain the essence of the swamp.  Miccosukees have lived in the Everglades since the mid 1800's, and the Tribe's current population exceeds 500 members.  
 
Once past the residential area, you enter the National Preserve and begin to encounter ponds, wetlands and ecosystems frequented by wading birds and wildlife.  You may see herons, ibises, egrets, limpkins, bitterns, purple gallinules, ducks, anhingas and woodstorks, along with alligators, otter, deer and turtles. Most of the wading bird activity occurs along the first ten miles of Loop Road.  The best months for bird activity are January through March, but some type of activity occurs year round. 
 
During the driest part of the year (late winter into spring), many of the ponds attract a large number of alligators, creating gator holes, and birds move on to other spots.  Beside wading birds, there are many other species. Look carefully among the trees, rocks and wetlands and you'll see hawks, osprey, kites, barred owls, woodpeckers and a wide variety of other birds.   
 
Ten miles in from US 41, you'll pass a small community of two or three houses along with the National Park Loop Road Environmental Center.  This is where the pavement ends and the road becomes unimproved for the next sixteen miles.  Although rocky, the unimproved portion of the road is generally accessible by two-wheel-drive vehicles. The wilderness takes over at this point, and the road travels through some beautiful areas of the Big Cypress. During the rainy season watch for water flowing over the road, along with hidden potholes.
 
Since the Big Cypress Swamp is a diverse ecosystem you will encounter a wide variety of wildlife. Shortly after sunrise watch for otter, deer, red fox, and the endangered, elusive Florida panther.  Alligators and turtles can be seen in the canal running along Loop Road throughout the day, and photographing a gator in the midst of a kill can produce remarkable images.  This might take an investment of time and patience, though.  Otters are a challenge to photograph since they are constantly on the move and can be shy at times. 
 
A few hours exploring along Loop Road creates a wealth of photographic opportunities in a diverse portion of the Big Cypress Swamp National Preserve.  Enjoy the area, tread lightly, and "pack it in, pack it out" - don't litter and don't damage anything.  Leave the area as it was when you arrived, and you'll find Loop Road both a memorable and rewarding Big Cypress experience.