Discover your oasis with CREW guided walks




Cameras can capture the moment on a CREW trail.

Cameras can capture the moment on a CREW trail. Credit: CREW

Visitors and residents of Southwest Florida are offered a unique opportunity to experience the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed’s (CREW) 36 trails, with four starting points running through its 60,000 acres.

Experienced guides, who have done their homework, conduct the many walks on CREW Bird Rookery Swamp Trail, CREW Cypress Dome Trails, CREW Flint Pen Strands and CREW Marsh Trails, each at $5 per person.

“We have a lot of first-time visitors that like to go on guided programs,” said Allison Vincent, communications director for CREW, “to show them around and answer questions. They just want to build their confidence out on the trail … and go out there on their own basically the second time.”

The Cypress Dome Trails off Corkscrew Road and the CREW Marsh Trails in Immokalee have one guided walk a month. Because there is more interest in the Flint Pen Strand and Bird Rookery Trails, CREW offers guided walks there once a week.

On each walk, guides provide a little bit of background on the land and who CREW partners with such as the State of Florida, South Florida Water Management District and Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission. “Then we talk about the watershed and how our drinking water really starts here to recharge our aquifer. It’s there protected for them forever so that we can always have that drinking water,” said Vincent. CREW is the largest intact watershed in Southwest Florida, straddling Lee and Collier counties.

Sightings on CREW walks may include gators and otters.

Sightings on CREW walks may include gators and otters. Credit: CREW

Hikers will have opportunities to see migrating birds and new species. Wildlife sightings are usually of birds and insects but if they’re lucky they’ll see something else, possibly fauna, which could mean bobcats or panthers. “It’s a neat little oasis,” said Vincent.

Find your oasis by going to the reservation link on the CREW website at crewtrust.org.

CREW’s new COVID policy does not mandate masks but recommends them for people who are not vaccinated. Social distancing is encouraged for all participants.

Guests take a guided walk along the Bird Rookery Swamp Trail.

Guests take a guided walk along the Bird Rookery Swamp Trail. Credit: CREW

CREW Guided Walks

Tuesday, Dec.7, 9 a.m. CREW Marsh Trails
Tuesday, Dec.21, 9 a.m. Cypress Dome Trails
Wednesdays, 9 a.m. Bird Rookery Swamp Trail
Thursdays, 9 a.m. Flint Pen Strand Trailhead
More hikes and programs listed at crewtrust.org