Otter Mound Preserve Walking Trail

Dogs Leashed

This trail is not suitable for running.

Approximately 2.45-acres in size, the Otter Mound Preserve is in southwestern Collier County in a residential neighborhood on Marco Island. The entire preserve sits on a Calusa shell mound that contains artifacts of both archeological and historic significance. A three space parking area and a 700 foot mulched trail allows visitors to access the property. Three large interpretive signs provide the history of the property and shady trails lead visitors through the native hardwood hammock at the preserve. A 1,700-foot hand constructed whelk shell wall and outhouse are historic features. This property is small but worth a visit.

The plant community at Otter Mound Preserve is a tropical hardwood hammock, one of the rare and disappearing habitat types in south Florida due to its appeal for development as it is high and dry coastal land. Development pressures have resulted in the conversion of much of the tropical hardwood hammock to urban and agricultural uses. This is a closed canopy forest characterized by evergreen and semi-deciduous woody species also found on many Caribbean islands. Today, this plant community occurs as remnant habitats in extreme south Florida - and here at Otter Mound. Tropical hardwood hammocks are great places to see many species of resident and migratory birds and the Florida tree snail (Liguus fasciatus) - a species of special concern.