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Marsh Trail - Ten Thousand Islands NWR
4.7 ★★★★★ 377 Google reviews · Running trail in Naples, Florida · Open 24 hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Paved
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Open 24 hours
Confirmed from Marsh Trail - Ten Thousand Islands NWR's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
What runners say about Marsh Trail - Ten Thousand Islands NWR
“The remainder of the trail is just a dirt road with trees and swamplands with minimal wildlife or scenic views.”
This is a great spot to go if you want to see a lot of wildlife over a short walk. There are tons of birds including herons and egrets as well as gators throughout numerous areas of this park. There is a wonderful overlook of the area that shows just how vast this wilderness expands.
10,000 islands is a nice trail. It’s a few mile walk to the end and back. There are open areas where you can see plenty of water and birds. A fair amount of the trail has solid brush on both sides, where it is difficult to see many birds.
Great spot to visit to see dozens of different types of birds, snakes and alligators. Once you reach the observation tower, you’ve seen pretty much everything you’re going to see. The remainder of the trail is just a dirt road with trees and swamplands with minimal wildlife or scenic views. Overall worth the stop.
We visited on a late Saturday afternoon in late Dec 2024. There was very limited parking here but we were able to get a spot. We actually did not research this stop but saw it while we were passing by and knew we wanted to hit at least one trail in the Ten Thousand Islands NWR.
Trail conditions & character
“Some spots are wide open to allow people to view wildlife in its natural setting while others are surrounded by mangroves.”
“It was nice enough you could take a wheelchair/stroller on it.”
“All this was seen on the paved quarter mile walk between the parking lot and the observation tower.”
“We didn't have much time but we walked down the trail and then turned left down what looked like an old asphalt/gravel road.”
Plan your run at Marsh Trail - Ten Thousand Islands NWR
The practical stuff
- AccessOpen 24 hours — no gate to beat, so a 5am or a 10pm run both work
- SurfacePaved — asphalt or concrete. Fast and predictable, runnable year-round, and fine with a stroller
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
- Stroller / wheelchairReported as smooth and step-free enough for a running stroller or a chair.
- Websitefws.gov
- Phone+1 239-657-8001
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | Open 24 hours |
| Tuesday | Open 24 hours |
| Wednesday | Open 24 hours |
| Thursday | Open 24 hours |
| Friday | Open 24 hours |
| Saturday | Open 24 hours |
| Sunday | Open 24 hours |
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