Fakahatchee Strand

Coordinates

Fakahatchee Strand: Florida’s 85,000-Acre Amazon
ByWeFoundFlorida March 2, 2026September 24, 2026

Deep in Collier County, an 85,000-acre swamp shelters ghost orchids, Florida panthers, and the only forest on Earth where bald cypress and royal palms share a canopy. Welcome to the Fakahatchee Strand.

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Florida Bookmarks

The Orchid Thief Drags You Into Florida’s Swamp for a Flower Worth Stealing
ByWeFoundFlorida February 23, 2026June 12, 2026

Susan Orlean’s The Orchid Thief follows plant dealer John Laroche into the Fakahatchee Strand, where he poached rare ghost orchids with a band of Seminoles and a legal theory nobody saw coming.

Read More The Orchid Thief Drags You Into Florida’s Swamp for a Flower Worth Stealing