- Alligator in pond.
Went for a ride around Bear Island a while back. Bear Island is part of the Big Cypress National Preserve it is located of a few miles north of US41 on Turner River Road. You take Turner river Road north until you pass under I75 (Alligator Alley) Bear Island will be on you right hand side. We took a 4×4 Ford pickup truck. To drive in Bear Island you must have a current ORV permit for the vehicle and the driver must have an OVR operators permit. If you don’t have those you can park and hike in on the trails. Bear Island has many different types of wildlife, birds, alligators, and deer. You can camp at Bear Island or it is a great place to take a day trip.