The night time will be the right time to visit Fakahatchee Strand State Park this October. That’s when the Friends of Fakahatchee begin two of their most popular adventures in Florida’s largest state park.

The first Night Sky Experience at the park is set for Saturday, Oct. 7. The first Full Moonlit Tram tour gets underway Saturday, Oct 28. Both programs continue on selected dates through April.

The Night Sky Experience offers participants the chance to view and photograph the nighttime sky in one of the darkest places in southwest Florida. Your guide, an amateur photographer and astronomer, schedules each program when there is an interesting formation of planets and stars over the preserve. You do not need a telescope or expensive camera to enjoy these sessions. Tickets are $25 per person.

Each departure of the Moonlit Tram is timed to arrive at the location where the full moon rises at the horizon. This is the “golden hour,” known to be ideal for photography and for spotting mammals and birds settling in for the evening. The tram is high and dry and will provide an excellent platform for viewing park features illuminated by moonlight. Tickets are $40 per person.

Both of these popular events sell out rapidly. For complete details and required reservations, visit www.orchidswamp.org and click on Tours & Events. For questions, call (239) 495-1023.