• The Florida panther's watchful gaze- Courtesy- Ralph Arwood

    Big Cypress

    National Preserve Florida

  • ORV Related Closures

    Effective 12:01 a.m. Friday, March 23, 2012, Zone 4 airboat access within Big Cypress National Preserve will be closed due to low water conditions. Other areas of the Preserve will be closed to recreational ORV access from June 4 through August 2. More »

Canoe Trails

Click here for a general map.

You may download .kml (Google Earth) and .gdb (Garmin Map Source) files of canoe trails within the Preserve. You may want to download the Google Earth program to view these files. Additionally, you can down load GPS Bable which allows you to convert .kml files to an appropriate file for you GPS unit.

Refrences to non-U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) products do not constitute endorsement by the DOI. By viewing the Google Maps on this page the user agrees to these terms set forth by Google.

.kml of Big Cypress National Preserve canoe trails. (04142011)

Garmin GDB of Big Cypress National Preserve canoe trails. (04142011)

Turner River Paddling Trail
Distance: 9.93 miles
Paddling time: 4 ½ to 7 hours

Variations: add half an hour to take-out at the NPS Gulf District Ranger Station via paddling along the Chokoloskee causeway

Difficulty: moderate

Entry point: at U.S. 41 paddling access site west of Turner River Road

Takeout point(s): Chokoloskee Island or the NPS Gulf District Ranger Station

What you'll see: cypress strand, sawgrass prairie, intertidal mangrove trees

Watch out for: airboats crossing trail in the lower prairie, powerboat traffic

Halfway Creek and Halfway Creek Loop Paddling Trails
Distance: 7.28 miles
Paddling time: 4 to 5 hours

Variations: the Halfway Creek Loop adds 3.7 miles and 2 hours

Difficulty: moderate

Entry point: Seagrape Drive, 1/4 mile west of the Big Cypress National Preserve Headquarters in Ochopee

Takeout point(s): NPS Gulf District Ranger Station or Chokoloskee Island

What you'll see: sawgrass prairie, coastal mangrove forests

Watch out for: commercial airboat traffic

Lefthand Turner River Paddling Trail
Distance: 3.65 miles
Paddling time: 3 to 4 hours

Variations: plan to use the incoming and outgoing tides to help

Difficulty: easy to moderate 

Entry point: Chokoloskee Island or the NPS Gulf District Ranger Station

Takeout point(s): Chokoloskee Island or the NPS Gulf District Ranger Station

What you'll see: intertidal mangrove forest

Watch out for: commercial airboat and powerboat traffic

Sandfly Island Loop Paddling Trail
Distance: 3.73 miles
Paddling time: 3 to 5 hours

Variations: add an hour for windy conditions or if you fight the tides

Difficulty: easy to moderate

Entry point and takeout point: the NPS Gulf District Ranger Station in Everglades City

What you'll see: intercoastal mangrove tree islands, oyster banks, brackish marine environment, open bay

Watch out for: strong winds in the bay, very shallow and muddy bottom with sharp oyster shells, wakes from commercial crabbing boats and recreational powerboats that may capsize your boat

Did You Know?

manatee

Mermaid sightings have been reported by sailors throughout history who often blamed the part-woman, part-fish beings for leading them astray. But folklore experts believe that what those sailors were seeing were not mermaids, but rather air-breathing manatees, or their dugong relatives. More...