Canoe Trails

Attention: Some trails are not passable at this time!

Click here for a general map of the following four paddle trails!

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

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Halfway Creek and Halfway Creek Loop Paddling Trails
*This trail is not fully passable. Please contact the visitor center at 239-695-1168 for more information.
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

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Lefthand Turner River Paddling Trail
*This trail is not fully passable. Please contact the visitor center at 239-695-1168 for more information.
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

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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

Downloadable Files

You may download 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 Babel which allows you to convert Google 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.