Kayaking Tour 8.5 Mile Turner River Kayak Trail (one way)

Starting at the Tamiami Trail a few miles east of Everglades City, it begins in an achingly beautiful freshwater cypress forest of Big Cypress National Wildlife Refuge. Then the giant cypress trees, maples and pond apples give way to saltwater-loving mangroves and you make your way through mangrove tunnels too tight for paddles: We pulled our way through branch-to-branch, feelingvaguely like Tarzan. Finally, the
trail continues through open sawgrass marsh. The scenery, the abundant wildlife and the trail’s proximity to cities (it’s eight miles to Everglades City; 75 to Miami) have made it a favorite among kayakers and kayak outfitters, who offer one-way trips with livery service allowing you to paddle from the Tamiami Trail all the way to Everglades City in a five to six hour trip.

But when we arrived at 9 a.m. on a winter Sunday with perfect weather, we were the only people in the parking lot and we saw not a soul on the Turner River for several hours. Even then, we passed only a handful of kayaks and canoes. However, when we returned, the small parking lot on the Tamiami Trail was completely full

Canoers and kayakers should allow six hours for the Turner River Canoe Trail. The trails, which are most populated from the months of January
through March, are all marked with numbered markers. The markers are green when traveling towards the gulf and red when returning inland. All of the trails offer unique opportunities for visitors to explore the mangroves, pines and prairies, as well as the wildlife such as white-tailed deer, bears and Florida panthers.

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