Long Lake and Bird Rookery Canoe Trail

From Tamiami Trail, 5.2 miles west of Highway 29, turn left on the unmarked road. You will be able to leave you car here and launch. Follow the posted map closely as the mangrove tunnels are confusing, and you will probably get lost a few times anyways.There is a series of 5 mangrove tunnels, with each one getting larger and more amazing as you go. It's 5.6 miles to Daniel's Point, and then a s...

To reach Panther Key, kayaking and navigation of the tides and mangrove islands is a necessity. The Everglades National Park ranger station in Everglades City is the closest put-in point for kayaks, and from there its a 12 mile paddle to Panther Key.This is a great adventure on which to visit multiple keys to stop and camp on, to make the paddling distance each day more manageable. Tiger Key wi...

The Wilderness Waterway in the Everglades National Park can be navigated either by kayak or canoe. This is an endurance voyage that typically takes upwards of 10 days if you are solo-canoeing. The voyage can take significantly less time if using a kayak or a multi-person powered canoe. This route is not recommended for novice canoes given both the length of the journey but also the absolute nee...

A few miles after the Big Cypress visitor center you will find the Kirby Storter Boardwalk. This is a short 1 mile trail through a mature cypress strand. It is a pretty neat experience since in the Everglades in order to be in the middle of a habitat like this, you have to get your feet wet, however this well maintained boardwalk puts you right in the center of this unique ecosystem.  About hal...

This 5-mile swamp walk begins off of Loop Road. To get there, take the Tamiami Trail into Big Cypress National Preserve and turn onto Loop Road (a right turn if coming from the west, a left turn from the east) at Monroe Station. About 2.2 miles down the gravel road, you will see signage for the Gator Hook Trailhead. The trailhead will be on your left, along with picnic tables, pit toilets, and ...

If you're like me then you probably spend a fair amount of time chasing the setting sun around. I visited Naples Florida this past spring and was treated to these stunning sunsets 8 out of the 10 days there. The Gulf gives us east coasters the delight of watching the sun dip out over a large body of water which is quite a treat.There are a lot of great beach spots in Naples to take in the golde...