jolooote
Miami, FL
Senior Member
Joined: 01/29/2002
View Profile
 Offline
|
The Reserve America site shows loop #1(nearest lake)as being located on the west(left)side of the small lake inlet where the tour boats are moored and the east side of the river that runs south out of the lake.
Virtual earth satelite shows-what seems to be the loop-as being on the(right)east side of the small lake inlet. Ofcoarse I'm confused trying to reserve a site nearest the water for our Kayaks. Can anyone un-cornfuze me? 
Also, I see many roadways going various directions. Should we take our bycicles or the 49cc motorscooters to explore these ( assuming scooters are allowed in the park)? wE'LL BE CAMPING IN OUR 33'Class'A'. Thanks
* This post was
edited 09/28/08 09:14pm by jolooote *
Joe&Charlotte, Nat'l SurfSide DE34D Ford 362HP 5speed
Rusty, Rosie, Snuffy Dogs
Leroy's a Conure
If a 'Little' is good, 'Alot' ain't better.
|
flaja
anywhere,usa
Senior Member
Joined: 05/03/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
Call them directly & ask which sites would be best. 941-361-6511. Power scooters are not allowed in Fl. state parks,
- Roy & Jacqui
- Retired firefighter & X-ray Tech
- 2003 Fleetwood Revolution
- Fulltimers since 2004
|
NanciL
Bakersville, NC, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 03/24/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
Both loops are on the opposite side of the road from the river, and you would have to drive to the launch area from both of them unless you have a portage buggy.
My wife and I are both kayakers and canoers and love that place.
After you explore the lake, get a permit(at the entrance gate house) to do the lower river and lower lake. (it is much better than the upper lake since there are no motorized craft allowed and you can paddle all day in wilderness)
You launch at the bridge that you cross on the way to the camp grounds, and head down river.
Once you go under the highway bridge you will be in complete wilderness.
When you get to the lower lake continue straight across the shallow water (it would be good to have a GPS) until you come to the sand bars where the lower river flows out of it, and you will see the most alligators that you will ever see in one place in your life.
They are lined up like sentinels on the bars and we counted over two hundred.
It is also a birders paradise. Among all the common herons we saw Roseatte spoonbills, wood storks and night herons.
If you get a early morning start you can explore the whole lower river until you come to the dam which is way south west of the park.
Jack L
Jack & Nanci
|
sparker1
St Petersburg, Fl, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 01/25/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
And some of those alligators will likely be larger than your kayak.
Stan
2002 Monaco Windsor DP
2003 Honda Pilot
Travel photos at Photo Gallery
|
AntiqFreq
Sunny South Florida USA
Senior Member
Joined: 03/20/2003
View Profile
|
We just usually camp closest to the area where you launch your canoes/kayaks
as it is a shorter drive.
There is a little store there and if you don't have your own canoe, you can rent on there.
Also there are boat rides on the lake.
The alligators are awesome and HUGE!
Jo
2007 Keystone Cougar, 291 RLS
2003 Ford F250, 7.3L, Lariat, CC, SB, 4x4
Isspro Gauges-overhead mount, 14K Pullrite Superglide
Firestone RideRite airbags & pressure gauge
Two Honda eu2000i generators, parallel kit
Bell Morningstar Canoe, bent shaft paddles
|
|
|
Hiker3
Florida
Senior Member
Joined: 01/21/2007
View Profile
|
sparker1 wrote:And some of those alligators will likely be larger than your kayak.
Funny.
And it is true,too. We took the boat ride. Love Myakka!
Livin Lite Quicksilver 8.0 (Folding Tent Camper) only 900 lbs!
|
jolooote
Miami, FL
Senior Member
Joined: 01/29/2002
View Profile
Offline
|
hmmm...Soooo...There are no RV sites in Loop#1 close enough to the water to allow carrying the Kayaks to it without major effort?
|
wny_pat
Western NYS
Senior Member
Joined: 08/11/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
sparker1 wrote:And some of those alligators will likely be larger than your kayak. My wife will not let me take the portabote when we go there. Maybe best. Don't like alligators except from a distance.
|
Hiker3
Florida
Senior Member
Joined: 01/21/2007
View Profile
|
jolooote wrote:hmmm...Soooo...There are no RV sites in Loop#1 close enough to the water to allow carrying the Kayaks to it without major effort?
From what I recall, everyone put in down by the concession shop at the main parking area.
Did not see anyone launch from the camping areas -- although there is water nearby.
Maybe the ranger would be the best resource to ask?
|
2SAM
Florida
Senior Member
Joined: 10/24/2003
View Profile
|
We live close to this park, and have been there a few times, nice place to ride bikes of any kind, campcrds. are OK, ppl. fish off of the bridge, where often gators hang out, great place to get great pics. we've seen gators chasing the catch as the guys reel them in as fast as they can..maps can be deceiving, don't recall the cmpgrs being at the water? also safer to launch at the right place they have a concrete launch, with walls on either side, anyplace else DANGER!! as alligators are real plentiful there..
|
|
|
