Line © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), checked by Global Adventurer.
The paddling route
Launch from the canoe and kayak access at Nine Mile Pond, beside the main park road on the way to Flamingo, and follow the trail east out of the pond. The route is marked with numbered white poles, and it winds through open sawgrass marsh and shallow channels between small islands of mangrove and buttonwood. At the far end it turns back and returns by a different line to the pond. A shortcut halves the loop if you want a shorter outing.
It is 5.6 miles (9 km) round, a little more than the Park Service's 5-mile figure; allow about 2 hours in a canoe or kayak and 2½ on a paddleboard. The grade is Easy: the water is still and sheltered, though in places only inches deep, and the open marsh is hot and exposed, so take water, a hat and sun cream, and keep the poles in sight.
Motors are not allowed on the trail. Alligators live here: give them plenty of room. Watch for wading birds and, if you are lucky, the endangered snail kite. Late in the dry season the trail can be too shallow to paddle, so ask a ranger first. The park charges an entrance fee, with an extra $100 for visitors from outside the US aged 16 and over. Wear a life jacket and check the conditions before you set off.
Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap waterways (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.
Good to know
- A marked loop through shallow sawgrass marsh and mangrove islands, off the Everglades main park road
- Follow the numbered white poles; there is a 3.5-mile shortcut
- No motors allowed on the trail
- Alligators and wading birds; you may see the endangered snail kite
On the water
- Put in: Nine Mile Pond Canoe/Kayak Access (canoe launch) 25.25428, -80.79785
- No locks or weirs on the way.
- Rules and licences: National Park Service (Everglades National Park). Check whether you need a licence before you go: on many inland waters in England and Wales you do, and Paddle UK membership includes one for many of them.
- Suits canoes, kayaks, paddleboards.
Getting there
Start: Nine Mile Pond canoe access. 25.25428, -80.79785
Places to stay nearby
Rooms in and around Everglades: Booking.com → Expedia → Hotels.com →
Affiliate links: if you book, Global Adventurer earns a small commission at no cost to you.
Water levels, flow and the weather decide the day. The line and figures come from OpenStreetMap and our own checks; wear a buoyancy aid, check the river levels and the forecast, keep well clear of weirs and powered boats, and don't go out in flood.