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Turner River kayak trail: The best in the Everglades

The Turner River is one of the most popular kayak trails in the Everglades for a good reason – it’s the best.

I haven’t paddled every trail in the Everglades, but I’ve done a lot of them. So far, the Turner River wins out because, unlike most trails, where you choose either cypress swamp or mangrove or sawgrass environments, the Turner River takes you through it all – with over-the-top scenery and wildlife too.

Mangrove tunnels on the Turner River in the Big Cypress Preserve get tight and require some ducking and dodging. (Photo: Bonnie Gross)
Mangrove tunnels on the Turner River in the Big Cypress Preserve get tight and require some ducking and dodging. But, decked out with bromeliads, it would be hard to find a more magical place. (Photo: Bonnie Gross)

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, feeling vaguely 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. (Details below.)

A pink water lily along the Turner River in Big Cypress National Preserve off the Tamiami Trail. (Photo: Bonnie Gross)
A pink water lily along the Turner River in Big Cypress National Preserve off the Tamiami Trail. (Photo: Bonnie Gross)

One kayak outfitter with whom I spoke said he had stopped running trips there because of crowds.

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.

Turner River Kayak Trail, Big Cypress National Wildlife Refuge.
Turner River Kayak Trail, Big Cypress National Wildlife Refuge. (Photo: Bonnie Gross)

Two weeks later, we returned, paddling the river on the afternoon of Christmas Eve. The river was just as lovely and full of wildlife, but we passed three or four guided kayak tours, each with five or six boats, so we rarely felt alone in the wilderness.

My conclusion: The Turner River is popular for a good reason. Give it a try, but plan and prepare accordingly. If you can, start early or go on a weekday.

Three wood storks on the Turner River Kayak Trail in Big Cypress National Wildlife Refuge. Storks are more commonly seen these days; they've been reclassified as threatened vs. endangered species.
Three wood storks on the Turner River Kayak Trail in Big Cypress National Wildlife Refuge. Storks are more commonly seen these days; they’ve been reclassified as threatened vs. endangered species. (Photo: Bonnie Gross)

Ways to kayak the Turner River

There are many different ways to kayak the Turner River. Here are a few options:

  • Bring your own canoe or kayak, put in at the launch on the Tamiami Trail, paddle north and/or south and return to your car. (There’s not much current so paddling upstream is not an issue.) If water levels are high, you should still be able to paddle 45 minutes to an hour downstream and then back. NOTE: Long or inflatable kayaks are not recommended. A Florida Rambler community member commented that a below-water mangrove root punctured one of his kayak’s three inflatable chambers. As he and his wife paddled back, they were thankful the alligators were all shy.
  • Bring your own canoe or kayak. Arrange to be picked up at the Gulf Coast Visitor Center at Everglades National Park, shuttled to the launch site and then paddle back to your car. You can make these arrangements with outfitters, including EvergladesAdventures.com, which operates out of the Ivey House Everglades Adventure Hotel in Everglades City. If you consider paddling to Chokoloskee, please see a note of caution below about water levels.
  • Rent a kayak or canoe from one of several outfitters licensed to provide service in the wildlife refuge.
  • Go on a guided adventure with an outfitter. (Same list as above.)
Turner River Kayak Trail, Big Cypress National Wildlife Refuge.
Turner River Kayak Trail, Big Cypress National Wildlife Refuge. (Photo: Bonnie Gross)

We chose to explore the Turner River from the launch site, paddling both north and south and then returning after several hours to our own car – an approach I recommend if you have your own kayak. The advantages to us: Nobody to pay, we could launch at our own schedule and paddle a trip of whatever length we wanted.

On some trips, we headed north first into a beautiful less-frequented stretch of the river. When water levels are high, you can paddle quite a distance and the scenery is lovely.

One thing that makes the Turner River so impressive is the profusion of air plants. (Photo: Bonnie Gross)
One thing that makes the Turner River so impressive is the profusion of air plants. (Photo: Bonnie Gross)

Southbound, the first section you paddle is often full of wildlife – small alligators and all sorts of birds. The vegetation is spectacular: The trees are packed with airplants that cover every available surface; there are beautiful groupings of water lilies and swamp lilies.

After about 45 minutes, the first mangrove tree appears and then you plunge into a shadowy mangrove tunnel. That tunnel opens up to placid pond, and then it is mangrove tunnel No. Two. This one is tighter and longer. We tuck our paddles into our canoe and pull ourselves through it in a form of hand-to-hand combat, ducking constantly to limbo under low branches. (Don’t try the second mangrove is water level is high; there might not be enough clearance.)

Turner River Kayak Trail, Big Cypress National Wildlife Refuge.
Turner River Kayak Trail, Big Cypress National Wildlife Refuge. (Photo: Bonnie Gross)

The open marsh that follows rewards us with birds – flocks of storks, squawking, grunting ibis, herons voicing their annoyance, kingfishers with their rattling call.

In this section, you find the only landing spot on the trail, a little section of ground with a few palm trees and several picnic tables. It is a perfect places to stretch. It comes about 1.75 miles into the trail, so watch for it and stretch your legs.

The paddling guide provided by Everglades National Park (alas, no longer available online) has helpful points marked on the map, including the junction with the old Turner River Canal, which is plugged to restore water to the Turner River.

There were so many birds in the old canal, however, that we decided to divert from the trail to see how far it extended. At what appeared to be the end of the canal, we found a narrow access points where we could paddle into another basin. This discovery was perhaps our favorite: This hidden, off-the-trail body of water was packed with wildlife, from alligators to schools of fish visible in the clear water to all sorts of birds. Except for the sound of our paddles and the birds, there was complete silence.

We paddled downstream to the next mangrove tunnel and turned around, retracing our path.

How long did it take? In the trip that included heading north and also exploring the old canal, our total paddle time was perhaps four or five hours. In a 2017 return trip, where the northern stretch was too thick with hydrilla and we did not explore the canal, the trip was somewhere between three and four hours round trip.

Low clearance on a high-water day in November 2021 along the Turner River. We made it under this one, but had to turn around eventually. (Photo: David Blasco)
Low clearance on a high-water day in November 2021 along the Turner River. We made it under this one, but had to turn around eventually. (Photo: David Blasco)

Water levels are critical to Turner River kayak trip

Summers around here are miserable — swarms of no-see-ums and mosquitos will greet you. The best times to kayak the Turner, then, is November to April, when the heat, humidity and insects are less of a problem.

But you have to check if the water is too high or two low. Either condition makes the trail impassable.

For example, as I write this in mid-November 2021, I just returned from a morning on the river when the water level was quite high. To get under the Tamiami Trail bridge (right at the start), we had to lay flat in our canoe and pull ourselves under the bridge. We had to turn around in the middle of the second mangrove tunnel because we couldn’t clear the lowest branches.

In addition to the clearance issue, high water means the alligators and birds have lots of options, so not as many gather in the river and wildlife viewing may not be impressive. (These conditions are also likely in summer.)

Conversely, the Turner River is impassable when the water gets too low, which often happens in spring. One March, we had tried to do the Turner, but it was too late in the season and too shallow. (We ended up paddling the nearby Halfway Creek trail.)

Check the water levels at the Big Cypress Visitor Center nearby or call the Big Cypress Visitor Center (239-695-2000) to inquire.

A white butterfly ginger bloomed alongside the Turner River on a mid-November trip. (Photo: Bonnie Gross)
A white butterfly ginger bloomed alongside the Turner River on a mid-November trip. I was sorry to learn that this plant is considered invasive and is not native to the Everglades. (Photo: Bonnie Gross)

Tips for kayaking the Turner River

Your visit to Everglades City area

We love visiting Everglades City. It’s a small fishing village with fresh seafood, historic buildings and access to many outdoors adventures.

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james jordan

Sunday 7th of January 2024

Long and/ or inflatable kayaks are not recommended for this trip. We had excellent water level, but the tunnels make for cramped conditions for our 13' Sea Eagle that we take pretty much everywhere. And we popped one chamber (out of 3) on a below waterline mangrove root, right after my wife suggested turning around in the middle of a tunnel. Luckily, I always pack a repair kit and we limped back to the launch, surrounded by lazy (again lucky) gators. Next time, we'll book 2 single hard shells from Skunk Ape Headquarters, because the river environs were beautiful.

Bonnie Gross

Sunday 7th of January 2024

Thanks for your helpful comments, as always. I'm glad you thought the river was beautiful. I will add a note that inflatables are not recommended!

Tim Wotzka

Sunday 14th of November 2021

looks like fun adventures

Russ

Tuesday 25th of May 2021

This is great and information and quite concise. If you douse yourself in bug repellant, is Turner River in June/July enjoyable?

Bonnie Gross

Tuesday 25th of May 2021

I think the water level is too low most years, Russ.

Bob

Wednesday 3rd of February 2021

Florida Rambler, and Bonnie, I can't thank you enough. Turner River was beyond incredible, and the details on so many florida kayaking opportunities are priceless.

Bonnie Gross

Wednesday 3rd of February 2021

Thank you! I want to hear all about your Turner River experience! How far did you paddle? What did you see? You can post comments here or email me at floridarambler@gmail.com.

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