Hidden Clam Pass Park in Naples: Swimmers ride the tide; kayakers take a scenic trail

Clam Pass Park beach is worth discovering for its beauty and the fun offered by its tidal flow. It also has a splendid kayak trail through the mangroves and to the beach.

Few outside of Naples know about this hidden beach, which may appear to be the private beach of a posh resort. But it’s not — it’s a Collier County park. And while I live 10 minutes from Fort Lauderdale beach, I think Clam Pass Park is so special I have driven across the state for a day at this beach.

Clam Pass Park is tucked away behind the Naples Grande Beach Resort. That’s how I discovered it, on a weekend getaway when we stayed at the resort on a summer rate sale.

There are a few assets that set this beach apart from the other spectacular Naples beaches (and they are all excellent.)

The special beach at Clam Pass Park

First, I love how you reach the beach; it feels like the start of an adventure. You can walk or take a free tram from the Clam Pass Park parking lot down a three-quarters-mile long boardwalk through a mangrove forest. (You might have to wait for the tram on busy days.)

Then, from the shady mangrove tunnel, you emerge on a sunny day to a beach with sand that is blindingly white and water impossibly turquoise. There are plenty of seashells, the sand feels clean and powdery and water is clear.

But that’s not the only thing we love about Clam Pass Park.

The pass itself is a narrow river-like opening in the mangroves, shallow enough an adult can stand at the center except at the highest tide. If you hop into the waters of the pass, you are gently swept away by the tide. If the tide is coming in, you float into a shallow mangrove-fringed lagoon. If the tide is going out, you float out into the Gulf, which remains shallow for a great distance.

It’s a natural “lazy river” adventure, where the pull and depth of the water is safe but still fun.  (The currents in larger passes can be extremely dangerous, making Clam Pass Park a unique experience. It’s the smallest, shallowest pass on the coast.)

Parents should note that the pull of the tide still can be strong and children should be closely supervised. We’ve been here when the current pulled us well into the mangrove lagoon and it was a challenge to swim against it. There is no lifeguard in this section of the beach.

Swimmers can explore the pristine mangrove lagoon area, wading through shallow water to dead-ends, where fiddler crabs scurried as we approached.

Because this is the beach for the Naples Grande Beach Resort, regular folks benefit from exceptional amenities intended for hotel guests. There’s a little cafe with sandwiches and drinks, and not outrageously priced. A concession stand rents chairs, umbrellas, kayaks and SUPs.

The kayak trail at Clam Pass Park

The same parking lot that serves the beach has a kayak launch on its southwestern corner. It leads to a neat six-mile kayak loop through two lagoon-like bays, Outer Clam Bay and Inner Clam Bay, and winds through mangroves. (The northern-most section of the trail has the prettiest narrow mangrove tunnels.)

There are 32 markers on the trail. It’s so well-marked, we thought it would be impossible to get lost. We were wrong; we managed to make a wrong turn but soon realized we were paddling into a dead end.

The best thing about the trail, though, is the opportunity to kayak one mile to the beach with a picnic and towels, swim and enjoy this gorgeous place, and then continue paddling. You can paddle back to the parking lot or you can complete the loop and enjoy the splendid scenery. It would make a good summer kayak outing.

The shallow waterway is quiet and after the launch at Outer Clam Bay, there are no buildings on the route except three wooden walkways connecting residences to the beach. You almost feel you are someplace wild, except there are highrises always visible behind the mangroves. There are no power boats and only a few other kayakers.

No outfitter serves this trail. Guests of Naples Grande can rent kayaks there and kayaks are for rent at the beach kiosk, where you could paddle along the shore and then into the trail. The problem with those kayaks, though, is the cost. At $40 an hour, it’s not really priced for a six-mile kayak loop. (We dawdled at the beach, took photographs and meandered, spending more than three hours paddling the full loop.)

Clam Pass Park in Naples

Seagate Drive  and Crayton Road, Naples
Hours: 8 a.m. to sundown
Phone: (239) 252-4000

Parking at Clam Pass Park is $10, and there are 171 spaces that can and do fill up on good beach days. If possible, arrive before 10 a.m.

• The official site for Clam Pass Park
• TripAdvisor visitors love Clam Pass Park too.

Tide Charts: Naples Outer Coast

NOTE: See our updated Florida Red Tide Report.

Things to do in Naples near Clam Pass Park

• Kayaking or canoeing:  Koreshan State Historic Park on the Estero River, the Imperial River in Bonita Springs, the Cocohatchee and Water Turkey Bay from Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park.
• Beach, kayaking and manatees in winter: Lovers Key State Park
• Bicycling: A great way to sample beaches is by bike in old Naples.
• Naples Bird Rookery Swamp: Excellent hiking, biking and wildlife.
• Koreshan State Historic Park: Beautiful spot, fascinating history of an early Florida cult
• More great beaches nearby:  Barefoot Beach and Delnor Wiggins.
• Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary: Exquisite cypress swamp, boardwalk, birds and wildlife.

Camping and places to stay near Clam Pass Park

• Camping:  Collier Seminole State Park,  Koreshan State Park
• Lodging: We also got a fabulous deal and stayed at the Naples Grande Beach Resort one weekend, which is how we discovered Clam Pass Park in the first place — it’s the beach that serves this hotel. It is a grand place, particularly off-season.