Northern 10,000 Islands Camping

[Megan Digeon]

We are planning a trip for the end of December.  We usually stay within the Everglades National Park and have never gone further north than Camp Lulu.  I was wondering what islands are good for camping further out.  I've heard of camping on Panther and Gullivan.  Any other suggestions?  We are only going out for 2 nights and I'm looking into launching from the Port of the Islands.  Thanks!

[Terry]

Launch at Collier Seminole State Park, excellent facilities, go out Blackwater River to the

Ten Thousand Islands.   It's easier in the Ten Thousand Island NWR you can camp anywhere you

want without a permit.   There's beaches on most of the islands, another to look for is

White Horse Key.   It's also a comfortable one day paddle from CSSP to Picnic/Tiger Key which

is why CSSP is the new north terminus to the Wilderness Waterway.

[Kim Gass]

I have camped on Panther..but there are signs on some of the beach saying that entry is forbidden.  Must be for nesting birds.

I did not camp near the signs and wonder if the entire island is off limits or just part, or part time.  

Coon Key is pretty small for a  "we" camping trip. I have perched there solo.

[vivian]

Port of the islands has a nice marina and launch. The canal is a no wake zone all the way to open area. Watch your tides here and north wind forecast as it could be a tedious paddle back. Once out you can pick and choose where to camp. Panther, Hog, Gullivan or Whitehorse are all near each other.

Collier seminole as terry mentioned has a nice marina and you paddle down the black water river with Gullivan as your closest first island.

What I do not like about this section is watching sunset with condos in the background, airboats as you exit Blackwater River, jet ski tours stopping for lunch at Gullivan, powerboat flotilla parties at Panther, etc. personally I prefer to permit out of everglades national park.

One weekend the party and noise was so bad at panther we had to dismantle our camp and move to Hog to get away from powerboaters hell.

[Tony L]

Funny - I was just getting on the network to ask the same question.  We're looking to camp the same area the last weekend in December too and were debating the same islands plus Jewel, Picnic, and Tiger (we've camped picnic before and liked it).

My wife wants to go to one of the islands in ENP so we get a permit and not get crashed by tons of boaters (which has happened to us on kice), but I want to check out the islands to the north since we haven't been there.

Which do you guys think is a better bet during a BUSY everglades week?

 

[Kim Gass]

I recommend going to EC and try to get a permit for Picnic or Rabbit or Jewel. Failing that..just paddle past Picnic a couple of miles to Camp Lulu. I hear there is a New Year bash every year there.

Those islands north of ENP will for sure be jammed.

[Bob Bonnen]

Tony Hog Key between Panther and White Horse might be a good bet if it's a busy weekend. I was there 2 years ago and the surrounding water is too shallow for most boats. If the tide is low it's best to approach from the north side - south side you will have to get out and wade/drag your boat. The sand there is very fine with a good amount of sand spurs. Also a good place to hunker down for a storm unless the wind is coming from the south.

[Tony L]

Thanks - I think I'm swaying to ENP, but we'll see.

[Kim Gass]

To Bob...I as a northerner learned about sand spurs the hard way..and they go right through Crocs! Thanks for the reminder that I should have left for self after my last trip.  I am bringing thick soled toed shoes for camp.

Wish there were kevlar pants.

[yakmaster]

don't launch at Port of the Islands (Faka Union Canal), launch @ the creek just east of there (Faka Union River).

Spectacular cathedral tunnel paddling with high walls!

[Terry]

No brainer on that.  The Fikiunee is the original route from the highway

down to Faka Union Bay, Port of the Disgusting is just an abomination

that should have never happened.   Start at bridge 030058 this makes all

kind of loops coming back up East River or Blackwater River or

Ferguson River across Ferguson Bay to Barron Creek over to

Barron River then cross into the Figure Eights at the bridge in Honky-Tonk

to come out at Big Cypress HQ.

For that matter you could paddle from there over to Turner River and stay

in backcountry all the way to Sunday Bay.