Everglades Exploration Network

Date: Aug. 29, 2009

Location: The put-in for the Bear Lake Canoe Trail is located about 1.75 miles north of Flamingo, at the end of the Bear Lake Road, which parallels the Buttonwoood Canal. There is a parking area at the end of the road, and it's a short drive west to the dock at the put-in. The Trail can be also be reached by boat from Buttonwood Canal by landing at the dock on the canal, and then portaging about 250 yards to the put-in.

Condition: Bear lake Trail is now clear and passable for it's entire length out to Bear Lake, about 1.6 miles, The Homestead Canal beyond Bear Lake is still blocked by storm debris, and this will be the next stage of the ongoing clearing project. Please note that the gate to the Bear Lake Road is normally locked during the off-seaon, and the road is currently in very poor condition. The Park service usually mows the roadside and fills in the worst of the potholes at the start of the fall season.

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Here are a few color jpg files of the Labins High Resolution images. They have better color and possibly tell us where the soup might be deeper. Generally head out of 64M NE bend around west and follow the north coast to the western cut into the North-South section of the canal.  I can see water in the Homestead Canal in places. Lots of trees in other places. It is possible to add these images into your GE as an overlay.Below is the western cut from Labins.

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I am going solo unless another wants to jump in my tandem canoe.  I am camping in Flamingo Friday night.

Bill. I helped clean that area out a few years ago and have transited through it to the cape on several occasions since. If you have not found it the cut back into the canal is directly south of Gator Lake. from there you just follow the canal to Lake Ingram. It's pretty easy to find but I would recommend leaving a breadcrumb trail to get out. 

OBTW. Terry we've been transiting the impassible route for over two years. 

Bob, did you go east in the canal, from near Gator Lake back toward Bear lake?  The cut I was thinking about to go north in the canal and then turn right to the east in the canal is on the photo above.

Thanks for the images.

Amazon Bill said:

Here are a few color jpg files of the Labins High Resolution images. They have better color and possibly tell us where the soup might be deeper. Generally head out of 64M NE bend around west and follow the north coast to the western cut into the North-South section of the canal.  I can see water in the Homestead Canal in places. Lots of trees in other places. It is possible to add these images into your GE as an overlay.Below is the western cut from Labins.

Bob good to have your input, you put a lot of hard work into clearing the main trail to Bear Lake even in the dead of summer. I for one appreciate your efforts and those of the swamp apes.

Have fun guys, I will be somewhere in hells bay this weekend. Looking forward to your trip report! It woul be great given windy season to have a backcountry trail to and from East Cape,

Bob, what's the deal here?

It's shown on the brochure, if it's open what's all this mystique about impassable, do not try this, and

with all the new tributaries at the Lake Ingraham side why aren't people routinely paddling this to get

to Cape Sable?   Back to the perfect combo - the option of a loop to Cape Sable, the way it was.

Whatever, it's great weather for canoeing and I owe my bow paddler a casual trip.

Saturday 18 January, 07:00, Bear Lake Trail

Heading to Flamingo...Now!

See you in the AM.

OK the main canal is only clear from the parking area to a few hundred yards past Bear Lake. This allows the park to use it to do the Mud lake loop. After that the canal is not totally clear till just south of Fox Lake. However the path going east from Gator to Fox is just a dead end so don't bother with it. You must transit to the west end of bear then through the pond at to the west end of Bear. There is a creek on the SW side I believe one of your pics show it. Then it's through the Soup Doodle, plenty of water for a canoe but it's a bit of a maze and unmarked so the park does not want a bunch of people getting lost back there. You cut into the canal south of Gator then it's a clear run all the way to the dike at lake Ingram. You can also travel further west in the soup doodle but the canal is a nice paddle. When the canal turns south there can be some current. Look for the old camp on the dike on the south side of the canal a good place to stop for lunch. 

Bob, I missed your post until we got back today.  We madeI it to Gator Lake and back. We saw a large assortment of wading birds, spoonbill, flamingos and ducks. Massive flicks of ducks all swooping in unison. More to come. Awsome weather, light breeze, cool and clear.

 

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