Bear Lake Trail

[Keith W]

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.

[Bob Quirk]

I wonder what the chances of getting a well drilling project past the wilderness committee are? I would guess pretty close to zero if it involves any heavy noisy equipment. That is why we clear trails by hand instead of noisy tractors.

[toofaraway]

We used to do canoe-a-cades with the rangers on the Bear Lake/Mud Lake Loop. We'd paddle to Bear Lake, then back into Mud Lake, then Mud Lake eastward and back into Bear Lake Canal through an alternate route. It's been many years, this was in the 70's. I'm hoping to get down there later this winter to explore.

[Keith W]

If "heavy noisy equipment" is the issue, how did the new East Cape Canal plugs get past the wilderness committee. How do chickees get built? C'mon, we're talking about 1 or 2 days to drill a hole and leave behind a pipe and a hand pump. Something that would make the Coastal Prairie Trail more than just a line on a map, which is pretty much all it is now for most people.

I sent a message to BCNP hydrologist Bob Sobczak to get his take on a Cape Sable well. If the hydrology turns out to be unfeasible, then so be it.

[Bob Quirk]

Keith. Don't shoot the messenger. The new canal plugs and chickies are in the master plan. I assume the wilderness committee was in on the planing. The committee are professionals who take their job of protecting the wilderness and enforceing the act very seriously. I am told heavy equipment and noise is a serious issue out there and that's why we clear the trails with hand tools. Believe me, working machettees and hand saws has cost me some sweat in the past but it's worth it. I would rather sweat than chase nesting or feeding wildlife out of the area. Submit your suggestion and perhaps they will approve but don't assume it's a slam dunk.

[Keith W]

Not shooting at anybody and I know better than to make assumptions where Park policy is concerned. I have the greatest respect for those who safeguard the wilderness. I very much appreciate their efforts, and the efforts of those such as yourself who work hard to keep what little backcountry foot access we have in a usable condition. I've earned a little trail-clearing sweat equity myself, and I hope to contribute more in the future.

Mr. Sobczak's response to my query was not encouraging. There is no hard data on the presence on Cape Sable of a fresh water aquifer deep enough to avoid bacterial contamination, and I would not be in favor of doing any exploratory drilling without more to go on. He suggested the possibility of caching fresh water along the trail, but first there has to be a trail to service, and we don't have much of one right now.

[Bob Quirk]

Actually the first couple of mile of the trail are not to bad. I headed back there Friday before the cold front and it is hot out in the sun out there. They mowed the first 300 yds then there is about an equal length of trail thats overgrown but passable. Then you emerge on tho the praire where the trail is drying out nicely. glasswort and saltwort have overgrown sections but it is definately passable. The marl is starting to dry and is cracking there were only a few boggy spots. If I were planning a ground assault I would land some big racoon proof water containers on clubhouse beach and hide them in the bushes.

I also spent a good part of the weekend on the Bear Lake Trail. The park maintanance dept has been trimming back the trees on the access road along the buttonwood canal but they are not finished and there is quite a bit of debris on the road. Also rainy season has not bee kind to the road and it is deeply rutted and muddy in a few places. the maintenance guys plan to fix these areas before the road opens. the trail has also suffered fron the high water and all the rain. Several new trees have fallen in the canal including one large buttonwood. We worked on these areas and the trail is passable again.
Wild life is everywhere on the trail and the water is alive with baitfish. I think the clearing and the resultant flow has resulted in a rebirth back there.

One small problem back there is a group of guys who ride bikes back there to fish in Bear Lake. They trash up the place pretty bad and the last 25 yds of trail smells like a sewr from all the human excrement and used toilet paper. Yuck.

[toofaraway]

"One small problem back there is a group of guys who ride bikes back there to fish in Bear Lake. They trash up the place pretty bad and the last 25 yds of trail smells like a sewr from all the human excrement and used toilet paper."

Sounds like they need a porta potti down there.

[Chekika]

Those group of guys also fillet every single fish they catch there including tarpon which is obvious due to all the large scales seen on the ground. I have come through the canal in a kayak and seen them spying on me from behind trees then they go warn the others that I'm coming. I also saw park rangers on bike going there and hope that puts and end to it. What I dont understand is why you would drive all the way down there, then bike to the end of the trail, spend more money on chicken to use as bait and for what ?. Unless like I said they are keeping every single thing they catch.

[vivian]

The park needs to patrol that area more. Once the trail is open in the winter season it would not be so isolated to allow the biker/fishermen from violating the rules without being seen. Do they have saltwater and freshwater fishing licenses? Killing a tarpon without a tag is definately a violation and costly. Have someone check them on the way out give them a hefty fine...they may think twice.

It would probably be in the best interest of all to put a "no fishing sign - violators will be prosecuted" at the end of that foot trail.

[toofaraway]

I've heard the same complaint from sportfishermen about people fishing down there and killing tarpon, keeping everything etc. Random visits by a ranger on bike will be a deterrent. More people using the canal will help too. I'd have to respectfully disagree with the idea of a "no fishing" sign. Perhaps the rules violators can be fastened to a manchineel tree during a rainstorm as punishment?

Thanks again to all the volunteers who cleared the canal up. I haven't been through it since '99 and can only imagine what it looked like after W/K. Great work!

[Bob Quirk]

hey guys. been busy so I'm catching up. Was down on the trail yesterday. Our bank fisherman were a topic of discussion. I've never seen them with Tarpon but I know they did get a warning for to many Black Drum recently. The rangers do their best with enforcement as anyone who has fished Flamingo recently knows. In fact I received a warning two weeks ago when I left my wallet in the car while fishing. No license on my person. Unfortunately the group of fishermen in question belong to a protected group and as guests of our country have little fear of penalties. I know the rangers are aware of them and are planning to take care of the problem. And, yes a no fishing sign is a posibility.

As for the trail most of it looks great. The last tenth of a mile just before the mud lake turn is problematic but you can get through. We will be in there Saturday doing some hard clearing if you are interested email me [e-mail]

[Swamp Ape]

I'd like to do some hard clearing Bob.
I've emailed you about Saturday. Still don't have a BLCT worthy truck but I have a "Swamp Ape" haulin' rental.