May trip - Gator Hook to Roberts Lakes Strand

[Keith W]

I have a mind to try and reach Robert's Lakes Strand from the Gator Hook Trail on the Monroe Station leg of the Loop. I know the Fl. Scenic Trail runs through the Strand on the eastern end but I have yet to hear of anybody coming in from the west. The first couple of miles of the old Gator Hook logging tram that runs southeast off the Loop has been cleared, but it's all wild after that. The line of the tram is still evident after the cleared path runs out, and I was able to follow it for about another half-mile but it gets pretty boggy in places. Anybody else have any info on this route?

[Zoltan Torok]

...Connie, I didn't dare to tell that I thought it must have been somewhere else as the angle was too high and actually I was filming there last March (it was much drier back then). There is a boardwalk over this large sinkhole that gives you this overview.
So I will let you know how is the situation once we get to Robert's Lake. Maybe first we fly over.

Thanks guys!

Connie Mier said:

Dale, this photo is John Moran's, created in Paynes Prairiie, near Gainsville. I have a print on my wall, one of my favorite Moran photos.


Dale said:

Hello Zolton. I didnt check it out but the trail from Oasis should be near dry. The lakes will hold water all year. Roberts Lakes are a scary place. The last time I walked to the edge of a lake every gator headed toward me. 

 

This is not my pic. I cant remember where it came from but it looks like it could be one of the lakes. Try to imagine every gator turning in your direction.

Zoltan Torok said:

Hi everybody,

This is my very first comment on this forum but have been following the conversations since I have joined this group. I am making a wildlife film for three years about the Everglades / Big Cypress / Fakahatchee for NatGeo (only wildlife, no interviews or presenters) and this year I plan a shoot at Robert's Lake when the big gator congregation happens. I checked the trail one month ago (the one that runs southbound from Oasis center) but it was too early, water was too deep.

How is the situation now? Does anyone know? It seems Keith hiked from the other direction. I may try (yet without camera) this week. 

Thanks.

[Swamp Hunter]

Like I said it wasnt my picture. Someone posted it online as Roberts Lakes but, as we all know, you cant believe everything you read on the internet lol. I also noticed the angle but I thought it was taken from a low flying aircraft. Its a cool photo but no need to keep reposting it. Thanks for explaining the boardwalk overview, Zolton. 

 

Here is an excerpt from "The Story of the CHOKOLOSKEE BAY COUNTRY" by Charles W. Tebeau:

"William W. House related that he, Tom Roberts, Lump Alford, Ted Smallwood and a man named Jordan killed 4,500 alligators in 3 weeks in three small lakes near the Tamiami Trail which at higher water forms one lake called Roberts Lakes." Another tale from the same book says:  "R.B. Storter carried over 10,000 alligator hides to Fort Myers in 1898, all from Roberts Lakes."

In another tall tale Peter Douthit remembers hunting as a boy with his father when the alligators would be so thick in the lakes that his father would shoot a rifle and "millions of heads would all come up."

 

Anyway the point is made that Roberts Lakes are full of gators maybe even more so than in John Morans photo. Most of us obey the law and gators are no longer killed in the BCNP. Add to it the remoteness of the lakes and there should be some big ones in there.

Im still looking for the Bear Island lake coordinates. The last pic I posted claiming to be Roberts Lakes looks like the real deal. It looks like the 3rd lake counting left to right and the smallest. 

 

Zoltan Torok said:

Connie, I didn't dare to tell that I thought it must have been somewhere else as the angle was too high and actually I was filming there last March (it was much drier back then). There is a boardwalk over this large sinkhole that gives you this overview.
So I will let you know how is the situation once we get to Robert's Lake. Maybe first we fly over.

Thanks guys!

 

[Swamp Hunter]

 

[Swamp Hunter]

N 26.21673

W081.31760

 

These may be the coordinates for the gator filled lake I found at Bear Island. Its not far from the grade. My apologies if its wrong but its the best I can do. Dont ask me what datum Im using because I dont know lol.  Good luck.

[Swamp Hunter]

 Hello everybody. As Keith has said, we were successful in finding a passage through the thickest part of the Gator Hook Trail.. I am posting a map of the center of the W. The green trails were a combination of our unsuccessful attempts to find a route on Mar9 and my previous probes in January. The orange is our marked trail from March 9, 2013. . The purple line is the approximate tram.

  I was very surprised to find we rarely followed the tramline. That could explain the lack of RR ties. The first 2 down loops (Islnd & Big Cypress) traverse the edge of pond apple sloughs because this is where walking was easiest. IMO this should be changed to the drier and more direct route from waypoint 149 past the first Gumbo tree and thru 150 & 151 on into Holey Rock... We basically stayed on tram across the center point but it quickly became an impassable jungle at the waypoint marked Train.

  We pushed hard to the second Gumbo Limbo tree group marked Gumbos. It would be a deep shady jungle of cocoplums from here on and it was a struggle to find an opening to walk through. The rocks and solution holes at this point are treacherous but it soon became apparent that Keith and Bill would not be denied so we pushed on...many times having to backtrac and try a different route to navigate around mud and water..

  We finally climbed up on higher ground covered in ferns at a large swamp oak marked Oak Hi Ground. I thought for sure we had found the elevated tram but again no RR ties. I see now that this strip that runs perpendicular to the tram must be a natural rock ridge. We followed this strip through jungle with swamp on each side past a third Gumbo tree grouping(Gumboos). This elevated rock ridge took us north of the trail and finally we were able to break out and see the sun(Breakout).

  We then followed deer trails down the tram and RR ties at waypoint 152.. We were now out in open cypress and it should be no problem the rest of the way to the Florida Trail so we turned around. Keith took some video on the trail back.

  I had a great time working with great people. I cant say enough good things about Keith and Bill.  Im about ready to head out again. I believe I can find a more direct dry path before Holey Rock but the snake-like path after the center (before the breakout) is probably necessary to avoid the deep sloughs. Its an exciting trail and I hope others will follow and get to enjoy it..

[Swamp Hunter]

For our readers the above post is referring to the orange square otherwise referred to as the center of the W. The gator Hook Trail/old railroad tram seems to be in a large W shape. http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=25.962979,-81.049355&a...

[Keith W]

Dale, that is a great write-up of our trip. Do you know how to export from your Garmin and pull it into Google Earth to make a kml file?

Bill says he wants to go out again on Mar. 30 and I was thinking the same thing.

The GoPro video from last weekend was taken from a headband mount and is difficult to watch, especially in the rough sections after Holey Rock. I'll try and edit to get some of the more bearable moments and post them, but be warned that a dose of Dramamine might be called for if you're prone to motion sickness!

[Swamp Hunter]

I dont know how to make a kml file but I will try per your suggestion..

 

After you left Sunday I went and had a long talk with Dave Balman and his brother. We sat outside and ate some great deer chili. A couple of park rangers recognized me and stopped by and we had a great chat. Dave told his story of testifying before Congress in Washington in his attempts to save the Big Cypress. He also talked about the old days of gator poaching when his Grandma wanted to know why they (the brothers) always took her little dog with them hunting. (it was to attract the gators) Dave and his brother are real characters. 

[Swamp Hunter]

Heres a picture (my picture) of the trailhead kiosk at Gator Hook. It clearly shows the trail rounding the bend at the center of the W at the 2.4 mile mark. But of course the trail never went this far and it would have been near impossible for someone to have ever actually walked a trail that doesnt exist and if they did, they would have never recommended to post it at the kiosk. Does this mean someone told a fib? I guess a little white lie never hurt anyone. No, wait remember the lost hikers?

 

 

[Swamp Hunter]

Interesting link I found online. Its a story of one mans hike down the tram in 2012. He has pictures of the Gauntlet and the pump that doesnt work. He found some ribbons and wandered around near the center W and back. He appears to have lost sight of the markers where I stepped on the gator. This part of the trail has since been corrected. Check it out. http://nickbotner.com/2012/05/swamp-walk-gator-hook-trail-everglade...

[daniel]

cooooool. thanks!

[Swamp Hunter]

Im planning on going out tommorrow.