North Nest Key. Suggestions?

[Michael Palozzola]

Still looking at a good possible single overnight paddle. Being on the east coast myself I thought this site might be a possibility? Anyone ever been to this site? Whats it like? How are the tides here? How bout the island itself? Whats its look like? Trees? Marsh? Marl? Mosquitoes?

[Ross Hancock]

Not a great destination site in my opinion. Small, and just useful as a stop on the way to the larger and more interesting Little Rabbit Key.

[Michael Palozzola]

Well lil rabbit key is a bit far for me atm... I'm not super experienced in open ocean paddling and I really don't wanna do that extensive of a paddle solo either. On google earth north nest looks like a pretty decent sized island looks like there are hiking trails through the islands interior as well.

[Ross Hancock]

I don't know where you are starting from, but it may be just as easy to get to the Gulf Coast as to the Keys or Flamingo.  But a few good non-Gulf one-night solo trips are:

1. Flamingo to East Cape.
2. Coot Bay Pond to South Joe River chickee.
3. Hell's Bay to Lane Bay chickee.

[Michael Palozzola]

Flamingo is the farthest drive out o the three options being gulf flamingo and keys. Granted that doesn't mean it's outta the Q but y would u suggest those sites over a beach island campsite? What is around or near those specific chickees?

[Ross Hancock]

I'm partial to the beach islands, too. I see from your profile that you are in FTL, so look at Pavilion Key for a solo one-nighter out of Chokoloskee or Everglades City.

[toofaraway]

N Nest Key can be a party spot for groups from the Keys.  No hiking trails, not a lot of interesting water around there either.  I'd head to either of the chickees in FL bay for an awesome overnite experience that's not too far from Flamingo.  You could also spend 2 days doing shorter trips using Flamingo as a base.  With all the water in the marsh right now you  could see a lot of variety.  Have fun.

[Michael Palozzola]

Do you have to pay to camp in flamingo or is it an open campground? And if u have to $ how much is it?

[Terry]

I was at Lane Bay Chickee, Pearl Bay Chickee and Lard Can yesterday and you guys

won't believe me but there were no bugs even at Lard Can despite the warm air temperature.

The water was still very paddleable at Mahogany Hammock.

Overnight trips abound, I'd bet the water will still be up for taking Taylor Slough down to

Ernest Coe Campsite then come down the slough the rest of the way through

Craigheads Pond and over to Nine Mile Pond on the second day.

Time it right and you'll meet up with the Criagheads Pond group on Saturday.

But what ever you do, if you're gonna do backcountry and why not? you can do salt water

anytime in the year, do it now the water is only going to go down.

[Keith W]

 

Camping fees and other information

[Michael Palozzola]

That sounds GREAT being that I am actually off Fri and Sat. My only problem is that I'm not super experienced in navigating in mangroves and swamp, also my GPS doesn't have any TOPO or Aerial yet (I just got this one last week). The base map for down by Flamingo is practically useless, West lake is one of the smallest bodies of water on that base map :P.

[Michael Palozzola]

Thank u

[Kim Gass]

You might not be old enough but for those who are the Senior Pass is a great bargain. Makes the Glades the cheapest of my canoeing destinations.