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?

[Dallas]

Unfortunately, many of the plants and flowers in the swamp only bloom when it is the hardest to get to them!

[Swamp Hunter]

There has been a lot of talk on walking from the Gator Hook Trail to Oasis.

But what about Gator Hook to Paces Dike? 

This alternate route would travel through a more diverse habitat that includes pinelands. Paces Dike has been leveled but the name remains. It starts at the southern terminus of the Florida Trail on Loop Road.  I drove down the Loop Road on Saturday and they appear to be building a parking area at the Paces Dike trailhead so you wont have to park on the road.   You could even walk the old Paces Dike to Gum Slough and on to Lostmans Pines.  But unfortunately there is no end so you would have to loop back. The old Paces Dike is a large square and goes all the way to "The Hump" (the pinelands campsite) and I have walked from Paces to the Hump many times and I believe you could still camp there although the gate remains locked...  

 

Or better yet, Paces Dike/Fla Trail to Gator Hook. 

It may be safer to leave the vehicles at the Gator Hook Trailhead for an overnight or this would make for an interesting long day hike. 

 

I also noticed construction at Monroe Station. It looks as if they are clearing exotics for a parking area.   Improvements are being made. Florida Trail to Monroe Station via Gator Hook?

[Miami101]

Great group of people Vivian just posted an event they have going on this Saturday on the Glades site into Loonyville, Big Cypress National Preserve! 

[Swamp Hunter]

Its a new season and I have been living in the BCNP since August.  Its a shame I am not working or getting paid and I cannot access the Preserve because its closed. I plan on several trips to the Gator Hook Trail when our government opens to: 

1- find the missing sections so hikers can stay on the original elevated railroad grade.

2- encourage use to keep the trail open.

3- arrange the logs at the washouts to use as a bridges in the wet season.

4- try to find the lost water pump at the lost loggers camp.  

[Dallas]

Dale, I'm with you. 

[Swamp Hunter]

Our govt reopened and I was relocated to Bear island.  I had the entire area to myself for 2 days. I have not had any time to check Gator Hook.

[Swamp Hunter]

Hello everyone.  I had an opportunity to hike Gator Hook Sunday. The water is high. Its about the highest I have ever seen in December. The washouts were above my knee; about mid-thigh. The water is flowing clear, however, so as to easily spot any underwater dangers. 

Most of the trail is well beat down, elevated and easy to follow. But the mid section will need constant use and upkeep to keep open.  Its a true jungle out there. We are losing ribbons and I replaced many as needed. My thanks to a previous hiker that also tied ribbons. The trail is hard to follow around the 2 mile point. It definitely needs more work and some sections of the old tram were bypassed and have yet to be discovered.

I enjoyed the hike  but I didnt see any wildlife. Its a shame what is happening to the Loop Unit. The walk only area was originally created as a "central breeding ground" for deer but removing trails does NOT benefit wildlife. It actually has an opposite effect and this has been proven and documented. Its sad to see all the trails that are disappearing throughout the Preserve. Its "Vanishing Trails" all over again.

There are no deer in the Stairsteps Zone 4 area and the airboaters have lost interest..Whatever has killed the animals has also spread to the southern portion of the Loop Unit and its getting worse..  The water is high but plenty of dry spots remain everywhere and not just on the oak islands.. I spoke with 2 girls doing a study for UF yesterday. I hope they can help. Its so sad to see an area so teeming with wildlife only 10 years ago, turn into what it is today. Its heart wrenching.

2 Pythons were killed on the Loop Road in the past 3 days and one was 17 foot long! This cant be good. I cant help but think that if Desoto's wild hogs were not irradicated, the snakes would be kept in check.  Wild hogs love to eat snakes and the panthers love to eat hogs.  This would in turn benefit the deer. There was a natural balance in the swamp for 400 years and its obviously out of whack.... Its so very sad.. It will take an experienced South Florida swamp person to solve this serious problem.  

[Warren]

First post.   Thanks for the great board about the Everglades.  We (my son, brother in law, nephew) hiked Gator Hook on Friday.  Dale hank you so much for the markers.  We only hiked about 2 hours in, so we never got to the rough going (just knee deep water).   There was much more water than last December when we hiked.  We did find a cotton mouth, ribbon snake, yellow rat snake and one frog along the trail.   Driving the loop road out we found another yellow rat, and 2 racers.

We hope to go farther each time. (We went farther this time than we did last December.)   Now that there are only 2 of us around we hesitate to go by ourselves even though I see many of you hike solo.   We'll be here until Jan 5th if anyone is going.

[Bill Riley]

Dale I'll be going back out for another 3 months of hiking starting January again. I know we marked out to the south at the y split heading all the way into the open area where we saw all of those buck rubs but I think I remember you saying you started marking to the north of the y split now as it kept more in line with the old trail. Can you confirm which way I should be helping mark this time as I have not been out since the three of us went last. I think the area around the north/south split needs a lot of work finding those old ties.

[Keith W]

Good to hear from you again Bill!

I'll be down at Bear Island (or maybe Mitchells if it isn't too crowded) on Christmas day. Planning on a solo day hike somewhere in the Cypress on Thursday, and an overnight canoe trip out to Camp Lulu or Panther Key on Friday-Saturday. Heading back up to St. Pete on Sunday. Wish I could do the Camp Lulu New Years Eve bash this year but my schedule won't permit it.

[Bill Riley]

Hopefully in the next three months we can meet up again. I'll mainly be doing Saturday runs from beginning of January to the end of March.

[Swamp Hunter]

I think it needs work on both sides of the center of the "W". We were able to cut through but our trail is like a snake (S shaped) IMO we need to locate the the original tram to keep the trail basically straight, if possible. I would like to work on locating the section just before the Holey Rock area which is the dead center of the "W"..

Bill Riley said:

Dale I'll be going back out for another 3 months of hiking starting January again. I know we marked out to the south at the y split heading all the way into the open area where we saw all of those buck rubs but I think I remember you saying you started marking to the north of the y split now as it kept more in line with the old trail. Can you confirm which way I should be helping mark this time as I have not been out since the three of us went last. I think the area around the north/south split needs a lot of work finding those old ties.