Fakahatchee Strand, FL Everglades

WolfTracker

WolfTracker

Joined
Mar 8, 2007
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Last Saturday, 4 other hikers and I completed a great segment of the Fakahatchee Strand in the FL Everglades.

I was told that the hike would be wet and to dress for it. I did as I was told and brought the proper gear and expected to get a little wet...

We started out from the trailhead about 0830 and walked about 400 yards and the leader said, "OK, here's the real trail head". There was no easy way to enter but to step down into the frigid water of the slough that was as high as my balls. I had no idea that we'd be in it for 8 hours and only cover 5 miles. To date, it was the most exciting and memorable hike that I've ever taken and plan to do it again before rainy season and the water is too deep.

The pictures pretty much sum up what I saw on the hike and why it was one of my best hikes.

The photos can be found HERE

Thanks for reading,

Chris
 
I really enjoyed the pictures, and you inspired me that I may have to plan a trip for me and the wife.

Everglades is our favorite vacation spot and we have done a lot of explorin' down there.

Where abouts in the Everglades is Fakahatchee Strand?
 
We came in from I-75 to 29S and took that down into Copeland. We entered in at Jane's Scenic Drive, off Lee Cypress Rd.

If you decide to go, be really careful, equip appropriately, and mark a ton of waypoints. :)
 
I enjoyed looking at your photos.....it looks like it was a memorable hike indeed ! Thank you for sharing !!

I don't want to pull your thread off topic, but I read recently an article and then watched on TV a program ( Nature on PBS ? ) claiming the Everglades is infested now with perhaps 10's of thousands of Burmese pythons...apparently released by owners with "buyers remorse". Did you see any sign of these critters ?

- regards
 
Holy crap! Three people in FL in the same thread! We need to do some sort of get together. I'm in Ocala.
 
We were talking about it while we were out there and found nothing. It was cool and the water was frigid. We think that if we went out onto the roads at night, we may have had a better shot at seeing some snakes. I wanted to see a panther! They're out there... no pigs! :D

Gramps said:
I enjoyed looking at your photos.....it looks like it was a memorable hike indeed ! Thank you for sharing !!

I don't want to pull your thread off topic, but I read recently an article and then watched on TV a program ( Nature on PBS ? ) claiming the Everglades is infested now with perhaps 10's of thousands of Burmese pythons...apparently released by owners with "buyers remorse". Did you see any sign of these critters ?

- regards
Click to expand...
 
Nice pictures, thanks for posting. I live in Broward and I take my kids camping at Fisheating Creek off Hi 27. If you've never been there it's really worth a trip.
 
The first trip to the Everglades was about thirty years ago and many more were to follow. It is a most awesome and magical place that is very hard to describe to someone who has never been there. You guys are very lucky to live so close by.

BTW, a really really excellent non-fiction book about the history and nature of this area is called "Sea of Grass" by Marjorie Stoneham Douglas. Everything from the Indians to the Spanish to the Pirates to the Poachers and everything else; you will really more appreciate the Everglades after reading it.
 
I did a lot of camping/hunting/beer drinking in Big Cypress in the 80's. We had so many good times there. I even bagged a 4 pointer which dressed out at around 100 lbs.
 
Brisbane, I have to check out that book. Thank you for recommending it.

FL hiking guys, I'll reach out to you soon for a possible trip.
 
Excellent photos!
Any worry about gators where you went?

I imagine a hammock would come in handy should you need to spend the night!
 
Would it make any sense at all to wear chest waders, or does that pose it's own series of issues? Too rough on them? (i.e. puncture quickly)

Great pics.
 
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