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Naples Kayaking Destinations

Mangroves in Naples Florida
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Naples and the surrounding southwest Florida area is a nature lover’s paradise. It is filled with some of the most amazing natural sights and breathtaking wildlife. And while much can be enjoyed from your car or on foot, the best view is often from the water.

Best Places to Paddle near Napes

Explore some of the top-rated paddles and stunningly calm waterways of Naples.

Clam Pass Park

Naples, FL

Truly unique part of Naples, Clam Pass is a cluster of entangled mangroves right in central Naples with a beautiful white-sand beach and a backwater lagoon. Paddle out into the Gulf, then turn right to enter the lagoon. There is a well-marked six-mile kayak trail that loops through Outer Clam Bay, Inner Clam Bay and the winding mangroves.

Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

Naples, FL

Known simply as Rookery Bay, this is a 110,000-acre mangrove forest, uplands, and protected estuary located between Naples and Marco Island. It is one of the best places to appreciate the diverse ecosystem of the Everglades. All kayaking adventures begin at the Isle of Capri Paddle Craft Park.  The facility has a ramp, picnic pavilions, and restrooms and provides public access to McIlvane Bay, a shallow mangrove-fringed bay. A relatively unexplored part of the Reserve, you’ll have ample opportunities for viewing wildlife as well as discovering the quiet backwaters of the Bay.

Estero Bay Preserve State Park

Estero, FL

Estero Bay is an inlet of the Gulf of Mexico on the west coast of Florida. It is long and shallow, covering about 15 square miles. You can paddle the open parts of the bay or explore the 10,000-acre State Park and it’s 7,000 acres of mangroves, undeveloped inland shore and shallow waterways.

Imperial River

Bonita Springs, FL

Rather than a grand, imposing river as the name suggests, Imperial River is a 9-mile creek that winds through Bonita Springs on its way into Estero Bay. It’s a bit of hidden gem even though it’s part of the Great Calusa Blueway and makes for a delightful kayak. You’ll pass under a canopy of oaks and pines as you twist through the narrow cypress-lined river. Keep your eyes on the tea-colored water for a chance to spot fish, turtles and the occasional manatee.

Everglades’ Wilderness Waterway

Ochopee, Florida

The 99-mile Everglades’ Wilderness Waterway connects Flamingo and Everglades City, running the full north-south length of the park boundaries. It can take up to 10 days to complete the web of mangrove mazes and is recommended for experienced paddlers only. You’ll be fully immersed in the most pristine and profound sections of the Everglades as you travel the many interconnecting creeks, rivers, lakes and inner bays, only reachable by shallow draft powerboat, kayak or canoe. 

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