[ft-l] from Matterhorn

[dblick at cfl.rr.com (Deb Blick)]

I'm assuming you know that FTA doesn't have any trail in Everglades National
Park. We are currently working on extending our trail from Loop Rd in Big
Cypress National Preserve down to Key Largo, primarily using canal levees
owned by South Florida Water Management District.  This route will skirt the
north and east side of Everglades National Park and make use of some of the
campsites and other facilities managed by Everglades National Park.  But
that is in the near future, currently the route exists only on paper.

There are some trails for hiking within Everglades National Park and an
extensive canoe trail through the islands on the west side of the Park.  I
think your best bet for for combining hiking and canoeing is the Flamingo
Campground on the south-west corner of Everglades NP.  See
http://www.everglades.national-park.com/hike.htm for info on the hiking
offered in the Park.  Note that the Chekika Campground is currently closed
due to high water.  No word on when it will reopen.  Expect some of the
trails to be closed or under water as well until spring. It's been a very
wet El Nino year here in Florida.  I'd contact the Park at 305-242-7700 for
current conditions before heading down there.

We do have over 60 miles of trail in Big Cypress National Preserve, north of
Everglades National Park.  Expect knee to waist deep water south of I-75.
Best hiking time in Big Cypress is usually February and March, after it's
dried out a little

Deb


> Joan, thanks for you offer, I would love to talk to you and your friend
> about the AT and PCT. Unfortunately this time I may not have much time to
> do extended hiking in Florida. Since my mother-in-law died recently we
have
> to get the apartment on Marco organized. Still I hope to go for a few days
> into the Everglades, partly hiking and partly with the canoe. My wife
> unfortunately cannot hike much anymore, that's where the canoe comes in.
> Adrian