"Homestead Canal" by U.S. National Park Service , public domain
EvergladesHell's Bay Canoe Trail |
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Everglades
National Park
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Everglades National Park
Hell’s Bay Canoe Trail
DESCRIPTION
This sheltered route weaves through mangrove
lined creeks and ponds to a series of small bays.
You will see two backcountry chickees and a
ground site along the way. A backcountry permit
is required for overnight camping.
LENGTH
5.5 miles one way to Hells Bay Chickee. This is
an in–and–out trail, marked by more than 160
numbered white PVC pipes
TIME
Allow 6-8 hours to leisurely paddle the entire
trail and back.
SEASONS
Low water levels in late February through May
can make the trail difficult or impassable. Check
with a ranger.
SAFETY & COMFORT
The mangrove tunnels through which much of
the trail winds can be buggy, particularly during
the summer and fall months.
WHAT TO BRING
Recommended supplies include water, sunscreen, sunglasses, insect repellent or bug jacket,
rain gear, snacks, PFD for each canoeist, an
extra paddle, and a waterproof bag for gear.
Any further navigation beyond the marked
canoe trail requires Nautical chart #11433.
Black–crowned Night Heron
Backcountry chickees provide paddlers a way to experience the mangrove swamp overnight.
“Hell to get into, and Hell to get out of” is what old timers claimed about
the mangrove maze leading into Hells Bay. Here, near the headwaters of the
mangrove swamp, a confusing and seemingly infinite series of ponds, islands
and narrow creeks becomes the landscape’s dominant theme. Whether you
complete the whole trail or just paddle for an hour or two, your experience will
expose you to the complex and distinctive mangrove ecosystem.
The Mangrove Swamp
A tangled web of reddish, arching roots rises
out of the tea–colored water. The red mangrove, stunted due to thin soil over the limestone bedrock, dominates the landscape here.
It’s stilt–like prop roots hold the tree upright
in the soft mud and water, and aerial roots
drop down from the branches to lend further
support.
The red mangrove’s ability to grow in soil
that is mostly submerged by saltwater affords
them the luxury of not having to compete with
other plants for light, nutrients, and space.
Squatters
Bromeliads, often called “air plants”, perch
regally upon mangrove branches all along the
trail. Rainwater is captured and stored by the
plant’s vase–like base. Mosquitoes and other
insects deposit eggs and reside in the bromeliads, attracting tree frogs, lizards, and birds.
Decaying leaves, animal droppings and other
ingredients mix with captured water to form a
nutrient base for the plant. These plants are
nonparasitic squatters using the host tree only
as a perch from which to gather sunlight and
nutrients.
Green beans, anyone?
As you paddle along, you may notice what
appear to be giant green beans floating in
the water or dangling from the mangrove
branches. These are the red mangrove’s young
offspring, called propagules. After a propagule
falls from a tree, it either anchors in the soft
mud, or, if it falls into water, drifts along until it
becomes waterlogged and sinks to the bottom.
Tiny roots will sprout from the tip of the propagule, anchoring it into the mud. A new mangrove is born!
Wildlife alert!
You’ll need to look carefully for wildlife as you
wind through the mangroves. A few resident
alligators haul themselves onto exposed clearings along the creek bank. Watch for these
“roadside pullouts”. Alligators normally don’t
nest in the mangrove environment, but an
abundance of fish provides them with plenty
of food.
A closer look into the maze of arching
roots might be rewarded with a glimpse of
mangrove crabs, snails, and anoles.
Underwater nurseries
The mangrove swamp offers juvenile marine
life—such as fish, crabs, and shrimp—an ideal
nursery ground. The tangle of arching red
mangrove prop roots is a suitable hiding place
from predators. Also, decomposing mangrove
leaves, coated with tiny bacteria and fungi, are
high in protein and form the basis for food
chains upon which these creatures depend.
As the fish, crabs, and shrimp mature,
they move into the open waters of the Gulf of
Mexico and Atlantic Ocean. It may be hard to
believe, but most of the sport fish, food fish,
and shellfish that are captured off our tropical
coasts depend on the mangrove as a nursery or
feeding ground for at least part of their lives.
Hells Bay and Beyond
Trail markers end at the Hells Bay Chickee.
But before beginning your return trip, take
a moment to float on the open water. Open
your ears to the songs of birds, the splashes of
fish, and the choruses of frogs. The mangrove
swamp through which you have just traveled
serves not only to house, feed, and protect
these and many other creatures, but it also
provides us with a true wilderness experience;
one that can’t be replicated anywhere else in
the world.
Wilderness camping opportunities
3.5 miles into the canoe trail, you will
discover the first of two backcountry chickees,
Pearl Bay. Chickees are elevated wooden platforms constructed over open water, and allow
canoeists the opportunity to stay in the mangrove swamp overnight! A permit is required
for any backcountry camping. Permits and
Wilderness Trip Planners are available at the
Flamingo Visitor Center.
Beneath the mangroves
EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA