I remember a while back a guy posting pics from his canoe trips up on a the Suwanee. I'm thinking about doing a canoe camping trip in the Everglades when I have a few weeks off for Christmas, maybe stay on some of those chickee campsites that are down there. I've done extensive backpacking out West, but I don't have much experience doing overnights by boat except for Peace River while in scouts. Anyone have some tips for doing it right?

The Suwannee trip report was me. I'm actually going to do another this weekend, now that the weather is nice. I've read a little about the Everglades chickees, but don't have any firsthand knowledge of them. They look like a lot of fun. I'd suggest taking a shorter trip or two first to work out what all you need and get some experience on packing your canoe. Maybe look around for a local group that takes trips together. Having several experienced friends with me on the first trip really helped. I've found that you can go from a really light packing to way overboard with canoe camping. Basically, if you can fit it all in and not capsize or sink, then you can take as much as you want. Just remember, you will have to unpack it all, set it up and tear it all down and repack it later. I'm trying to find a balance between going bare bones and overdoing it. Not sure if I've helped or not. If you have any questions, feel free to IM me.

Tip #1.

Noseeums are small enough to fly through the screen in a tent.

Spray mosquito repellant on the outside of the tent
and through the screen.

It knocks down the ones in there already
and keeps new ones out for quite awhile.

Sleep tight.

Reserve the Chickee in advance.  It is a popular time of the year.

Everything I've seen said you can't reserve them, first come first serve type deal

I thought you needed reservations also.
Too lazy to look it up right now.

Farther north they camp anytime at Hog Key, White Horse, Panther Key and Camp Lulu.
But you will have neighbors.

Ive been looking at doing that trip myself.  I want to run the stretch from Flamingo to Everglades City.

Just read the Op's linky.

It says they do not accept reservations but you need a permit.

I am confused again.

canoeing inside is always going to be easier but if you can try to canoe the outside and camp on the beaches

I stand corrected.  I swear in the past you needed reservations but maybe I am just thinking of the permit.

You need only a back country permit, there are two huts at each chickee. You can also call in to the park to get a back country permit. ATT has the only tower (and exclusive -no sharing/roaming) in everglades national park.

No thanks.

I made the mistake of camping in January during what passed for cold weather in the Everglades, and the mosquitoes were still unbearably bad.

Unless the temps are below 50, I ain't going.

Was waiting for someone to post that.
An outlying island with a northwest wind helps quite a bit.

The worst no see um experience of my life was in that little pass between Gomez Island

and the island behind it.



Very Bad





 

You can always go make a run on the Suwannee or into the Okefenokee - them are two beautiful places to be!

Red

It's worth it. Some of the best fishing and solitude so close to home.