Our 2nd longest tour, the Indian Field Reach Marathon scans 15 mi. of land & water. It begins with a 6 mile, relatively easy, mountain bike ride on a rustic levy roadway aside magnificent Florida marshes and plains vividly in sight.
A small pristine creek is eventually approached to start your kayaking leg for 2 1/2 miles, until you reach the St Johns River. Then your paddling, with the river current, continues another 2 1/2 miles until you reach a forest picnic table where a good lunch is served.
This trek outing definitely needs its participants to be very healthy and used to outdoor activity. Being much overweight probably should get you to consider enjoying Florida Eco Treks’ Bird Island Reach (Option I or II) instead.
This beautiful Wilderness Tour has a very unique “trek” when the kayaking leg starts. For about half the year, during the dry seasons, this narrow Creek is either very shallow or almost dry in quite a few places. Therefore the combination of kayaking and “water-hiking” is needed to move on to the St Johns River. Whenever the water is too shallow (generally below 5 inches) or dry to easily kayak, is when walking while pulling the very lightweight kayaks, is opted for. This “water hike” is easy enough (and usually considered fun) because the creek bottom is firm with little silt or mud buildup. Special “Rubbers” can be chosen to wear over ones shoes and lower legs. The wet season has trekkers paddling this Creek the whole way before entering the River.
The River stretch is rich in Bird Life and Gators are usually seen. There are some large ones but they aren’t dangerous to kayaking groups, sportsmen, etc. The Upper Basin has never recorded in modern times an attack on such outdoors people.
The final leg of the tour involves team paddling in a fast Indian War Canoe for 3 1/2 miles, winding up at Sweetwater Dr. and your parked cars.
Florida Eco Treks has a very good way to beat the heat during those 4 really hot months. Our very unique and nice Umbrella setup can be used while kayaking or team paddling in the War Canoe. It makes a huge difference in fighting the harshness of the sun. “Cool paddling” is prevalent during Florida Eco Treks. A “cool lunch” makes the final leg team paddling back to Camp, more energetic.
Loop time: approximately 6 hours over 15 miles (of land and water)
$129 – Available Most of the Year (but not during severe drought times)