Peace River, Florida 150-mile Paddle
We want to begin at the northern most access point of the Peace River in Bartow, Florida and end in the Gulf of Mexico – around 125 miles (see map below). Also plan to Circumnavigate Cayo Costa – a barrier island in the Gulf which adds 25 miles to our trip to make it 150 total. Due to low water conditions we may have to launch further south or drag our kayaks a lot. What the heck, it’s an adventure isn’t it? From a Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Greenways & Trails PDF I found on the web: The Peace River Canoe Trail is officially designated as part of Florida’s Statewide System of Greenways and Trails. The Spanish, on a map as early as 1544, called it “Rio de la Paz” — river of peace. Seminole’s called it Tallackchopo (cow peas) because the river’s banks were covered with wild peas. The Peace River, true to its name, is a serene, slow-moving river with few signs of civilization. Whether you paddle for a day or a week, the Peace River’s quiet isolation lets you leave big city worries behind. The scars of 19th century phosphate mining of the river banks and bed have been absorbed by the river and lush vegetation. Additional Info: A neat aspect of the river just north of Arcadia and in Arcadia, is the abundance of fossils. Many people visit the area to collect fossilized shark’s teeth. There are other fossils there too and you need a permit from the state to collect those. No permit needed for sharks teeth. There are plenty – I know from experience although I’ve only found very small ones.
Google Map link to our proposed trip : Peace River Trip Below are maps that show our basic paddle plan.