News Release

Everglades National Park closes Gulf Coast canoe/kayak launch and visitor contact station for construction

Boat tours continue and Ten Thousand Islands area remains open

A new seawall is being constructed at the Gulf Coast location

NPS Photo

News Release Date: March 22, 2024

Contact: Media contact: Allyson Gantt, 786-610-8023

Contact: General park information, 305-242-7700

EVERGLADES CITY, Fla. – Beginning April 1, Everglades National Park’s Gulf Coast location in Everglades City will close to the public during construction of the new Marjory Stoneman Douglas Visitor Center. The closure is necessary for visitor safety and includes the canoe and kayak launch, the visitor contact station and adjacent parking areas. The canoe and kayak launch is expected to reopen by the end of the year.

Although the site has been under construction since October 2023, Everglades National Park worked with the contractors to keep the canoe and kayak launch open through the busy winter season. Site development work continues including expanding the marina basin, constructing a new seawall, installing new utilities and rehabbing the canoe/kayak launch.

Alternate canoe and kayak launch sites in Everglades City and Chokoloskee are available at the Rod and Gun Club, Outdoor Resorts of Chokoloskee and the Chokoloskee Island Park and Marina. Visitors should contact these sites directly for parking and launch fees.

While the canoe/kayak launch and marina basin are expected to reopen later this year, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Visitor Center project is expected to continue through late 2025.

In the meantime, the navigable waters of the Ten Thousand Islands area of the park remain open and continue to offer unique recreational experiences including:

Ten Thousand Island Boat Tours: Everglades National Park Adventures, under a commercial use authorization, is offering guided two-hour boat tours along the Barron River and through the Ten Thousand Islands area of the park. For daily tour times and pricing, visit their website. Once the marina is deemed safe for access, we anticipate resuming boat tours from the Gulf Coast site.   

Paddling adventures: Everglades National Park offers day and overnight paddling opportunities and routes to explore the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Wilderness. The Wilderness Waterway is a 99-mile navigable recreational waterway connecting the Ten Thousand Islands and Flamingo. Paddlers can use various routes to extend or shorten their trip. Overnight campers must make advanced reservations through Recreation.gov. Reservations are available on a rolling basis, beginning three months in advance of the start date.

To learn more about recreational paddling opportunities in Everglades National Park, visit Canoe and Kayak Trails - Everglades National Park.