Hickey’s Creek Mitigation Park is a top preserve to visit in North Fort Myers for kayaking and nature enthusiasts. The visceral beauty gives you an opportunity to appreciate Florida’s nature and the majesty of the Caloosahatchee River.
The quiet isolation allows you to hear every bird call. The water flows quietly along the river, and hikers traverse the miles and miles of available trails. The park protects the valued gopher tortoise, Florida scrub jays and other fascinating species.
To get truly up close to the local habitats and wildlife, look into a rewarding Fort Myers kayaking adventure through the waterways of Hickey’s Creek Mitigation Park.
Hickey’s Creek Mitigation Park offers an impeccable kayak adventure, among many other recreational activities for the season.
A 6-Hour Guided Kayak Adventure
If you plan on launching your kayak from Hickey’s Creek Park, you should know that the kayak and canoe launching point is about ½ mile from the parking lot, which is a pretty far walk with large equipment.
Most choose to launch from an easier nearby point such as Franklin Locks or Caloosahatchee Regional Park for a more accessible and scenic kayaking experience to Hickey’s Creek Park.
For your convenience, the Caloosahatchee Regional Park at 19130 North River Rd., Alva, FL 33920 offers regular guided kayak tours from the park to Hickey Creek Mitigation Park and back, along the Great Calusa Blueway Paddling Trail.
The tour is a full-day adventure with a big lunch stop at Hickey’s Park. The group will dock up, eat lunch, and visit some of the isolated and scenic side hiking detours off of the big main river.
You can spot local wildlife, including manatees, tortoises, scrub jays and otters. The trip will take about six hours in total, with three hours of paddling on the water on a 5-mile route.
You will want to be in good physical shape and this tour is best for kayakers with experience. Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by adults.
The tour cost is just $40 per person – you should bring shoes that can get wet, lunch, water, sunscreen and binoculars. Kayaks are provided for the trip.
Tour dates vary and registration ahead of time is required, but tours are typically held at least once every month or two.
A variety of shorter two-hour kayak tours are also available, launching from the Cindy Rouse Campground. Get more information about the park by visiting the Lee County website.
What Can You See?
This is unquestionably one of the region’s most scenic waterways, and during this tour you will see a variety of habitats including cypress swamps, hardwood hammocks and freshwater marshes.
A variety of wildlife can be seen in the park including Florida scrub jays, Florida Panthers, gopher tortoises, bobcats, river otters, bobcats and a large range of bird species. Most tour participants absolutely love their time on the water.
Rules and Regulations
Once you get to the park, you may want to consider a few rules and regulations. These apply to kayakers and non-kayakers alike.
If you do decide to park at Hickey’s Creek and enter the water from that location on your own self-guided tour or another Fort Myers Beach and surrounding area tours, you will pay a modest $1 per hour for parking or $5 for the day.
The park is officially open from dawn to dusk every day. Be sure to have your equipment ready and back before the rental provider closes (if you are not on a guided tour).
Alcohol, pets, bicycles, camping are not currently allowed at the park. Officials are also strict about collecting and taking natural resources back home, including shells, rocks, and plants.
Guided walks are conveniently available for free if you need assistance or want additional local information. The trails are open to the public. They get quite rugged, so be careful of your steps and come prepared.
You can find multiple fishing bridges, a deck area, facilities, trail shelters, and a total of five miles of incredible and isolated looped park paths to traverse.
The address of Hickey’s Creek Mitigation Park is 17980 Palm Beach Blvd, Alva, FL 33920.
Kayaking here and along the river is a majestic adventure well worth your time. Contact us to stay local in the area. Our Fort Myers vacation rentals give you a great place to come back to as you soak in the atmosphere of a relaxing kayak journey.
