SARASOTA COUNTY Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Blueways Paddling Guide

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i University Parkway MANATEE COUNTY -Reference- ______--.. ___ Map__- -= ------_- .. -- ---=- • 213 SARASOTA COUNTY LONGBOAT KEY Sarasota 301 Bay 1 Fruitville Road 210 New Pass • 75 SARASOTA 2 41 k e re Bee Ridge Road • C 207 Verna Road s i p

p i Roberts l 3 [> l Bay i Proctor Road h Upper Big Sarasota P Pass • Myakka

Beneva Road Lake Clark Road 4 205 72 Siesta Key Tamiami Trail The numbered triangles Palmer Ranch identify the paddle trail areas Parkway in this guide. The Legacy Trail Gulf of Little

TABLE OF CONTENTS Mexico Central • Sarasota Lower • Parkway Myakka About This Guide...... 2 10 [> Lake 1u Sarasota Bay Trail ...... ˜ 5 Bay Street 2u Lido Trail...... 8 200 3u South Lido Trail ...... 12 OSPREY 681 4u Phillippi Creek Trail...... 14

• Casey Key 5u Neville Marine Preserve Trail ...... 18 41 6u South Creek Trail ...... 22 6 7u Dona Bay/Roberts Bay Trails ...... 26 NOKOMIS Laurel Road 8u Caspersen Trail ...... 30 195

9u Lemon Bay Trail...... 34 Border Road

10u Myakka River/Carlton Trail...... 38 • VENICE 193 191 11u Myakka River/Myakkahatchee Creek Trails .... 42 7 [> Venice Avenue 182 Venice Inlet 75 Resource Directory ...... inside back cover Venice Bypass

41 k e re N. River Road C e

Harbor Drive Tamiami Trail e Jacaranda Boulevard h tc a h a Please help to protect k k a y

our coastal habitats, • M waterways and wildlife. 8 NORTH 41

• PORT Pack out trash and Manasota 11 [> recyclables and place in Beach Road

Manasota Key appropriate containers. Englewood Road Myakka River

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SARASOTA • S. River Rd. ENGLEWOOD COUNT Y 9 776 To view this publication online: scgov.net (Keyword Parks/Blueways Paddle Guide) SARASOTA COUNTY CHARLOTTE COUNTY About this Guide

THE BLUEWAYS PADDLING GUIDE IS A GUIDE TO SARASOTA’S KAYAK AND CANOE TRAILS iscover Sarasota County’s Carlton Trail and the Myakka River/ HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE Dnatural beauty, its unique Myakkahatchee Creek Trails. This guide can be used to navigate Each trail includes some wildlife and habitat as you designated paddling routes Points of Interest that can be explore the beautiful waterways Sarasota County has a uniquely through open water as well as enjoyed while on your journey. of this county. diverse blend of natural areas mangrove trails. Each paddling Site descriptions list related to explore while paddling the trail has detailed directions activities and amenities such as There are 11 area waterways to blueways. Paddle through a to Launch Points. Each trail picnicking, birding, nature trails, explore with suggested blueways mangrove forest and view the includes suggested Short Trips, fishing piers and camping, as (paddling trails) highlighted wildlife of the estuaries. Paddle Navigational Notes and Paddle well as sightseeing, historic and in this guide. The trail systems along the bays, bayous, lagoons and Tips to help ensure a safe and cultural sites. from the northern area of Sarasota creeks and explore the natural areas enjoyable outing. County going south are as follows: of ’s designated “Wild and Throughout this guide there are the Sarasota Bay Trail, the Lido Scenic” Myakka River. Nature Notes about the Gulf and South Lido Trails, the Phillippi Key to icons Coast area’s habitat and wildlife Creek Trail, the Neville Marine It has been said that in life, the used throughout that can be observed while on a

Preserve Trail, the South Creek journey is more important than this guide: paddling adventure. the destination. This is a guide q Trail, the Dona Bay/Rob