Dona Drive Canoe and Kayak Launch, Big Cypress National Preserve
See the Boat Launches web page for an interactive location map.
A canoe and kayak launch is located at the end of Dona Drive, which is just east of the Nathaniel P. Reed Visitor Center on Highway 41. Posts in front of the ramp block motorized boats from being launched, plus the water is way too shallow. This ramp is not on the official park map, and there are no designated water trails in the area.
Per the National Park web site:
VERY SHALLOW, NOT SUITABLE FOR OUTBOARDS, OPERATORS OF BOATS SHOULD HAVE LOCAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE AREA AND HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS. PRIMARILY A PADDLING TRAIL.
There is not much water in this area during the dry season (November-April), and satellite maps show that you can’t go but a few hundred yards before running aground. However, during the wet season (May-October) there is enough water for canoeists and kayakers to explore the area.
There is a large, dirt parking area for cars, but if that is full you can park anywhere along the shoulder of Dona Drive.
Watercraft launch into a canal at the Dona Drive Canoe and Kayak Launch, Big Cypress National Preserve
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Last updated on July 13, 2026
