I-75 at Mile Marker 51 Boat Ramp into Levee 28 Interceptor Canal, Big Cypress National Preserve
See the Boat Launches web page for an interactive location map.
A boat ramp that launches into the Levee 28 Interceptor Canal is located on I-75 at Mile Marker 51 within Big Cypress National Preserve. This ramp is accessible from the west bound lane only. Those traveling east can exit the Interstate and turn around at Exit 49, the Miccosukee Service Plaza just outside of the park boundary. There is an enormous parking lot at the boat ramp that will more than accommodate cars and boat trailers.
Motorized boats, canoes, and kayaks can be launched from this boat ramp. To the south, the canal peters out once it hits the Miccosukee Reservation, which requires a permit to enter anyway. To the north it stretches much further, but the land bordering the park is the Seminole Indian Reservation; a permit is needed to enter here as well. Thus, only a short stretch of the canal is on park land. I can’t see paddling in the canal for the sake of paddling, so I imagine anyone entering, regardless of watercraft, is here to fish.
The parking area and ramp are located in the Addition Backcountry Unit where hiking is allowed. There is a dirt road that follows the canal, and you can drive your vehicle—any vehicle, as no Off-Road Permit is needed—along it within the park boundary to reach a fishing spot. Biking is also allowed. If you travel north for a tenth of a mile, there is an old dirt road that heads westward and connects to other such roads. These are roads that are currently closed to vehicles and bikes, but they are open to hikers. There are also a few footpaths that lead directly from the parking lot, but in general, there are no traditional hiking trails in the Additions Unit, so be sure you know how to find your way around with a map and compass.
I-75 Mile Marker 51 parking area, Big Cypress National Preserve
Entry by any means into the backcountry requires a permit. These are free and can be obtained at kiosks at trailheads, boat ramps, backcountry access roads, hunter check-in stations, and the visitor centers. All you need is a pen or pencil to fill out the multi-copy form on which you provide your entry date and time, your estimated return time, and the purpose of your adventure (i.e. hike, camp, hunt). Keep one copy with you, stick one in the permit collection box at the kiosk, and place one on the dashboard of your car (all backcountry access areas have parking lots or allow roadside parking). Permits help the National Park Service track which areas are used the most, plus if your car is left overnight the park Rangers will know when you were supposed to have returned, and if this time has long since passed, they know to come looking for you.
You can also download the Backcountry-Permit (PDF) and either fill it out by hand or by using Adobe Acrobat (or an Acrobat browser plug-in). The PDF has two permits, and if you use Acrobat, the second permit fills out automatically as you type information into the first permit. You need three permits, so be sure to print two copies of the PDF and then use scissors to separate the copies.
With a few exceptions, use of any photograph on the National Park Planner website requires a paid Royalty Free Editorial Use License or Commercial Use License. See the Photo Usage page for details.
Last updated on June 8, 2023
