Main Page - Charlotte Harbor » Florida State Parks

Manager's Message

During the time of year that we call the wet season, many parts of the Preserve are covered by water of varying depths. The trails are open, but be prepared for the elements. Several trails provide opportunities for observing birds and other wildlife around the Preserve. Some of them are listed in the welcome message below.

Another way to experience the Preserve is by canoe or kayak. The new Sunrise Park, managed by Charlotte County, will offer visitors a convenient launch point to access the Alligator Bay area of northern Charlotte Harbor. Access is from Edgewater Drive in Port Charlotte. More information about paddling opportunities is in the welcome message below.

- John Aspiolea, Park Manager

Welcome to Charlotte Harbor

Ringing Charlotte Harbor like a necklace of mangroves, the park provides vast areas of unspoiled scenery and vital habitat for many varieties of wildlife. The upland areas of the park are accessible at pedestrian walk-through's available in each section of the park. The Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center (CHEC) www.checflorida.org is located within the park at 10941 Burnt Store Road in Punta Gorda. CHEC is a non-profit group that has a visitor's center, offers environmental education programs, interpretive guided hikes, and several miles of marked trails. The Old Datsun Trail is located at 12001 Burnt Store Road in Punta Gorda. This trail is approximately 1.75 miles long and traverses oak/palm hammocks, pine flatwoods and wetland sloughs. The Little Pine Island High Marsh Trail is located on the north side of Pine Island Road between Matlacha and Pine Island. This trail is approximately 2 miles long and traverses salt marsh, freshwater marsh and mangrove forests. The Catfish Creek Trailhead is located on the east side of County Road 771 approximately 1 ½ miles north of Placida. A picnic pavilion is available for visitors to use at this site. Pine flatwoods, freshwater marshes, and salt marshes are accessible from this trailhead. Visitors are welcome to explore other areas of the park, unless posted as closed, but should be aware that these areas are remote and primitive wilderness. Visitors should take a compass, a map, and sufficient water for their trip. Almost all areas of the park are wetlands and are subject to periodic flooding. Heat, muddy trails, and mosquitoes are common elements of natural Florida. Visitors should be prepared to encounter all of them.

The park also manages more than 80 miles of Charlotte Harbor shoreline. Most of it is shallow water fringed by mangroves. These areas provide amazing opportunities to view wading birds, manatees, dolphins and other wildlife. It is best accessed by kayak or canoe and there are many opportunities to access the Preserve from Placida, El Jobean, Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, Cape Coral, Matlacha, Pineland, Bokeelia and St. James City. Portions of two paddle trail systems wind through the park. Their websites have maps available for download. The Great Calusa Blueway, website - www.greatcalusablueway.com, is in Lee County. The Charlotte County Blueway, www.charlottecountyfl.com/parks/blueway.asp, is in Charlotte County. On land or on the water, there is something for everyone in the "Real Florida".

Contact the Florida Park Service Information Center for general inquiries.
For Information about Charlotte Harbor, please call (941) 575 - 5861.

Hours of Operation

Open 8 a.m. - sundown 365 days a year.

Driving Directions

The administrative, resource management and facilities maintenance offices are located on Burnt Store Road in Punta Gorda approximately 3 miles south of US 41/Tamiami Trail. Other access points to the park are available in Cape Coral, Cape Haze, El Jobean, Little Pine Island and Rotonda.