Places to Paddle tm
Canoeing - Kayaking - Rafting

  
Arbuckle Creek, FL
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Copyright 2000 Alfonso Vazquez-Cuervo - See Terms of Use

Our Route Summary

  • Submitted by: Al Vazquez
  • Date Submitted: 12/200
  • Email: alvazquez@kayakguide.com
  • Location: East of Avon Park, FL
  • Class: Typically flat water creek with some current
  • Water Level: we paddled during a time of extreme low water and had shallow spots, but no pullovers
  • Distance Paddled: 5 miles round trip
  • Water: fresh
  • Wildlife: Ibis, giant Cypress trees, water lilies, various fish, deer

Entry and Exit

  • Directions: From Avon Park, go east 8 miles on SR 64 to Arbuckle Road on the right hand side.
  • GPS: N 27 degrees 38.354' W 81 degrees 21.877'
  • Fee: none
  • Description: grassy banks and paved ramp
  • Parking: adjacent unpaved
  • Facilities: none

What We Saw

This is the the most scenic, 2 1/2 mile upper section of Arbuckle Creek where is leaves Lake Arbuckle. You'll paddle upstream to the lake, then back to the put in.

Leaving the put in spur canal, take a left to go upstream. Depending on the rainfall, the current can be minor or substantial. We paddled during a period of extreme low water in the area against a 1 knot or less current.

Arbuckle is a gorgeous little creek bordered on one side by the Avon Bombing Range, which actually keeps the area fairly wild and natural. And we did not hear one bomb the whole time we paddled!
We paddled past huge Cypress trees and saw quite a few birds like the Ibis in the photo.

To see wildlife, you'll want to paddle quietly at the head of your group (please take turns for crying out loud).
The creek winds it way through fairly dense forest until you come to some shallows right before the bridge to the bombing range at the mouth at Arbuckle lake.
Passing under the bridge, you'll finish the upstream part of your paddle at Lake Arbuckle, where there is supposed to be excellent fishing.

Just downstream, of the bridge is a nice landing at a curve in the river that makes a good lunch stop before continuing downstream to take out at the put in point.