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Hickey's Creek WEA

Visitor Information

Fees

No Daily-Use Permit currently required. Areaing fee:$.75/hour or $3.00 per day

Facilities

Amenities at Hickey's Creek include  restrooms, a canoe/kayak landing,  fishing deck, two picnic areas, two marsh boardwalks, and five miles of hiking trails. There is an ADA accessible trail to Hickey's Creek and to the amphitheater. 

Recreation

In support of the resource management goals and objectives for the area and to provide a quality experience for all area users, the following recreation activities are allowed: 

Fishing

Fishing is permitted in Hickey’s Creek from the fishing deck located in the area. To fish you must possess the appropriate license and permit.

Wildlife Viewing

Wildlife viewing is good year-round and hikes along the area’s trails take visitors through gopher tortoise and scrub-jay habitats. Hickey’s Creek is home to alligators, otters, fish and the occasional manatee.

Hiking

Hikes are most pleasant in the cooler, winter months. The lush and shady Hickey’s Creek Trail, the most popular hike, follows the creek bank for 1.8 miles and features scenic overlooks and creek crossings. The area’s longest trail is the 2.2-mile Palmetto Pines Trail. Portions of the trail are on a section of the raised railroad bed that brought logging trains through the property in the early 1900s and today offers views of the pine flatwoods. The Marsh Trail is the area’s most remote hike. This mile-long trail is subject to seasonal flooding in September and October.

Paddling

Hickey’s Creek, a tributary of the Caloosahatchee River, is a popular paddling route, particularly in the cooler months. The narrow creek is bordered by steep banks overhung with a canopy of oaks and palms. Canoes and kayaks can be launched near the parking area. Paddlers can use the area’s cart to move their boats between the creek and the parking lot.

Public Access

Hours: 7AM to 6PM Daily. Vehicles and bikes are not permitted on trails at Hickey’s Creek. There is one entrance, with parking, onto the public-use area. Paddlers may enter the area via the canoe/kayak landing on the creek.

Location

Hickey’s Creek is located on SR 80, 8.6 miles east of 1-75, and three miles west of the village of Alva.

View a location map

Nearby

Additional wildlife viewing sites in the vicinity.

Nearest Cities/Towns

Alva (three miles east), Fort Myers (15 miles west), Lehigh Acres (11 miles south).