LAKE NORRIS PADDLE

Blackwater Creek, is born on the waters of Lake Norris, it stretches for over 20 miles. We will paddle the beginning; the first one mile of this tight, tree canopied, dark, hauntingly beautiful creek that leads to the magnificent Lake Norris, a lake with ancient stunted cypress trees along it banks, a stunningly beautiful lake, home to many waterfowl breeding nests.

Blackwater Creek snakes through an ancient, prehistoric, cypress swamp. We may encounter deadfalls and some portages in this shallow dark murky water. The creek twists and turns and will challenge your skills, we’ll only paddle one mile upstream but will be rewarded with a view of one of the most beautiful lakes in the state. Lake Norris is the jewel of the trip. It’s now part of the St Johns River Water Management. The 3660 acre preserve protects an extensive hardwood swamp forest on the west bank. There are purportedly upward of 100 osprey nests on the lake. The cypress woodlands extend into the lake, creating a 150 foot wide buffer in many places. The adventuresome paddler can spend hours investigating the lake shore, weaving through the maze of cypress. And, except for one Boy Scout camp and a few home sites, the surrounding area is a de facto wilderness sanctuary.

The preserve is a true wildlife wilderness, remote with very little human impact. On past trips we have encountered bear, deer, otter, alligators, and Bald eagles while on this trip. The Lake Norris Conservation Area is part of the St. Johns River Water Management District. It was purchased to protect the extensive hardwood swamp that lies on the western shore of the lake and the shoreline of Black Water Creek, a major tributary of the Wekiva River.