Wildlife Kayaking Adventure to Sandspur (Raccoon) Island from Oleta River State Park, Florida

Getting Started: Entry and Rentals at Oleta River State Park

Come with me on my favorite type of adventure, which is one that starts with the potential of seeing animals. This experience starts at Oleta River State Park near North Miami, Florida. You need to go by some form of boat to reach Sandspur, aka Raccoon Island (also known as Beercan Island). We rented a canoe from Oleta River Outdoor,s but you can also rent single and tandem kayaks.

To enter Oleta River State Park, you need to pay a $6 entry fee per vehicle since it’s a Florida State park. Once you pull into the park, you will continue until you get to Oleta River Outdoors, which is where you can rent canoes, kayaks, and even mountain bikes. The rental is hourly and includes life jackets and oars to paddle.

 

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For us, we rented our canoe for 2 hours, which was enough time to paddle out to Sandspur Island, get out of our canoe to visit with the wildlife, and then paddle back to return our canoe.

Paddling Through Mangroves and Coastal Waterways

Your journey starts out by paddling through mangroves, which can be home to manatees and various fish floating by. Once you get out of the mangrove area, you will need to go past an area known as Devil’s Doom and past the FIU campus. The island will appear to be a second island sticking out amongst boats on the intercoastal. You can spot anything from manatees, dolphins, rays, and pufferfish if the weather calls for them, since the water is clear.

Exploring Sandspur Island (Raccoon Island)

There are fewer raccoons on the island since some were relocated, but we still saw plenty after parking the canoe and walking up the beach. I could not find a source article to reference the relocation outside of various Reddit threads, and there was no clear answer. The raccoons will approach you to eat fresh fruit, and also love fresh water since they lack it on the island. We packed fresh fruit like melon, apples, and grapes. We also brought fresh water for them to drink, which I think was their favorite. We did see people attempt to feed them chips, which was not good, and the raccoons dropped them on the beach. They also don’t want to be chased, nor do they need to be. They will willingly approach you and come to feed on snacks that are in line with their natural diet. Despite the lack of 50+ raccoons, we at least saw 5-7 who came close to us and ate fruit and drank water, so it was totally worth the trip. I definitely would like to go back and paddle more in hopes of seeing dolphins, rays, and manatees.

What to Bring for Your Wildlife Paddle Adventure

• Plenty of water (for you and the raccoons!)

• Fresh fruit (grapes, berries)

• Sun protection (hat, SPF, sunglasses)

• Dry bag for electronics

• Camera or phone for wildlife photos

• Towel and change of clothes (you will get wet)

This kayaking trip combines the best of South Florida’s outdoor beauty—mangroves, intercoastal waterway, and a secluded island full of surprises. Even with fewer raccoons than in past years, the chance to see dolphins, rays, manatees, and other native animals makes the paddle an amazing way to spend a morning or afternoon.

Happy Adventuring!