Home Canoe Details Accessories Other Stuff

Places to Canoe/Kayak

        Cockroach Bay Aquatic Preserve & the Hallelujah Keys


Pictures and Information

Location

Cockroach Bay Preserve is in Ruskin, FL.
Map showing Cockroach Bay

Description

   Cockroach Bay Aquatic Preserve is on the south side of Tampa Bay in Sun City, FL. There is a boat ramp at the end of Cockroach Bay Road, other than that, there are no bathrooms or other facilities at the Preserve. The boat ramp is in very good condition and there is plenty of parking on the side of the road, but it does get busy on the weekends. There are at least 2 different canoe/kayak trails in this aquatic preserve and both are marked with numbered signs in the water. The preserve is a myriad of mangrove islands & mangrove channels. The Hallelujah Keys is a group of small mangrove islands to the east of the Hole in the Wall Pass. The area has a strong tidal influence so there is usually a fairly strong current. The majority of the presrve is shallow water so it is best to go canoeing or kayaking here on the high tides. Hole in the Wall pass connects Cockroach Bay to Tampa Bay and is a deep enough channel for small to medium sized boats to be able to navigate. The pass is a no wake zone. Most of the area around Cockroach Bay Preserve is a "No wake" zone which is one of the things that make this a great place to go kayaking.

Pictures


View of Cockroach Bay Aquatic Preserve as seen from Tampa Bay

Cockroach Bay

Hole In The Wall Pass

Cockroach Bay Aquatic Preserve Kayak Trail

Tampa Bay seen from the mouth of Hole in the Wall Pass
Boat Ramp & Kayak Launch at the end of Cockroach Bay Road

Hole in the Wall Pass as seen from the boat ramp