A feature of the Old Florida Pioneer Village at Spruce Creek

Cracker Creek Canoeing

Announcing.... Cracker Creek Cruises

Cracker Creek Canoeing recently introduced a new tour boat, allowing enhanced opportunities for visitors to view and enjoy beautiful Spruce Creek.

Our 40ft Coast Guard Certified Trident Pontoon Boat is able to accommodate 31 passengers and will be available for a number of boating activities including:

• Guided Eco-Tours
• Combined Tour with visit to the Historic Gamble Place
• Group Shuttle Service on Spruce Creek
• Scheduled Group Events – Reunions, Parties, Meetings, Picnic or Dinner Cruises

Contact us for more information. We will be happy to help you schedule and plan an event for your group.

Natural Spruce Creek

Spruce Creek is a unique, natural black water stream and is one of only a few left undisturbed in Florida. Through preservation efforts, over 2000 acres along Spruce Creek are now protected as a natural resource known as the Spruce Creek Preserve and Recreation Area. The Spruce Creek Canoe Trail is officially designated as part of Florida’s Statewide System of Greenways and Trails.

The Cracker Creek launch site provides the only public access to Spruce Creek west of Hwy US1. Visitors can easily launch their own canoes and kayaks for a fee, or rent them at hourly rates. Paddles and safety gear are provided with rentals. Guided pontoon rides can be scheduled for groups or planned events. Picnic areas, restroom facilities, and concessions are convenient to the handicap-accessible boat launch.

Explore Nature

A trip down Spruce Creek provides a rich and varied boating experience. A number of habitats, including dense hardwood forests, cypress swamps and coastal marshes line this slow-moving, meandering stream. These habitats are home to a variety of plants and animals, including a number of protected and endangered species. This unique, natural area is ideal for many types of recreational uses including boating, fishing, bird watching, canoeing, camping, and hiking.

Creek History

Cracker Creek is located on the original 20 acre homestead of Roland “Rollie” F. Johnson, caretaker for the James Gamble Estate. The cabin he lived in along with the home built in 1933 for his wife, Lela E. Miller, and nurse of James Gamble, are located on the property.

Cracker Creek Canoeing is adjacent to the historic Gamble Place and is surrounded by an associated 175-acre nature preserve. Guests to the Gamble Place can step back in time to experience the same pristine environment that James Gamble found so inviting during his first visit to the area in the late 1800’s. Educational tours of the grounds and buildings built by Gamble and his family are offered by the Daytona Beach Museum of Arts and Sciences. They also offer a variety of cultural and environmental programs throughout the year. The City of Port Orange has provided improved access to the property. This was made possible in part by grants from the Volusia Forever ECHO grant program to assist in the restoration of the structures to their original appearance. In May 2006 the newly renovated property which was closed for many years re-opened for public access on a limited schedule.

Services Available

Combine your experience at the Gamble Place with:

• Canoe and Kayak Launch
  on the west end of Spruce Creek
• Canoe and Kayak Rental
• Pontoon Boat Tours
• Picnic Tables and Concession

Contact Cracker Creek Canoeing for Future Group Services (Catered Picnics and BBQs, Group Camping, Guided Eco-history Tours)

Pricing

Launch Fee
Per canoe/kayak (no power boats)....$5.00

Canoe Rental (2 persons)

1 hour.....................$20.00
2 hours...................$30.00
3 hours...................$40.00
Daily......................$50.00

Kayak Rental (single)
1 hour.....................$15.00
2 hours...................$20.00
3 hours...................$30.00
Daily......................$50.00

Kayak Rental (tandem)
1 hour.....................$20.00
2 hours...................$30.00
3 hours...................$40.00
Daily......................$55.00

Pontoon Boat Tours
THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY & SUNDAY, 11am and 2pm
Adults…...................$8.00
Children...................$5.00
Seniors....................$6.00

Personal Flotation Device and Paddles provided with all rentals

Special group rates available. Call or E-mail to schedule group events and Pontoon Boat Tours.

Phone: (386) 304-0778
E-mail: CrackerCreek@OldFloridaPioneer.com

Visitors are invited to come and spend the day experiencing one of the areas greatest, yet largely undiscovered, historical and ecological treasures. Combination tickets and group rates are available.

Directions

To reach the Gamble Place and Cracker Creek, take I-95 exit 256 and go west on Taylor Road (SR 421) approximately 1.5 miles. At the Florida Historic Site marker turn left down the 2-lane shell road. The Gamble Place and Cracker Creek are approximately one half mile down the shell road. Entrances for the properties are clearly marked.

Click to view map and get directions from Google maps