The Refuge Concession Is Closed Until 28 September

Tarpon Bay Explorers, the concession that runs kayak trails, tram tours of Wildlife Drive, nature cruises and the rental dock inside the Ding Darling refuge, closed on 14 September 2026 and has announced that it reopens on Monday 28 September 2026.

A late-September shutdown is a normal piece of island housekeeping rather than a warning sign. September is the quietest and wettest fortnight of the year here, which makes it the obvious window for maintenance, and several small operators do the same thing.

If you are on the island this week, the refuge itself is unaffected — Wildlife Drive, the Indigo Trail and the Bailey Tract are separate operations and are open on their usual schedule, which means closed on Friday and open otherwise.

What comes back, and what does not

When the dock reopens, the returning list includes guided kayak trail tours through the mangrove, the naturalist-led tram along Wildlife Drive, nature and sealife cruises, evening and sunset paddles, and rentals of kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, pontoons, fishing gear and bicycles.

The touch tank remains unavailable, still listed as out of service because of hurricane damage. It has been a fixture for families visiting the refuge, and its absence is worth knowing about before you build a morning around it. Stand-up paddleboard tours and the breakfast cruise were also listed as currently unavailable.

If you are booking

The tram tour requires reservations rather than suggesting them, and the kayak trail tours fill in season. Book rather than arriving hopeful, and confirm what is running on the day: this is a weather-dependent operation on a shallow bay and trips cancel.

The dock is also the easiest way onto the water for anyone without a boat, and the dusk paddle into the rookery is the best two hours of wildlife watching on this island that does not involve a car.