The journey begins north of Fort Myers in the area of Slater, once a small railroad stop where the Seaboard Air Line Railway collected timber from local sawmills. From here, the route moves into a landscape of barns, pastures, canals, and scattered homesteads, passing through nearly forgotten places such as North Olga and Telegraph Estates.
Much of the ride runs parallel to the Caloosahatchee River, one of the most important waterways in southern Florida, crossing vast citrus groves, cattle ranches, and rural communities shaped by river trade and livestock transport. Along the way, riders pass protected areas including Pop Ash Creek Preserve, Caloosahatchee Creeks Preserve, Bob Janes Preserve, and Caloosahatchee Regional Park, which safeguard wetlands, oak forests, and wildlife corridors.
One of the historical highlights of the route is the English Homestead, built in 1878 and considered the oldest modern-era house in Lee County. The route continues through the town of Alva, founded in the nineteenth century along the river and historically connected to steamboat traffic and the railroad.
In the second half of the ride, the route crosses former military sites such as Fort Denaud, Fort Simmons, and Fort T. B. Adams, all built during the Seminole Wars, as well as old swing bridges and quiet roads that follow the river’s natural course.
The ride reaches North LaBelle, the northern section of the Hendry County seat, before returning along the same path. Overall, this route offers a deep look into Florida’s rural, agricultural, and river-based heritage, where history, landscape, and isolation still define the character of the region.
This route is part of Descubriendo la Florida – Volume 3.
