I headed out to Tucker Ranch in Winter Garden early last Saturday and had the place to myself. If you take the small wooden bridge to the right of the parking lot and head down the dirt road, you can visit the old barn, hike around the ruins of the old country club and stroll over to the scenic lake. Highly recommended!
“From the deepest swamps to the most civilized sidewalks, [50 Great Walks in Florida] … features the best short outdoor jaunts in the Sunshine State. These manageable walks will appeal to tourists in search of the real Florida as well as to residents who want to become better acquainted with their state but still be done in time for lunch. Though shoes may be required, backpacks are not.”
Nestled just off bustling Mills Avenue and surrounded by neighborhoods in Winter Park, 47-acre Mead Botanical Garden offers a peaceful reprieve from the hustle and bustle of everyday life during these increasingly trying times. I strolled along the boardwalk through Lake Lillian Marsh and then followed a scenic hiking trail behind Little Amphitheater that took me to Alice’s Pond, where I saw several turtles basking in the sun. Mead Botanical Garden is open daily between 8 AM and dusk. Best of all, it’s free!
According to the Pinellas County website, 400-acre Sawgrass Lake Park in St. Petersburg features “one of the largest maple swamps on the Gulf Coast of Florida.” We strolled along the mile-long boardwalk at Sawgrass Lake Park on a sunny Sunday morning and viewed an alligator, some turtles and even a yellow-crowned night heron. Sawgrass Lake Park also offers an observation tower, picnic shelter, restroom. Admission is free.
Last Saturday we enjoyed the opportunity to explore scenic Lovers Key State Park (full name: Lovers Key Carl E. Johnson State Park), which lies just south of Fort Myers Beach. The 1,616-acre Lovers Key State Park encompasses the barrier islands of Lovers Key, Inner Key, Black Island and Long Key. Highlights of Lovers Key State Park include 2.5 miles of white sandy beaches with some of the best shelling Southwest Florida, as well as hiking and biking trails, kayaking and canoeing opportunities, a boat ramp, saltwater fishing, wildlife viewing (we saw two gopher tortoises) and a beachside concession stand. A free tram service runs from the first parking area to the south beach. We’ll definitely be back soon!
A series of renovations are taking place at Kelly Park in Apopka, so we could not go anywhere near Rock Springs (which is closed to swimmers and tubers due to the pandemic), but we still enjoyed a scenic hike along the Kelly Loop Trail (1.5 miles). No wildlife sightings this time out, but a nice time nonetheless and we pretty much had the whole trail to ourselves!
It was just under a year ago when we first visited Lettuce Lake Conservation Park, which lies off I-75 in Tampa and just minutes from the University of South Florida campus. So we jumped at the chance to visit again on Sunday and we were not disappointed! One of the most visited parks in Hillsborough County, Lettuce Lake Park “lies in the natural floodplain of the Hillsborough River” and features a hardwood swamp forest that can be experienced via a 3,500-foot boardwalk and observation tower. During this outing, we saw two Florida alligators, a baby turtle and several bird species, including the white ibis. Entrance fee is $2 (cash only). Don’t miss it!
“Only by going alone in silence, without baggage, can one truly get into the heart of the wilderness. All other travel is mere dust and hotels and baggage and chatter.” – John Muir
“I thought of the wilderness we had left behind us … joyous in its plentitude and simplicity, perfect yet vulnerable, unaware of what is coming, defended by nothing, guarded by no one.” – Edward Abbey
“Failing to fetch me at first keep encouraged, missing me one place search another, I stop somewhere waiting for you.” – Walt Whitman
For my first hike of 2021, I headed out yesterday morning at about 7:30 AM to one of my old favorites – 240-acre Econ River Wilderness Area in Oviedo. Since it was New Year’s Day, the Seminole County nature preserve actually seemed somewhat crowded (and when I say “crowded” I counted about 10 other hearty souls who braved their New Year’s Eve hangovers for the opportunity to start 2021 right in the Great Outdoors!). I headed through the sandhill habitats and scenic pine flatwoods toward the amazing Econlockhatchee River, where for the first time I actually spotted a river otter playfully swimming along. Other wildlife that call Econ River Wilderness Area home include gopher tortoises and Sherman’s fox squirrels. If you knock out both the red and yellow trails, you can expect a nice 3-mile hike here. Unfortunately, spectacular natural preserves like Econ River Wilderness Area are continually under threat from greedy developers. Seminole County boasts some of the most amazing natural areas left in Central Florida, so we must remain vigilant and ensure that these few remaining treasures are preserved for future generations to enjoy. Econ River Wilderness Area is located at 3795 Old Lockwood Road. Check it out!
Black Bear Wilderness Area, Sanford
Circle B Bar Reserve, Lakeland
Enchanted Forest Sanctuary, Titusville
Lake May Reserve, Eustis
Little Big Econ State Forest, Geneva
Oakland Nature Preserve, Oakland
Riverbend Park, Jupiter
Split Oak Forest, Orlando
Spring Hammock Preserve, Longwood
Withlacoochee River Park, Dade City
Wandering Florida 