Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive

Back to Lake Apopka

reweidman50 Florida Alligators, Florida Wildlife, Uncategorized, Wandering Florida , , , , , ,

If you want to view Florida wildlife and social distance with little effort at the same time, the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive is the perfect choice! More than 360 bird species have been observed here and you are almost guaranteed to see at least a couple of alligators along the way as well. Note that the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive is open only on Friday, Saturday and Sunday between 7 AM and 3 PM. In addition, the Wildlife Drive gets crowded during this time of year, so budget at least 1 to 3 hours for your outdoor adventure.

Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive

reweidman50 Florida Preserves, Florida Wildlife , , , ,

If you have guests visiting Central Florida, the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive is the ideal spot to take them to get a taste of Florida wildlife, including Florida alligators, Florida softshell turtles and an incredible diversity of bird species. In fact, more than 360 bird species have been spotted here. Operated by the St. Johns River Water Management District, the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive is a 11-mile, one-way drive with a speed limit of 10 miles per hour (so budget about 2 hours of your time and get there early to avoid the crowds). By the way, Lake Apopka is the fourth-largest lake in Florida. The Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive is open 7 AM to 3 PM on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Don’t miss it!

Hike #40: Lake Apopka Loop Trail

reweidman50 52 Hike Challenge, Florida Lakes, Florida Wildlife, Uncategorized , , , , , ,

Hike #40: 52 Hike Challenge: Lake Apopka Loop Trail. If you’re into birding (and alligators!), you MUST take a hike along the Lake Apopka Loop Trail (or at least plan an outing to the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive). More than 150 species of birds reportedly flock to Lake Apopka during the winter months. Encompassing 30,800 acres (making it the fourth largest lake in Florida), Lake Apopka was targeted for cleanup under the Surface Water Improvement and Management Act of 1987. I reached the Lake Apopka Loop Trail from the Magnolia Park Trailhead, although it also can be accessed from the Clay Island Trailhead, Green Mountain Scenic Overlook and Trailhead, North Shore Trailhead and Wildlife Drive entrance (2850 Lust Road). I saw plenty of birds, but no alligators this time out (perhaps due to it being a rather overcast day). Distance: 2.5 miles.