Urfer Family Park, at the corner of Bee Ridge and Honore is surprisingly diverse in plant life, and on a Friday afternoon, is very quiet. I was excited to spot a Gopher Tortoise, as well as a Zebra Swallowtail, which made me look forward to future trips. Urfer Family Park provides playgrounds for toddlers through […]
Activities
- All Weather/Horse Trail Loop (MRSP)
- Alligator Point (MRSP)
- Bee Island & Back (MRSP)
- Bok Tower (Lake Wales, FL)
- Brooker Creek Preserve (Tarpon Springs, FL)
- Clay Gully/Mossy Hammock (MRSP)
- Deep Hole (MRSP)
- Fox’s High & Low (MRSP)
- Hickey Creek Mitigation Park (Alva, FL)
- Highlands Hammock State Park (Sebring FL)
- Joan M Durante Community Park (Longboat Key, FL)
- Lake Wales Ridge Wildlife and Environmental Area (Lake Wales, FL)
- Leffis Key (Sarasota, FL)
- Lemur Foundation (Myakka City, FL)
- Lido Key (Sarasota, FL)
- Myakka Hardwood Hammock (Sarasota, FL)
- Myakka Pinelands (Sarasota, FL)
- Myakka River State Park (Sarasota, FL)
- North Lido Beach (Sarasota, FL)
- North Lido Key (LK)
- Oscar Sherer State Park (Sarasota, FL)
- Oscar Sherer Yellow Trail (OSSP)
- Pinecraft Park (Sarasota, FL)
- Power Line/Ranch House Loop (MRSP)
- Raymond Road Loop (CF)
- Red Bug Slough Preserve (Sarasota, FL)
- Red Bug Slough Preserve (Sarasota, FL)
- Red Bug Slough Slough Loop (RBS)
- Ringling Grounds (Sarasota, FL)
- Rothenbach Park (Sarasota, FL)
- Rothenbach Park Loop (RP)
- Spanish Point (Sarasota, FL)
- Three Sisters Springs (Crystal River, FL)
- Urfer Family Park (Sarasota, FL)
Hickey Creek Mitigation Park (Alva, FL)
Hickey Creek Mitigation Park is co-managed by the Lee County Department of Parks and Recreation and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. It consists of a variety of habitats including palmetto-oak scrub, pine flatwoods, and seasonal wetlands. Views of scenic Hickey Creek can be enjoyed from the trail and overlook areas. The ecosystem presently […]
Brooker Creek Preserve (Tarpon Springs, FL)
Brooker Creek Preserve is approximately 8,700 acres, and the largest natural area in Pinellas County. It consists primarily of forested wetlands and pine flatwoods. Bordered by dense urban development, the Preserve provides both a unique refuge for native flora and fauna, as well as an opportunity for citizens to explore the natural beauty of wild Florida. […]
Lake Wales Ridge Wildlife and Environmental Area (Lake Wales, FL)
I went to Lake Wales Ridge Wildlife and Environmental Area is in the center of Florida, far away from the ocean, but but it felt like the waves were a breath away. Walking through the area is very interesting… there’s a lot of plant life that I’m not familiar with living on the west […]
North Lido Beach (Sarasota, FL)
This is one of the best beaches in Sarasota for seeing plants and birds, and on arrival, we sawa northern harrier hunting in the scrub. There were also a bunch of Sandwich Terns on the beach.
Red Bug Slough Slough Loop (RBS)
Location: Red Bug Slough PreserveTrailhead (Google Plus Code): 7GG2+VR South Gate Ridge, FloridaHike Length: 2 milesTime Estimate: 1.5 hoursHabitats: WetlandsNotes: Amazing amount of plant and wildlife for a suburban setting.
Rothenbach Park Loop (RP)
Location: Rothenbach ParkTrailhead (Google Plus Code): 7JW3+97 Fruitville, FloridaHike Length: 3.7 milesTime Estimate: 1.5 hoursHabitats: Hardwood HammockNotes: All pavement — good for biking. Loops around a covered landfill and has a beautiful hardwood hammock at the east side, as well as a smaller area on the southwest.
Bee Island & Back (MRSP)
Location: Myakka River State ParkTrailhead: 7P56+3W Myakka City, FloridaHike Length: 5 milesTime Estimate: three hoursHabitats: Pine Flatwoods, Hardwood Hammock, Dry PrairieNotes: Can be very hot and dry – bring lots of water. This is a great hike to see the undisturbed pinelands in the park, but it is an out and back hike that’s pretty […]
Raymond Road Loop (CF)
Location: Celery FieldsTrailhead (Google Plus Code): 8HG8+5H Fruitville, FloridaHike Length: 2 milesTime Estimate: one hourHabitats: WetlandsNotes: Lots of bird life! This is an easy walk around some of the best birding in Sarasota. Additionally, there are a variety of plants of interest.
Myakka Hardwood Hammock (Sarasota, FL)
I spent some time in the beautiful hardwood hammock at Myakka River State Park. The hike I went in on is called Fox’s High Trail which is that the north end of the park where there are lots of big oaks and cabbage palms it’s a super wet environment this time of year, wet underfoot, […]
Myakka Pinelands (Sarasota, FL)
I headed out to the mesic flatwoods site reference in Myakka River State Park, which you can get to by going from the main park road to the Ranch House Road trail. Head straight out there all the way to Bee Island Campground and right there is a big stand of longleaf pines, which are […]