This is a wonderful little park with a variety of plant species and many opportunities to see birds. Joan M. Durante Park, located at 5550 Gulf of Mexico Drive, is the result of a private/public partnership to enhance and restore one of the few remaining vacant island properties on Longboat Key to a viable wetland and […]
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)
Fox’s High & Low (MRSP)
Location: Myakka River State ParkTrailhead (Google Plus Code): 7PPV+CX Myakka City, FloridaHike Length: 4 milesTime Estimate: 2-3 hoursHabitats: Hardwood Hammock, Dry PrairieNotes: Generally little traffic at the North end of the park. This is a four-mile hike through hammock, dry prairie and along the stream of Clay Gulley. There is a lot of pig activity […]
Alligator Point (MRSP)
Location: Myakka River State ParkTrailhead (Google Plus Code): 6MWQ+H9 Myakka City, FloridaHike Length: 2 milesTime Estimate: 1- 1.5 hours Notes: Typically a very quiet trail with opportunities to see wildlife. Not the prettiest trail, but many things of interest as you walk next to a cattle ranch.
Oscar Sherer Yellow Trail (OSSP)
Location: Oscar Sherer State ParkTrailhead (Google Plus Code): 5GGQ+CF Osprey, FloridaHike Length: 5.5 milesTime Estimate: 3-4 hoursHabitats: Scrub, Pine FlatwoodsNotes: Nice trail featuring Oscar Sherer’s unique habitat. To see scrub jays and red-headed woodpeckers, go early.
North Lido Key (LK)
Location: Lido KeyTrailhead (Google Plus Code): 8C89+J9 Sarasota, FloridaHike Length: 2.5 milesTime Estimate: two hoursHabitats: Coastal UplandNotes: Beautiful Beach and tidal areas
Bok Tower (Lake Wales, FL)
“Bok Tower — the Taj Mahal of Florida.” With a tag line like that, I didn’t expect much, but the gardens and the estate are beautiful, and well worth the 2+ hour drive to get us there. My recent mandala interest got me taking a lot of straight-on flower pix.
Clay Gully/Mossy Hammock (MRSP)
Location: Myakka River State ParkTrailhead (Google Plus Code): 7PPW+QM Myakka City, FloridaHike Length: 3-5 milesTime Estimate: three hoursHabitats: Hardwood Hammock, Dry Prairie, WetlandsNotes: Almost always has some wet trail. Watch for alligators near streams. This is a beautiful little hike that starts along the south side of Clay Gulley and explores Myakka’s hydric and mesic […]
Power Line/Ranch House Loop (MRSP)
Location: Myakka River State ParkTrailhead (Google Plus Code): 7P24+GC Myakka City, FloridaHike Length: 3 milesTime Estimate: 2 hoursHabitats: Hardwood Hammock, Dry Prairie, WetlandsNotes: This is a relatively dry hike, good for a wet season, and it’s on flat, fairly even ground. However, always be prepared for some wetness under foot. The hike covers a variety […]
All Weather/Horse Trail Loop (MRSP)
Location: Myakka River State ParkTrailhead (Google Plus Code): 6PF2+Q8Hike Length: 2.5 milesTime Estimate: two hoursNotes: Almost always has some wet trail. You don’t need to go into the park entrance to access this – Access the Horse trail from 72, 1.4 miles east of the park’s south entrance. The hike is on flat ground, but […]
Three Sisters Springs (Crystal River, FL)
It was a cold day in January — perfect to go see the manatees at Three Sisters! There were over three hundred!
Deep Hole (MRSP)
Location: Myakka River State ParkTrailhead (Google Plus Code): 6MRC+45 Myakka City, FloridaHike Length: 5 milesTime Estimate: 3+ hoursHabitats: Hardwood Hammock, Dry Prairie, WetlandsNotes: Requires permit – contact Ranger’s office for information. If the water is high, you cannot access Deep Hole – check with ranger station.