Myakka River State Park
The Myakka River State Park is a State Park in Sarasota County in the US state of Florida . The 147 km² park is located 32 km southeast of Sarasota and 14 km east of Interstate 75 and is one of the largest and oldest state parks in Florida.
geography
The park is located in flat western central Florida. A 22 km long section of the shallow, winding Myakka River , which is under protection as the Florida Wild and Scenic River , flows through the western part of the park . The river forms two lakes in the park area, Upper and Lower Myakka Lake . While Upper Myakka Lake is open to tourism, Lower Myakka Lake is located in a 3035 hectare Wilderness Preserve south of Florida State Road 72 , which can only be entered with special permits. State Road 72 traverses the park from east to west.
Flora and fauna
The park contains different ecosystems:
- Marshes and wetlands can be found along the Myakka River. The river is lined with sabal palms and moss-covered Virginia oaks . In the northern and eastern parts of the park there are also higher sand ridges, which are lined with bushy trees and finally with a forest of Virginia oak, swamp and Elliot pines .
- Thanks to intensive efforts, large areas of arid prairie have been preserved or restored in the park . Dry prairies are large areas of grass and bush on very flat terrain, interspersed with isolated cypress trees . The vegetation consists of numerous types of grass, saw palms and holly, as well as isolated tree islands with cypresses, swamp and Elliot pines.
The prairies and the river with its two lakes provide a habitat for numerous animals such as alligators , bobcats , numerous species of turtles and over 200 different species of birds such as forest storks , bald eagles and roseate spoonbills . In winter and spring, when the water levels of the Myakka River and the lakes are at their lowest, flocks of ducks, wood warblers and waders come to look for food.
history
At the beginning of the 20th century, the park area belonged to a cattle ranch built by Bertha Honoré Palmer . Her brother left part of the land to the state. The Civilian Conservation Corps built today's ranger station, wooden overnight huts and paths from 1934 onwards. As one of the first state parks in Florida, the park was established in 1942.
activities
The ranger station and the visitor center are located at the western entrance to the park . The visitor center offers video introductions and exhibitions about wild animals and their habitats. Not far from there begins the Boylston Nature Trail , a half-hour circular route that leads to Myakka's Canopy Walkway , an approximately 30 m long wooden bridge. The bridge was built in 2000 and allows observing life in the treetops from a height of 7 m. It ends at a 21 m high observation tower, from which there is a panoramic view of the park.
Alongside State Road 72, there is an 11 km paved road along the shores of Upper Myakka Lake. 30 km of unpaved roads and over 62 km of hiking trails lead through the interior of the park.
There are two campsites in the park. The larger campground in the park is the Big Flats Campground on Upper Myakka Lake with 52 parking spaces, there is also the Old Prairie Campground near the visitor center, where there are also four historic overnight huts made of palm wood, as well as six simple campsites without additional equipment, as well numerous picnic areas as well as four picnic pavilions from the 1930s.
On Upper Myakka Lake is the Birdwalk, a 300 m long boardwalk for bird watching. From November to April, volunteers explain the different bird species to visitors. The world's two largest air boats , the Myakka Maiden and the Gator Gal , also operate on Upper Myakka Lake . A tram safari with trailers pulled by pickups is offered inside the park .
The privately operated Myakka Outpost , located on Upper Myakka Lake, offers a souvenir and camping shop as well as boat and bicycle rentals.
Upper Myakka Lake and the river can be ridden by canoes or kayaks, and there is a boat ramp on the lake. Because of the numerous species of fish, the river and lake are excellent fishing areas.
literature
- Michael Strutin: Florida State Parks: A Complete Recreation Guide. Mountaineers Books, Seattle 2000, ISBN 0-89886-731-2 .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ The Myakka River - Wild & Scenic Splendor. Retrieved January 8, 2013 .
- ^ Floridanature.com: Myakka River State Park. Retrieved January 8, 2013 .
- ^ Sarasota History Alive: Bertha Honoré Palmer's Vision. (No longer available online.) Archived from the original on January 15, 2012 ; Retrieved January 8, 2013 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Myakka River State Park (information brochure). (PDF; 2.0 MB) (No longer available online.) Archived from the original on February 28, 2013 ; Retrieved January 8, 2013 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
