Myakka River State Park
The Canopy Trail at Myakka River State Park
It was mid-afternoon when I decided to take a trip to Myakka River State Park in Sarasota, Florida. Tired, but unwilling to give up my day-off by slacking off, I grabbed my camera bags and headed south on I-75.
I pulled a $5 bill out of my front pocket and handed it to the park ranger. The temperature was comfortable, so I opened the windows in my truck and turned the volume of my radio down ever so slightly. Just as I crossed the bridge over the Myakka River, an anxious young boy ran across the road, finger pointed at a very large alligator sunning on the river bank. Not too much farther I pulled off the road to the parking area for the Canopy Trail.
The short walk to the narrow suspension bridge was pleasant. Stairs flanked the wooden structure on either side. Enjoying each level, I ascended into a shady green space of the tree canopy. Two does grazed below in a small meadow. As I walked across it, the bridge swayed and bounced. On the opposite side stood a 74-foot observation tower. From this vantage point, I had a bird’s eye view of park.
Having checked that off my bucket list, I descended and continued the trail. Colorful air plants concealed the bark of the trees. Cabbage palms and oaks bordered the path with their roots crisscrossing the sandy path. I stumbled on the roots a few times as I was distracted by my surroundings. A welcoming bench along the path served as a resting point to observe and photograph the wading birds.
At the other end of the park near the concession area, yellow flowers covered a roadside field. I navigated through a sea of tourists who were disembarking from the large pontoon boat returning from a tour of the lake. Making my way towards the lake, I noticed a trail at the lake’s edge. I followed the trail to a dam and another of the park’s platforms that had been damaged and partially disassembled. People had gathered across from the ragged structure and were staring in amazement at alligators of all sizes laying on the far bank.
My last stop was the bird walk. To reach the deck facing the lake one must walk along a raised boardwalk which, in the wet season, lies above marshy ground. Off in the distance, turkeys and sandhill cranes pecked at the ground. A family of cranes made their way across the field and I was lucky to catch a photo of the mom and colt (yes, it’s called a colt!).
Read MoreIt was mid-afternoon when I decided to take a trip to Myakka River State Park in Sarasota, Florida. Tired, but unwilling to give up my day-off by slacking off, I grabbed my camera bags and headed south on I-75.
I pulled a $5 bill out of my front pocket and handed it to the park ranger. The temperature was comfortable, so I opened the windows in my truck and turned the volume of my radio down ever so slightly. Just as I crossed the bridge over the Myakka River, an anxious young boy ran across the road, finger pointed at a very large alligator sunning on the river bank. Not too much farther I pulled off the road to the parking area for the Canopy Trail.
The short walk to the narrow suspension bridge was pleasant. Stairs flanked the wooden structure on either side. Enjoying each level, I ascended into a shady green space of the tree canopy. Two does grazed below in a small meadow. As I walked across it, the bridge swayed and bounced. On the opposite side stood a 74-foot observation tower. From this vantage point, I had a bird’s eye view of park.
Having checked that off my bucket list, I descended and continued the trail. Colorful air plants concealed the bark of the trees. Cabbage palms and oaks bordered the path with their roots crisscrossing the sandy path. I stumbled on the roots a few times as I was distracted by my surroundings. A welcoming bench along the path served as a resting point to observe and photograph the wading birds.
At the other end of the park near the concession area, yellow flowers covered a roadside field. I navigated through a sea of tourists who were disembarking from the large pontoon boat returning from a tour of the lake. Making my way towards the lake, I noticed a trail at the lake’s edge. I followed the trail to a dam and another of the park’s platforms that had been damaged and partially disassembled. People had gathered across from the ragged structure and were staring in amazement at alligators of all sizes laying on the far bank.
My last stop was the bird walk. To reach the deck facing the lake one must walk along a raised boardwalk which, in the wet season, lies above marshy ground. Off in the distance, turkeys and sandhill cranes pecked at the ground. A family of cranes made their way across the field and I was lucky to catch a photo of the mom and colt (yes, it’s called a colt!).
