On one side of the city of Apopka, about 30 minutes from the city of Orlando (24 km -15 miles- northwest of the city), is the lake of the same name and is the third largest lake in the state of Florida. There, in the northern part of it, there is a park with vehicular access, which has become a great attraction for lovers of nature and open spaces, on land adjacent to the lake, which still maintains crops and as a means of To preserve and filter the waters, in a shallow, flooded area, a series of canals about 40 to 50 feet wide were built that will be about 10 feet deep, and that make up a route of perhaps 10 to 15 miles in total. Welcome to a scenic drive along Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive!
Admission is free, although collaboration to keep the place clean, pleasant, informative and organized is always a great thing to do.
These waterways maintain an immense amount of life, in the form of fish of different sizes, birds of various species, floating plants, in short, a wild, tropical world. “There are at least 367 different species of birds that find refuge around the lake. Alligators, lynxes, otters and other wildlife also call the lake and its surroundings home,” says the website Lake Apopka Wildlife.
The important thing is that, being an area with such an immense amount of flora and fauna, it gives it a special attraction, which attracts a large number of visitors, eager to enjoy these environments.
Along these canals runs an uncovered road, one and sometimes two canals wide and flowing in only one direction, allowing the circulation of vehicles in an uninterrupted manner. In the current of water, a large quantity of alligators, which can be observed in the bed itself and sunbathing on the banks, as a complement to this landscape there is a great variety of birds: mostly ducks of various species, some small ones with a very striking red beak, another type similar to herons of very striking varieties and colors, all within a forest of plants, reeds and a variety of aquatic shrubs that communicate great beauty to the landscape.
The great thing about this environment is that by being able to advance in your own vehicle at very low speed and with stopping areas, you can fully appreciate it, while taking photos or videos, with alligators being the favorite target of the walkers, being able to observe themselves very closely, without running any danger and with immense clarity thanks to the predominant sun, despite the numerous alligators, the main stars, all the various birds, within the framework of the flooded landscape, beyond the canal is what gives the attraction and enjoyment of the entire park to visitors.
For these reasons we highly recommend a visit to the “Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive”. It should be noted that the park has an ‘Audio Tour’, which will complement your tour in a very appropriate way. These are very well signposted, with about eleven points along the entire path, at the beginning of the route it has a QR code to scan and it takes you to a page with all the audios numbered… or here if you want to review the guide before visiting.
Written and photography by Manu Castillo Sr.
