Five Florida Parks to Visit During Cooler Months
Top State Parks Great Destinations for Late Fall, Winter and Spring
Feb 12, 2009
1. Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park
Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park protects one of the largest remaining stretches of Florida dry prairie habitat of grasses and palmettos. It’s a favorite of birders and butterfly fans. Late fall to spring brings migrating sparrows and warblers to the park, adding to its resident crested caracaras, sandhill cranes and Florida grasshopper sparrows. The striking white-tail kite also has recently been seen. One hundred miles of trails and roads make for great biking, hiking and horseback riding. One of the best ways to get an overview of the park is to take the two-and-a-half-hour buggy tour.
2. Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park
Manatees flock to Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park during the cooler months. The marine mammals can be observed poking their noses through the surface of the clear-aqua spring. A floating underwater observatory, The Fish Bowl, allows visitors to see the gentle creatures underwater. And the elevated boardwalk through park habitats provides visitors a close up view of whooping cranes, red wolves, Key deer and a Florida panther named Don Juan. Take the pontoon ride down Pepper Creek to spot ospreys, herons and egrets as well as alligators. The children's education center allows young ones hands-on experience with flora and fauna.
3. Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park
The cooler months bring migrating birds to Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park, which surrounds Charlotte Harbor, Florida’s second largest estuary. Flocks of ducks and white pelicans can be seen in the harbor and in the mangroves fringing it, and tuneful warblers and catbirds can be heard in the uplands. That’s in addition to always-present egret, blue heron and dolphin. The protected area is primarily composed of wetlands, and its trails are easiest to access in the dry winter months. Although the park features numerous marshes and pine flatwoods, Charlotte Harbor’s 80 miles of park shoreline is best seen by kayak or canoe.
4. Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park
Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park and its mysterious, rarely seen ghost orchid were immortalized in the book The Orchid Thief and Adaptation, the movie version. The swamp forest has been called the Amazon of North America because of its 44 types of native orchids, 14 bromeliad species and rich, water-based ecosystem. The park is easily accessed via a boardwalk that takes visitors through a forest of ancient bald cypress trees and royal palms. Watch for butterflies such as the zebra longwing, white peacock and ruddy daggerwing. Fishing, kayaking and canoeing in the park are particularly enjoyable from late fall through early spring.
5. Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park
Located just off of Islamorada in the Florida Keys, Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park can only be accessed by boat, canoe or kayak. Boat tours and rentals are available from area marinas. The reward for making the extra effort to visit the island is being able to go back in time to experience a virgin tropical hardwood forest. Such forests used to be common in the Upper Keys until modern times. The island was purchased in 1919 by a Miami chemist who only built a caretakers house there. Anglers favor the island flats for bonefish and channels for tarpon. Visitors can also snorkel, but a wetsuit is recommended for the cooler months.
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