Myakka River State Park

Myakka River State Park
Myakka River State Park
	IUCN Category Ib (Wilderness Area)
Location	Manatee and Sarasota counties, Florida, USA
Nearest city	Sarasota, Florida
Coordinates	27°14′22″N 82°19′00″W / 27.23944°N 82.3166667°WCoordinates: 27°14′22″N 82°19′00″W / 27.23944°N 82.3166667°W
Area	37,000 acres (150 km2)
Established	Dedicated as a park in 1941. Open to the public in 1942.
Governing body	Florida Department of Environmental Protection

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A Roseate Spoonbill is a Florida rarity often found among the noted wildlife of the park

Myakka River State Park is a Florida State Park, that is located nine miles (11 km) east of I-75 in Sarasota in Sarasota County and that includes portions of southeastern Manatee County. A small portion (1,920 acres) of the park was the gift of the family of Bertha Palmer to the state, being a portion of her massive property holdings in Florida. The park is named after the Myakka River.

During the early 20th century Bertha Palmer was the largest landholder in the region and one of the greatest developers and promoters of Florida, especially of Sarasota, where she established a resort, her winter retreat, and her extensive farms and ranches that revolutionized the two industries in the state.

Practices she developed and established enabled the Florida farmers and ranchers who followed her to enter the national market with their farm products and cattle.

When the area of the park was owned by Bertha Palmer it lay entirely within Manatee County, because Sarasota County did not exist. It was not carved out of parts of Manatee until 1921. She died in 1918. By the time her sons donated 1.920 acres to the state, the land that was purchased for the park straddled the new county boundaries and today, the park area covers portions of both.

Consisting of 37,000 acres (150 km²), this is one of the state's largest and oldest parks. It was delineated in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

[edit] Things to do

The park is noted for its wildlife and some of the rare birds seen only in Florida, such as the Roseate Spoonbill, frequent the park. Other species that are less rare, but still seldom seen in backyards and urban parks also are residents of the park. Native flora flourishes in the park. There are many species of fish, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals to learn about and enjoy watching as well.

Myakka River State Park has an excellent system of hiking trails. Walking trails crisscross the eastern side of the park.

Six primitive campgrounds are accessible by trail throughout the park: Mossy Hammock, Bee Island, Panther Point, Honore, Oak Grove and Prairie. Five of these sites are equipped with a pitcher pump to provide water, but the Mossy Hammock campsite does not have a pump and you must pack water to this site for your use.

Horseback riding and biking is permitted on certain designated trails and roads in the park. This part of the park is dominated by expanses of very low vegetation, fields of palmetto, that make a transition to islands, or hammocks, of tall pine and oak trees.

A good portion of the park is accessible by automobile. Myakka River State Park's main road, a 6.5-mile drive between the North and South ends, leads visitors to a boardwalk out to the river and a lake that is excellent for bird watching.

The main drive is also popular with cyclists, runners, and skaters. Bicycle traffic can be heavy, especially on weekends and holidays.

A short walk from the main road reveals Myakka's Canopy Walkway, a novel suspension bridge and tower providing researchers and visitors with views of the forest canopy and a spectacular above-the-treetops view of the entire park.

Picnic areas, canoeing, boat tours, and developed campsites are available. The park even has five cabins that were built not with logs, but with the trunks of native sabal palms.