Upper Myakka Lake — the River of Birds

And here it opens up in front of you — Upper Myakka Lake, a huge, shallow, shining sheet of water, and the beating heart of this whole park. Down at this end is the boat basin, hand-dug by those Depression work crews, where you can catch a boat tour out onto the lake, grab a bite at the little outpost, or just stand at the shore and take it in. And what a sight it is, especially in the cool months: this is what people call the River of Birds. The shallow water and the mudflats draw wading birds by the thousand — great blue herons and snowy egrets, white ibises probing the mud, and if you're lucky, the shocking pink of a roseate spoonbill or the big bald head of a wood stork. It can be one of the great bird spectacles in all of Florida.

And out in that lake, and along its shores, are the alligators — this is their kingdom. Keep well back from the water here, same as at the weir. If you want more, you can drive on around the lake on North Drive to the Birdwalk, a boardwalk that reaches right out over the water for an even closer look. But this — the wide lake, the wheeling birds, the gators basking, the wild river feeding it all — this is Myakka.

On behalf of Ranger Boone Merrick and myself, thank you for driving this wild old park with us — for the gators at the weir, the treetop walk, the blackwater river, and this great lake of birds. If you enjoyed the tour, we'd be grateful if you'd leave us a review; it truly helps other travelers find these wild places. Keep your distance from the water, keep feeding nobody, and come back in a different season — it's never the same park twice. This has been Ranger Quinn — good wildlife-watching, and safe travels.