America’s Australia
One part of Florida feels like you are deep inside a national park, yet it’s so easy to reach.
DON’T get me wrong. I’m a huge fan of nature preserves, national parks and habitat conservation in general.
I also love seeing wildlife as closely and safely as possible. Many of my favourite public access spots allow for such opportunities, but have less abundant or skittish wildlife.
This often translates to the need to come back time and again with zoom lenses and binoculars in tow in order to experience even a single viewing of a venue’s sought-after birds, reptiles or marine mammals.
While most adults realise this is part of the drill when it comes to supporting conservation projects through travel, it can be frustrating for younger family members who are anxious to feel connected to the animal kingdom.
There’s a nature reserve in Lakeland, Florida, however, that really takes things to the next level. Circle B Bar Reserve in Polk County provides intimate access to one of the most prevalent wildlife areas I’ve seen south of Minnesota’s Northwest Angle.
Trails
With a wide range of trails to enjoy, each of them threading through a different part of the reserve, it’s safe to say you can easily spend the entire day enjoying what the venue has to offer.
What’s interesting about this particular trail system is how it allows you to go deep into larger habitat areas rather than simply skirting the edge. You get to meander through the middle of a large expanse of wetlands, explore the wild cat playground that is the reserve’s oak hammock and sample the serene and undeveloped shoreline of Lake Hancock.
Because of how many of the trails are structured, visitors to the preserve are able to enjoy up-close-and-personal observations of any critters who happen to be enjoying the same part of Mother Nature’s garden.
One would normally expect to be