Pictured: Myakka River State Park. Photo courtesy of Friends of Myakka River, taken by Executive Director, Dr. Miri Hardy.

While the white sand beaches, glittering ocean waves and calming bays are what Florida's Gulf Coast is most commonly known for, a quick trip inland reveals an entirely different world within reach. Myakka River State Park, one of Florida’s oldest and largest state parks, cuts through the heart of Sarasota, encircling the twelve miles of the Myakka River that run through Sarasota county.

“The Myakka River is a rain-fed river which means that its levels greatly fluctuate depending on precipitation. During the summer, which is typically our rainy season, the levels of the river rise and overflow into the Myakka River’s floodplains and hydric hammocks, basically flooding the park. This is absolutely natural for this area and the ecosystems have adapted to those fluctuating levels of water,” says Dr. Miri Hardy, Executive Director of Friends of Myakka River, a citizens support organization for the state park. “The wildlife loves it and for park visitors, this time of year is a magical time to visit the park because there’s water everywhere. It’s amazingly beautiful, but also just goes to show you the importance of floodplains and how watersheds naturally function.”

With over 37,000 acres of protected land, the Myakka River State Park effectively is the Myakka River’s watershed. The river and its floodplains breathe life into the park’s incredibly diverse array of flora and fauna–within the large swaths of Florida Dry Prairie, hydric hammocks and swamps can be found all sorts of endangered species, such as the American Alligator, Florida Scrub-Jay, the Gopher Tortoise and Crested Caracara to name a few. Visitors can experience this amazing ecosystem in any number of ways. A canopy walkway, the first public treetop trail in North America, sits 25 feet above the ground and stretches along the top of a hardwood hammock, providing ample views of the vegetation and wildlife below. A bird walk winds through the swamps and wetlands of the park. Hiking, biking and horseback trails snake through the entirety of the state park and flat-bottomed boat tours are offered daily throughout the year.

13208 State Rd, Sarasota, 941-361-6511, floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/myakka-river-state-park; friendsofmyakkariver.org/

Pictured: Myakka River State Park. Photo courtesy of Friends of Myakka River, taken by Executive Director, Dr. Miri Hardy.