Lake Apopka is in the headwaters of the Ocklawaha River. At approximately 48.4 square miles in size, Lake Apopka is the fourth largest lake in Florida and receives water from spring flow, rainfall and stormwater runoff. The lake was identified for cleanup under Florida’s Surface Water Improvement and Management Act of 1987. In 1996, the Florida Legislature passed Chapter 96-207, Florida Statutes, furthering its previous mandate to clean up the lake by providing funds to buy additional agricultural lands north of the lake.
The former farmlands make up the Lake Apopka North Shore, a restoration area where the St. Johns River Water Management District’s major activities include marsh and floodplain restoration and the creation of a marsh flow-way that filters Lake Apopka’s waters by circulating lake water through restored wetlands, returning cleaner water to the lake. The wildlife drive is along a portion of the former farm fields.
These public lands help protect water quality and storage, indigenous floral and faunal species, cultural resources, and provide natural resource-based recreational opportunities.
Enjoyed seeing many gators in the wild along with several species of birds. The drive was just recently reopened as it was hit hard by hurricane Irma. Several access road in the park were still closed. It is an 11 mile drive with few pull outs so everyone just stops in the middle of the road when they see a gator or a bird they want to take a picture of. I was more interested in the gators and they did have some large one. Packed a lunch and found a wide spot in the road so we could set on the tailgate of the truck and enjoy our lunch.
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