Myakka River State Park

Myakka River State Park, 17 miles east of Sarasota, is one of Florida's oldest and largest state parks, covering 37,000 acres of wetlands, prairie, hammock, and the Myakka River floodplain. The upper and lower lakes, formed by a dam built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, support exceptionally high concentrations of American alligators and wading birds including roseate spoonbills and wood storks. An elevated canopy walkway among the oaks provides a treetop perspective over the floodplain.