Posted on Sep 16, 2020
Looking for a way to enjoy the great Florida outdoors?
We had a fantastic afternoon at Circle B Bar Reserve in March 2020. Circle B is a 1,267-acre nature reserve in Polk County Florida, an easy drive of approximately 45 minutes from Emerald Island Resort. The former cattle ranch is located on the NW shore of Lake Hancock. Southwest Florida Water Management and Polk County acquired the property to protect valuable water & wildlife resources, plus to restore the Banana Creek marsh system. There is plenty of parking, a Discovery Center, restrooms, handicap accessible, picnic shelters, beautiful scenery, and tons of wildlife to see. What a great place to spend a morning, afternoon, or whole day outdoors.
This fresh water wetland reserve. The Banana Marsh covers approximately 400 acres of the reserve. Much work has been done in the reserve to improve nesting and foraging sites. This has lead to an increase in the variety of birds on the reserve. In 2008, the reserve was added to the Great Florida Birding Trail. We observed many bird watchers during our visit viewing and photographing the feathered inhabitants. So if a bird watcher this is a great place to bring you binoculars and telephoto lenses. The restoration work has also increased nesting a foraging area for species not seen before in the reserve.
The reserve has a very diverse ecosystem. If wildflowers, trees, and plants are you thing, you will have many varieties to discover throughout the reserve. The reserve also includes part the Sandhill and sand pine scrub ecosystem that are found along the central Florida ridge. So there are plant and tree species not found in other areas of Florida.
> Learn About the Circle B Bar Reserve