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Why Does the District Buy Lands? The District was established in 1961 by the Florida Legislature to protect the water resources of the region. The District encompasses roughly 10,000 square miles in all or part of 16 counties in west-central Florida that are home tomorethan4millionpeople.The boundaries of the District extend north into Levy County, south into Charlotte County and inland into Polk and Highlands counties. The region’s lands and waters are forever linked by Florida’s natural water cycles. Therefore, one of the primary ways the District achieves its mission is through the acquisition of conservation lands around lakes, rivers, wetlands and estuaries. These lands serve as a natural buffer that filters out pollution before rainwater reaches the nearest body of water. The District also acquires landstopreserveandrestorenative Florida ecosystems that provide water resources benefits and water storage during hurricanes and other major storm events. The District’s acquisition program has primarily been funded through state programs such as Save Our Rivers, Preservation 2000 and Florida Forever. Land Management Once conservation lands are acquired, the District manages them to ensure that vital water resource functions are maintained. This is accomplished through restoration projects, maintaining existing natural habitats and restoring the natural processes that are necessary for native plants and animals to thrive. Two of the primary management tools are the restoration of altered areas and the use of prescribed fire to mimic the natural fire cycle that historically shaped Florida’s landscape. Public Use and Recreation The District also manages conservation lands for nature-based recreational activities that do not conflict with its resource protection goals. Most District lands are managed as nature preserves for visitors seeking a “wilderness-type” experience and enjoy exploring Florida’s natural areas on their own. These lands typically have limited facilities such as small parking areas, information kiosks and trails. For visitors who prefer a less rustic experience, the District, in partnership with local governments and state agencies, has developed parks with facilities such as picnic pavilions, nature trails, environmental education centers, restrooms and camping areas. The District typically provides the land and funding to build most of the facilities, while the cooperator provides the on-site staff to manage the parks on a daily basis. Recreation Guide to Southwest Florida Water Management District Lands 2
Recreational Opportunities Available Bicycling From the novice to the expert, many different types of trails can be found on District lands. Bike trails are primarily double-track, multiuse trails located on old dirt roads that wind through pine flatwoods and around beautiful wetlands.Forthemoreadventurous rider, off-road, single-track trails are availableoncooperativelymanaged lands where user groups construct and maintain the trails. Some tracts have paved multiuse trails that allow both on-road and off-road bicyclists to enjoy riding in natural settings. The 7-mile Starkey Trail winds through the 18,000-acre Starkey Wilderness Preserve and connects to the 42-mile Suncoast Trail. These trails offer some of the best long-distance bicycling opportunities in west-central Florida. Best Opportunities • Cypress Creek — Paved and doubletrack, off-road trail • Flatwoods Park (Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Park) — Paved trail • Morris Bridge Park (Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Park) — Single-track, off-road trail • Myakka State Forest — Multiuse, offroad trail • Starkey Wilderness Preserve — Paved and double-track, off-road trail • Weekiwachee Preserve — Paved trail Camping Whether you enjoy camping with few facilities or in your home-awayfrom-home RV, the beauty of the great outdoors is waiting to be experienced. Full-service RV sites, remote primitive sites, and group and equestrian camping areas are available on various lands. Trail-access primitive camping is one of the special recreational opportunities offered. Overnight hikes or trail rides with horses or bicycles are unique visitor experiences offered on few public conservation lands in the state. Larger District lands provide trails long enough for multiday hikes or rides and have campsites established at various stoppingpointsalongthetrail. Recreation Guide to Southwest Florida Water Management District Lands 3
Page 1 and 2: March 2007 Update
Page 3: Introduction Every year more than 2
Page 7 and 8: Equestrian Use Viewing the pine fla
Page 9 and 10: Hunting Over 131,000 acres of Distr
Page 11 and 12: Guidelines for Use of District Land
Page 13 and 14: Do your part to preserve our great
Page 15 and 16: Keysville Rd. To SR 60 676 39 Alafi
Page 17 and 18: P To Brandon Creek Poley 60 Willow
Page 19 and 20: To Homosassa Springs Knuckey Rd. Ch
Page 21 and 22: To Citrus Park To Pinellas Co. Lake
Page 23 and 24: 582 Keystone Rd. Old Keystone Rd. B
Page 25 and 26: 77 To Palm Harbor Canal Park 584 T
Page 27 and 28: Murdock 41 Myakka 776 777 Myakka St
Page 29 and 30: Crystal River State Buffer Preserve
Page 31 and 32: Lakeland 570 540 Banana Creek Banan
Page 33 and 34: Park Trail Lane Alligator Creek Cl
Page 35 and 36: abandoned railroad 583 Cypress Cree
Page 37 and 38: To Arcadia Kings Hwy. 769 SW Peace
Page 39 and 40: Coker Duette Park To Bradenton Rive
Page 41 and 42: To Wimauma Gilley Creek Oak Knoll R
Page 43 and 44: To Brandon 60 To Bartow Turkey Cree
Page 45 and 46: Gum Slough 470 To US 41 Inverness
Page 47 and 48: 575 98 301 Lacoochee R HERNANDO CO.
Page 49 and 50: Levee k PASCO CO. SUMTER CO. Withla
Page 51 and 52: Carter Island Rd. To SR 50, Mascott
Page 53 and 54: 575 98 Lacoochee Withlacoochee Stat
Page 55 and 56:
River MARION CO. SUMTER CO. Gum Slo
Page 57 and 58:
Rolling Ranches To US 41 Dunnellon
Page 59 and 60:
Lake To Sebring Josephine 17 Lake J
Page 61 and 62:
Huckleberry Rd. To US Hwy. 17 Daven
Page 63 and 64:
Exit 329 Jones Creek Trail To Inver
Page 65 and 66:
674 Ruskin 41 1st St.. SW 75 Little
Page 67 and 68:
Recreation Guide to Southwest Flori
Page 69 and 70:
Bullfrog Creek Branch To U.S. 301 W
Page 71 and 72:
75 Exit 270 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. 58
Page 73 and 74:
To U.S. 301 Hillsborough River G Hi
Page 75 and 76:
581 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. Exit 270 F
Page 77 and 78:
River Hillsborough River inlet Flin
Page 79 and 80:
Hillsborough River Morris Bridge Rd
Page 81 and 82:
Main Trail Hillsborough River Baysh
Page 83 and 84:
Trout Creek Morris Bridge Park Trou
Page 85 and 86:
North Plat Trail North Plat Trail M
Page 87 and 88:
Bruce B. Downs Blvd. 581 Flatwoods
Page 89 and 90:
T. Mabry Carlton, Jr. Memorial Rese
Page 91 and 92:
Boggy Creek Coker Creek Ogleby Cree
Page 93 and 94:
72 Myakka River State Park SARASOTA
Page 95 and 96:
River Rd. 41 41 Big Slough SARASOTA
Page 97 and 98:
To SR 44 470 315 Withlacoochee Aban
Page 99 and 100:
CITRUS CO. Tsala Apopka Outfall Can
Page 101 and 102:
769 Charlotte Loop Caloosa Trail De
Page 103 and 104:
To Bradenton To Tampa 275 Pinellas
Page 105 and 106:
52 DAT G P 587 De Cubellis Rd. Rive
Page 107 and 108:
To SR 52 587 River To New Port Rich
Page 109 and 110:
To Bayonet Point 52 DAT G 579 Moon
Page 111 and 112:
Fowler Ave. 582 275 Temple Terrace
Page 113 and 114:
Tampa Bay Bishop Harbor Bishop Harb
Page 115 and 116:
CITRUS CO. MARION CO. 39 Withlacooc
Page 117 and 118:
To Dade City 35A Green Swamp - West
Page 119 and 120:
Rd. Chassahowitzka Wildlife Managem
Page 121 and 122:
To River Rd. Auton Rd. Withlacooche
Page 123 and 124:
To SR 44 Carlson 300 Look for Sign
Page 125 and 126:
Equestrian Trailer Parking and Hors
Page 127:
Map Reference Project 1 Alafia Rive
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