Amberjack Environmental Park

Rotonda, Florida: One of the hidden gems of Charlotte County, Amberjack Environmental Park is a great place to take a hike and enjoy the wildlife of the scrub habitat. The 225 acre park near Rotonda is home to various species of plants and animals including bobcats, gopher tortoise and many species of birds.

The park features over five and a half miles of trails. There are two boardwalk overlooks that provide a closer look at the birds wading in Lemon Lake. Below is a map of the trails provided by Charlotte County. 

We decided to take a hike at Amberjack on a brisk Sunday morning. I recently read an article in the Englewood Sun Herald about the abundance of birds at the lake so we decided to check it out. We hiked the Red and Pink Trails, both providing views of Lemon Lake. On our trip we saw Roseate Spoonbills, Great Blue Herons, Great White Egrets, Anhinga, Wood Stork and a bunch of ducks that were too far away to identify. We also crossed over one southern racer snake sunning itself along the pink trail. Other then that, the wildlife was quiet.

I do highly recommend sunscreen and water as there is limited shade on a majority of the trail. Also, be cautious of your navigation. The trails are poorly marked and at times, the trail map can be misleading. But the park has plenty of potential and we will be making a return trip in the future. They offer periodic guided tours, I might try to make one of those for a better look inside the park.

Amberjack Environmental Park is located at 6450 Gasparilla Pines Boulevard in Rotonda. It is operated by Charlotte County and admission to the park is free.

Click on the photo above to view my Amberjack Environmental Park photo gallery.


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