Wikiwa Springs State Park

Wikiwa Springs State Park

Thursday, February 23

We left Favor-Dykes and made our way to Wekiwa Springs SP just north of Orlando. We have shared a space with Dee and Paul in this camp ground as there was only one space available when we did our booking shortly after Christmas. This is a very interesting park with 60 spaces on two loops and has access to a beautiful river, the Wikiva. There is a large natural area, meaning not developed and left wild!

After we got ourselves set up in the site we managed to get in a swim at the “springs” which are always 72 F summer and winter! The water was cool and so refreshing. After we swam we looked around we decided that we should bring our kayaks down to the river on Friday and paddle!

This might be a juvenile Little Blue Heron or an egret.  The juvenile blues
are white!

Friday, February 24 (and David's birthday)

In morning after one of Paul's famous breakfast “specials” – potatoes, sausage, eggs, cheese we headed out for a bike ride. We saw an Eastern Fox Squirrel which is not like anything we see in Maine! We had anticipated a great ride in the woods and fields however, we found that the designated bike trails were way too sandy for us to ride on unless we really wanted to beat ourselves up a whole lot which we didn't. After a very short discussion we decided to park the bikes and do a hike instead which was a nice alternative. We soon found that the park's trail map was awful, absolutely awful and not in the least bit accurate. As we headed back to the camp site we saw a huge turtle by the side of the pavement. Pretty neat.

Little Blue Heron

Little Blue hunting for fish.

In the afternoon we took the kayaks and put in at the boat landing on the Wikeva River and paddled first to Rock Springs Run and then back and down toward the Lower Wikiva River Preserve State Park. The river is not big in the area where we paddled and was lined with very tall trees such as Longleafed pines, Live Oaks, and several variety of palm. Lots of lilly pads along the shore and we were looking for both birds and “gators.” It still felt very wild even with other paddlers occasionally passing us. We were lucky and spotted Ibis, Great Blue Herons, Little Blue Herons, as well as a few alligators! We followed this up with a swim to cool off.

One of three that we saw, this one was the biggest at maybe 5-6'

We should note that the place one swims is spring fed and you can go right over the inlet which is on the bottom and the force of the incoming water is quite strong. It is a lovely place with stone and concrete retaining walls and several places with steps for entering the swimming area. Plus it is surrounded by tall trees.

Saturday we will pack up and head for Lake Louisa SP for one night then off to Kissimmee Prairie Preserve on Monday.