Southwest Florida's Accessible State Parks

By Janet K. Keeler

The familiar saying “so close, yet so far away” aptly describes Myakka River State Park, which spans two populous counties and is just miles from heavily traveled Interstate 75.

The drone of vehicles passing through Sarasota and Manatee counties, and even the goings on from the nearby subdivision creep, is replaced by something else once you drive through the gates.

That something else is peace and quiet.

Freshwater wetlands; prairies dotted with blooming malo and coreopsis; live oak and sable palm hammocks, and pinelands remind visitors of the abundance of natural Florida. The quiet is occasionally broken by the low growl of alligators or the staccato call of ducks, and always a constant buzzing of insects and other critters fuel the ecosystem.

It’s easy to leave the modern world behind and step into nature — or maybe paddle or wheel through it — at Myakka. The “wild and scenic” Myakka River meanders through 12 miles of the 37,000-acre park even though it flows for more than 65. The river feeds two lakes, one of which can be explored via an accessible pontoon boat cruise.

There are camping sites for both RVs and primitive outfits, and even a few rustic cabins though you should reserve those far in advance. There are also campsites with concrete pads close to restrooms. Campers and day visitors enjoy trails for biking, boat launches and shore fishing spots. There’s history too. Myakka is one of Florida’s oldest state parks, created in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps and officially opened in 1941.

For visitors looking for accessibility features, Myakka River State Park offers several that allow a comfortable experience, including free use of a motorized Action Trackchair to traverse some of the more rugged trails; the accessible Birdwalk that juts out over the Myakka floodplain; park tram rides, and a serene lake cruise. As with all state parks, trained service animals are welcome.

The Lake Cruise

The hourlong cruise on Upper Myakka Lake aboard the Myakka River Queen takes cruisers across the lake, skirting the freshwater foliage where alligators do their own cruising and sunning. The big birds of Florida — egrets, herons and the occasional cormorant — are easily spied. The pontoon boat is wheelchair accessible and the wide ramp to the boat is easily navigated by people using walkers or other mobility assistive equipment.

The cruise is narrated and visitors with hearing impairments should call ahead to see what accommodations can be arranged. Companions who can do sign language interpretation would be a bonus, and passengers who read lips can easily find a seat near the boat operator, who also narrates the tour.

The vendor that operates the boat tour also runs the tram excursions. Each are offered four times a day but advice to summer visitors: Go early in the day because dramatic afternoon thundershowers could cause cancellations. Contact the wildlife tour vendor in advance with specific questions. There are additional fees beyond the $6 per car park entry for these excursions.

Hitting the Trails

There are four state parks that offer free use of the motorized Action Trackchair and Myakka is one of them. This all-terrain chair allows visitors with mobility issues to experience Myakka’s natural trails. The nearly 40-mile Myakka Trail hiking loop is intersected by backcountry roads that allow the trail to be accessed at various intervals. The trails are cleared but the surfaces can be uneven so they are difficult to traverse with a standard wheelchair.

State Park ADA coordinator Fred Beckham says that there are numerous coastal state parks that have beach wheelchairs for rent but those need to be pushed by a companion. The motorized Trackchair provides autonomy for the user. A call in advance is smart, he says, to inquire about availability of the Trackchair and to also tell the park ranger when you will be visiting and what you hope to get out of the experience.

The Trackchair makes a huge difference in the experience for visitors to be able to control their own experience on the more “robust” trails, he says. Those trails wind through the various terrains of the park and they are good places to check out wildlife, including the wild turkeys that roam in groups, pecking at the ground for food. The lucky few visitors may see a bobcat.

A handy hiking and biking trail brochure has more details, plus suggestions on what to bring along. Always sunscreen, water and a GPS device.

Boardwalk for Birdwatching

The accessible Birdwalk is a unique feature at the park that allows visitors to park close by and then quickly become part of the freshwater ecosystem. The elevated and accessible boardwalk juts out over the marsh but before that, visitors will walk under a palm tree hammock. Just past the hammock, there is a large placard that explains the terrain and what wildlife to be on the lookout for.

There is a place to sit and enjoy the view at the placard and there are also seats at the end of the boardwalk. A covering over the benches provides respite from the sun, allowing a longer time to soak in the sounds and sites. The floodplain moves under the boardwalk and this is a good vantage point to listen for gator growls. Fortunate visitors will see one.

Expect to see birds, too, including herons, egrets, ducks, ibises, cormorants, vultures, limpkins, anhingas, roseate spoonbills. Ospreys and bald eagles will be the icing on the cake. 

Paddling through Myakka

Kayaking and canoeing is a popular pastime on the Myakka River, and like many state parks which offer paddling adventures, visitors can rent equipment. And while much of the Myakka River is outside of the park, the portion in the park south of S.R. 72 requires the purchase of a paddling permit.

However, there are private vendors, like Wayne Adventures, that can handle the details for you. Operator Wayne Douchkoff regularly works with vision impaired children and teenagers, and also welcomes vision impaired adults on his paddling excursions.

Wayne Adventures’ guided Myakka River Paddle ($65) starts in the park. Paddlers glide along the slow-moving river through freshwater marshes, mangroves and floodplain forests. Guides provide information about the terrain along the way. Paddlers on the river are almost sure to encounter the sites and pounds of gators.

A call to Douchkoff in advance will allow him to share how he can accommodate special requests and tailor instructions to the paddler’s needs.

When You Go…

Myakka River State Park
13208 State Road 72
Sarasota FL 34241
941-361-6511

More Accessible Southwest Florida State Parks

These state parks also offer accessible features for visitors. State Park ADA coordinator Fred Beckham says to call the main number of the park before arrival to ask questions about accessibility. “If you tell them what you would like to get out of the visit, they will bend over backwards to get it to you,” he says.

Collier-Seminole State Park, Collier County

Collier-Seminole State Park’s location at the western edge of the Everglades gives visitors a unique vantage point to one of the world’s most unique — and wettest — ecosystems. Florida’s great mangrove swamp winds through the park and brings with it impressive wildlife.

The park is just 17 miles east of Naples so it’s an easy jaunt for a day trip but there are also camping facilities for those who want to stay longer. That gives them more time to see or hear alligators and crocodiles, white ibis, ospreys and wood storks, plus red-cockaded woodpeckers. So will a day spent paddling the Blackwater River.

The fairly short — less than 1 mile — Royal Hammock Nature Trail boardwalk is accessible to wheelchairs and other mobility assistive devices. It can be a bit slippery so people using canes should be cautious when the surface is wet. The boardwalk offers a gentle look at this wild landscape, starting under a hammock of tropical trees and leading to the mangroves at the edge of Florida Bay. The park also has a rare stand of impressive royal palms.

There is accessible fishing from the seawall at the park’s basin and interpretive exhibits at the Bockhouse. The Blockhouse is a re-creation of a fort from the Seminole Wars and the first floor has no steps and is open to the public.

One of the most unique features of Collier-Seminole State Park is that it is the site of a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark. A 1924 Bay City Walking Dredge, is on display. This dredge was used to build the Tamiami Trail — U.S. 41 — through the Everglades which helped connect the east and west coasts of Florida for travelers and commerce.

Lovers Key State Park, Lee County

Beaches and Florida are synonymous. It’s impossible to think about one without the other, thanks to Florida’s 1,630 miles of Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of America coastline. And, oh, what pretty beaches await travelers.

Lovers Key State Park Park in Lee County is that kind of beach. Visitors often spend time shelling and relaxing, while others explore the landscape on groomed trails. The state park is just over 700 acres and also includes the barrier islands of Black Key, Long Key and Inner Key. Once only reachable by boat, Lovers Key is now accessible by car.

The easy accessibility — plus the name — has turned Lovers Key into a popular wedding destination. The birds won’t be the only beauties wearing white.

As is the same at all state parks, service animals are welcome but pets are discouraged because they could disrupt the wildlife, including shorebirds.

Beaches can be difficult to traverse for people with mobility issues but trams from the parking lot plus an elevated boardwalk to the beach make getting to the sand easier. There are also beach and trail wheelchairs that can be used for free. Visitors should inquire at the ranger station or call ahead to ask about availability.

There is a new Discovery Center with interactive exhibits with lots of signage plus a wide veranda overlooking the mangrove. Snag one of the rocking chairs and you’ve got your own relaxing observation tower. Be on the lookout for bald eagles. Birds are most active at sunrise and sunset, and the discovery center is open until dusk so you might want to plan your visit toward the end of the day.

The elevated Discovery Center does not have an elevator but there is a long, sloping ramp that winds up to the facility.

Oscar Scherer State Park, Sarasota County

Oscar Scherer State Park is a small oasis in the midst of busy Sarasota County.

And for visitors with mobility issues, there are several welcoming features.

Pinewood flats, backwater South Creek and two freshwater lakes are stuffed into just two square miles. The park provides a haven for the endangered Florida scrub-jay, a blue beauty exclusive to Florida and whose numbers are dwindling. If you are lucky enough to see one, they may be perched in low bushes. Bring binoculars. They will help you spy nesting bald eagles, too.

Wheelchair users can traverse the half-mile Lester Finley Trail, a hard shell-packed trail that is mostly shaded by tree canopy. The trail passes two butterfly gardens, and sabal palms, Florida’s state tree, line the path. Benches and wide turnouts are placed along the way to offer places to rest and reflect.

For vision-impaired visitors, audio boxes provide information about the trail, which begins close to a parking lot.

There are other trails in the park with sandier surfaces that can be accessed with all-terrain wheelchairs and the park has one to loan free of charge. Call the ranger station ahead of time to reserve the chair which can be delivered to where it’s needed.

Also along the trail is a fishing pier with low railings that make it accessible to anglers casting lines from wheelchairs. Fish caught in the South Creek include snook, trout and redfish.

South Creek is also a popular spot for paddlers in canoes and kayaks. The watercraft can be rented at the park, and there is an accessible boat launch with wide steps, sturdy railings to grab and a large concrete surface.

Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park, Collier County

Heaven on earth. That’s what park manager Terrance Torvund calls Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park.

This slice — and we do mean slice — of heaven is what many travelers hope to discover when  they visit Florida. Locals are looking for pristine natural beaches, too. There’s a solid mile of undeveloped beach in the 199-acre park. It might even seem smaller to the naked eye since 80% of Delnor-Wiggins is underwater and mangrove swamp. Dolphins, manatees and sea turtles make their homes here.

The park is about six miles west of Interstate 75, northwest of Naples. There’s water all around the park: Gulf of America to the west, Cocohatchee River Estuary to the north and the Vanderbilt Channel provides the eastern boundary.

So, as you can imagine water activities, plus sunbathing and shelling, are the big attractions here. The Gulf waves tend to be gentle and floating on rafts lets visitors enjoy the water. And now, people with mobility challenges can also take part.

Delnor-Wiggins is now one of 10 state parks with WaterWheels, a three-wheeled assistive device that floats thanks in part to air-filled arm rests. It looks a bit like a reclining lawn chair, and its balloon–like wheels allow it to move through the sand, too. The floating beach wheelchair can be used for free and there is information at the ranger station about it. Again, call ahead.

There is a boardwalk that leads to the beach and (non-floating) beach wheelchairs with their balloon tires make getting to the water's edge easier. The chairs can be used for free.

Naples Beach Adventures has kayak and paddleboard rentals and also offers guided kayak tours in the park. Special considerations can be noted online when reserving a spot on the tour.

Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park, Collier County

Florida’s largest state park at 85,000 acres, Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park is a magical, mystical place. It is home to the ghost orchid, the central object of desire in Susan Orleans’ novel “The Orchid Thief” (1998).

Not many wade into the swamp far enough to see the beautiful flower which is elusive anyway, but there are still ways to get close enough to nature to make sense of the fascinating landscape. The park is generally accessed from Everglades City on U.S. 41 and is about 15 miles north of there.

Fakahatchee Strand is in Florida’s Everglades, which means it is mostly water. Some of that can be explored by canoes and kayaks, and fishing is also a popular pastime. The Friends of Fakahatchee offer guided adventures and they can be contacted about schedules and what accommodations they can offer.

The Big Cypress Boardwalk extends into the swamp for about 2,000 feet. Though it’s not necessarily long, the elevated boardwalk provides a vantage point for both flora and fauna. You can see rare wild royal palms plus strangler figs and native orchids (though not likely the ghost!). Birds such as herons and wood storks gather there and gators glide below.

The 11-mile hard-compact dirt bicycle trail is accessible to all-terrain bikes or for bikers who use recumbent bikes or even trikes with the appropriate wheels. Bikers on the Janes Memorial Scenic Drive can see various ecosystems, including pine forests, prairies and cypress domes.

The trail can be muddy with areas of standing water in the summer rainy season. Call the ranger station ahead of your visit to check on the state of the trail if you want to bike.

Koreshan State Park, Lee County

State parks generally evoke scenes of hiking, fishing and camping, but Koreshan State Park has something different to offer. Mainly, a glimpse into how a group of religious pioneers lived in the late 19th century. Oh, and there is hiking, fishing and camping, too.

A religious sect called the Koreshans moved to this spot on the Estero River in 1893. What is left of the large settlement are 11 restored buildings that can be toured. The Friends of Koreshan State Park lead regular guided tours, mostly on weekends. The Koreshans produced electricity for their own use and also supplied it to neighbors. Throughout the year, there are lectures and demonstrations about how the Koreshans lived and worked. Call ahead to request and inquire about listening assistive devices and the possibility of sign language interpretation.

There is a farmers market on the grounds on Sunday mornings. Winter and spring may be the best time to visit because a large part of the grounds is unshaded.

Buildings that are accessible via ramps are the art hall, founders house, Planetary Court, large machine chop, generator building and Cast Iron Cafe. There are some hard-packed trails that could accommodate all-terrain wheelchairs.

Besides viewing the building, there is ample opportunity to birdwatch because the park is home to about 100 species, including bald eagles, belted kingfishers and many wading birds. Slow-moving but impressive gopher tortoises are common in the park.