|
David Birdsall, South Florida Water
Management District |
Lake Marion Creek WMA consists of more than
8,000 acres north and east of Lake Marion in Polk County 5 miles
east of Haines City on SR 580. The land was purchased by the
South Florida Water Management District and Polk County to
protect water and other natural resources. Most of the area is
hardwood swamp, which makes hunting and other recreational
activities challenging. Lake Marion remains
a good spot for squirrel hunting. Horseback riding is
prohibited, and bicycling is permitted only with a special-use
license from the South Florida Water Management District.
Camping is prohibited during hunting seasons and permitted at
other times only with a special-use license from the South
Florida Water Management District (800) 250-4250. There are
hiking trails from the following designated entrances: Snell
Creek, Huckleberry Island, Baltic Road, and Horse Creek.
Fishing is available on Snell Creek.
White-tailed deer,
feral hogs,
wading birds (including
white ibis,
little blue heron,
great blue heron, and
great egret),
scrub-jays, and
gopher tortoises are some of the wildlife that can be
observed on the area. You may also find the tracks of
sand
skinks in the white scrub sands. |
