Tucked off one of Polk County’s back roads, about an hour from Orlando, are trails flush with towering oaks and lively wildlife.
Spanning more than seven miles through Circle B Bar Reserve, the trails are a nature-lover’s gem on the edge of one of the county’s largest lakes. Hikers can watch birds flutter, snakes slither and spiders scurry. But it’s the alligators that typically draw the most visitors. And there are lots, and lots of gators.
When visiting, friends and I like to play a game called Log or Gator, deciphering between fallen logs and gators, and counting how many of the scaly creatures we can find.
During a recent afternoon hike, we spotted 15 confirmed gators. Most were swimming in the lake or lounging in a canal. One, though, wasn’t more than a few feet off the trail.
It was thrill, but just a little too close for comfort.
Stephanie Allen covers breaking news at the Orlando Sentinel. She can be reached at [email protected].