Polk's Nature Discovery Center

"We absolutely love this place! Beautiful spot to walk and view so nature at its finest. You'll see gators, armadillo, raccoon, rabbits, turtles, and many different species of birds. Parking is free. There are several different trails within the Reserve. No pets are allowed so beware of that ahead of time before bringing your dog with you for the walk."

"Favorite walk in Florida is Alligator Alley here at Circle Bar B, home to Stubby, the short-tailed Alligator. The trail is 2 miles around this southern ambiance marsh with adjacent Hancock Lake. Free entry, good parking, level trails but not good for wheelchairs or walkers, but good for older people with canes. Good restrooms only at the trailhead. No facilities otherwise. Give it 2-3 hours."

"Circle B Bar Ranch preserve. I hesitated to give this a good review. I love this place. It's peaceful, and full of diverse wildlife. I'd hate to see it spoiled by overcrowded conditions, but such is life. If you're looking for alligators, you'll see them up close and personal. Trails can be narrow, between lakes. No pets allowed, for good, and obvious, reasons. Well maintained, and plenty of parking."

"Every time we come here we love walking the trails. Was very disappointed to see a couple guys disturbing a gator while their children looked on. We did report the incident but I didn't take a picture of the guys, so the samtaff couldn't do anything. We did learn however that due to increased human interaction/interference with the gators they had to close gator alley. Hopefully when we go back it will be open again."

"We had our end of year Trek Ten Trails ceremony here the other day. The hikes at Circle B are fabulous. There are not too long but they can be if you like a more intense challenge. The meeting room at the center fits about 40 to 50 people. Everything is clean and they have good audio/video options. There is an indoor room but there's also a screened in porch area if you prefer more fresh air. This place provides a good experience whatever your mission."