I love walking at least two miles a day. It is my way of staying healthy, getting my steps in, and making sure I take time for myself so I can recenter, but once a week, I try to head to Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park for my walk where I can connect to not only my mind but nature.
The name Myakkahatchee is Seminole in origin, coming from “miarca” meaning big water, and “hatch” meaning river. There is also evidence that the Calusa and other tribes have been hunting this river valley for 10,000 years or more, so there is history and a sense of connecting to the past on this walk.
WHERE AND HOW LONG
Myakkahatchee Creek State Park is located at 6968 Reisterstown Rd, in North Port, and is open from 6 am until sunset. You can reach the park via I-75 and Sumter Blvd. The park has 168 acres of nature that visitors can explore, including 3.7 miles of trails available for a variety of activities and so much more.
The trail is broken down into three trail colors, yellow, which is the main trail, and red and white, which are offshoots. To visit the PDF version of the map and park information, click the map image below.
HOW YOU CAN ENJOY THE PARK
There are a variety of ways you can enjoy this little piece of paradise. You can obviously explore the canopy on foot, but this park also allows you to enjoy it by horseback, or mountain bike. With a variety of ways to enjoy the rustic windy trails, it is wise to keep an eye out for bikers, walkers, and horses (and their gifts) when you move along the trail or turn corners quickly. This is also a dog-friendly park, but keep in mind that all dogs must be kept on a hand-held leash, not only for the safety of other visitors but for the safety of your dog.
WHAT YOU WILL FIND AND EXPERIENCE
As a visitor, beyond the trails, you can take advantage of the primitive camping, sheltered picnic areas, picnic tables, and areas where you can fish, sit, or just enjoy the wildlife or bird watch. Amongst the wildlife in the park, you may find alligators, wild boars, deer, squirrels, opossums, armadillos, lizards, and a variety of birds such as crows, sandhill cranes, black vultures, and red-shouldered hawks to name a few.
When you are not looking for wildlife, you can find a variety of vegetation from magical oaks to Cabbage Palms, Pine Flatwoods, wildflowers, and various vines and ferns, some being invasive. As always, be mindful of poison ivy and stay on the trail.
THE COLOR OF THE WATER
The water in the creek tends to be a nice burnt orange color yet perfectly clear, why is that? Well, the color you see is referred to as tannin. This color comes from the leaves, roots, and detritus falling into the stream or leaching into the soil from the trees and vegetation that hang over the creek. Detritus is waste and debris, such as sand, silt, and organic matter that is produced by the decomposition of organisms. Tannins are only an aesthetic issue and pose no health hazards. Though some may find this an unappealing color to look at, simply because they may not be used to it, I find it an interesting and pretty twist to the typical water we see in other states, like Washington. I think it is rather pretty and cool to see.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO BOOST YOUR EXPERIENCE
2.09 miles. 45:23 min. 219 kcal.
Screenshot by Kelley McGuire
If you walk as often as I do, you learn to take advantage of the time and or multi-task. When I walk Myakkahatchee, I bring my day pack with a water bladder, phone, sometimes my go-pro, pocket knife with a line cutter, bear mace, hat, proper shoes, bug spray, and my earbuds.
Of course, you can listen to music, youtube videos (audio only, eyes on the road), podcasts, and my favorite, audiobooks. I have enjoyed pretty much everything I listed with my most recent books being the Art of War by Sun Tzu and The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius.
As I mentioned, the trails are divided into three colors, yellow, red, and white. I take all three, but I do not backtrack so my mileage ends up being about 2.11 to 2.33 depending on if I walk a little in the camping and picnic area. I usually walk at a steady brisk pace, with purpose, but not rushing. In all, it takes me about 45 min to complete my walk, so I accomplish a lot with my audiobooks, which I listen to during my weekly walks as well. I don’t listen to my music or books at high volume. You need to be able to hear the sounds going on around you. I listen at conversation level and make sure that I can hear the wind hit the trees.
Along the trail, there are two benches and two bridges along the path. I tend to not stop at the first bench because it is very close to the beginning of the trail, but I will stop and take a moment at each bridge and sit for a moment on the second bench where I will stop my book and enjoy the moment. There are some areas along the creek that are clear allowing you to walk up to the edge and admire the creek. I always proceed with caution because you never know what will be at the water’s edge.
Another way you can increase your experience is to do exercises along the way. Stop every so often and do some calisthenics. You can increase the workout by jogging instead of walking, but again, be mindful of what might be around the bend and if you hear horses, slow down early so as not to spook them. You can also walk or jog the trail more than once if you need more out of your time. The park is exceptionally clean, but if you are so inclined, bring a bag, a glove, or a grabber and pick up trash along the way. It is always a great way to pay back the experience nature provides for you.
AT THE END OF THE TRAIL
Though I love going to Myakkahatchee Creek for my weekly nature walk, I am looking for more nearby locations. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to share with me either by email or reach out on Instagram at Salty_Seananigans, and don’t forget to visit and follow on TikTok for more videos like this one. If you want to learn more about our different systems and live in the state, consider taking courses in the Florida Master Naturalist Program. You can learn more here.
Stay Salty and Stay Connected
Kelley
RESOURCES
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