Sawgrass Lake Park: A Quiet, Shady Escape in St. Petersburg, Florida
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While St. Petersburg is most well-known for its’ proximity to some of the best beaches in the country (I love the quiet charm of Pass-a-Grille), it is also home to many wonderful parks and preserves. Really, the entire Tampa metropolitan area (especially Pinellas County) is loaded with incredible parks. Since moving here, I have found no shortage of great parks for birdwatching, nature walks, gator watching, and biking.
SawGrass Lake is one nice choice, especially during the summer season as the trails here are short and considerably shady. I wouldn’t recommend much more than a short stroll during the hot and humid summer season, as the extreme temps make anything much longer a miserable experience. Fortunately, there is a nice short boardwalk trail (about a mile long) where you can birdwatch and enjoy the natural surroundings.
A wildlife oasis
Wildlife sightings, particularly alligators, are common during the winter months. We learned on a recent tour that alligators prefer warm, not hot temperatures as this helps them maintain their ideal body temperature. This is why you are more likely to see them during Florida’s milder months. I often see them basking in the sun during this time. However, you are not completely out of luck during your summer visit, as we have seen gators at various Bay area parks during the peak of the summer season (especially Boyd Hill Nature Preserve and Myakka River State Park in Sarasota).
Bobcats are also occasionally reported, although they are nocturnal animals, so a sighting would be extremely rare. I’ve seen no evidence of cats anywhere in the Tampa metro region although it would be cool.
This is also a great birdwatching destination! It’s part of the Great Florida Birding trail, a large network of over 500 Florida birding sites. There are many parks in the metro which are great for birdwatching although this is one of my recommended picks. Fall and spring are the best times to birdwatch as this is when they migrate through the park. Over 200 species have been spotted here. Be on the lookout for short tailed hawk and black throated green warblers in the winter. For more info, check out the Florida Birding trail link above.
Regardless of whether or not you see wildlife, it’s worth visiting just to take a beautiful stroll along the boardwalk trail. It always exciting to walk across the Florida cypress swamps. This park is home to one of the largest maple swamps on the Gulf Coast. I love enjoying the diverse plant life here that I haven’t seen anywhere else – it keeps things interesting.
Watch where you walk as we came across so many huge spider webs on the boardwalk trail. As someone who is terrified of spiders, this was a bit scary. Check out this huge spider web! This was just one of dozens!
The observation tower
I’ve noticed that many parks in this metro have observing areas where you can enjoy great views of the water. After climbing a short staircase, you will get to enjoy scenic views of the lake.
A shady summer oasis
Sawgrass is a quiet little park, far away from the city and beach crowds, a perfect choice for those who are seeking a relaxing alternative to the beach. In my opinion, a nature walk at this preserve or any other for that matter is a much better option than spending your day sweating at a hot, overcrowded, noisy beach. I definitely prefer hiking and birdwatching at these beautiful little shady preserves over walking along the beach during the hot summer months. Do visit as early as possible in the morning (before 9am), as it is much too hot, humid, and sunny to enjoy the park at any other time. Of course, it is best to save your visit for the milder winter season.
So grab your picnic lunch and take a relaxing morning walk along the beautiful boardwalk path. Who knows what wildlife you may encounter on your visit! Enjoy the quiet setting away from the suburban strip malls and shops. This is a great place to get back to nature for an hour or 2.
Location: The park is located at: 7400 25th St N. in St. Petersburg. There is no parking or admission fee. Amenities include a small education center, a picnicking area, and restrooms.
