Featured attraction: Lee County's state parks

Lovers Key State Park

As the Florida State Parks system celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, now is a good time to visit the five state parks in Lee County: Lovers Key State Park, Estero Bay Preserve State Park, Mound Key Archaeological State Park, Koreshan State Historic Site and Cayo Costa State Park. All are attractions of The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel.

Visit www.floridastateparks.org and www.friendsoffloridastateparks.com to learn more about the 75-year history of Florida State Parks and about how people are celebrating throughout the state with photo contests, events and more.

One of the most prominent of local state parks, Lovers Key State Park, is a pristine barrier island near Fort Myers Beach. Visitors enjoy hiking or biking along the trails, shelling, kayaking and wildlife viewing. Accessible by foot, car or boat, the park offers bathhouses, concessions, shaded picnic areas and ranger-guided programs. Also from Lovers Key, visitors can access the adjacent Estero Bay Preserve State Park, the first aquatic preserve established in Florida, which includes 10 miles of Estero Bay waterways.

Several miles away accessible only by boat is the Mound Key Archaelogical State Park. Mound Key is believed to have been the ceremonial center of the Calusa Indians when the Spaniards first attempted to colonize southwest Florida. The more than 30-feet of mounds were formed with an accumulation of seashells, fish bones and pottery.

Mound Key also is a boat-ride away from the other Lee County state park, Koreshan State Historic Site. Settled in 1894, the site is a religious settlement that boasted 50 buildings at one time, 11 of which still remain, including the Bakery, Art Hall and the restored home of founder Cyrus Reed Teed. Koreshan is a nationally recognized historic site, where visitors enjoy activities such as biking, boating, birding and camping.

Cayo Costa State Park features nine miles of beaches and acres of pine forest, oak-palm hammocks and mangrove swamps. A barrier island nestled between the Gulf of Mexico and Pine Island Sound, Cayo Costa is accessible only by boat. For overnight stays, the park offers primitive cabins and tent camping.

For more information on each of these parks, and other city and regional parks in Lee County, visit http://www.fortmyers-sanibel.com/articles/parks-primer-nature-wildlife-recreation-hotspots.

Home Page