Sunday Drive Blog

“A Little Sanctuary at The Little Manatee River State Park” by geoMan2020

Does anyone use US 301 anymore? I’m referring to the two-lane road north of the Manatee River, running towards Riverview, the one of principally three ways to travel to and from Tampa from SW Florida, that is, years ago prior to the completion of I-75 in 1993. The two alternatives at the time were US 41 on the eastern shore of Tampa Bay and US 19 on the Skyway Bridge.

The next time I-75 grinds to a halt, again, near Parrish, you may find yourself on good ol’ 301. And this would be a good time to notice a gem of a state park with “one of the most pristine backwater rivers in Southwest Florida” (floridastateparks.org). Located on US 301, 6 miles north of Moccasin Wallow Road, the Little Manatee River State Park (LMRSP) offers rare ecosystems, unique natural communities, and perhaps best of all, tranquility amid a pandemic. The entrance is so non-descript you will think you took a wrong turn, sorry, Mickey and Minnie do not greet you here, and then the winding road into the park, like a time machine, transports you back to an earlier Florida, a 1930s Florida when agriculture, pastures, a pine plantation, a homestead, a fish camp occupied a xeric hammock (FDEP, 1999). Self-guided trails immerse you in plateaus and ridges, flatwoods and prairies, all characteristic of Southwestern Flatwoods District physiography (Brown et al., 1990).

The Little Manatee River appears more like a creek than a river at this stage but the Little Manatee River Watershed in the SWFWMD extends over 40 miles from a swamp near Ft. Lonesome to its mouth on Cockroach Bay on Tampa Bay. During its 4.5 miles (7.3 km.) crossing of the park, the river cuts through flatwood soils. You do not need to know that under your feet you are walking on the fine sands of Myakka, Winder, Felda, Orsino, and Archbold from the Myakka-Immokalee- Pomello and Myakka-Basinger-Holopaw soil units (Doolittle et. Al. 1989). But we are scientists and like to impress, right? The river, like a younger sibling to the much larger Manatee River to the south, disguised under pine and palm canopies, flows peacefully, offering sanctuary to a wherry traveler isolated by an insidious pandemic.

If it’s a shortcut, why are we in such a rush. It’s already a shorter trip, right? You’ll get there. Next time take the long way. Slow down. And while you are taking the long way, a longcut so to speak, experience an environmental mental break at the Little Manatee River State Park. You with Nature, no distancing required, will be glad you did!

Resource: Myers, J.H., Jr., & Wunderlin, R.P., (2003). Vascular flora of Little Manatee River State Park. Southern Appalachian Botanical Society. (JSTOR http://www.jstor.com/ stable/4034157)

Visit the Little Manatee River State Park Website: https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/little-manatee-river-state-park Coming up next in Sunday Drives series: “Take a Peek at Peck Sink”