cooter pond park

I found it heartening to discover this little slice of marshland, full of wildlife, thriving in a fully developed area right beside a highway. We spent a wonderful couple of hours on the boardwalk photographing the animals that came into close range, including coots, moorhens, herons, turtles and alligators, all of which seemed oblivious to their human audience. Nature lovers visiting the area shouldn't miss this.

We have a house within walking distance of this park so we go there nearly every day. It's beautiful and relaxing. Families picnic here all the time. Plenty of wildlife including ducks, cooters (turtles), gators and sometimes a snake or two. Cyprus trees, lily pads, and respite from the heat.

The boardwalk is wonderful and affords great views of the wildlife and scenery. We saw an alligator, several turtles and a lot of fish.

This small park is accessed through the parking lot of the Citrus County Sheriff's office on Park Avenue in downtown Inverness. It is mostly boardwalks over Cooter Pond. It is small and quaint and full of wildlife. While here two weeks ago we say two small (~ 5') alligators, one floating in the clear water, another resting in the brush. We also saw some turtles and a variety of birds. It only takes about 20 minutes or so to walk, but it is a welcome respite if in town doing business or passing through.