Walk the Trails to the Shore at Lovers Key State Park
There are more than just beaches at Lovers Key. Wander over five miles of trails and explore the beauty of the park.
Beyond the two-mile long beach of Lovers Key, most visitors do not realize the park has over five miles of multi-use trails, including the Black Island Trail. If you are traveling by foot or bicycle, you can experience almost total seclusion along the trail, only met by some of the park’s amazing wildlife.
A few yards into the trail, discover a stunning butterfly garden featuring zebra longwings, swallowtails, monarchs and other butterflies. Lovers Key’s beautiful back waters teem with wildlife. Many species of egrets and herons wade and fish along the water’s edge. Overhead, ospreys soar while searching for prey. Keep an eye out for the gopher tortoise that is often spotted munching on the vegetation that grows along the trail edges. Some lucky visitors may spot a manatee or dolphin swimming through the water.
The Black Island Trail features three cut-throughs that can shorten 2.6-mile hike. However, visitors who are up for adventure continue forward to the fresh water pond, where alligators sunbathe and swim.
