Alligator Creek Preserve at CHEC

Where freshwater and saltwater habitats meet along the edge of Charlotte Harbor, you’ll find Alligator Creek Preserve within Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park.

This outreach center and living laboratory in Punta Gorda are part of the Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center. Here, a salt breeze riffles across cypress domes close to the sea.

The kids will love the interactive exhibits in the Caniff Environmental Center, and if you pack a picnic lunch, there are several picnic benches in scenic spots along the Eagle Point Trail.

The trail system is made up of two loops and a connector. Along the hike, expect wildlife, especially anywhere there is water.

Alligator at the main pond

The Eagle Point Trail which loops through pine flatwoods and scrubby flatwoods before circling a needlerush marsh and freshwater lake.

The Flatwoods Trail sends you into pine flatwoods dotted with cypress domes. The Three Lakes Trail leads out to the edge of several mangrove-lined lagoons.

Resources

South Florida Explorers Guide book cover

Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State book cover

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Overview

Location: Punta Gorda
Length: 2.8 miles in two loops
Trailhead: 26.874084,-82.027217
Address: 10941 Burnt Store Road, Punta Gorda
Fees: Free
Restroom: at the environmental center
Land manager: Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center
Phone: 941-575-5435

Trails open sunrise to sunset. Leashed dogs permitted but be aware of alligators on the preserve.

Gates open Mon-Fri 8-4. When the gates are closed, walk in from the trailhead along the entrance road.

The environmental center gift shop and restrooms are open 9-3 Mon-Fri from Nov-mid Apr.

While Alligator Creek Preserve is on lands managed by Florida State Parks, primary responsibility for the environmental center and trails is with the Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center.

Founded in 1987, this nonprofit organization is always looking for members and volunteers. Learn how you can help.

Directions

From Interstate 75 exit 161, head west on CR 768 for 1.3 miles, which becomes CR 765 (Burnt Store Rd) just before crossing US 41. Continue another 1.2 miles to the park entrance on the right. It may be necessary to park outside the gate and walk in.

Hike

Start your hike on the Eagle Point Trail, which begins to the right of the boardwalk near the restrooms.

Walk past the picnic benches to the blue and white “Trail” sign, and duck into the cabbage palm hammock.

Beginning of the Eagle Point Trail

The trail continues onto a bridge over a small stream, where yellow blooms of tickseed add splashes of color on the edges. On the other side of the bridge you enter the cabbage palm flatwoods.

Follow the arrows up to the “South Florida Flatwoods” sign. The habitat yields to scrubby flatwoods, with laurel oak, myrtle oak, and wax myrtle joining saw palmetto in the understory.

At 0.3 mile, a spur trail leads to the left down to a canopied bench with a view of a salt marsh crowded with black needlerush. When you return to the main trail, turn left.

Mangroves and salt marsh

The trail continues along the eastern edge of the marsh. Duck under the buttonwood as you come up to a T intersection.

On the right are a few picnic benches on the edge of Alligator Creek, along with a canoe access point.

Turn left and cross the high bridge over the creek, looking down at the white mangroves crowding the shores.

Mangroves along Alligator Creek

On the far side, you come to a fork. Keep right. Meandering through hammocks of live oaks and cabbage palms, the trail reaches a picnic bench at 0.7 mile, next to a dense stand of myrsine.

Reaching a T intersection, the trail turns left directly in front of a dark pond reflecting the cabbage palms crowding around it.

Crossing a park access road along the Eagle Point Trail

At the next trail junction, keep right as the trail returns to cabbage palm flatwoods, skirting the edge of a large freshwater marsh.

The Caniff Environmental Center looms in front of you. Off to the left is a small building that serves as a bird blind.

Duck inside, and take advantage of the one-way glass to watch warblers, sparrows, and Baltimore orioles visiting the various feeders. Bird identification guides help you in your task.

This sign is near the bird blind. They mean it.

As you approach the back of the environmental center, you’ve hiked 0.9 mile.

You can walk through the center and back out to the parking lot, or continue your hike by turning right to follow the Flatwoods Trail.

The trail crosses a bridge. At the fork, keep right to walk down to the observation deck along the pond.

Check the pond edges for sunning alligators

When you return to the main trail, turn right, and right again at the next bench. The T intersection at 1 mile marks the beginning of the next trail loop. Turn right.

The Flatwoods Trail winds through the cabbage palm flatwoods, carving a path through the thick jumble of saw palmetto and wax myrtle.

At marker 18, the trail comes to another T intersection. The Flatwoods Trail goes to the left; turn right to follow the outer loop, the Three Lakes Trail.

Following the Three Lakes Trail, you walk through a series of palm hammocks along the edge of the estuary. Keep alert as to the twists and turns.

At 1.3 miles, you reach the first of several boardwalks connecting the hammocks. It crosses a small waterway.

A mangrove-ringed lake lies off to your right. The next boardwalk starts just beyond a bench.

Sea myrtle and white mangroves crowd in closely as you cross. Surrounded by Spanish bayonets, a bench sits beneath a live oak covered in wild pine and resurrection fern.

The trail continues on to another boardwalk, this one tunneling through the mangroves to reach the edge of a broad lake, where a strong salt and silt aroma fills the air.

Crossing the final bridge, you return to the cabbage palm flatwoods.

After 1.8 miles, the trail reaches a T intersection with the Flatwoods Trail. Turn right to continue around the loop.

Crossing a bridge over a dark canal lined with white mangroves, the trail drops down into an area lined with sawgrass.

At the next T intersection, turn left. When you reach 2 miles, a sign ahead of you says “Not a Trail.” Turn left to follow the footpath, passing marker 24 before you emerge at a picnic bench.

The trail crosses a bridge and re-enters the flatwoods as a corridor through the saw palmetto. Continuing into a palm hammock with a picnic bench at 2.3 miles, the trail curves to the left.

You can see the environmental center in the distance. Within moments, you’re back at the beginning of the loop, facing an “End of Trail” sign. Turn right. At the T intersection, turn left.