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Marshes at Jones Avenue STA Lake Apopka North Shore

Jones Avenue Stormwater Park

With both wetlands and open water that attract birds, Jones Avenue Stormwater Park filters runoff from the neighboring community while providing wildlife habitat

Lake Apopka North Shore  |  Mount Dora
( 28.730071, -81.624378 )      0.8 miles

Built to treat runoff from the surrounding urbanizing area near Zellwood, Jones Avenue Stormwater Treatment Area consists of a 17-acre detention pond and a 20-acre wetland.

On the outer part of the park, the detention pond collects stormwater. The man-made wetland on the west side of the park filters it.

As this water is released, it flows into the Lake Level Canal and into Lake Apopka. This site is part of the Lake Apopka North Shore Restoration Area.


Resources

Central Florida Orlando Explorers Guide book cover

Disclosure: As authors and affiliates, we receive earnings when you buy these through our links. This helps us provide public information on this website.

Overview

Location: Mount Dora
Length: 0.8 mile loop
Address: 2990 Lake Level Canal Rd, Mount Dora FL
Trailhead: 28.730071, -81.624378
Fees: None
Restrooms: None
Land manager: St. Johns River Water Management District
Phone: 386-329-4404

Sunrise to sunset daily. Leashed dogs allowed. Bicycles permitted, but the nature trail is a very grassy berm around the wetlands and may be overgrown if not mowed recently.

Jones Avenue Stormwater Park

Cyclists should follow the rules of the road: do not enter and ride Wildlife Drive from this gate since it is a one-way road exiting at this point.

There is a separate pedestrian entrance to this park to the left of the gate. Don’t walk or ride through the vehicle gate if it is open after a car leaves, since it could close and hurt you.


Directions

From Apopka, follow US 441 north to Zellwood. Turn west on Jones Avenue. Turn left at the Lake Apopka Restoration Area sign.
 
Do not drive into the park through the gate: it is a one-way exit from the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive. Instead, park on the right in the small lot next to the canal.
Old Lake Apopka Restoration Area sign Old sign marking the entrance


Hike

From the parking area, walk through the gap in the fence and up to the kiosk.

You’ll find an aerial photo of the stormwater park on one side of the kiosk, and a map of Lake Apopka North Shore on the other.

We didn’t find any markings to lead you down the nature trail at Jones Avenue STA, but the mowed path was obvious. Refer to the aerial photo on the kiosk.

Jones Avenue STA Kiosk Kiosk at Jones Avenue STA


It simply follows the berm between the outer pond and the inner wetlands area that adjoins Wildlife Drive, making a loop around the inner wetlands.

A prominent osprey nest sits atop a power pole to the left. Walking up to the berm above the detention pond, survey the view. Alligators may be hidden in the dense vegetation below.

Osprey nest Osprey nest along Jones Avenue


Follow the berm to the right. The pond has a great deal of wetlands vegetation around its edges as well as open water, so birding opportunities are good here.

At a curve in the berm, the trail crosses a metal plate over a culvert where waters from the pond are released into the wetlands.

The berm traces the sinuous outline of the inner forested wetland with its willow marshes. The pond remains on your left. You cross another culvert halfway through the hike.

Jones Avenue stormwater nature trail Along the nature trail between pond and willow marsh wetlands


When you get to a T intersection, turn right. From here, you can look across the Lake Apopka Restoration Area to the south.

As it reaches Wildlife Drive, the berm turns right and heads north, affording views across the forested wetlands on your right.

The nature trail loop ends as you come off the berm and down to the kiosk to exit.

Jones Avenue STAThese wetlands filter stormwater runoff from surrounding roads


Trail Map

Lake Apopka North Shore Map Lake Apopka North Shore Trail Map (SJRWMD). Jones Avenue STA is upper right.


Explore More!

Lake Apopka North Shore

Learn more about this vast restoration area along the north shore of Lake Apopka of which this trailhead and trails are a part.
 
Lake Apopka North Shore

Lake Apopka North Shore

Across two counties and along the entire north rim of Florida’s fourth-largest lake, this 20,000 acre conservation area is a sweep of wildlife-rich marshes


Nearby Adventures

More worth exploring while you’re in this area.

Car with bikes on Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive

Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive

A dedicated driving route through vast wetlands along the Lake Apopka North Shore, Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive is one of Florida’s best birding locations

Cyclists along Lake Apopka Loop Trail levee

Lake Apopka Loop Trail

Discover the wild heart of Central Florida on a ride along the Lake Apopka Loop Trail, an arc spanning two counties along the lake’s north shore

Shady trail at Trimble Park

Trimble Park

A 1.3-mile nature trail at Trimble Park near Mount Dora offers a family-friendly outdoor adventure beneath ancient oaks and cypresses along the shorelines of two lakes

Kelly Loop Trail at Rock Springs

Kelly Park

Tubing down Rock Springs Run is why most folks show up at Kelly Park, but the Kelly Loop Trail is a nice dry way to see the waterway and wildlife.


Trail Map (PDF) Official Website

Category: Hikes, Nature Trails, Places, Trails, Water Management Areas, Wetlands ParksTag: Apopka, Birding, Lake Apopka, Lake Apopka North Shore, Mount Dora, Wildlife Viewing

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