Along the Myakka River immediately south of Interstate 75, Sleeping Turtles Preserve South protects 212 acres of uplands and wetlands.
Sitting east of River Road and its burgeoning subdivisions, it is one of a chain of preserves dedicated to buffering the river’s floodplain.
Pathway through the pine flatwoodsIt doesn’t focus on the river basin. Instead, its main 1.4 mile loop circles a 20 acre lake, a former quarry.
The lake looks natural now, but was dug nearly fifty years ago when limestone was mined for the roadbed of the interstate.
One of many perspectives of the lakeWhile the trail network extends as spokes off the main loop and includes a southerly loop, the best hike on its trail system is to circle the lake.
Trails radiate through pine flatwoods and hammocks, but none reach the Myakka River.
Palm hammock edging the floodplainResources
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Overview
Location: Venice
Length: 1.4 miles
Trailhead: 27.106340, -82.346021
Address: 2800 River Rd, Venice
Fees: Free
Restroom: At the trailhead
Land Manager: Sarasota County
Phone: 941-861-5000
Open 6 AM to sunset. No dogs permitted. Sheltered picnic tables are provided near the lake.
Although there are no posted restrictions on bikes and equestrians appear to be permitted, there’s an entry stile making it difficult for either to enter.
No kiosk was in place when we visited and the map box was empty. If not for printing a map before our visit, it would’ve been difficult to puzzle out a route. An additional loop lies south of this one.
We took this upper loop clockwise, but counterclockwise gets you to the picnic tables right away.
Directions
From Interstate 75 exit 191, River Rd, drive south to the turnout in front of the gas station just south of the interstate. Make a left across the northbound lanes of River Rd to the right lane and pull into the small graveled trailhead parking corral.
Hike
Walk through the zigzag of the stile to enter the preserve. Head due south down a broad grassy corridor parallel to River Rd but within the forest.
In a tenth of a mile, a grassy junction at Marker 8 has a path to the left and a narrow two-track straight ahead towards a picnic shelter.
Approaching the loop junctionUnsurprising in light of the alligator warning sign, blue water shimmers just beyond the trees.
Turn left to begin a clockwise loop, skimming close to the water’s edge, revealed as palm fronds rustle in the breeze.
Broad path along the north shore of the lakeThe broad grassy path hugs close to the lake in a scrim of hardwood hammock on the rim of the pine flatwoods.
Minor glimpses of the water’s expanse through the vegetation finally resolve to a panorama framed by Virginia willows at a quarter mile.
First clear glimpse of the lakeNudging into the pine flatwoods, the trail is accompanied with an ever-increasing soundtrack of traffic as it approaches the north boundary of the preserve.
Nearing Interstate 75, the north end of the lake is shallower, a vast willow marsh behind a screen of trees on its bluff.
A willow marsh looms behind the treesWalk through a palm hammock at a half mile, emerging under the tall pines. Turn east onto a narrow two-track paralleling the interstate.
Enter a lush hardwood hammock canopied by live oaks. A marker at a grassy crossroad confirms this route.
Lush hammockA stand of cabbage palms yields to the wiggly forms of sand live oaks above a thicket of saw palmetto.
Cross a second grassy road, a service road at the north end of the preserve, at 0.7 miles. Interstate traffic zips past immediately north.
Sand live oaksPass Marker 5, the footpath narrowing and edging close to the willow marsh at a culvert. Curving south, pass a grassy track leaving this canopy of forest.
At this closest point to the Myakka River floodplain, there may be soggy spots in the trail.
Marker 5Pines rise tall above a thick understory beyond this rim of hardwoods along the lake. Reach a bench sheltered under the trees.
At 0.9 miles, pause for the view over open water. Beyond the bench, the breadth of the lake becomes visible through a thin understory.
Bench with a viewCarpeted in pine needles, the pathway remains pleasant and largely shaded as it circles the lake.
A low bluff offers a broad view of the water, the far shore outlined by tall pines.
View north across the lakeMerging into the linear path on the west side of the preserve at Marker 9 at 1.1 miles, turn right.
This well-worn two-track approaches the picnic shelters, meeting a bench first. It sits at another splendid overlook on the lakeshore.
Bench near the picnic tablesPast two picnic shelters is an opening to the water’s edge. This final look at the lake exposes the sheer size of it, its marshy northern extent now obvious on the far shore.
Closing the loop at the junction with the alligator warning sign, continue straight north up the broad grassy corridor, reaching the trailhead at 1.4 miles.
The distant break is where the marshes lieTrail Map
Explore More!
Video
Hiking Sleeping Turtles South
Slideshow
See our photos from Sleeping Turtles South
Nearby Adventures
Sleeping Turtles Preserve North Named for a feature on old navigational maps, Sleeping Turtles Preserve North provides great views of the Myakka River from its bluffs. 
Carlton Reserve Hiking Trails Explore open prairies, wetlands, and pine flatwoods on a series of nested loop trails within the vast expanse of Carlton Reserve north of Venice.
Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park Along a 2.1 mile loop largely under a lush canopy of live oaks and cabbage palms, circle a deeply eroded basin holding sinuous Myakkahatchee Creek, also known as Big Slough. 
Big Slough Preserve Adjoining Carlton Reserve, Myakka River State Park, and Walton Reserve, Big Slough Preserve provides a vast space for wildlife to roam north of North Port.
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