Explore a lush hammock along the Caloosahatchee River at the LaBelle Nature Park, a quiet passive park in the city of LaBelle. Interpretive signs present information about the trees and plants that grow beneath the shade of the bromeliad-draped live oaks and tall cabbage palms, and there are benches to perch on to watch the birds. This small park sits on a bluff along the river and a tributary, and includes several habitats along its deeply shaded trail system. Keep alert for wildlife—I encountered an active gopher tortoise burrow along one of the trails!
Resources
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Overview
Location: LaBelle
Length: 0.5 mile
Lat-Long: 26.765231, -81.445892
Type: Loops … and loops … and loops
Fees / Permits: none
Difficulty: easy to moderate
Bug factor: low to moderate
Restroom: no
There are so many cross trails and loop trails inside this park that you can spend hours going in circles! The outer loop is only half a mile, but utilizing the broad variety of trails through the hammocks, you can walk a good mile through the park. Invasive species, especially air potato, are an issue here, but volunteers are working their way through the park to remove them. This is an important location for environmental education in Hendry County.
Directions
From SR 80 in LaBelle, turn north onto Hardee Street across from City Hall. Continue to the end of the street and make a left. The park entrance and trailhead parking is immediately on your left.
