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This 24,565-acre
reserve was purchased in 1982 for the purposes of developing a
well field to provide drinking water for the County. The
remaining acreage was set aside for natural resource protection
and nature based recreation.
While exploring the Reserve’s network of trails, visitors may
see diverse natural communities- including dry prairie, pine
flatwoods, mesic hammocks and seasonal wetlands. Visitors can
also observe white-tailed deer, wild turkey, bobcats,
swallow-tailed kites, various wading birds and an assortment of
wildflowers, such as pine lily, tarflower and purple iris.
Non-native feral hogs, commonly seen on the reserve, compete
with native wildlife for food and their rooting for plants and
insects disturbs sensitive soil ecosystems. Because of the
detrimental impacts that feral hog population have on native
species and natural communities a trapping program is in place
to reduce their numbers.
The preserve has more than eighty miles of hiking trails,
including the twelve mile long Myakka Island Wilderness Trail,
which connects the Carlton Reserve with Myakka River State Park.
Equestrian trails are also provided though a negative Coggins
test is required for all horses that enter the Reserve. Most
trail intersections are marked with numbered trail markers. Some
trails may flood after heavy rainfall and several trails that
cross creeks and ditches may be wet year round.
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A canoe
launch to the Myakka River can be accessed from Border Road,
just before the Reserve entrance.
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The Public Park at the
Reserve has ample parking, picnic tables, a visitor’s cabin,
and interpretive nature trails for shorter hikes.
Preserve
hours are:
7:30 a.m. – 8 p.m., April through October
7:30 a.m. – 6 p.m., November through March
Birds of Carlton
Land Management Plan for the T Mabry
Carlton, Jr. Memorial Reserve
2.25 MB
(Graphics
associated with the land management plan will be coming
soon. Stay tuned for more!)
For more
information about the Carlton Reserve, call
941-861-5000 and ask for Natural Resources.
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