Celebrate Gopher Tortoise Day with a guided hike!
Since 2016, early April has seen "Gopher Tortoise Day" as a day to celebrate the Gopher Tortoise. Come learn about this keystone species and why they're easy to love. Foraging on grasses and digging deep burrows, these long-lived tortoises live throughout Florida and can be seen in many of our Conservation Parks.
Learn about gopher tortoises, their habitats, how they're a keystone species, how you can protect them and more on a guided hike lead by Ranger Jonathan and Ranger Oscar. You'll start at Lithia Springs Conservation park and hike through the Fishhawk Creek North Nature Preserve. This hike is about 3.2 miles of varying difficulty but provide a wide range of sights and experiences. Hopefully, hikers will be able to enjoy a chance to see a live gopher tortoise on their hike!
Things to know
- There is a $5 event fee and a $2 park entry fee
- Multiple forms of payment are accepted
- Weather related cancellations are possible
- Participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult (minimum age 10)
- Hike length: 3.2 miles
- Maximum number of participants: 20
Things to bring
- Snacks
- Sunglasses
- Big spray
- Water in refillable container
- Closed-toe shoes
- Sunscreen
- Binoculars and/or camera
Contact
If you have any questions, please email Ashley Martin or call (813) 365-5275.