An Afternoon at Largo Central Park Nature Preserve

Shaded boardwalk at Largo Central Park Nature Preserve

I had been to Largo Central Park Nature Preserve once before, last year with my sister. Of the parks we visited, this one was her favorite. Mine was Eagle Lake. She never made it to Kapok, so I still say she didn’t get a fair chance to choose.

Coming back on my own this afternoon, I remembered why she liked this little preserve so much.

Tucked away in the middle of Largo, it doesn’t look like much from the outside. A short walk from the entrance leads to a large pond, with a wooden boardwalk circling the water. The pond is easily the highlight of the park. It is open enough to watch the birds, but still surrounded by enough trees and greenery to feel quiet and hidden from the city.

This time, I decided to walk the loop twice.

On my first trip around, I focused on the bigger picture — the boardwalk, the pond, the trees, and the way the path curved through the greenery. The afternoon sun was bright and harsh, but the shade from the trees created little pockets of softer light along the way.

There was plenty of wildlife to keep me looking.

Anhingas and cormorants moved around the pond, along with white ibis and common gallinules. Softshell turtles and pond sliders surfaced here and there in the water. At one point, I spotted a limpkin standing on the boardwalk railing, calmly preening as if it had chosen the perfect place to spend the afternoon. Nearby, an anhinga stood with its wings spread wide, drying in the sun.

Then I noticed something different in the water.

At first, all I saw was a small depression beneath the surface and bubbles rising nearby. I followed the bubbles with my eyes, and just like that, there he was — an alligator completely submerged except for the top of his head.

He never gave me the dramatic full appearance I might have hoped for. No big splash. No slow glide across the pond. Just the top of his head sitting quietly above the water.

Top of an alligator’s head barely visible above the pond water. He never came all the way up, but I promise there’s a gator in there.

Honestly, I liked it better that way.

On my second loop, I switched my attention from the wider scenes to the birds and other wildlife around the pond. Walking the same path again made me notice things I had missed the first time. It also gave me a chance to slow down and pay attention instead of trying to photograph everything at once.

After the second loop, I walked through the wooded section and made my way to the observation deck. The walk through the trees was pleasant, but the deck itself did not offer much of a view. For me, the pond and boardwalk were definitely the reason to visit.

On the walk back to the car, I turned my attention to the smaller things — flowers, insects, leaves, and the little details that are easy to miss when you are busy looking for birds.

Just as I was finishing up, it started to sprinkle. That was my cue to head back to the car.

Largo Central Park Nature Preserve may be small, but it’s full of life. There were birds everywhere, turtles in the water, a hidden gator, and plenty of quiet corners along the boardwalk.

It’s definitely the kind of place I love — a little pocket of wild Florida hiding right in the middle of town.

And I have to admit, my sister may have been onto something. Love you, Sis.

— Sandra