Ocala Wetland Recharge Park

Located less than ten minutes from historic downtown Ocala, this park is a hotspot for diverse wildlife. Visitors can find a variety of wetland birds in the ponds and marshes throughout the year, including Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, Pie-billed Grebes and a variety of herons and egrets. Occasionally a Purple Gallinule is seen nestled in the vegetation, and uncommon birds like the Virginia Rail, Sora, LeConte’s Sparrow, Roseate Spoonbill, Bobolink, and Black-necked Stilts have been spotted. Large oaks, pines and remaining snags provide habitat for Southern Fox Squirrels and Red-Headed, Red-Bellied, Pileated, and Downy Woodpeckers, which can be seen and heard regularly. Keep an eye out for American Alligators, Florida Softshell Turtles, southern water snakes, and green treefrogs throughout the park. Mornings are the best time to see wildlife. Designed as a constructed wetland to recharge the Upper Floridan Aquifer, the park includes 2.5 miles of ADA accessible paved trails winding around open water ponds, shallow marshes, and deep inlet marshes. The park features an on-site bathroom facility, water fountains, educational exhibits and benches to provide seating along the trails.