Little Manatee River does not have any manatees in it right now. The water looked far too low, and they will be out in the gulf in this season anyway. I’ve actually seen no mention at all about manatees at the state park. Perhaps the manatees never come up this far.

The south side of the park has the ranger station ($5 entrance fee per vehicle), equestrian trails (negative coggins required. If you don’t know, it doesn’t apply to you) campsites, a canoe launch and a short, hidden nature trail.

Not sure what type of dragonfly this was.

Palamedes swallowtail, all stained glass like.

Swallowtail kite, three pictures stitched into one.

The hiking trails are north of the river, but there is no bridge within the park. Upon our second visit to the ranger station, the polite park ranger gave us a map noted with a lock combination that opens the gate to the parking area for the hiking trail. Parking area is perhaps a bit generous, as is calling the two tire tracks off of the highway leading to the gate a “gravel road.” You don’t get much access to the river, and the trail blazes aren’t nearly as frequent as at Myakka or Withlacochee, but it’s a really nice trail, lush and intimate without having to clear away branches or wade through mud, and distinct from the terrain on the other side of the river.

We saw lots of flitty butterflies (see Mike’s picture here, while I was dousing myself in anti mosquito oil) and these beautiful black winged damselflies with iridescent green bodies, also not in my Audubon guide. They would land and blossom their wings, but preferred the shadows near the water, where all I got were blurry photos.

yellow rat snake

perhaps a broadhead skink.