For lovers of nature and solitude, one of Lakeland’s hidden gems is about to become even more accessible.
On Friday, April 11, the city of Lakeland, which administers the Se7en Wetlands, will formally open a new southern trailhead there, at Mulberry Park.
The wetlands sits between Loyce Harpe Park and the Lakeland Highlands Scrub.
A Trailhead Welcome event runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is free, no registration required.
The weather is forecasted to be pleasantly cool Friday morning. Many unpaved walking paths at Se7en are slightly elevated, enhancing the breeze. The site was formerly a phosphate mine and those paths are on the mine berms.
Visitors are asked to meet at Mulberry Park, 310 Kid Ellis Road, Mulberry.
What will you see there? Most likely alligators, for one thing — some of the biggest you’ll see in the area.
Scaly love is in the air: It’s alligator mating season. Mating typically occurs in May and June. Courtship begins in early April.
Perk your ears: You can tell the male alligators are seeking mates by the low, loud bellowing they make. They also use their jaws and lift their tails to slap the water.
Gators are plenty, but … Se7en Wetlands is also home to gopher tortoises, a keystone protected species — they dig burrows that provide shelter for hundreds of other animals.
There are also wood storks, bobcats and sandhill cranes.
Solitude: Sometimes you just want to get away without leaving town.
The background: Se7en Wetlands is built on the site of a former phosphate mine that began in the 1920s and closed in 1984.
The property was purchased by the City of Lakeland in 1985 to become wastewater treatment site. It opened to the public in 2018.
It now receives all of the city’s treated wastewater.
As water flows through the ponds, it is further filtered and cleaned by vegetation. Most of the outflow goes to Tampa Electric to cool generators at its South Polk power plant.
The City of Lakeland offers this advice to Se7en Wetlands visitors:
- Wear sturdy, close-toe hiking shoes
- Bring plenty of water and a snack
- Bring any emergency first-aid medications you may need
- Bring a set of binoculars or a camera
- There are no restrooms or water fountains on the trails, please use the facilities located at the trailheads
- Pets, bicycles, and fishing are not permitted
Robert Meyerowitz is a reporter for LkldNow, a nonprofit newsroom providing independent local news for Lakeland. Read at LkldNow.com.
