Circle B Bar Reserve

Came here with the fam! It was so fun! It was there first time on a nature trail and I think this one was a great first experience.
We saw a bunch of different animals, a bunch of alligators, different type of birds, and armadillos.
It had rained that morning so the trail was really muddy but thankfully most of us were wearing boots. There was also a lot of mosquito’s due to the rain, I’m assuming.
We did run into some locals who go there frequently throughout the week to go running, which I thought was really cool since the view is so beautiful!
There’s a few trails you can choose from or you can do them all, but we were on a time crunch and tried to pick the shorter one but it was still a 45 minute trail. We ended up running towards the end to get out of there. lol
*Definitely give yourself time for the trials so you can thoroughly enjoy it and keep an eye out for all the animals that are hiding!

One of my favorite places to go and to take my photo shoots at! I am a photographer and go here to take nature and animal pictures as well as kids shots and family pictures etc.

What a great place to take a relaxing walk and see wildlife up close! We were mere feet away from a juvenile croc chillen in the water! We also saw a bobcat cross the path on alligator alley. It disappeared into thin air as we got closer to where it crossed.
The woman at the welcome center was courteous and helpful! We were sad that the rabbit marsh trail was closed but were informed that it was mating season and that’s where the big crocs were protecting their next generation. We will surely be returning to this park the next time we visit family in Florida!

One of my favorite places in the world! It’s amazing. So much wildlife. During mating season, you’ll see dozens of alligators. (We counted 50 a few weeks ago) There are one or two «dinosaur-​sized» gators. (12 – 14 ft) Plenty of birds — Eagles, Roseate Spoonbills, different Ibis types, Herons, Egrets, Great Horned Owl, Barred Owls, and more. Raccoons, armadillos, and a bobcat. Take water, sunscreen, if spray, and a snack. Do Rabbit Marsh Trail and Alligator Alley.

I want to write an update review for this place of interest because it should have an honor to talk about. This place has all the awesome wildlife experiences here from gators to wild pigs. Each visit is definitely different and surprising.
On my last visit a few weeks ago, I saw the most gators up close like never before. Please check out my latest photos from this visit. I discovered a great place where the large gators enjoy to hang out on the little island. I believe the trail is called Rabbit Marsh Run. It is the trail located on your right as you walk towards the Eagle Overlook trail. Either trail will take you to this place. Look for a small shack on the side. Here you should see some gators.
The Lost Bridge trail was covered in water from one side. I don’t know if you can walk on the bride from the other side though.
Free parking, free admission, and free surprises of nature looked here. Still a great place to explore.

the best thing you can do for free in polk county. SO pretty, any time of year, biking or hiking or birdwatching. I take all of my friends who come to town for visits and it never fails to be a great experience.

This place is great for either just the easy trail runner or hiker or good for a group. The reserve has an educational building with A/​C, a fish tank, bird sounds and calls, and a room to watch educational videos about Florida’s wildlife and nature. My favorite trail is «Alligator Alley», it takes you through some well shaded paths, some grassland parts, between the dock and grassy trail there’s a cool sign that informs you that there are alligators ahead and gives you directions on how to deal with one if you encounter one. When you are at the dock, every time I have gone there, at least 10 to 11 alligators are out in the lake. This spot would be ideal to have a break for lunch because the rest of the trail is very sunny and longer to get back to the start of the reserve. This place is also great because it’s all for FREE.

Have been taking my kids there for nearly 20 years and now that they’re grown I still walk through this beautiful park. So much has been done to upgrade the facilities over just the last few years.

Had a wonderful time. The guide was excellent and the visit was very educational. Will visit again!

Bring water and bug spray. Nice Trails and a indoor activity museum,

Went here twice in our visit to lakeland! Great trails, a lot of wildlife (especially gators when you go down Alligator Alley). Only complaint was that Alligator Alley seemed to be unmarked and took a while to figure out where it was. If you go down Heron Hideout and turn left at Marsh Rabbit Run, that is Alligator Alley. 100% free fun! You could spend hours here.

Ok, this is a great hidden gem to check out. The hiking trails are incredible and the wildlife you will see (including alligators) can not be beat. Even on a somewhat chilly day we saw 5 large gators.

What a fun day! As a geocacher, I knew there were quite a few geocaches to be found here. My girlfriend and I spent a few hours here on my birthday. We brought our bikes and hit the trails.
We first stopped at the sign in desk. The gentleman at the desk was very helpful with giving me directions with the trail map.
The first one took us into the woods and eventually a big field. We saw a mama boar and her babies. I got scared at first and kept some distance. She soon left.
After that, we took a trail by the lake where we could see some large alligators floating in the water. We also saw many different birds. I’m not sure of the name, but one was pink like a flamingo.
After that, another trail took us by smaller ponds where we saw smaller gators chillin’ in the sun.
If you enjoy geocaching, hiking or bike riding come here. I’d like to go back again.

Beautiful place. Lots of wildlife and well maintained trails.

It’s the best place for Photographer. I live in Seattle and I’ve been to few places in Florida and I can’t stay away from here. I love it.

Beautiful

Circle B Bar Reserve is without a doubt a 5-​star birding experience, and I would call it a 5-​star wildlife experience. It is 100% free to visit this amazing paradise, located at the edge of Lakeland along Lake Hancock. You can only drive so far in, but the drive is spectacular with lots of large trees flowing with Spanish moss. There are picnic areas along the drive as well.
The drive eventually ends at a parking lot and a discovery center. There, you can pick up trail maps and choose your own adventure. You’re basically guaranteed a gator sighting along the trails here, especially on warm, sunny days. This place is St. Tropez of the reptilian variety. Definitely check out the path they call «Alligator Alley.»