Alligators in the United States are native to coastal marshes in the southeast, extending northward to North Carolina and westward to eastern Texas. The Everglades are part of their habitat that stretches all the way to southern Florida. The sloughs, which are deep, slow-moving freshwater rivers, are the main habitat for these reptiles, but they also inhabit swamps, marshes, lakes, and wet prairies, where they create their own little ponds to lay their eggs in.
A big component of Florida’s tourist industry is the state’s abundance of alligators, which are ancient reptiles known for their numerous teeth. For an alligator encounter unlike any other, visitors can visit Gatorland—Alligator Capital of the World in Orlando or St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park, two of Florida’s oldest attractions. However, if you want to witness alligators in their native environment, these are six of Florida’s most alligator-filled locations.
Lake Okeechobee
The largest freshwater lake in Florida, Lake Okeechobee, is also home to 9,308 alligators (out of an estimated 30,000) that make their home in the marshy waters. There are plenty of food sources and places to lay eggs in the lake, making it the perfect home for the gators. The alligators in Lake Okeechobee play an important role in the local ecology and are not merely there to attract tourists.
Visitors to the 750-square-mile Lake Okeechobee, also referred to as “Florida’s Inland Sea,” will find paradise when anglers cast their lines for the lake’s renowned largemouth bass. In addition to black crappies and Okeechobee catfish, speckled perch and bluegills are also common catches.
Orange Lake
The alligator population at Orange Lake is second to none in the state. In comparison to other alligator habitats in the state, the lake, which covers approximately 19 rectangular miles, is quite small. Orange Lake is one of the most alligator-filled lakes in Florida, despite its relatively small size, due to its enormous population of these reptiles.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reports that approximately 3,000 alligators call Orange Lake home. Of these, around 115 are what are known as “bull gators,” the largest and most dominant alligators in a particular area; they usually measure more than 9 feet in length. An orange lake male alligator weighing 1,043 pounds and measuring 13 feet, 10 and 1/2 inches in length holds the record for the biggest alligator in Florida.
Lake George
With dimensions of about 6 miles across and 11 miles around, Lake George is the second largest lake in Florida, right behind Okeechobee. It is also one of the five lakes in the state that is home to alligators. Lake George is also the home to a large number of bald eagle pairs that nest. St. Johns River, Florida’s longest river, feeds into the lake.
Renting a boat from one of the many outfitters along the St. Johns River is the greatest way to see Lake George. Since it is one of the most well-known bass fishing spots in the state, Lake George is a favorite destination for adventurers. On the water, anglers can spot tortoises, white-tailed deer, ospreys, Florida black bears, bobcats, and alligators. On land, the Lake George Trail encircles the lake and offers a three-mile loop, allowing hikers to take in the scenery of Spanish moss-covered live oaks that frame the lake.
Lake Jesup
Lake Jesup has a population of 2,414 gators (with an estimated alligator population of 13,000) and is considered home to more alligators per square mile of shoreline than almost any other lake in Florida, with more than 400 gators per square mile. Airboat trips on Lake Jesup allow guests to get up close and personal with the lake’s alligators, which are a major attraction for tourists.
Lake Jesup is a premier fishing destination in Central Florida, attracting anglers to its shallow waters year-round. The lake is home to popular species such as largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill, and catfish. Fishing enthusiasts can cast their lines from the shore, use one of several fishing piers and platforms, or head out by boat to explore the lake’s numerous islands and coves.
Lake Kissimmee
Despite its name, Lake Kissimmee is about 55 miles away from Kissimmee, Florida, in Osceola County. Lake Kissimmee is 35,000 acres in size, Florida’s third-largest lake, a gator hotspot, and a destination for outdoor adventurers, especially for visitors who like to fish, hike, or kayak. Lake Kissimmee State Park is located on the shores of lakes Kissimmee, Tiger, and Rosalie and comprises 5,930 acres of Central Florida.
With a diverse ecosystem that includes floodplain marshes and shady hammocks, the park is home to more than 30 species of flora and fauna, including the American alligator. There are 13 miles of hiking trails where hikers can spot white-tailed deer, bobcats, turkeys, Sherman’s fox squirrel, and grey foxes. The park is also a birding hotspot with over 200 species like the American bald eagle, sandhill crane, and the crested caracara.
Everglades National Park
No other animal is more closely associated with the Everglades than the American alligator and the species is critical to the health and function of South Florida’s ecology. There are plenty of options for gator spotting in the Everglades National Park, like booking an airboat ride with any one of the tour boat operators in Miami. Another way to go is to book a two-hour Everglades Tram Tour through the Shark Valley section of the park.
Halfway through the tour, visitors can walk to the highest point in the Everglades National Park, the Shark Valley Observation Tower, where they can experience panoramic views of the Everglades, extending 20 miles in all directions.
Visitors who want to go old-school can take the less-than-one-mile roundtrip Anhinga Trail. The iconic trail, which was added to the US National Register of Historic Places in 1996, is a self-guided paved walkway and boardwalk over a freshwater sawgrass marsh where visitors can see alligators, turtles, anhingas, herons, egrets, and more.
Summary
With about 1.3 million alligators, the Sunshine State is the second most alligator-filled place in the United States (only Louisiana has more, at 2 million). Florida’s alligator population also includes Albert, the official mascot of the University of Florida in Gainesville, home to the Florida Gators.