Known as a world-class bass fishery sixty years ago, Lake Apopka was known for its clear water and was surrounded by a number of fishing camps. But, agriculture, a construction of the levee on the north shore, and municipal waste from Winter Garden turned it into a pea green-colored lake with dead fishing frequently floating to the surface by 1980. In 1985 the Lake Apopka Restoration Act began the lake recovery. The USDA and the St. Johns River Water Management District brought back most of the farmland and flooded the lake. Unfortunately, the level of pesticide in the fish was so high that it killed all the birds that ate fish, so the lake had to be drained again. Today, a "marsh flow-way" system filters the lake water, improving its quality and encouraging the return of native plants and with them the fish. There are several nature preserves in the area and three nice hiking trails as well as a 2.9-mile long equestrian trail. Map

Plan Your Trip

Get Ready to Go!

Need some more help?


Read our Reservations & Travel Planning Tips guide.