Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, Apopka: Photos, Reviews & Location

Administered by the local water board, this drive is open weekends & holidays for nature viewing.

At a glance

#1 of 4 Tourist attractions in Apopka

LocalGuideWorld score: 4.80

8.9 km from the center of Apopka

Rating breakdown

5 ★87%
4 ★9%
3 ★2%
2 ★1%
1 ★2%

What reviewers talk about

Share of 16 recent reviews that mention each topic.

View13%
Price & value13%
Location13%
Cleanliness13%
Service & staff13%

2850 Lust Rd, Apopka, FL 32703

sjrwmd.com

(386) 329-4404

Photos of Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive (161)

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Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, Apopka – photo 1

Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, Apopka – photo 2

Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, Apopka – photo 3

Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, Apopka – photo 4

Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, Apopka – photo 5

Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, Apopka – photo 6

Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, Apopka – photo 7

Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, Apopka – photo 8

Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, Apopka – photo 9

Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, Apopka – photo 10

Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, Apopka – photo 11

Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, Apopka – photo 12

Quick facts

What is the rating of Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive?: Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive is rated 4.8 out of 5 based on 3,463 reviews.
How does Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive rank in Apopka?: Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive is #1 of 4 Tourist attractions in Apopka by LocalGuideWorld score (rating weighted by number of reviews).
Where is Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive located?: 2850 Lust Rd, Apopka, FL 32703 — 8.9 km from the center of Apopka.
What do visitors mention most about Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive?: Most often: view, price & value, location (from 16 recent reviews).
How can I contact Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive?: Phone: (386) 329-4404 · Website: sjrwmd.com

Reviews (16)

Brenda Jenkins 2024 May 15

I went to the wildlife drive on Sunday. It helped me get past the grief of not having my Mom on Mother's day. I love looking at and photographing the animals. The Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive is only open on the weekends and holidays. It is absolutely free to go there.

Aliya Rivera 2024 May 05

As I drove through the wildlife reserve, I was surrounded by the most incredible sights and sounds of nature. The lush greenery, the sparkling lakes, and the diverse range of animals that I encountered along the way were simply breathtaking. It was such a thrilling and immersive experience, getting up close and personal with these incredible creatures in their natural habitat. I was worried I wasn’t going to see any gators but the pictures will assure you that you will. Seeing gators was definitely an unforgettable and cool experience! You were able to get out of your car at specific points along this 11 mile drive. I also was worried to be rushed but everyone’s as excited and patient as you are while driving through these wetlands to see these amazing creatures so that’s no worry. They are open 7am to 3pm on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Me and my partner arrived at 2:30 and were able to make it in and we got out about 4:30. They also have an audio you can listen to along the way. This whole experience was FREE. Definitely going to do it again!

Rob Calhoun 2024 May 02

This is a wonderful drive-thru nature experience that is free to visit. You can make it as short or as long as you want by the number of stops along the driving path that you take. It would be a great place to take a picnic lunch as there are places to pull off to do that. You can do the whole tour from inside your car and as little as an hour or you can stop as many times as you want to extend your visit. There are portable bathrooms all along the way and audio tour from your phone.

Russell Edwards 2024 Apr 28

This place is AMAZING!!! You definitely need to go here and visit. Bring drinks and snacks- it can take a while to get through the drive. But it makes for a wonderful day!! IT'S FREE to do!!! Take the kids or someone who is visiting. A great place to have here in APOPKA!! We are very blessed to have this.

Roxanne Molskness 2024 Apr 26

A free activity good for anyone wanting to see native wildlife up close in their natural habitat. We saw and photographed alligators and a variety of birds and flowers. Only open on the weekends and holidays. The hours are 7-3 but that just means you need to enter by 3pm but you have until 5pm to be done and exit. It is a one way, 11 mile drive. There are frequent places to pull over and even get out. Porta potties at the pump house. We did see folks biking along the trail. We saw a lot of gators in the water and even spotted one eating a large fish. Lots of egret, heron, common hen and many other species. Well worth the trip. Take your time and really look around.

michelle heath 2024 Mar 21

I absolutely loved this 1.5 hr drive. We saw lots of wildlife. They had places to pull over and use the restrooms, which was great. Put the windows down radio off and enjoy all the sites and sounds of nature

Carol Ann Jason 2024 Mar 15

On Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive one will see many types of waterfowl as well as alligators. On our 11 mile drive through the area we spotted 33 gators of different sizes in the water and on the banks near the water. There are areas to pull of and get out of your vehicle and we were able to get a closer look at some of the wildlife. The speed limit is 10 mph, so the drive with stops could take up to 2 hours.

Jennifer Brookshire 2023 Dec 24

On this 11 mile packed surface, one way road, you will enjoy seeing numerous species of birds, alligators and possibly other animals. It’s free and a nice way to relax and enjoy time in a beautiful area. We saw 37 alligators in their natural habitat. There is an audio guide you can listen to while driving also.

Karan Shah 2023 Jul 26

A highly recommended FREE weekend gateway for people of all ages in Central Florida that takes about 2hrs or more on a one-way wildlife drive-through safari. We got to view many gators, different species of birds, and turtles along the drive. An audio tour is available on their website or find the QR code on a brochure at the entrance, it is very informative. You can step out of your vehicle at a few spots, however, please be respectful and vigilant of your surroundings.

Sharlette Carey 2023 Jul 25

Beautiful wildlife drive not far from Orlando! This is a self-guided drive for your personal vehicle and is well worth the trip if you are looking to get out of the house/hotel but not necessarily trying to be exposed to the heat or spend a lot of money. The drive took us about an hour and we did get out at the pump house to walk around. You will typically know if there are interesting animals coming up because you will see cars stop ahead of you and people taking pictures out the windows.

Sagi Geva 2023 Jul 12

For those who are visiting central FL (or even locals) a fun way to go see some wildlife and be out in the nature. This is mostly a drive (you are in your car) but there are a few spots when you can stop / park and walk around. This area is also bike friendly if you got bikes. Amazing amount of birds, alligators and other animals. Every time o go I get to see something new. Feels a little like National Geographic 😀
Bring a camera with a nice zoom and always have it ready. You never know what you get to see next.
This is part of the water management area so only open for visitors on Fri-Sun and federal holidays. You can call ahead for hours.
Also on their website there is a free audio tours with stations and numbers you can listen to as you drive along the route. Highly recommended, especially if you want to see some alligators 🐊

Shari Rogers 2023 Jul 02

Yesterday we saw 2 gator fights and at least 30 gators- today not so much- but is nice to get out and experience what I feel like Florida is supposed to be lol. Best birthday!!

TRACEY MILLINGS 2023 Jun 19

This is a hidden gem within driving distance of the Orlando area. First of all, it's FREE! Yes, I said free with no hidden charges. A park ranger meets you at the entrance, gives you a map, and explains the audio self guided tour( via QR code on phone). That was very helpful in knowing where you are on the property and what habitat is there. They have over 300 species of birds, alligators, bobcats, turtles, rabbits, fish, frogs, etc... The herons were my favorite bird to see because they stood so still, they almost looked fake. I also wanted to see alligators from a safe distance, and we got to see 10 along the drive! The views along the drive were breathtaking! They have plenty of pullover spots for taking pics. They also had plenty of bathrooms & extremely clean port a potties along the drive. So very suitable for bringing the children. We loved this place and rank it as one of our top favorite things to do while visiting the Disney area.

More L 2023 Jun 16

This wildlife drive is a MUST !!! what a great ride to be in real contact with Nature !!! Absolutely Gorgeous!!! Highly recommended! .. bring your own water and snacks because there are no rest stops or stores with food. Just Enjoy !

Jenn G 2023 May 14

Florida Nature at its finest! This driving tour was absolutely amazing! It was beyond relaxing. We saw birds of all kinds, a ton of gators, and even some giant turtles long the way. We will definitely be back for another tour! This is a Florida off the beaten path perfect find!