Cooter Pond Park

If you are looking for a scenic setting to enjoy a picnic lunch or just want to take a stroll and observe the natural surroundings, Cooter Pond Park is the place. The park, featuring a boardwalk, scenic overlooks and picnic areas, is within walking distance of government office buildings, the downtown historic district and 1912 Historic Courthouse.

Things to do include:
Picnic - Benches and pavilion await you for a picnic lunch
Canoe - A launch with parking is located just off Mill Street
Learn about local wildlife - Signage along the boardwalk introduces you to birds and water creatures common to the area.
Fishing - The expanded overlooks along the boardwalk are perfect for tossing in a line.
Nature trails - Extend your stroll from the boardwalk, to the Withlacoochee Trail or downtown.

Home of the Cooter Turtle and more:
Besides housing the namesake cooter turtle, lurking among the reeds and supports for the boardwalk alligators can be found ranging in size from 4 to 7 feet long. Though there is not an exact count of how many live in the pond, the reptiles are often spotted cruising the waters looking for food, their head and snout the only thing visible as a wake trails behind it.

There are numerous fish in the pond, including small bass and bluegill. When visiting the pond, you're almost guaranteed to see any one of several species of birds, including storks, egrets and herons.