Pictures of Lovers Key State Park

Lovers Key State Park is secret jewel in Bonita

Lovers Key Carl E. Johnson State Park is a nature lovers paradise and a visitors dream getaway.

Boasting an average of nearly a million visitors per year, the park offers something for everyone including hiking, fishing, sun bathing and wildlife viewing.

But over the course of several decades the park has become much more than a place to appreciate nature’s splendor.
Park officials say Lovers Key is an almost secret but special jewel in Bonita Springs.

“We are special because of the variety of things visitors can do here. There are so many opportunities to see wildlife,” said park manager Michael Hensley.

The 1,616-acre park sits between Fort Myers and Naples and is comprised of four barrier islands.

Visitors travel from all over the world to see Lovers Key, which got its name in the early 1990s in honor of the efforts lovers made to get to the romantic island that was only accessible by boat at the time.

“We are one of the last pristine beaches in the area,” said Brie Jamison, the park services specialist.

The islands became more accessible and popular in 1965 with the building of a road and a because of a peculiar legend that a pirate named Black Augustus had been captured by authorities and later escaped.

It’s believed that he lived the remainder of his life on what is called Black Island — a high land area of the park that now features hiking and biking trails.

“This park has a huge history. After Black Augustus escaped authorities in Grand Pass, locals believe he left a treasure behind,” Hensley said. “Although there hasn’t been any link to the pirate and no treasure has been found, the locals and visitors enjoy looking for it.”

The legends are also enriched by the fact that Black Island became a popular fishing destination until the 1960s and ‘70s when the area was slated for development.

“They wanted to put condos in and that just set people off in the area. A grass roots effort was born to save the park,” Hensley said.

Despite the local community pulling together to push the state to save the area from greedy contractors, preparations for development were already damaging to the islands.

“Mangrove swamps were ruined by dredging of the canals through Black Island,” Jamison said. “We are still in the process of fixing everything and getting rid of the exotic species that were brought in to create shade.”

The damage was done but Jamison said the state’s purchase of the land in 1983 helped the changes that were made to the natural environment.

After acquiring Lovers Key, the state decided to merge in 1996 with the adjacent Carl E. Johnson County Park.

“I was here when the park was still a county park. It was so gorgeous and it just continues to grow in popularity,” said Susan Smith, 68, of Cincinnati.

Smith has been visiting the park for 36 years and calls it her “home away from home.”

The joining parks now make up Lovers Key Carl E. Johnson State Park, which has helped the Florida Park System receive its second Gold Medal award as the nation’s best park system.

“This park has a lot of history. This area is growing very rapidly and Lovers Key has established a name for itself in the community,” Jamison said.

Establishing a name for itself nationally also gave the parks’ beach exposure on TV and was selected as the fourth best beach in Florida by the Travel Channel.

First time visitor Ann Johnson who was staying at Sanibel Island heard about Lovers Key beach on TV and had to see what all the fuss was about.

“I heard it was one of the top beaches on Travel Channel and I just had to come to check it out,” said Johnson, of Colorado. “It’s all very nice and they were right, it is beautiful and everyone is very helpful. They know how to take care of tourist in Florida!”

Taking care of tourists is why the park offers amenities such as showers, restrooms, picnic areas and a gazebo on the south end of the beach.

Trams are also available for those who don’t want to haul their beach chairs over the two bridges that take visitors to the two and a half mile stretch of beach.

“I came to look at the sites and see what was on the island,” said Dolores Craig, of Wisconsin. She visited the park for the first time with her son, granddaughter and daughter-in-law who took came for the canoeing. “I had to see what the Travel Channel was talking about ... I like it here.”

Smith agrees with Craig’s sentiment but adds that the difference she has seen in the park over the years is huge.

“It’s kind of nostalgic for me because it’s gorgeous with all the wildlife and I have been coming here for so long,” said Smith, who used to visit the park with her husband until he passed away. “It’s much more populated but it’s just so beautiful everybody should come see it.”

Butterflies roam at Lovers Key

Park Ranger Mike Simmons wants visitors to walk away from Lovers Key State Park with a newfound appreciation for butterflies and their environmental needs.

He put together a program on Florida’s butterflies with a focus on butterfly gardening and native plants that attract them.

But there are a few things visitors need to know before digging up the soil and planting plants they believe will attract butterflies, he says.

“Butterflies are a little pickier than that. A lot of people can have a butterfly garden in their home but they have to learn about it before they do,” said Simmons, who has worked with the park for almost two months.

He encourages people to have a butterfly garden because some find it very relaxing to watch butterflies fly around and feed on plant nectar.

“It’s relaxing for people who have stress and it can even bring up the property value of your home if you have a good garden,” Simmons said adding that butterflies are a great conversation piece during parties too.

During his program, Simmons teaches visitors about the life cycle of a butterfly, how to identify native butterflies and what attracts them to certain plants.

“Butterflies don’t always lay their eggs on the same plants they eat,” said Simmons who used to work at the Indianapolis zoo as a butterfly handler. “There are certain things to consider and my program lets people ask questions and get a new perspective on butterflies.”

Visitors also learn how to keep butterflies flocking to their homes by choosing plants that are native to Southwest Florida.
The program takes place at the parks butterfly garden.

“It’s awesome that we have a butterfly garden and now we have something to do with it,” said Brie Jamison, the park services specialist.

Almost a million visit Lovers Key State Park

Lovers Key State Park is the most visited park in the state with almost 970,000 guests last year alone.

Its beaches and wildlife leave visitors coming back for more and park rangers couldn’t be happier.

“We do everything we can to make visitors comfortable and these numbers are a testament to how hard our staff works,” said Brie Jamison, the park services specialist. “I think it shows how interested people are in coming to visit nature.”

Lovers Key State Park offers plenty of opportunities to see nature throughout its estuaries, canals and beaches.

“You can come out here and get great wildlife views. We have everything that visitors have an interest in,” said park manager Michael Hensley.

Although the attendance figures are an estimate, they helped the Florida State Park system receive national recognition and its second Gold Medal as the nation’s best park system in 2005-2006 year.

“Florida State Parks have been nationally recognized for both its facilities and resources with the prestigious Gold Medal award,” said Florida State Parks Director Mike Bullock. “The designation acknowledges volunteers’ and staffs’ dedication to the best park system in the country.”

That designation is easy for the park system which boasts 159 parks spanning more than 725,000 acres and 100 miles of sandy beaches.

“Lovers Key State Park is special and people know that. We are one of the last beaches in the area,” Jamison said. “Everyone can enjoy something out here.”