Sabal Bluff Preserve is a nice surprise, tucked in between two communities of manufactured homes and with a lovely trail along Lake Griffin. A property of the Lake County Water Authority, the 55-acre preserve is located at 2582 Lakeside Dr, Leesburg, FL 34788-8260.
A series of trails create short loops and ensure that you can see something new every time you visit. When Steve and I visited recently, we noticed that a large guava tree on the Bourlay Trail had been removed, which was a disappointment. We soon realized, though, that the preserve is being returned to native plantings.
At the end of the Bourlay Trail, we followed the lake shore along the Lake Griffin Trail. Walking down to the lake shore, we noticed small piles of shells in the clear water. Obviously, raccoons have been feasting well recently!
As you proceed along the trail, the elevation increases, as does the distance from the lake. At one point, the bluff is over 15 feet over the lake, and creates a nice pocket of air for the tropical plants planted many years ago. These include bananas, papayas, guavas, and more. Bananas and papayas were both fruiting on our visit. We also saw cypress and hickory, along with oaks and the slash pines that have dominated the property for years. Watch for hickory nuts on the trail!
The Lake County Water Authority continues to work toward elimination of non-native species on this property, and on the Bourlay Trail, we passed an area that is being restored with native plants. These included passion fruit (maypop), some of which were fruiting; gaillardia (blanketflower), flax-leaf false-foxglove, and more. We are looking forward to returning next spring to see how they have spread; we believe the plantings we observed are about a year old.
Sabal Bluff is a property where the Water Authority will bring kayaks for your use if you make advance arrangements. It is too far from the parking area to the launch to use your own boat unless you have a cart, and the launch will only accommodate paddlecraft. You can reach the Water Authority at 352-343-3777.