Wildcat Lake, Ocala National Forest

Yesterday was the third Saturday of the month, and since my naturalist classes are done, I was finally able to paddle with GLOW (Gorgeous Ladies On the Water). GLOW is a group of friends who meet regularly to kayak, SUP, and otherwise enjoy the beautiful waters in our area. This day, we met early on an overcast morning at Wildcat Lake, located in the Big Scrub of the Ocala National Forest.











Wildcat Lake, part of the St. Johns watershed, is a blackwater lake with about 250 acres of surface area. Largemouth bass, speckled perch, bluegill and shellcrackers can all be caught here, and while Steve and I have never seen the lake without fishermen, it is never crowded, either. It is a place where it is possible to enjoy both solitude and the company of others who appreciate the spot.





The water was quite high, but still a foot or so below the wooden dock where a friendly fisherman took a picture of our group. “Everyone smile and say boobies,” he prompted, and while it’s not what I would have chosen, the photo is a good one. We launched and proceeded counterclockwise around the lakeshore.








First, we passed the sandy swimming beach. It is a very small swimming area, and has grassy areas on either side. While we’ve never observed gators in this lake, I would watch children carefully in this swimming area, and wouldn’t allow them to swim near dawn (when the park opens) or dusk (when the park closes). There’s no lifeguard here — in the Forest, you are expected to be responsible for yourself.





Along the west side of the lake, we passed a derelict cabin covered with no trespassing signs. A member of the group speculated that inside we would find a bearded hoarder and some cats. We didn’t check to see if her guess was right! There are other cabins on this side of the lake, always quiet, and we’ve never seen the occupants.





When we reached the east side, we noticed that torpedo grass, Panica repens, is gaining a foothold. It’s a serious problem in Florida lakes, because it grows very quickly and crowds out native plants. Because it can grow from a tiny piece of root, it’s difficult to eradicate. I hope it will not take over beautiful Wildcat Lake!





As we were getting ready to land, a powerboat was launching, so we landed at the swimming beach. A ranger came to check that we had paid our fees (we had!). Later, I asked if it was necessary to pay both a day use fee and a launch/land fee. It isn’t — if you are just on the water, you only pay the launch/land fee. If you picnic or use the swimming area, you will need to pay the day use fee as well. The website currently lists these fees as $3 each (and the launch fee includes everyone on the boat), but signage at the lake lists the fees as $4.50.





In the past, Steve and I have celebrated Thanksgiving at Wildcat Lake. We love this area because it is never busy and we often feel like we are the only humans there. While the picnic area is very close to a major road, we are easily able to tune out the traffic noise and enjoy birdsong, buzzing bumblebees, and the occasional bullfrog croaking hello.





The GLOW group spent less than 4 hours, including unloading and loading our kayaks. It was a lovely morning and as always, I left wondering why I don’t spend more time in this special spot.