Cayo Costa State Park
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Cayo Costa State Park | |
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| IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape) | |
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| Location: | Lee County, Florida, USA |
| Nearest city: | Boca Grande, Florida |
| Coordinates: | |
| Area: | 2,506 acres |
| Governing body: | Florida Department of Environmental Protection |
Cayo Costa State Park is a Florida State Park on the island of Cayo Costa, which is directly south of Boca Grande, Florida, 12 miles west of Cape Coral. The park is accessible only by private boat or ferry.
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[edit] Geography
Cayo Costa is one of a chain of barrier islands that shelter Charlotte Harbor and Pine Island Sound. The park contains nine miles of beaches and 2,506 acres of pine forests, oak-palm hammocks, and mangrove swamps.
[edit] Fauna
Among the wildlife that can be seen at the park are manatees, dolphins, and an assortment of birds. There is also a population of feral hogs on the island that the park is trying to eradicate, as they are not native to the island.[citation needed]
[edit] Recreational Activities
Activities include hiking, off-road bicycling, swimming kayaking, snorkeling, picnicking, fishing, shelling, wildlife viewing, camping, and sunbathing.
[edit] Amenities
Amenities include boat slips, beaches, hiking trails, picnic pavillions, 12 primitive camping cabins and bath house/restrooms. The park offers a small nature center/gift shop with nature exhibits as well as items for sale. The park has the following available for purchase: ice, sun lotion, bug spray, t-shirts, hats, bird keys, shell keys, and postcards. Cayo Costa has bikes available for half-day and full-day rentals.
[edit] Camping
There are 12 primitive cabins and 30 tent sites available for camping each with its own picnic table and fire pit/ground grill assigned to each site. Boat slips are available for those who wish to camp aboard their boats.
[edit] Hours
Florida state parks are open between 8 A.M. and sundown every day of the year (including holidays).
[edit] References
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
