The discovery center is nice but it is not the star of the show at Circle B, it is trails and nature preserve surrounding the center. That is where the real experiences are. Visit the center as a primer to an amazing experience on the trails.

A beautiful place to spend some time getting in touch with nature. There are several trails and there’s no shortage of wildlife. There are also several shelters with tables and charcoal grills. If you do plan on having a gathering with more than 10 people, then you will need to make a reservation for one of the shelters. Went on a Sunday in August and there were only a handful of cars parked in the lot. Right now Alligators are hatching and mothers are protecting their young, so the best trail “Alligator Alley” is closed until further notice.

This place is located at Circle B. The center has a very informative help desk assistant, clean restrooms, and cools you down after walking the many trails at Circle B. There is a library, and many displays about Florida’s eco systems. Kids will be able to play in the unique tree ground.

We had our end of year Trek Ten Trails ceremony here the other day. The hikes at Circle B are fabulous. There are not too long but they can be if you like a more intense challenge. The meeting room at the center fits about 40 to 50 people. Everything is clean and they have good audio/video options. There is an indoor room but there's also a screened in porch area if you prefer more fresh air. This place provides a good experience whatever your mission.

We absolutely love this place! Beautiful spot to walk and view so nature at its finest. You'll see gators, armadillo, raccoon, rabbits, turtles, and many different species of birds. Parking is free. There are several different trails within the Reserve. No pets are allowed so beware of that ahead of time before bringing your dog with you for the walk.

Circle B Bar Ranch preserve. I hesitated to give this a good review. I love this place. It's peaceful, and full of diverse wildlife. I'd hate to see it spoiled by overcrowded conditions, but such is life. If you're looking for alligators, you'll see them up close and personal. Trails can be narrow, between lakes. No pets allowed, for good, and obvious, reasons. Well maintained, and plenty of parking.

This place is a treasure. A cute indoor museum where you can get information and a bird checklist for your hike. Then a bunch of trails to pick from that are well maintained and breathtaking. We saw 3 alligators, a raccoon walked across right in front of us, and many birds drying out. We even saw a bird eating a fish whole.

5 stars is NOT enough!! The front desk gal (I sadly cannot remember her name) was amazing and informative. We saw so many cool wildlife! Many alligators and armadillos. A beautiful hike. We turned around because there was a huge gator to the side of the path. We will definitely bring out of town guests here!!

Skip the "gator experience" places and see some happy wild animals doing their thing! Such a great place for families, birders, photographers, strollers, and education. Staff was most welcoming and informative. Wonderful nature and historical center inside when you need a break from the sun. Kids loved the animal scavenger hunt. Lots of shade, but also lots of direct sun, so plan for both. Huge parking lot with lots of shade. Would take days to see the whole place.

Photographers paradise from birds, gators and bobcats to wildflowers and landscapes. You really do feel like you are in the wilderness. There are several picnic areas, a discovery center and bathrooms. Early morning visits are recommended. Don't rush through the trails, you will miss a lot. Plenty of free parking and no entry is free.

The visitor center was very nice, clean and the bathrooms looked new and looked to be meticulously cleaned. The paths were well laid out with great views

What a great place to visit. Lots of will to see if you keep your eyes peeled and are quiet. Would definitely go again if in the area.

The trails are level packed ground. Several distance options depending on your fitness level and weather. Tons of gators if that's what you're looking for.

Great side track from the tourist traps of Florida. I paid $7 for a small bottle of water at SeaWorld but the whole family can come here for a nature walk for free. Lots of closeup waterfowl. Unfortunately we didn't get to see any gators.

This was an absolute highlight for our trip in Florida! We saw 10 alligators and 3 armadillos. The walk was beautiful! Visiting from Alberta, Canada.

Every time we come here we love walking the trails. Was very disappointed to see a couple guys disturbing a gator while their children looked on. We did report the incident but I didn't take a picture of the guys, so the samtaff couldn't do anything. We did learn however that due to increased human interaction/interference with the gators they had to close gator alley. Hopefully when we go back it will be open again.

Favorite walk in Florida is Alligator Alley here at Circle Bar B, home to Stubby, the short-tailed Alligator. The trail is 2 miles around this southern ambiance marsh with adjacent Hancock Lake. Free entry, good parking, level trails but not good for wheelchairs or walkers, but good for older people with canes. Good restrooms only at the trailhead. No facilities otherwise. Give it 2-3 hours.

The Circle B Bar Nature Reserve is really insane. Hot, humid and a perfect place to visit in Florida. It is the best thing to do without paying for a guide. And you may see alligators, snakes and turtles taking a walk with YOU. Needless to say, be careful and enjoy this portion of Florida.

My favorite place on earth! It's a must see for everyone! We see so many different animals each time we visit!

If I could spend everyday here im sure I would see something new.. has to be the best park I've ever been in

I really enjoyed my time here with my girlfriend. I didn't get to see any big boys but it still didn't take away from my experience of getting an inside look of Florida's natural wild life at our own pace

Up and close with nature! If you're looking for alligator sightings, park at the main parking lot, turn right onto the trail to "marsh rabbit run", then at the end of that turn left on "Heron Hideout", then make a right and the first cross trail. This will take you to alligator alley and there are so many just laying with in a few feet of you! 😁

Lovely air conditioned educational addition to Circle B Reserve. And it’s free! Great hands on exhibits covering a wide range of environmental sciences- habitats, animals and tracking, water systems and more. We love all of the community educational events sponsored here. Tickets to events are always free and you can find links to tickets through Eventbrite. But don’t worry- if tickets are sold out, the public is still welcome. They do not turn folks away. Workers and volunteers are knowledgeable and friendly. Great place for free school field trips!! If your field trip is 50 or less, they will even arrange for a covered tram to bring you deeper into the reserve. If you are coming by the reserve for the day, definitely stop in!

The Discovery center is a wonderful place to visit. It doesn't matter if you are younger, older, family, by yourself, there will be something there for you. I recommend checking out their programming schedule. My daughters and I went to a presentation about gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) that was informative and interesting. They even got a little one on one time with tortoise shells, and met Polly, a local "rockstar" tortoise who is used as part of the educational program due to a missing leg. Also, check out their resource room, which has books, magazines, and other things that will help you identify the many creatures that inhabit Circle B Bar Reserve. Go there, enjoy, have a great time, and if you see Polly, say hi for me!

Our family had so much fun on tortoise day! We weren't sure what to expect, but the nature center, discovery area, staff and volunteers were absolutely wonderful. We did not venture out into the trails, but the short walks we did around the boardwalk were handicap accessible and we even saw a few wild animals. A great stop in Lakeland!

The Discovery Center is loaded with exhibits, information and details that really enhance the hikes through the trails to take in the beautiful nature and wildlife. The Center is family friendly with hands on activities for children too!

I love Circle B the nature is beautiful.. I've met some VERY nice people there, however some need to respect the animals territory they need to remember we are in their territory not ours, respect them don't try to touch them do not feed them do not get down in their faces I've seen this done with gators. Be respectful to the nature!! I would love to add photo's but for some reason it won't let me 😢😢

Really enjoyed it, and the walking around was awesome on a nice sunny day.

If you are visiting circle b for photography, hiking, or trailing, then visit this center for all the knowledge details. They build all the birds, snakes, and gators' skeletons in—a neat and clean place—ample space for the meeting room. Clean restroom facility available. Also, provide a purified water facility. Cooperative staff available for good service.

What an absolutely amazing place, seeing the local wildlife up close and personal, I would definitely recommend you call in and do some of the Trails