Overview: Stand on the levees of the Harold A. Campbell Public Use Area and gaze upon the wonderful vastness of the world's largest manmade wetland. Harold A. Campbell is the entry portal to Stormwater Treatment Areas 3 and 4, 17,000 acres of marsh and open water created to remove pollutants as this River of Grass flows toward Everglades National Park and Florida Bay.
To venture to Harold A. Campbell Public Use Area is to venture into the middle of nowhere. But the assortment of wildlife it offers, birds especially, make it worth the hike. It sits 14 miles north of Interstate 75 and five miles west of U.S. 27. The nearest town is a toss up between South Bay 25 miles to the north and Weston to the southeast. Its 17,000 acres of ponds and marsh are made accessible by a series of levee-top biking/hiking trails. There's also a boat launch that's open every day of the year.
The Campbell Public Use Area is operated by the South Florida Water Management District. The only way to get there is via U.S. 27 either out of South Bay or from I 75. There is an unnamed access area with parking and a kiosk worth exploring that sits along the L-5 Levee Road a short distance off U.S. 27.
History: Once upon a time, this was the site of the Terrytown Sod and Vegetable Farm, which Florida bought in 1994. From then until 2000, it was managed by the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission (now known as the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission) as a public waterfowl hunting area. In 2000, work began to convert it into STAs 3 and 4, the world's largest manmade wetland, under the state's Save Our Rivers program.
What You'll See: The diversity of birds we spotted and identified include red-shouldered hawks, eastern meadowlarks, loggerhead shrikes, cormorants, snail kites, belted kingfishers, herons and a variety of warblers. A rich variety of sulphurs, blues, white peacocks and monarch complex butterflies were feeding in the weeds along the banks.
Amenities: There is plenty of parking, toilets, an informational kiosk and the aforementioned boat ramps. There are miles of hiking/biking trails.
Nearby: Both Snake Road and the Big Cypress National Preserve are to the west along I75. The Everglades and Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area is to the east. Also nearby: Holey Land Wildlife Management Area and the Rotenberger Wildlife Management Area.
Of Note: Trails are open Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays from sunrise to sunset. The boat launch is open seven days a week. Admission is free. Occasionally land managers close these sites to the public because of high water in the aftermath of heavy summer storms. Check the website before you go. Also, the area is used frequently by local astronomy groups for its dark skies.
Cover Photo: An eastern meadowlark perching on a support cable, no doubt on the lookout for predators. We spotted him on our first vist to Harold A. Campbell Public Use Area. However, we were not satisfied with the photos we had taken of this bird, so on a hunch, we returned a few weeks later and found our guy sitting in the very same spot. We carefully got as close as we could without disturbing him, getting the above photo. Second photo: The vastness of the Stormwater Treatment Areas 3 and 4, and the levee network.
To venture to Harold A. Campbell Public Use Area is to venture into the middle of nowhere. But the assortment of wildlife it offers, birds especially, make it worth the hike. It sits 14 miles north of Interstate 75 and five miles west of U.S. 27. The nearest town is a toss up between South Bay 25 miles to the north and Weston to the southeast. Its 17,000 acres of ponds and marsh are made accessible by a series of levee-top biking/hiking trails. There's also a boat launch that's open every day of the year.
The Campbell Public Use Area is operated by the South Florida Water Management District. The only way to get there is via U.S. 27 either out of South Bay or from I 75. There is an unnamed access area with parking and a kiosk worth exploring that sits along the L-5 Levee Road a short distance off U.S. 27.
History: Once upon a time, this was the site of the Terrytown Sod and Vegetable Farm, which Florida bought in 1994. From then until 2000, it was managed by the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission (now known as the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission) as a public waterfowl hunting area. In 2000, work began to convert it into STAs 3 and 4, the world's largest manmade wetland, under the state's Save Our Rivers program.
What You'll See: The diversity of birds we spotted and identified include red-shouldered hawks, eastern meadowlarks, loggerhead shrikes, cormorants, snail kites, belted kingfishers, herons and a variety of warblers. A rich variety of sulphurs, blues, white peacocks and monarch complex butterflies were feeding in the weeds along the banks.
Amenities: There is plenty of parking, toilets, an informational kiosk and the aforementioned boat ramps. There are miles of hiking/biking trails.
Nearby: Both Snake Road and the Big Cypress National Preserve are to the west along I75. The Everglades and Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area is to the east. Also nearby: Holey Land Wildlife Management Area and the Rotenberger Wildlife Management Area.
Of Note: Trails are open Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays from sunrise to sunset. The boat launch is open seven days a week. Admission is free. Occasionally land managers close these sites to the public because of high water in the aftermath of heavy summer storms. Check the website before you go. Also, the area is used frequently by local astronomy groups for its dark skies.
Cover Photo: An eastern meadowlark perching on a support cable, no doubt on the lookout for predators. We spotted him on our first vist to Harold A. Campbell Public Use Area. However, we were not satisfied with the photos we had taken of this bird, so on a hunch, we returned a few weeks later and found our guy sitting in the very same spot. We carefully got as close as we could without disturbing him, getting the above photo. Second photo: The vastness of the Stormwater Treatment Areas 3 and 4, and the levee network.
