Blue Cypress Lake, Florida

Formerly Lake Wilmington, the Blue Cypress Lake is located in Indian River County along Florida's Treasure Coast. It is the biggest lake in both the Indian River County as well as the Treasure Coast. The lake's name refers to the bluish glow that the cypress trees create when the morning sun reflects off the lake's surface. The lake is also renowned as Florida's top spot for catching largemouth bass. The Blue Cypress Lake is a spectacular water body with a cypress and spatter-dock-built shoreline.

Geography Of Blue Cypress Lake

Approximately 20 miles west of Vero Beach on Florida's Treasure Coast, Lake Blue Cypress spans 6,555 acres of beautiful central Florida. The lake is just 8 to 9 feet deep on average, which encourages a lot of aquatic vegetation to flourish. Additionally, it contains some of the purest water in any Florida lake. The lake is 34 kilometers in diameter and is approximately 7 miles long and 3 miles wide. It is surrounded by 29,000 acres of marshes, swamps, and cypress trees.

The St. Johns River, which flows more than 300 miles north to Jacksonville and the Atlantic Ocean, is said to have its headwaters in Lake Blue Cypress. Waters from various creeks, including Mudfish Slough, Padget Branch, Holman Canal, and Fisher Creek, flow into it from the south. The water in the lake is also influenced by Moonshine Bay, which is located to its north. The lake's entire water supply drains into M Canal and Zigzag Canal in the northwest.

Climate And Water Temperature Of Blue Cypress Lake

The winters are brief, pleasant, breezy, and mainly clear in Cypress Lake, while the summers are lengthy, hot, humid, damp, and cloudy. The average yearly temperature ranges from 56 to 91℉, rarely falling below 43 or rising above 94. There is a seasonal variation in the average water temperature throughout the year. With an average water temperature of over 82°F, the warmer water season lasts for 4.1 months. The 3.2-month period of the year when the water is cooler has an average temperature below 71°F.

Wildlife In The Blue Cypress Lake

Bass, catfish, alligators, ospreys, and beautiful cypress trees are just a few examples of the lake's diverse wildlife. The majority of the lake's shoreline is covered in cypress and spatterdock, which not only reflect the lake's clear blue waters but also provide a rich habitat for various animals due to their shade. Because of the modest depths of the lake, lily pads, sawgrass, and submerged logs may grow amid the cypress roots and provide the perfect habitat for all the lake's fish. A fisherman's delight, Lake Blue Cypress has some of Florida's purest water, which is the ideal habitat for bluegill, chain pickerel, crappie, shell crackers, and warmouth. The lake is also a prime location for Osprey nesting, with over 200 nests found along the beach. In addition, one can view owls, hawks, ducks, herons, cranes, and other animals.

Things To Do In The Lake

Fishing

The Blue Cypress Lake offers year-round fishing opportunities. However, going there during specific months can result in a more successful catch. The fall season is when fishermen can enjoy the most action. Visitors who want to go fishing in the lake should be aware that water levels fluctuate very little between the pronounced dry and monsoon seasons despite the abundance of fish there.

Alligator Sightings

At Blue Cypress Lake, nobody swims for a good cause. Alligators are swarming throughout. They will be sneaking to land for warmth when the evenings are chilly. When it's warm, they prefer to hang around in the shallow water close to the lake's borders, where a daily banquet of species provides food for these ancient lake dwellers.

View The Unique Cypress Trees

Outstanding scenery is created by the still water and aged cypress trees. You would anticipate that the reddish-brown and green trees in Blue Cypress Lake would be painted blue. These oddly shaped members of the cypress family, which are not blue, have pointy "knees," expanded trunks at the base, and grow to heights of 130 feet.

As one gets to know this Florida gem, one may construct a list of one's particular favorites and original viewpoints. The lake is a great place to get away with family, especially with its interesting and varied animals. So, make sure to add the Blue Cypress Lake to your bucket list.