Sarasota Myakka River State Park is home to the DEEP HOLE that attracts hundreds of alligators in this small location. Located on the Lower Lake at the park, it is a 4.4 miles roundtrip hike to the 140-foot sinkhole. Visitors are allowed to hike back to the Deep Hole but a permit is required. Permits are sold at the front entrance (about 30 permits a day) and sell out quickly each morning, so get there early!

What is going on at the Deep Hole?

Cooler temperatures brings months of dry air with little to no rainfall. The once swollen rivers and streams with plenty of room for fish and critters to move and hide quickly diminish into smaller and smaller streams and pools. Life for the fresh water fish quickly becomes challenging as the skies also fill with sounds of northern migratory birds, and the mammals and hungry alligators. In an attempt to survive fish naturally seek deeper water to hide.

As the water levels continue to fall, thousands of fish funnel into a mysteriously deep circle of water, the Deep Hole to find shelter. At first there is plenty of room and ability to swim out, but as the drought continues and the river levels fall, the Deep Hole becomes the ultimate trap for fish, no escaping, and a feasting place for hundreds of alligators.

The Deep Hole has been a mysterious hole with fabled stories of attempted exploration and wild adventure. Yet in 2012 a team of scientists, archeologists and expert cave explorers came together to explore the hole to uncover some fascinating facts about this alligator heaven. Read more about the exploration HERE.

For the Avenue of Art, we have partially restored this 3D Illusion Alligator and included it in the history of Sarasota public art created during the pandemic.

HOW TO TAKE A PHOTO: This pavement painting is a 3D illusion so please use your camera to stand a few feet back and hold the camera right in front of you to see the illusion through the camera lens. The Orange will pop up as if it is three dimensional.