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Lake County held a grand-opening celebration on Nov. 16 for its 130 miles of Blueways, the largest collection of waterway trails for canoeists and kayakers in the state.
A blueway is similar to a hiking trail. Physical and geo-positioned markers guide trail users through the waterways. An ideal blueway trail also includes an abundance of scenery and wildlife as well as easy canoe and kayak access. The Lake County Community Blueways Project identifies scenic waterways that feature nearby amenities for paddlers. The eight trails are within the areas of the St. Johns River, Golden Triangle, Palatlakaha Basin and Oklawaha Basin.
Each zone offers a different experience for trail users. For example, the Golden Triangle Run skirts along the lakefronts of Tavares and Mount Dora and is a shorter trail suitable for casual or novice users. Several of the St. Johns River trails are categorized as “wilderness” Blueways as these runs are located in remote, undeveloped areas and offer paddlers hiking and camping opportunities.
The idea of developing a Blueways program was introduced to the Lake County Board of County Commissioners in January 2005. Since then, the departments of Public Works, Environmental Utilities and Tourism & Business Relations have worked diligently to make this project become a reality. Lake County was granted a temporary permit for its collection of Blueways on Oct. 12, 2005. The temporary permit allowed the County time to install physical markers along the trails before completing the application process. This past year, 49 markers were place along the proposed trails.
 Towering cypress trees over the Dora Canal create a mystical canopy of Spanish moss and sunbeams. “This project would not have been possible without our partners, the Lake County Water Authority, the cities of Leesburg, Mount Dora and Tavares and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office,” said Lake County Commissioner Catherine Hanson. “With a name like Lake and its 1,000 freshwater rivers and lakes, this was a logical project for the County.”
The permitting process for Lake County’s Blueways designation included approvals from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the U.S. Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Coast Guard. The Blueways designation also requires the ability to respond to waterborne search and rescue situations, which the Lake County Sheriff’s Office has had the ability to do for some time.
In addition to benefiting Lake County residents, the Lake County Community Blueways Project is expected to attract visiting paddlers to the County. Responsible for marketing the program, the Lake County Department of Tourism and Business Relations will unveil maps for each Blueways trail in Spring 2007. The maps will be available online, by calling 800-430-LAKE or visiting the Lake County Welcome Center at 20763 U.S. Highway 27 in Groveland.
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