There is a little known lake in Tallahassee, Florida that nearly everyone who visits will pass without a second glance. Most will not even notice the single-entry point that is quietly tucked in-between the trees without any signage to give it away. Yet, it is located on one of the busiest areas (or at least high traffic) areas of the Capital City.
Hidden in "Plane" site
Located on the West side of Tallahassee, at the foot of the city's airport and bordering the Apalachicola National Forest, Lake Cascade is a quiet and unassuming treasure! Tallahassee's Capital Circle skirts by the lake on its route to the regional airport and provides great access to this hidden gem. Even with its location so close to the hustle and bustle of city life, the lake is fairly quiet with limited air traffic directly overhead. The lake's location also plays a big role in why only a few houses are on the lake and even fewer businesses.
The lake has one access point from land, and it is a ‘hand launch’ only situation as it is not a developed ramp. The access point is hidden by the thick trees surrounding the lake but can only be seen from the road by the break in the trees. Traveling south on Capital Circle, the access point is on the right just after the four traffic lanes merge into two-. If you get to the light; you have gone too far. There is a pull-off point from Capital Circle and you will see a break in the trees, but will not see the lake shore, though the lake would be visible in the distance. You can either park off the path at the break in the trees or continue down into the mass of trees to get closer for launching. Be careful of larger vehicles or trying to get a trailer in there because there isn't much opportunity for turning around.
A quiet oasis
The lake is surrounded by tall standing pines, which greatly reduces any noise that you may expect from the busy highway, and there are parts that you will forget that you are so close to civilization because you hear nothing but the wildlife. There are only a handful of houses on the lake, and those are tucked into a small area on the northern end of the lake, right before it turns back into a lily pad maze.
The middle of the lake is open with sparse trees or obstacles while the remaining parts of the lake are littered with towering cypress trees.
Life on the Lake
Lake Cascade is a sandy bottom cypress lake with dark waters, stained from the tannins it receives from the decaying vegetation that surrounds it. The waters are dark, but in most areas the bottom is mostly sand. Pair the sandy floor with all of the trees and you have a great natural habitat for a variety of species of fish. I have heard of the lake providing some noteworthy bream, though they still allude me and my fishing pole.
The lake provides a stop for migrating birds, like Canadian Geese as well as native local flyers such as egrets. I have witnessed raptors in the area, but never seen any sign of nesting by the lake. With such a secluded location, it wouldn't be hard to believe that they were nearby with their young.
Surprisingly, my experience paddling on the lake has not led to seeing many turtles or alligators, however that certainly doesn't mean they are not there, just that I have yet to experience them on this lake.
Easy Paddle
The lake offers a great opportunity for beginners or those just wanting a lazy float day. While the main area of the lake is a gentle paddle, with basically no current, the westerly arm of the lake is crowded with trees. This section does offer a deeper channel and is clearly marked with reflectors on the trees. Depending on water level, these reflectors may be right at the water line or slightly above your line of sight so keep your eyes open.
If you take a more southernly route from the put in, the trees gather closer while providing a wide path to paddle through to another open area of the lake. When the water levels are just right, and you can locate the right path in the maze of trees, you can actually paddle right under the highway and into Lake Hiawatha. Both Lake Cascade and Lake Hiawatha are part of the Lake Bradford watershed that is otherwise only be accessible through the FSU Reservation. However, the current construction on Capital Circle SW has the access blocked. The good news is that it did look like the new bridge would provide better access to these sister lakes, increasing Lake Cascade paddling opportunities.
A local curiosity
As I mentioned before, the lake consists mostly of a sandy floor, which you can get a great glimpse of during the lake’s random draw downs. Much like Lake Jackson, just a few miles north, Lake Cascades goes through a natural drawdown. Unlike Lake Jackson though, which draws down due to a large sink hole that drains into the aquifer, experts are unsure of the cause of random draw down of Lake Cascade. Some have suggested a sink hole is the cause since the lake has many neighboring sink holes, yet none of these neighbors have been identified as swallowing all of the lakes water, likely because these sink holes are not connected to the main lake. Adding to the mystery is that it doesn't really seem to be on a schedule or directly related to a local drought event. The last known draw down was in 2023, click the picture to read the full story from a local news station.
When the levels are low, the lake provides a unique hiking opportunity. You never really understand the immensity of the cypress trees until you are able to look up at its crown from the roots. Moreover, getting to see the life that the dry roots and all of their nooks and crannies support helps understand why this natural occurrence is so beneficial.
Check out Lake Cascades the next time you are looking for a beautiful and lazy paddle.
View the Lake Cascade photo album to see all that we captured on our last visit to this hidden gem.
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