This is the Lithia Springs swim area. And on the left side of the frame? Probably not a gator. After all, why would anyone have a government-sponsored night swim in an area known to be rife with alligators? Credit: Walter via Flickr/CC2.0

This is the Lithia Springs swim area. And on the left side of the frame? Probably not a gator. After all, why would anyone have a government-sponsored night swim in an area known to be rife with alligators? Credit: Walter via Flickr/CC2.0
Want to take your chances with the gators and snakes this Halloween?

Hillsborough's Lithia Springs Conservation Park is giving you your chance.

Here's what's happening: On Oct. 27, Lithia Springs will open its always-72-degree water to swimmers. They'll also have an interpretive hike.

We had to read the press release twice, because at first read, it sounded like the park was opening its freshwater spring to swimmers after dark.

Upon a second reading, that's exactly what it's doing.

According to National Geographic, alligators attack something every two hours. How? Well, they can wait at the water's edge, but NatGeo's "crittercams" reveal that gators were "twice as successful in their hunting attempts when the reptiles were underwater."

So it should be a fun, not at all ill-advised night swim. Here's the info on how to take part in the adventure.

Lithia Springs Park, 3932 Lithia Springs Rd., Lithia | Oct. 27: 7-9 p.m. | $7 plus $2/car entry | 813-459-9188 | Lithia Springs night swim registration

This article appears in Oct 4-11, 2018.

Cathy's portfolio includes pieces for Visit Florida, USA Today and regional and local press. In 2016, UPF published Backroads of Paradise, her travel narrative about retracing the WPA-era Florida driving...