Are there any gators around? If so, how big are they and are they always there?

There was a 12 foot gator in the area but it hasn't been seen since the accident.

There are Gators, but they mind there own business

Can you rent kayaks at the park? Cost?

My wife and I kayaked the river last year and we saw 3 gators, the biggest was about 5 feet long.

They could be there but we never saw any

Ive kayaked up and down the littke manatee, saw no gators. They are there probably there but no sightings. Myakka River Ive seen 12-14 foot Gators and many if them. They were not threatening.

Any water in Florida has gators and spring is mating season. There is no way to know how big they are, but as a rule, any over 6 feet are removed from public. Be sure to follow park rules and never, never feed a gator. Then you will have a great time in the park.

Yes, there is a sign next to Dude Lake warning of alligators, although I don't know how prevalent they are. It says to report any gator encounters to the Ranger Station.

Gators are present but rarely do they have contact with people. They would rather stay away. As for the length the max so far seen on the river was speculated at 7 feet.