Build your Lakeside Getaway on one of Florida's hidden gems! Lake Alto is a 573-acre waterway in Alachua County, south of Waldo. The lake and the much larger Santa Fe Lake, are the headwaters for the Santa Fe River. Few homeowners reside around the lake because the Northeastern parts of the lake are owned by Alachua County and are protected land. Non-resident boaters can access the lake by boat ramp at Lake Alto Park. The park there has a kiosk that fishermen use, and a display for LEAFS(the Longleaf Ecology and Forestry Society). The park also includes hiking trails within the native longleaf pine ecosystem. The sandy bottom lake is good for catching bass, brim, and catfish, and is great for swimming and other recreational activities. The lake also has entrances to canals that played a major role in the economic development of the area in the late 19 th century. Located at both ends, the canals connect with Little Santa Fe Lake at the southeastern entrance, and that leads to Santa Fe Lake and Melrose Bay in Historic Melrose, FL. The canal at the northwestern edge of Lake Alto connects to the town of Waldo. Drive by's are welcomed!