Q. What is it supposed to be on the show? A. A swamp, at night. Q. Where is it supposed to be on the show? A. Somewhere in Florida, possibly the Everglades. Q. When did we see it on the show? A. In Episode 1, of Season 6, "Those Kinds of Things". In a short scene, we see Professor Gellar and his disciple, Travis Marshall, making their way through a swamp at night.  They are in a small boat, and are using a flashlight to light their way. Gellar appears to be searching for something, and then he spots what he wants: a large, pregnant water snake - of a kind that gives live birth (rather than laying eggs). Travis uses a pole to catch it.  We can see the live young moving inside of the black snake. Gellar says that he only needs seven of the offspring. Q. What is it actually in real life? A. A lake in a park. Q. Where can I find it in real life? A. This scene was shot at El Dorado Park, in Long Beach, a location the show has used fairly often in the past. Since it's a night shot, and you can't see much, the exact location is hard to pinpoint.

But this scene appears to have been shot on the west side of the upper (northern) lake, north of Wardlow Road.


(My hunch would somewhere near the same narrow, reedy area near the north end neck of the lake, near a small bridge, where they filmed part of Lumen's attempted escape last season.)

In the previous (5th) season, they shot those scenes of Dexter chasing Lumen in the same general area, next to the lake, as well as the scenes of Dexter's failed attempt to capture  Boyd Fowler.

In the 1st season, they shot the scene where Dexter stalked the young killer named Jeremy, at Flamingo Park.

And it's not far from another part of the park, where (in the 4th season) they filmed the scenes of Dexter's accident, and of Dexter capturing Trinity.

To visit this lake, you'll have exert a little effort, and it can be tricky for newcomers.

The park's official address is 7550 E. Spring Street, and to reach this part of the large park, you have to enter the park through an entrance on the north side of Spring Street (they charge you $5 just to get in).

But then, once inside the park, head north, navigating a maze of park roads, past other lakes, then through an underpass (that goes below Wardlow Road), before finally emerging on the north side of Wardlow.

After you emerge from that underpass, make a right and head east, then turn left and head north a short distance and you'll find the parking lot on the west side of the lake.

To make it easier for you to find the lake, if you want to visit the park, I've included a map with the driving route inside the park marked in red. Click here to see it.

I shot the photos below back in 2008.










Here is an aerial photo of the lake.  And here is a map link.

Q. How the heck did you figure out where it was?

A.  In previous seasons, I've usually had to hunt down the locations after viewing the episodes, using clues from the various scenes.  By the 6th season, though, I'd developed a small group of fans, spies & tipsters who kept an eye out for Dexter filming in their neighborhoods, and would let me know in advance when something was about to film there.

Between those reports, my own personal reconnaissance around town, and a few new resources I discovered, by the time the first episode aired, I already knew most (but not all) of the filming locations, and only needed to watch the episodes and match up the scenes with the correct locations.

This group of helpful fans includes  Kerry, Rick, Ellen, Susan, Joel, Julie, Geoff,Jeff, and others. My thanks to all of them.

Kerry, who lives next to El Dorado Park, let me know when they were filming here.  And she reported that they were setting up by the upper lake, near Lumen's cabin.  (Thanks, Kerry!)