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    Highlands Hammock State Park

    4.5 (90 reviews)

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    One of the old catwalks - narrow and only one side has a handrail.
    Judy B.

    What a gem, hiding near the town of Sebring! Florida's first ever State Park! If you want to see the beauty of it, you'll have to hike the trails or at least bike the bicycle route. So much beauty in the hammocks, centuries old live oak trees, towering sable Palms, great bald cypresses. One wonderful trail after another. So great that the people back then decided to preserve this gem. We stayed at the campground, which was a bit crowded and not what we're used to, but we were lucky to get a spot only one week beforehand. The CCC museum is also worth a visit; a lot of remarkable history right there. This park contains some of my favorite trails in Florida!!

    Gopher Tortise

    Great little park with lots of trails and wildlife. The rangers are very friendly and knowledgeable . Lots of wildlife to view if you are quite & patient

    Vickie M.

    Great place to camp. The spaces are big enough to hold two tents and a car. It's shaded and electric and water are provided. There are plenty of bathrooms and they are clean. Every time I went to Use the bathroom I was always the only one in there. They have a nice general store and lots of hiking trails.

    Campsite map
    Christina B.

    Nestled in the suburbs of Sebring off County Rd 634 aka Hammock Rd sits this beautiful and well maintained campground. We enjoyed 3 nights here on site #83 in a 30' Class A. We had one of the largest campsites in the campground. We had 2 fire pits, a picnic table and a grill in one of the fire pits. The site was level and was covered in grass and some gravel. We had electricity and water available onsite. If this campground had offered sewer hookup I would've given them 5 stars! The park was quiet and had a lot of wildlife to view! Squirrels, armadillos and deer were seen almost everyday. They also have bears and alligators which I'm glad we never saw! There are 138 campsites in 3 different sections of the park. They have a community center with a playground and 2 additional playgrounds throughout the park. There is also an outdoor theater, laundry and 3 different bathhouses. There are 11 different bike and hiking trails in this park. Across the street from the main campground is a wilderness campground and there is also a family campground. We really enjoyed our stay here and would definitely stay here again!

    Campire
    Jose B.

    Highly recommended, very nice place and very family oriented. It has 3 buildings were the bathrooms and showers are located. One of them is more modern. The other two can use an update. At night you may be visited with deers, armadillos. During the morning, there are a lot of squirrels hanging around. The park has several trails that can be walked. Some sites have electric and water hook ups too

    My absolute favorite trail!
    Steven B.

    How cool is it to live close to one of the four original state parks of Florida! I feel so blessed to enjoy these thousands of acres of wilderness anytime I want! BTW- The deeply knowledgeable Rangers charged me a whole $4 entry fee. $6 for a carload of folks. This morning the weather was so glorious it was time for a hike. I drove around the beautiful Loop road to access the Cypress Swamp Trail. Many folks consider it the best trail in the park. Just so you know, most of the trails here are relatively short, about thirty minutes walking. Some are on land and some are on catwalks. Cypress Swamp is mostly on catwalks. Beware that the walking is easy but sometimes the catwalks switch to a very narrow version. See my pictures. You need to keep your balance, or you'll be in a gaters swimming pool! That gaters warning sign at the beginning of the trail is not kidding! This morning I saw a couple of gators, a wild hog, a bunch of deer and Oh, a water moccasin. They are hard to take pictures of because they generally run, scurry, slither, or swim away as fast as they can but it's so incredible to see them! Sure, Florida is known world-wide for all its theme parks but this side of Florida is just as pleasurable, just in a different way!

    Ranger Station
    Jamie W.

    This is a lovely state park that also has camping. There are many paths to hike, and geocaching if that's your thing (it is ours!). Camping is nice, but the sites are VERY close together, which is not always what you want when you're out in the wilderness. We had to move three times due to errors at the front, but that happens and didn't damper our trip. Bath houses are fine, showers had hot water, and that's always nice - and not always true at campgrounds! They have tours around the park in a tram when Covid is not an issue, and rent out bikes as well. There is also a museum, but it is also closed due to current health conditions. The little gift store is open, and full of any and everything you could need while staying at the campground. They also have some of their famous orange ice cream, as well as key lime. It was so refreshing and such a nice treat on a hot day.

    Sign
    Marisela K.

    I've been coming to this state park since I was 5 and it never disappoints. Very beautiful trail and animals to see! Came here recently this past Thursday with my fiancé and my nephew and niece and we enjoyed it so much! Weather was perfect and wasn't so busy. It is $6 per vehicle. They also have bike rentals so you can bike on the road (not the trails!) asides from that it's just another beautiful state park in Florida !! You can also camp here but I do not know much about that.

    View from Bird viewing platform
    Alysia R.

    My parents own a home in Avon Park, FL and every time I come to visit them, we come to Highlands Hammock State Park. The employees and Rangers are genuinely helpful and the park offers tons of activities. Bike rentals are a must for riding through the naturroads. The gift shop offers rentals for bikes are $5 for the first hour then incrementally $2.50 for every additional half hour. You can also walk plenty of beautiful nature trails and catch a glimpse of some gators if you're lucky! Deer and other wildlife are out and about, we bring our binoculars to do some bird watching on the bird viewing platform. There are also pavilions for rent in you want to have a small gathering and BBQ's are available.

    Paved path
    Michelle M.

    Highlands Hammock State Park is absolutely beautiful with canopy coverings through out. If you love nature, living in the madness of South Florida and need to get away, this is a must see. Florida has plenty to offer with hidden gems that we at many times don't even realize. Visiting this state park we really felt like we were NOT in Florida but rather somewhere up north. The peace and quietness that it has to offer is priceless. We rode our bikes along a paved path (the bike path is marked) taking in the scenery and natural beauties. Bikes are not permitted on the hiking trails. Keep your eyes peeled back, you just might get lucky and see animals in their natural habitat! This is a dog friendly park but please follow the rules. Dogs MUST be kept on a leash at all times and there are certain paths that prohibit dogs. I've uploaded a current map and rules outline. Our visit was August 2022. Please respect as these rules are set in place for a reason. Would definitely recommend and pay another visit!

    10 baby alligators near mom
    Steven C.

    Excellent walking trails among ancient oak and Cypress forests. The cypress trail was my favorite with alligators, water moccasins and deer today. The park warns of Florida bear, cougar, and raccoons. It's great the State protects a few thousand acres of authentic wilderness. Great walking trails and bike lanes. Close enough to Sebring you would bike in. Also a great drive from Orlando.

    Megan K.

    Such a cool place and only $6 to get in! Walking over the swamp with just one side having a railing was a little nerve racking, but fun. You can find the trail at the larger parking lot. You drive around a huge loop, and can pull over and do each trail. We covered all of the trails, and they are all shorter trails. We even saw wild pigs!!! And piglets!!

    Ariel W.

    The land the park sits on was first settled in 1881 by Jonathan Skipper on land that was known as Hooker's Hammock. Jonathan and his wife built a home and planted an orange grove. Jonathan and his family went on to raise cattle that they shipped to Cuba. By the 1920's Jonathan's son Chesley A. Skipper owned several hundred acres of the hammock. Donald Roebling was in the area to purchase a plane from the son of George Sebring whose father founded the town. Donald heard of the beautiful plants in the hammocks and he flew his parents in to view them. Impressed with what she saw Donalds mother who was the widow of the builder of the Brooklyn Bridge purchased 500 acres for $25,000 in order to preserve it. A corporation formed in 1930 when local citizens who were concerned about plans to turn the hammock into farmland bought the property in order to protect it. Chesley A. Skipper donated 320 acres to form the park. Roads and bridges were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps and the park opened to the public in 1931. They corporation had hoped to make it a national park but when Florida's state park system was created four years later in 1935 and Highlands Hammock became one of four original state parks. The Civilian Conservation Corps built a camp there as a base for development. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018. Thanks to a group of nature conservationists in the 1930's you can visit the park today and see the way Florida looked before it was developed. Admission is $4 for a single occupant car and $6 if you have more than one person. It is such a small price to enjoy all the park has to offer. You can visit the Civilian Conservation Corps Museum which shows a 10 minute film that highlights their contributions to the park. The park also offers a $10 tram ride. It was closed when I visited but I want to come back for it because it takes you to parts of the park that you can't otherwise access. Other park activities include camping, biking, picnicking, and nature watching. Snacks can be purchased at the park store. My favorite part of the park is the hiking trails. There are 9 of them off of a 3 mile paved loop road. Along the trails you can see ancient trees and a variety of wildlife. At one point I ran in straight into a wild hog that is a descendant of the ones introduced into Florida by the Spanish explorers. I don't know who was more startled but he quickly ran off. My favorite hiking trail was the Cypress Swamp Trail that has a catwalk that gets you up close to the swamp. I wish I had planned for more time for the park but I tried to squeeze too much into one day. You can easily spend an entire day here. I can't wait to come back and next time it will be in the winter. After just a few of the trails I was drenched in sweat. This is a state park you don't want to miss.

    Walking along a path with my dogs

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    2 years ago

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    10 months ago

    We love taking the trails within the park, especially Cypress Swamp. We look forward to the catwalk being repaired in the near future.

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    3 years ago

    Great place for hiking, seeing nature! Had a great time with music and a food truck at Music in the Park...

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    3 years ago

    Was a perfect place to camp for our Spartan race! Park rangers were super nice and camp sites were spacious and clean.

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    We really like the hiking and nature aspect.of rhe park. Camping here is so noisy and busy. We would.prefer quieter locations

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Highlands Hammock State Park

    When does the tram run?

    It's runs in morning but u want to get your tickets early cause u want to reserve it ahead cause it does sell out

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    Review Highlights - Highlands Hammock State Park

    There is also the CCC museum on the grounds that contains artifacts and a video explaining the CCC.

    Mentioned in 8 reviews

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    Istokpoga Park - A beautiful sunset in Istokpoga

    Istokpoga Park

    4.7(3 reviews)
    13.2 mi

    We had a great time! We have done airboat rides in the Everglades and they were okay but they were…read morevery short. We went fast for quite along time and saw a ton of alligators. Captain Dave explained many things about the gators, buzzards and eco system to us. My grandkids and my kids along with us had a wonderful time and can't wait to go again. Also, it was an hour ride! Worth the time and the money. Cathy S

    This park was off the beaten track for me but it is well worth seeking out. I wasn't sure what to…read moreexpect when I had to to turn down a remote road past a ramshackle trailer. Fortunately the adventure turned out okay. Istokpoga Park is located on the north shore of the 28,000 acre Lake Istokpoga, the fifth largest lake in Florida. It is believed that Istokpoga is from the Seminole language and means a lake where someone was killed in the water. Legend has it that several Seminoles drowned in the lake while attempting to cross it. The lake is only four to six feet deep and it is fed by the Arbuckle and Josephine Creeks. Despite being shallow, the lake can be dangerous for boaters during windstorms when the waves can get high. The lake is well known for fishing. Lake Istokpoga is home to alligators and it attracts many species of birds including the endangered snail kite. It is also home to one of the largest number of Osprey nests in the United States. When I pulled into the park I was greeted by two sandhill cranes. They are a large species of crane but we don't have them as far south as I live. You only start seeing them north of Palm Beach. If you have ever met one of these characters you would know. YouTube is filled with videos of them squawking at their image in peoples windows. They do not care about you and often block the streets at my daughter's UCF campus. I love their don't give a flip attitudes. During my visit to the park I also spotted a limpkin. Istokpoga Park has amenities that include a double boat ramp, covered picnic tables, grills, bathrooms, nature trails, boardwalk, and fishing pier. This is a beautiful park perfect for bird watching, photography, fishing, and picnics.

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    Istokpoga Park
    Istokpoga Park
    Istokpoga Park

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    Donaldson Park

    Donaldson Park

    5.0(2 reviews)
    8.9 mi

    Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to read two reviews. Read Ariel W's and especially…read moreperuse her photos. As a five-year resident of this teeny tiny town, I'll add to hers and here are my additions- * The pavilions are a big draw as they have nice big canopies for shade and sturdy picnic tables. Each has its own trash bin a few feet away. That's nice but they are fly and hornet magnets! Just sayin- * Because of the adjacent playground, birthday parties are common. Expect a bunch of rug rats to be running around. * This is a no pets park except for service animals of course. There is minimal chance you will step in something horrendous with your bare feet. * It's nicely lit at night so it's a nice place to enjoy the cool of the evening. * If you enjoy alcohol, as long as you wrap your can, you know what I mean, nobody with bother you. * This is rural Florida and everyone with half a brain knows every lake has gators! The beach is nice and if you swim during the day the chances of even seeing one is minuscule! If you decide to take a swim at night with an open wound, well, you didn't really need four appendages, did you?

    Donaldson Park is located on East Main Street close to downtown. There are shady oaks, picnic…read morepavilions with tables, and a playground. During my visit there was birthday party in one of the pavilions. Donaldson Park sits on the shores of Lake Verona and there is a beach for swimming. I have always heard that if you swim in lakes in Florida you can get the brain eating Naegleria fowleri amoeba. When water gets up your nose it travels to your brain which is almost always fatal. There have been 37 reported cases in Florida since 1962. Peak times to get it are July through September. I am not sure if they test the water here or if people are just careful not to submerge their heads in the water. Although I grew up swimming in lakes in New Jersey, this is the first time I have seen a swimming beach on a Florida lake. Also noteworthy is the dinosaur skeleton on the beach. It features heavily in promotional pictures for Avon Park. The park is used by the City of Avon Park for events like the Blueberry Festival and Christmas in the Park. The beach looked inviting but I am just not sure how safe it is to swim here.

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    Donaldson Park
    Donaldson Park
    Donaldson Park - If you swim during the day, don't worry about the gaters. If you swim in the evening, you could lose an appendage! :-(

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    If you swim during the day, don't worry about the gaters. If you swim in the evening, you could lose an appendage! :-(

    Lake Denton Management

    Lake Denton Management

    4.7(3 reviews)
    6.6 mi

    Large lake that has clearly been set up for scuba training. There is a large parking lot and a…read morelarge concrete pad with many picnic tables that classes can use to set up gear, brief their dives, etc. The path from the pad to the lake has been cleared and is easy to traverse in full gear. They recently put up "sails" over the picnic tables to keep most of the sun off, which is really helpful. Every time I go, I can see some new improvement to the facilities. The lake itself is laid out with many lines and markers to facilitate underwater navigation. They have set up some "fun" things to see, such as mounting bicycles or creating a "gnome garden," sinking a boat with skeletons on board, etc. There are platforms that can be used for skills. The lake is good for Open Water and for Advanced classes. The bottom is fairly silty and it's easy to kick up a "storm" of silt and screw up visibility. The viz is between 10 and 20 feet (on a good day), and mostly greenish, so make sure you're sticking together. There are two port-a-potties and a small changing room...and that's it. Bring lots of water and snacks in a cooler. Waivers and reservations are done online. If you're a scuba instructor, register with the management of the lake (free) to get an instructor ID number. Use that number when you make reservations for your classes. Instructors are free, students pay $20 plus $1.20 in tax. Well worth it. When I have the time and students are willing to make the drive (it's 2 hours from my home and scuba shop), I prefer to do training here because I can take my time and not worry about the tides at Blue Heron Bridge.

    So, sue me! My teeny tiny town Of Avon Park in Central Florida is lousy with lakes. You can't throw…read morea stick without hitting a lake. Of course, the stick would clunk a gator on the snout first! I finally got around to visiting this particular lake. Do your homework- If you are not from the area and looking for a place to swim & picnic, this isn't it! This lake has a lot of private homes surrounding it, but it has a big reputation for SCUBA divers. There is a divers parking lot with a few picnic tables where they lay out their gear. Local organizations hold diving classes here. There is also an adjacent boat ramp, but there is NO public swimming! Pro Tip- If you are traveling with little munchkins and looking for swimming & picnicking, I recommend Donaldson Park in downtown Avon Park. It's just minutes away. Nice beach. Divers love this place because the water is so clear and it's up to 50ft deep. If SCUBA is your thing, this is a four star stop.

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    Lake Denton Management
    Lake Denton Management
    Lake Denton Management - Diving class going on!

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    Diving class going on!

    Sadie Khan Memorial Park

    Sadie Khan Memorial Park

    4.0(1 review)
    5.8 mi

    The Sadie Khan Memorial Park is a quiet tree lined park perfect for passive respite in downtown…read moreSebring, It was the ideal place to sit outside and enjoy refreshment from nearby Sweetwater Coffee. George Sebring founded the town of Sebring in Highlands County in 1912. In 1923 pioneer residents Mike and Sadie Kahn moved to town and formed a strong friendship with George Sebring. The couple opened a dry goods store downtown on the ground floor of the Nan-ces-o-wee Hotel on Ridgewood Drive. The Kahn's were Jewish immigrants from Lithuania and they opened the first synagogue in town on land donated by Mr. Sebring. The Kahn's purchased a 20 acre citrus grove asoutheast of Sebring and lived in a home on Old Desoto City Rd.Mike passed away unexpectedly at the age of 52 and Sadie took over the management of the groves eventually dividing them among her children. In 1980 the Sadie Kahn Memorial Park was named by the city. Located near Nan-ces-o-wee Hotel, the park was damaged during the hotel demolition. The Community Redevelopment Agency spearheaded a redesign and it was rededicated during Sebring's centennial in 2012..For the centennial celebration Kenneth Treister designed the parks centennial sculptures ,benches. and the mural of the Kahn's and their citrus orchard. In 2013 Mike and Sadie Khan's son Marvin and his wife Elsa Kahn deeded the property known as Sadie Kahn Memorial Park to the City on June 7, 2013. During his long career as a citrus grower Marvin Kahn fought for growers' property rights, practiced and advocated for water management, and served as a community booster. He was inducted into the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame in 2018.

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    Sadie Khan Memorial Park
    Sadie Khan Memorial Park
    Sadie Khan Memorial Park

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    Highlands Hammock State Park - parks - Updated May 2026

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