5 FAVORITE CENTRAL FL PARKS FOR OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. Rockon Recreation Rentals

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1 Check out this Awesome Compilation of Southern Central Florida State Parks, where amateurs to experienced folks are welcome to explore the outdoors. 5 FAVORITE CENTRAL FL PARKS FOR OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

2 LAKE LOUISA STATE PARK 7305 US Hwy 27 Clermont, Florida Lake Louisa Camping Phone: Reservations: Lake Louisa has 60 full facility campsites nestled between Dixie and Hammond Lake. Each site has 30 and 50 amp hookups. Some sites can accommodate rigs up to 50'. A dump station is located between Dixie Loop and Sandhill Loop. Campground amenities include two accessible bathhouses, two accessible fishing piers and a small accessible pavilion. Campsites 1, 34 and 36 are fully accessible and include a level concrete pad and are connected to the bathhouse by sidewalk and or paved surface. Pets are welcome; please adhere to all rules regarding pets in the campground in accordance with our Pet Policy. Reservations may be made up to 11 months in advance through ReserveAmerica. Book online or call (800) (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.) or Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) (888) Hammock camping is available at select sites. Please call the Ranger Station at (352) for more details. Lake Louisa - Bicycling Lake Louisa boasts 7 miles of paved roads and over 20 miles of unpaved multi use trails for visitors to bike on. Mountain bikes or fat tire bikes are advised for off road trails, as some trails are sandy. Please watch for vehicles on the paved roads and use the marked bike lane. Helmets are highly recommended for all cyclists and Florida law requires helmets for cyclists age 16 and under.

3 Lake Louisa - Fishing Fishing is available at Lake Louisa, Dixie Lake, Hammond Lake, Bear Lake and Smokehouse Lake. Hand launching of a small boat, canoe or kayak is permitted at each of the lakes. Electric trolling motors are permitted but gas powered motors are not. Lake Louisa can be fished from the shoreline while Dixie and Hammond Lakes have accessible fixed docks and Bear Lake has a floating dock. Smokehouse Lake is accessible only by a four wheel drive vehicle and can only be fished by boat. You must register at the Ranger Station in order to fish Smokehouse Lake. The lakes offer anglers a chance to catch fish as well as see some of the park's abundant wildlife. Pick up a fishing regulations handbook at the ranger station upon your arrival (while supplies last). All fishing within the park must conform to regulations concerning size, number, method of capture and season. A fishing license may be required. More information is available at the Florida Wildlife Commission s Fishing in Florida. Lake Louisa - Canoeing and Kayaking Use your single / tandem kayaks at the Dixie Lake Outpost for use on Beautiful Dixie Lake. Visitors bring their own canoes, kayaks and other small boats as long as they can be hand carried to the water. Gas motors are not permitted but electric trolling motors are. Lake Louisa - Hiking Nature Trail Hiking is a favorite pastime at Lake Louisa. With over 20 miles of trails winding through the park's natural plant communities, you never know what you might see around the next bend. For those looking for a shorter hike, a half mile nature trail is located at the Lake Louisa parking lot. This shaded and picturesque trail winds through three of the park's 11 natural communities with interpretive signs along the way. Be sure to ask for a trail map on your way into the park.

4 HIGHLANDS HAMMOCK STATE PARK 5931 Hammock Road Sebring, Florida Phone: Reservations: Highlands Hammock

5 Highlands Hammock - Camping Primitive Camping, Primitive Wilderness Drive to wilderness sites, located in an open pine flatwoods area, have picnic tables and fire rings, but no electricity or running water. A solar outhouse is located in the center of the campground in proximity to campsite # 8. Full service restrooms with showers are available to primitive wildnerness campers in the family campground with payment of shower fee of $8.00 plus tax at the ranger station. Reservations: Camping reservations may be made up to 11 months in advance through ReserveAmerica. Book online at or call (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.) or TDD Highlands Hammock - Hiking Nature Trail Highlands Hammock is known for its hiking trails, which range in distance from 975 feet to over 3,000 feet. Eight of the nine trails are located on the loop drive, and visitors can easily extend their walks as several connect via a bridge or catwalk. Trails run through hydric hammock, cypress swamp, hardwood swamp, and pine flatwoods. Hammock means shady place, and Webster s Dictionary defines hammock as "a fertile, raised area with hardwood trees in the southern U.S. True enough. But visitors to the park know exactly what it means."beautiful!" The hammock is a quiet sanctuary shaded by a towering tree canopy of oaks and pignut hickories. Visitors might begin by walking the Alexander Blair Big Oak Trail. A short hike leads to one of the park s magnificent thousand year old oaks. Continue on to Hickory Trail via a narrow catwalk. Walk deep into the woods under the expansive canopy and wonder over the giant oaks and air plant laden branches. Amble along the boardwalk of Richard Lieber Memorial Trail and view the colorful, scattered leaves. See autumn in Florida and observe a flock of white ibis feeding. Another thousand year old oak marks this trail, which also connects to Fern Garden. Discover how pineland has transitioned into hammock as a result of fire exclusion on the Young Hammock Trail. Stroll along the boardwalk over Charlie Bowlegs Creek and search the tea colored water for alligators on Cypress Swamp Trail. Take a journey back in time to primitive Florida on the Ancient Hammock Trail. Observe a yellow crowned night heron on the Fern Garden boardwalk. Wild Orange Trail, which connects the loop to the picnic area, is a unique blend of wild orange trees, pine flatwoods, bayhead and young hammock plant communities. The Allen Altvater Trail runs through open, sunny pine flatwoods and provides interpretive information about Florida fire ecology. It is located east of campsite #115 in the family campground. Visitors may also walk the Scrub Trail on the South Hammock property, which is located across CR 635 from Seven Lakes. Late fall, winter, and spring are ideal seasons for exploring the trails. During the summer rainy season, insects are more prevalent and portions of trails are often wet, muddy or overgrown. Wear sturdy footwear suitable for hiking. Carry water and insect repellent. Binoculars, cameras, and field guides are recommended. Trail maps are available at the Ranger Station.

6 Highlands Hammock - Bicycling A three mile paved loop drive through the hammock offers nature study and is ideal for bicycling. Bikes are not permitted on nature trails and boardwalks. Bike racks are conveniently located at loop trailheads for visitors who wish to walk the trails. The loop is also suitable for roller blading or roller skating. A six mile, off road bicycle trail runs through the park and is best suited for mountain bikeshelmets are highly recommended for all cyclists and Florida law requires helmets for cyclists age 16 and under. Highlands Hammock - Geo-Seeking The Florida State Parks Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Geotrail is now at Nine parks were built by the CCC and Works Progress Administration in the 1930s. Search for all nine caches and end at the CCC Museum at Highlands Hammock State Park and receive a commemorative geocoin. GC codes: GC38Y93 Fort Clinch State Park GC3BG4G Florida Caverns State Park GC3D02X Highlands Hammock State Park GC3BG4A Hillsborough River State Park GC3ABB5 Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park GC3BG4N Myakka River State Park GC3ABBC O Leno State Park GC38Y8V Ravine Gardens State Park GC3BG4E Torreya State Park GC38Y9F Florida State Parks FINAL CCC Cache located in Highlands Hammock State Park. The Operation Recreation GeoTour hosted by Geocaching.com, stretches from Pensacola to Key West and includes 71 of the First Three Time National Gold Medal Award Winning Florida State Parks and Trails. Visit 20 caches and win the Official Operation Recreation Geocoin. Download and print the Official Tracking Sheet to begin your adventure. Remember to cache and save with unlimited entry for a year with the Florida State Parks Annual Pass.

7 The Florida Park Service is proud to announce it has launched the Operation Recreation Kids GeoTour. Look inside Operation Recreation GeoTour geocaches for one of six possible Nature Cards. Every cache has one of six species. Record the name of the Florida State Park where you first find each of the six species on the Kids Official Tracking Sheet. Find all six species and win the ORGT Kids GeoTour Geocoin!

8 LAKE JUNE IN WINTER SCRUB STATE PARK 5931 Hammock Road Sebring, Florida Phone: Lake June in Winter

9 Lake June in Winter - Hiking Nature Trail Hiking is available, and visitors may walk the Tomoka Run Trail, which is a relatively short loop trail. The trailhead is located on the southeast side of the picnic area beyond the parking area gate. The trail may also be accessed from the park entrance drive. The trail is densely shaded in some areas and crosses a gurgling seepage stream. The trail runs through pine flatwoods, scrub and the edge of a bayhead. Tannic creeks bubble up from underground springs within the park. The creeks are surrounded by lush ferns, bay trees, wild azaleas and other shade tolerant plants. The dark water receives its lovely color from dissolved nutrients. Visitors interested in bird watching and wildlife viewing will thoroughly enjoy walking this trail. In stark contrast, sandy firelanes and sugar sand trails can provide a workout through scrubby pine flatwoods and scrub habitat. The endangered Florida scrub jay may be observed perching on scrub oaks in this desert ecosystem. Visitors should be aware that the trails in this harsh, sandy environment can be very hot. Visitors are advised to wear a hat, sunblock and sturdy footwear suitable for hiking. Bring water, a friend, compass or a cell phone on longer hikes. Scrub communities are rare due to their presence on narrow geographic ranges, their small population sizes and because they support certain endemic species which are unable to survive anywhere else. As you walk, please stay on the trail to help protect rare and endangered plant species. Your interest and cooperation in protecting these ancient seashores, is greatly appreciated.

10 888 Lake Branch Road Bowling Green, FL (863) Paynes Creek

11 Paynes Creek - Bicycling Visitors can enjoy a leisurely bicycling experience along the park main drive and through most of the parks nature trails. Safe operation of bicycles in the park is encouraged. Helmets are highly recommended for all cyclists and Florida law requires helmets for cyclists age 16 and under. Paynes Creek - Camping, Primitive Grp The primitive youth group camping area is located near Payne Creek and accommodates up to 30 tent campers. The campground includes a fire ring with benches, a portable toilet, a pavilion and picnic tables. No water or electric service is available. Reservations are required and tax exempt status, if applicable, should be provided at the time of the reservation. Call the park for reservations at (863) Hammock camping is allowed in this camping area. Paynes Creek - Canoe Kayak Launch Canoe and kayak launch area provides direct access to the Peace River. Launch access requires obtaining gate combination from ranger station. Paynes Creek - Fishing Fishing is allowed in designated areas. We encourage safe and responsible fishing activities. Peace River will challenge the best angler. Fish commonly seen include largemouth bass, catfish, and migrating snook. We encourage the proper disposal of monofilament line and use of recycle containers when available. All fishing within the park must conform to regulations concerning size, number, method of capture and season. A fishing license may be required. More information is available at the Florida Wildlife Commission s Fishing in Florida.

12 Paynes Creek - Hiking Nature Trail Hiking trails are available. Park trails meander through several of Florida's natural plant communities and provide access to the park's historic sites.