Highlands Hammock State Park

Kids had a great time, went on a cold winter weekday/holiday and there were very minimal other people there. No issues with bugs. Small areas to park near each trail. Nice way to spend a few hours. Saw an armadillo, no other animals. It was a calm experience. Too far to be worth traveling back to for me but still appreciated the trails. Only one restroom available in the park near the playground. Catwalk out from the swamp boardwalk area was closed, so were campgrounds.

Was only able to stop by for a few hours but had a great time walking on the boardwalk trails. Immediately felt like I was deep in the swamps. Cedar and palm trees and dark black water made for a very cool experience. The sounds of the swamp in the evening, cicadas, birds and owls really completed the experience.

The boardwalks and shaded trails take you through dense, old-growth hammocks where you can spot wildlife just about anywher gators, birds, even the occasional deer. It’s peaceful, beautifully maintained, and offers that “true Florida wilderness” vibe without being overwhelming. Whether you’re walking, biking, or just exploring the nature center, it’s an easy place to spend a whole day. A must-visit if you love quiet, wild, authentic nature.

Neat place to enjoy nature! Bug spray reccomended. The Cyprus trees are my favorite. Lots of trails. Saw some water snakes and wild dogs.

Took a walk in Highland Hammock and I’m pretty sure I met every single mosquito in Florida. Seriously — it’s like they were hosting a reunion on the trails. That said, the park is absolutely gorgeous. Shady roads lined with massive trees, peaceful trails (well-maintained for the most part), and that classic Florida swampy magic. I walked for over two hours with a friend who's training for the James Way, and the vibes were strong. Bring bug spray. Industrial strength. Maybe a flame thrower. But once you’re prepared, it’s an incredible spot to walk, train, or pretend you're in a National Geographic special.

We’ve been coming here since we first got married and have always loved the old Florida feel of this park. Recently we returned with fat tire bikes to explore the bike trail. Even though it was hot, we had a great time. Saw several tortoises and two deer along with lots of nice scenery.

This is looking at real Florida. If you want to take a slow drive into the trees and see it unspoiled or have a quiet picnic or sneak away for a bit..this is a great place. Its just woods,a swampy walkway for a nice stroll or a place for a very quiet get away. If your looking for tourist excitement, this is the opposite. Beautiful real path into real Florida. The gate people are super nice and helpful with maps and directions.

We had a great time and my grandson loved the open areas and walking trails with tons of foliage and random animal interactions.

This historic 9000-acre park opened in 1931. It's considered an old growth forest and full of bald cypress trees. There are a wide variety of endemic wildlife and plants. The main feature of this wonderful park was the boardwalk that goes through the swamp forest. Some really old trees that are possibly 1000 years old, is located in this park. There are nine trails, a campground, a playground, and a picnic area. There's a 3-mile loop trail for biking and driving. Also, a museum and concession built by the Civilian Conservation Corps; they constructed many buildings, bridges, and blazed trails in Florida State Parks. We were staying nearby and decided to explore this park. I enjoyed the historic land and old trees. The boardwalk was pleasant to stroll on; I saw quite a few memorial plaques. Generations of people walking on the same paths decades ago. It's a peaceful place and I'm glad they didn't turn it into farmland back in the 1930s.

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

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!!

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

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.

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!

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!

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

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!

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.

Beautiful green space, very nice trails. Well Maintained and dog friendly. Camping is available and the camp sites looks very nice. RV parking is well laid out. Nice way to spend the afternoon!

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.

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.

This park is beautiful. It's nature at its finest. Pick nick area is perfect for family gatherings the restroom are adequate, and the employees are very friendly and knowledgeable

This is a Beautiful park with many hiking trails through hammocks. We parked at the parking near the visitor center and spent the whole morning walking each trail. Our favorite was at the end of the loop. That trail is an elevated boardwalk where we able to see birds and one large alligator. Definitely exceeded our expectations. Highlands Hammock State Park is a 9,000-acre (3,640 ha) park 4 miles (6 km) west of Sebring in Highlands County, Florida, off U.S. 27. The park opened in 1931, four years before the Florida state park system was created. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018. Highlands Hammock State Park is a 9,000-acre (3,640 ha) park 4 miles (6 km) west of Sebring in Highlands County, Florida, off U.S. 27. The park opened in 1931, four years before the Florida state park system was created. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018. Great place to come and camp or go on trails , picnic, or go biking.

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.

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!!

Highlands Hammock is a great park to go camping. We went with a large group of 15 or more couples and children. You can book different camp sight sizes in advance. Our reservation was for one of the larger spaces with a fire pit and wrap around bench to keep warm in front of it. We went extremely rural with out any electricity or running water, I believe other sights may have those amenities. They did however have an out house that they maintain and freshen up . The park closes at sundown just like most state parks so with your reservation upon arrival your party will receive a gate code that can be used for gate entry after hours. Everything went pretty smoothly. The kids absolutely loved this place and so did I especially the part where we woke up to red birds perched and singing on the campground.

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.

I was just told that this campground is closing for the second half of 2023 for a "makeover ". The RUMORS are that they will remove some 45 spots and update the water and electricity. That is a step in the right direction. But if they really wanted to upgrade the campground, they could take just a few of those 9000 acres and add them to the campgrounds, instead of cramming all the camper's into just a few acres.

They have very nice hiking trails that are covered and shaded. We just hiked there over the July 4 weekend. Even though it was 100° outside the trails were 80° inside under the trees. They have a great bike path also.

The park is a great place to get out and explore and adventure hidden areas. I didn't know about the park when I moved here until a friend told me about it's numerous paths and features. I love going out on the weekend and walking the dogs and getting close to nature!!

We revisited Highlands Hammock State Park in Feb 2019 for a one night stay in our RV ... this was our second visit and we're scheduled to a return visit in March ... this is a huge, beautiful State Park wile miles of hiking trails ... like all Florida State Parks, it's awesome ... The camp site area is a little tight an crowded, but we were luck to have site 058 which is large and offered more privacy than some of the others ... The hiking trails are a good way from the camping area ... we had our golf cart, so not a problem ... they have a paved loop road (~5 mile loop) that most of the trails have access from) ... the boardwalk trail through the cypress swamp was our favorite ... got to see a Banded Water Snake and raccoon ... there are also a lot of wild orange trees ... Site 058 had H2O, 30 Amp power and a fire pit ... you can view our video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqMDL94ykSg&t=495s

My second favorite park for tent camping! The rangers are all very nice and helpful. The camping store sells just about everything you may need for camping from ice cream to fire wood! You can also purchase tickets for the tram ride at $10/adult. The tram ride is wonderful as you learn about the history of the park and it takes you deep in the park where you can see alligators, birds, turtles, and other animals. There is a CCC museum as well which is free admission. Although it's not very big it's still entertaining and educational. There are several hiking trails with beautiful views and hundred year old oak trees. As for the camping, i usually camp on the primitive side but use the bathrooms at the other side of the park. The primitive sites can be a little close to each other but still have plenty of space. Some sides are more shaded than others though. The bathrooms are kept cleaned and there is hot water for showers! I've seen wild hogs, deers, snakes, alligators, bunnies, scrub jays. There so much to do for everyone here. I absolutely love everything about this park.

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

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

Camped for two nights in the "wilderness camping "area. There is a county road that borders that camping area so you can hear cars going by but it wasn't disruptive. The camp spots in the wilderness camping area each have a picnic table and a fire pit so it was perfect for what we wanted. The park is close enough to town that we drove in to pick up a pizza for one night. We did not go onto the RV side of the park so I can't speak of that. I guess my only complaint would be that you cannot gather firewood, you must purchase a couple pieces for $7.50! Took some beautiful pictures of sunrise animal safe sunset. And my dog had a great time, too!

Amazing park. We came camping in a big group, each brought our own pop trailer. Lots of fun, did s'mores, bbq, we fished (fresh water only). They have a bridge that you can walk for about 15-20 minutes, seeing lots of wildlife animals, take pictures and enjoy the views as you waBike riding was a blast as the park is really big.

Came to park to do 10 kilometer volksmarch. The walk started from the ranger station. It meandered through every trail in the park, returning on only a short 1 kilometer portion. The walk did not have any boring filler sections. I would recommend this walk to anyone who wants to walk all of the trails in a systematic method. The walk is free and the instructions are located in the ranger station. All of the staff were friendly. This park has more boardwalk and catwalk than any other park that I have been to in Florida. The best part was that none of the sections were closed down for maintenance and the walks were safe. The catwalks are unique to any other park that I have visited. Keeping the catwalks preserves the historical character and civilian conservation corps legacy. The damage that hogs have done to this park is significant. Although most of the hogs have appeared to have been removed, it is shameful that a conservation agency could not contain the problem before it got out of hand. A remediation project is needed to repair the damage from this invasive species. In the meanwhile, this is the most benign place to visit to see the damage that hogs are capable.

Absolutely beautiful state park with well managed habitats and accessible trails. Many interpretive resources. The only problem seen is the lack of rudimentary mask compliance among visitors

What a beautiful quiet state park. Very clean and the rangers were really helpful. Most of it is shaded so the sun isn't beating down. Oh and you have to try a slice of the Sour Orange pie! Definitely an underaged state park with so much wildlife. I'll be back just for peace and quiet plus the Sour Orange pie!

Whilst in town make sure to stop by and spend a few hours to half a day here. They have an interesting museum of the history of the area. There are several trails where one can experience the Florida great outdoors. Even see some of the local deer. Make sure to bring cash at the gate about 6 dollars.

Highlands Hammock has been my favorite state park since I was a child going on school field trips. The variety of trails is great for anyone. There are varying levels of difficulty. The catwalk over the swamp will always be my favorite.

Beautiful park and the tram ride is interesting; identifying different areas of the park. We saw lots of different plants, alligators, birds et. Nice way to spend an afternoon

Nice campground. Very informal with 30 amp and water at many sites. Some pull thrus, some tent only sites, and quite a few wilderness sites too. Check out the CCC museum while there, it's free and has some great info on the program that built so many of USA's parks. A few very short hiking trails, and one mid size sand biking trail, but if you want to do a loop, there is a 2-mile loop in their 15mph natures area that you can go around, as well as access to a paved trail that goes out and around lake Jackson for a total of about 17 miles. The east side and south side of the lake are on sidewalks, so you may want to just skip those parts, but it is a nice easy ride or walk. Campground is well tree'd and most sites are pretty level. Lots of buddy sites. Good well maintained bath houses. They do some small music events once in a while to raise funds for the park. Very nice. Bike rentals too. No pool though. All in all a nice inexpensive state park.

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

The trails are nice and especially for those who don't live in Florida. And want to see native vegetation. Unfortunately they try to cram too many people in too small on the area and there are not enough shade trees. So I would not advise coming here in no warm​ months. I wish I could have given them better rating but it's just too many too many campsites and not enough space for camping.

The park itself is incredibly beautiful. They have plenty of trails with lots of wildlife to see, something that we greatly enjoy which is why we chose this park. However, the campgrounds are not ideal. All the sites are right on top of each other with no trees or brush to separate you from your neighbors. It was sooooo noisy both at night and in the morning. We tent camped and were woken up constantly by other people staying here. They have pretty good amenities aside from the bath houses which had very little privacy. This campground seems to be a great choice for families, wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for a peaceful, quiet camping experience based on what we experienced over a one night stay.

Bathrooms need updating beautiful place and staff are great trails are nice camp sites are nice and animals come behind your camp site or by restrooms but will be back love the out doors when you look at the photos that horse stable does not exist so don't think you're by a horse stable when you go camping because there's not one there they need to update your camp sites

This is a sweet park. Lots of hiking trails, easy to medium, no big hills. Really pretty natural Florida wildlife flora and fauna. There are camping faculties on the property too (I didn't camp while I was there, just walked). There are paved and natural trails.

Great place to bike through. On our short lap we saw couple deer. Trails were easy enough for the young riders. Don't forget to hit the store for icecream

Walking in this park helped me fall in love with this whole area. My Florida Parks Pass was useful to enjoy this lovely park. I didn't have a lot of time so selected one of the trails that was listed as being a 25 minute walk. It was a lovely stroll partly on a boardwalk with plenty of nature to see. I also took a friend there for a picnic dinner a few weeks later. He had never been here even though he lived in the area for many years and works just up the street. The picnic area is near the gift shop which is open 10-5 or 9-4 depending on the day of the week. The public restrooms are clean and easy to access. I didn't get to see the museum yet. The tram was running on my first visit and stops along the driving loop to give information. I look forward to exploring it more after I get moved up to this area this summer. Lots to discover and enjoy.

Most beautiful park in Florida? Absolutely!!!! Highlands hammock is absolutely beautiful!!!!! A friend had posted some camping pictures and I was intrigued. So glad we took the drive. The playground/bathroom area was very clean and so pretty. It really was. It was surrounded by beautiful trees. It felt like we were out of Florida. Loved all the trails. The cypress one was by far my favorite ever. Loved it so much we did it twice. Every trail is marked and pretty family friendly. Worth the visit 100%. I did not see the campgrounds but I'm sure they are beautiful.

"I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order." -- John Burroughs I can completely relate to that quote, because by the end of the week, I am mentally exhausted from the traffic congestion, the concrete towers, the crowds, the honking, road rage, the foul language and accidents that happen in the city every single day, and I need respite. I seek shelter in nature. The quietude, peacefulness, and beauty of the flowers and plants, the birds doing something as trivial as shaking their feathers dry after wading in a puddle. That, to me, is priceless beauty. It also teaches you patience, because sometimes you need to wait a good 10 minutes for the bird to decide to shake its feathers, or yawn! While some people disconnect by shopping in malls or going to spas, I am a very simple, low maintenance gal that is content with a $6 per vehicle park entrance and a day at the park, exploring. I had read about Highlands Hammock and the catwalk that it is famous for, and wanted to come badly, but the weather, the distance (3 hours from Miami), or the timing was poor, until I had the chance to finally make it out this past Saturday. It was uncharacteristically cool, with temperatures that morning in Sebring hitting the mid-40s, and Miami being in the mid-60s. Perfect day for some cool hiking! My friend and I got an early start that morning and headed on out. This was not only a fun road trip because we got to see so much and fit in some exercise, but it was informative. This park is one of the first state parks established in Florida. We watched an informative video of the CCC and their large role in building the park. The CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) consisted of young men from poverty-stricken families given a chance to be put to work during the Great Depression, learn job skills, and earn money. In turn, they built the boardwalks and cleared out the many paths to the park. It was thanks to them, and Franklin Roosevelt, that we are now able to enjoy the park. The park consists of campgrounds and several walking trails: a total of 9, though one was closed. Each of them is on average, a 30 minute walk. Most of the trails, with the exception of 3, allow pets. There is also the CCC museum on the grounds that contains artifacts and a video explaining the CCC. Here are the trails that run through the park, and which can be completed in 3-4 hours of walking: Allen Altvater Trail - This trail takes you through the Pine Flatwoods area, east of the main campground. There are lots of pines, and the trails are mostly made up of sand and shells. Other than that, no wildlife to be seen. Wild Orange Trail - Closed, due to dangerous conditions. This just made me want to check it out even more, but my friend was adamant. Alexander Blair Big Oak Trail - It contains the Big Oak tree, which is nearly 1,000 years old and measures 36 feet around the trunk. Worth seeing the tree. Hickory Trail - Pignut hickory trees and a catwalk that connects Fern Garden and Big Oak trails. Richard Lieber Memorial Trail - One of 3 boardwalk trails. There is a 1,000 year old Live Oak at the beginning of the trail. Young Hammock Trail - Shows a succession of Pine Flatwoods to a hammock community. Cypress Swamp Trail - This one was my absolute favorite and my highlight of the trip. In fact, I liked it so much, I went back later in the day and completed this trail for a second time. This is also where I witnessed most of the wildlife. This popular trail is the one containing the famous "catwalk", which is a narrow walkway with handrail enclosure only on one side, leaving the other side bare for you to crouch down and look closely, without anything getting in the way. There are tall pine trees and cypress here, as well as cypress knees. It is a beautiful trail and if you cannot see any of the other ones or have to pick only one trail that you can access, then this is the crown jewel. Ancient Hammock trail - This takes you through the oldest section of the Hammock. You will also see a bridge that was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Fern Garden Trail - Touted as a great place to see alligators, unfortunately, while the cooler temperatures are great for us humans while walking, they aren't so great for creatures that mostly inhabit the waters. More than likely, the alligators decided to dwell at the bottom of the water, rather than floating. While walking through the trails, you will see some interesting fungi, wildlife, and tree trunks along the way. One of the highlights of my trip came toward the end, when my friend and I were driving out of the park and spotted some deer. I was able to get a couple of good shots and was surprised at how friendly and uninhibited they were. I thought they would be afraid of humans, but one actually started running toward me until something else caught its attention and it decided to graze. Lovely park, and I hope to be able to come back!

The park is amazing., lots of things to do and we always see deers. We visit this park at least 25 times from September to March. Highly recommend this State Park. Everyone except one person in this park is super friendly and welcoming. READ BELIW NEGATIVE. - The only negative thing about this park is Ranger Andrew so unwelcoming and talks down to people. He obviously needs to take customer service classes. We are faithful paying customers that should be treated with respect.

One of the best campgrounds for familes and groups. If you've never camped before this is a great first-timers campground, especially for tent camping. We had 2 newbies on our trip and they did just fine. There is so much to do here (but no swimming which is a bummer). Bring your bikes because you can spend the whole day riding. There is a great paved loop that winds under the huge oak hammock trees and will keep you shaded. Off of the paved loop are many different trails. The best trail is the Cypress Swamp Trail - with HUGE towering cypress that hang overhead as you meander through a boardwalk over brush, water, and cypress knees (stumps/roots). When we went recently with friends we saw a 5 foot alligator, a water mocassin snake, and some turtles. This trail is so fun because it starts out as a regular-sized boardwalk but then narrows to 4 planks and is called the "Catwalk" where you must be careful and pay attention where you step as you watch the water. I remember going here as a kid and being scared out of my wits on this trail but as an adult it seems shorter and less intimidating. Other walking trails exist off the main path and then there is a 6 mile bike trail on the outer skirts of the park that is dirt and sand. The campsites are incredible. Beautifully covered by the trees and each site with it's own unique layout. We had site number 61 which I highly suggest because it's bigger than most and is on the corner so you don't have neighbors to one side (not that we're anti-social). The only thing we noticed about this site was that kids would play in the brush and it got a little noisy in the mornings and afternoons with their banter. There's a playgound with swings and a basket ball hoop towards the north side - back side - of the camp ground. The bathrooms are okay - not anything to write home about. The bathroom in the middle of the campground is cleaner than the one to the west side. There's a restaurant that sells a few supplies and necessities and was making all-you-can-eat pancakes every morning. During the day time they served Eddy's ice cream up until 4pm. Across from the restaurant is a history museum and I'm sad to say that we didn't get a chance to walk through. Keep your food stowed away in your car and your coolers secured with bungee cords because racoons are smarter than they look. There's no hanging ropes or hammocks in trees (we learned that the hard way). Even though it doesn't explicitly state it, you're not supposed to have more than 2 tents per site - which we got really angry about b/c we had 4 set up on our big site and they made us move 2 to our other site. (We had a group of 8 people). Usually you're allowed to have campfires as long as there hasn't been a long drought - check with the ranger station before you reserve because this could really put a damper on s'more fixin'. You can easily reserve your campsite at www.ReserveAmerica.com

This was a great park! The staff and campers were all happy and helpful. My boyfriend and I stayed for two nights and loved it. Pros: Beautiful, friendly, educational, affordable, and a ton of wildlife. While we were there we were lucky enough to see deer, alligators, armadillos, raccoons, and a fox squirrel. The ccc museum is very nice and free! I would say the cons are that the park was very crowded, the campsites were very close together, and it didn't quiet down till about midnight. The trails are a little short for my taste but were nice anyway (bring your bike!). Besides that we thoroughly enjoyed our stay! PS: The tram ride is totally worth the $5!

One of the most beautiful places in Florida! Great place to camp to see the stars at night. Nature trails, biking, wild life and playground. Great place to visit with the whole family or have your next event. The park also has multiple 5Ks throughout the year (visit Central Florida Striders for dates). Just a great place to go.

Every year, I camp during the Thanksgiving break, and after exploring a couple camping sites across Florida, I am impressed by Highland Hammock's interior structure and superb customer service. As one Yelper pointed out, the camping sites can be bigger, but it just takes creativity to fit two tents (together with a pop-up canopy and picnic table) in one camping plot. There are a lot of trees in each area, so you will definitely get the shade you need, and if you seek an outdoor adventure, there are very long-winded hiking trails walking distance from the camping area and a field equipped with a volleyball area for your recreation needs at one end while the other end comes with a basketball court. This campsite has the most amenities out of the other ones I have ever seen, which is very impressive. However, what makes Highland Hammock stand out is the outstanding customer service. There was one park ranger, Josh, who always tried his best to make sure that my group and I were having the best time possible. He answered all questions we had, together with the other park rangers, and made sure we were aware of the campground's policies. If we are going against a camp infraction, all rangers made sure to offer us convenient alternatives. The park industry must be very popular because all park rangers were happy to help us. Their customer service quality should be emulated by all other companies. The bathrooms here can be cleaner although the amenities were good, and I wish there were more stalls for the men because one restroom area only had one urinal and one toilet which can be detrimental in the morning when you have to wait for the amenities to be vacant. If you need quick supplies, there is a gas station down the road from the park. This is by far one of the best campsites I have ever seen. Highly recommended!