Where Florida’s Heritage Comes Alive.
The Setting
From floodplain marshes to flatwoods and shady hammocks, the park has 12 distinct natural communities that hold more than 30 listed species of flora and fauna. The park’s botanical bounty includes delicate mosses, butterfly orchids, sawgrass, cutthroat grass, fetterbush and gallberry with expansive, colorful fields of lotus and pickerelweed that stretch towards the sun.
The pine and scrubby flatwoods found in the park are host to long leaf pines, scrub oaks, Florida scrub jays, Sherman fox squirrels, gopher tortoises, white-tailed deer, turkeys, bobcats and the gray fox. In fact, Lake Kissimmee State Park hosts more than two hundred species of birds, making it one of the best birding areas in central Florida. Some of the more notable species are the bald eagle, snail kite, sandhill crane and crested caracara.
Europeans arrived in Florida in the 1500s, but their presence was not felt until the 1800s. During the Third Seminole War, Fort Gardiner was built nearby as a temporary fortification; after the war the area was widely used for timber and turpentine operations.
During the Civil War the area was used for raising cattle that were shipped to the Confederate Army or traded with Cuba for supplies. After the war, cattle became the main industry and this continues to the present day.
In 1969, the state of Florida purchased 5,030 acres of land from the William Zipperer estate for use as a state park. Lake Kissimmee State Park was opened to the public in August 1977. An additional 900 acres was purchased in 1997 and added to the park’s western boundary.
The Facility
Lake Kissimmee State Park’s full-facility campground features 60 sites with electric and water hookups for RVs and tents. A communal dump station is available at no extra charge. Hot water showers are available. Two primitive campsites for backpackers are available for those seeking a wilderness experience. A youth camping area can accommodate up to 50 people.
Camping Tips
• Hours are 8 a.m. until sunset, 365 days a year.
• Pets are permitted in designated areas only. Pets must be kept on a hand-held leash no longer than 6 feet and be well behaved at all times.
• Florida’s state parks are committed to providing equal access to all facilities and programs. Should you need assistance to enable your participation, please contact the ranger station.
Park Features
Lake Kissimmee State Park has something for every visitor including access to Florida’s third largest lake, shaded camping and picnic facilities; excellent wildlife viewing opportunities; beautiful nature trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding; and a genuine 1876 “Cow Camp.”
Florida’s cowboy heritage comes alive with living history demonstrations of the early Florida “cow hunters” in an 1876-era cow camp, open 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., holidays and every Saturday and Sunday from October 1 to May 1.
The pine and scrubby flatwoods found in the park host: long leaf pines, scrub oaks, Florida scrub jay’s, Sherman fox squirrels, gopher tortoises, white-tailed deer, bald eagles, sandhill cranes, turkeys, bobcats and the grey fox.
Visitors can enjoy boating, canoeing, kayaking and fishing in the upper Kissimmee chain of lakes. Tour the waterways within the park and/or along the shores of Lake Kissimmee, Lake Rosalie and Tiger Lake. View some of the incredible birds and wildlife inhabiting the area known as the “headwaters” to the Everglades.
Park visitors can hike more than 13 miles of trails and observe or study the abundant plant and animal life found within the parks boundary. Over six miles of trails are currently open to equestrians on Buster Island. A large, shaded picnic area with pavilions, bathrooms and playground can be found in the main use area near the boat ramp.
An observation tower is located in the picnic area and provides views of Lake Kissimmee and its marsh lands.
Address
14248 Camp Mack Road
Lake Wales, Florida 33898
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