Highlands Hammock State Park FL

[wssfetch]

Just returned from three days at Highlands Hammock State Park in Sebring, Florida.  This is the oldest state park in Florida, being built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the early 1930s.  There are three campgrounds--the family campground (with water and electric), the primative campground (without water and electric), and the horse campground (where you can keep you horse with your rv!)  The family campground, where we stayed, is a busy place on the weekends.  All sites are back-in sites, most are at least partially shaded.  Some larger and more private than others.  We saw a lot of tenters and a lot of pu's. Our site was very roomy, 50 ft. long and backed up to the forest.  Two large shade trees on our site.  Unlike the newer state parks in Florida, the sites are grass or dirt rather than pea gravel.  Bathrooms were clean.  Campgrounds included a playground with equipment in good repair, a recreation hall, laundry facilities, and some open grassy areas for impromptu frisbee throwing or games of tag football.

Highlands Hammock is a wonderful natural preserve of Florida's native flora and fauna.  Miles and miles of both paved and offroad bike trails and hiking trails lead you through pine hammocks, cypress swamps, wild orange groves, and magnificent wetlands.  Lots of great bird and wildlife sitings.  

The park also has an outdoor ampitheater  located in a clearing in the woods. Evening concerts are hosted there under the stars.  There is also an open air church in another clearing.  

The park is beautifully managed.  Rangers were very helpful and knowledgeable.  The park police patrol the campground and recreational areas.

This park would be a great place to go for look at the real Florida.

[2manytoyz]

We've been there several times too.  Nice place.  One of these days I'll put pics online from our various trips there.