Lake Kissimmee State Park

A vast sweep of prairie and forests between Lake Kissimmee, Lake Rosalie, Lake Tiger, and working cattle ranches, Lake Kissimmee State Park whisks you back to the days when frontier Florida was the chief supplier of beef to the United States. At the heart of the park is the 1876 Cow Camp, open on weekends, where re-enactors and storytellers live as they did when cowmen – never call them cowboys – worked the range. The sheer size of the park and its remoteness from the hustle and bustle of highways and towns makes it ideal for wildlife watching and stargazing, which is why it’s such a popular destination for camping. Two hiking loops — each ...

A vast sweep of prairie and forests between Lake Kissimmee, Lake Rosalie, Lake Tiger, and working cattle ranches, Lake Kissimmee State Park whisks you back to the days when frontier Florida was the chief supplier of beef to the United States. At the heart of the park is the 1876 Cow Camp, open on weekends, where re-enactors and storytellers live as they did when cowmen – never call them cowboys – worked the range. The sheer size of the park and its remoteness from the hustle and bustle of highways and towns makes it ideal for wildlife watching and stargazing, which is why it’s such a popular destination for camping. Two hiking loops — each with their own primitive campsite — enable backpackers to really get away from it all, or can be walked as two separate day hikes to see deer, gopher tortoises, and sandhill cranes roaming their native habitats. A marina offers boaters access to world-class bass fishing on the lakes, and kayakers are welcome to launch to explore the canal system. The park’s extensive, well-shaded entrance road is popular for bicycling and is one place you’ll almost always see deer.

About the Expert

Sandra Friend has written 12 books about Florida, including the Explorer's Guide (Countryman Press) series to Florida.