Highlands Hammock State Park Reviews

This park is very spread out. Our guide was a wealth of information. The kids saw plenty of animals from different types of birds, turtles, alligators and an armadillo that we could almost touch. Visited the museum after the tour ride worth seeing. There were plenty of picnic tables with and without shade your choice and a playground structure for kids. Truly and inexpensive outing for the family. We went Sunday March 19, 2017 the Parks main gate opens at 8:00am but get there early as there are only 30 seats on the tour. We arrived at 6:30am and by 6:45 there were 5 cars waiting to purchase tickets. Now Sunday there is only 1 tour run it is closed on Mondays and the other days have 2 times for the tours.

Good information about FL and especially local Highlands. Try to make sure you go on the tram and in the morning .

This state park features several nature trails showing various Florida ecosystems. Pick up a map and a list of trails and what they feature at the rangers' office. It's a great place to see alligators and birdlife. Some friends say they've seen armadillos and even a Florida panther! Although the trail list says the trails take anywhere from 15 to 35 minutes, slow down and walk/sit (there are benches) quietly--your chances of seeing wildlife will go up. Tram rides are available, although we didn't take one. But others who have say it's worth it because it goes to places not generally open to the public.

Saw Alligator, birds, armadillo. Beautiful scenic park. Nice walking trails. Plenty of picnic area and campgrounds were nice.

Pleasant for an afternoon's walk. We did see an alligator in the mud and it was interesting looking at the flora and fauna.

Worth the drive from Punta Gorda. We drove in the back way and were mesmerized by the canopy of trees--we knew we were in for a treat. We did the majority of the trails; saw armadillos, birds, lizards, cypress, be aware of alligators but we were lucky. We walked 25.5 miles and enjoyed every step. Many of the trails connect with other trails. Loved the wild orange trees but couldn't reach the ripened fruit--too high up.

We had been trying for a while to get into this campground. Pictures show it as lush and heavily wooded and spaced out decent.
We arrived to a completely sold out campground which we expected. Problem is each site is about 15 feet wide (only enough room to park a car or small RV.) You are literally sitting on top of your neighbor. Hoping for a quite sleep all we heard was our neighbors snoring and loud hound dogs barking all night. We were so excited to come to this campground but so very disappointed.

My suggestion is to stay in the wilderness camping area. There is no power and only out houses for bathrooms but its so much more private and quite unless you like parking on top of each other.

Pros:
-Rangers and staff are helpful and kind
-Bathrooms and showers are clean
-Trails are pretty and well kept

Cons:
-Absolutely no privacy
-Sites are small
-Hard to reserve
-Ants, ants and more ants

Awesome place, especially for viewing manitee. Wide variety of wildlife. Lush tropical hike. Reasonable price. Built around the natural river.

The camp ground is nice, there is deer and maybe a bear to see. The trails are short but the perfect length that if you were traveling with children. We enjoyed our time there even though it was in May which is a little worm. The weekend we were there there were very few people camping which made the stay a little bit more enjoyable.

This was an awesome place to visit took the bridge trail and the scenery was georgeous .if you’re a picture buff you will hav a field day ...turtles ...alligator ...was hoping to see a river otter but didn’t ...interesting museum also ...will definitely go back peaceful and calming ..a must see

Beautiful nature park with wonderful walking trails. The swamp with the alligators was the best, be sure not to miss it. The staff was great and the museum is extremely interesting.

It is a nice park. Lots of trails and good play areas for the kids. I had my wedding there and it was great.

Easy to navigate the park - good signage etc. nice walking paths etc Wanted to take the team tour but it only runs 3x a day and was full but it looks like a nice way to tour the park.

Spent 4 days at Highlands Hammock State Park. I came to the park to run in their 4th of July "Firecracker 5K". While at the park I also rode my mountain bike. The park has a very nice (shaded) 3 mile road loop with a bike lane (which was used for the 5K) with very little to no traffic. When you bike this loop you can stop and take short 20 to 30 minute hikes on trails through different habitats, hammocks, swamp, etc. Their also is a dirt and grass bike trail that runs around the perimeter and through the primitive camping area. These trails are not technical and are family friendly. Most of the trailer/rv sites are close together with very little privacy but there are few that are nice with some seperation and shade. I have a small travel trailer, my favorite site is site # 042. A CCC museum and a small store are in the park, and lots of good restaurants and a movie theater on US 27 are just outside the park. I enjoyed my stay and will return.

Friendly rangers and volunteers make the visit the this park a pleasure. One day we did the tram ride and saw lots of Gators and many interesting sites. If possible sit on the drivers side of the tram as that is where the gator viewing is the best ! The boarkwalk trails are very interesting and we spotted a large Water Moccasin about 10 feet from the boardwalk. Bike riding was also nice at the park. We had 3 visits in our 1 month Florida stay.

A very nice place to spend time with family and friends, also one can have lunch in the area one can buy or bring there own.

Highlands Hammock is rich with history and natural Florida setting. There are several trails to choose to go on. There’s a catwalk that usually has an alligator or two to view in the natural setting. Throughout the year there are concerts, marathons and other activities.
You can camp here too.

This is a fantastic state park that offers the best view I have found of native Florida flora and fauna. The walking trials give great views of native plants and animals, including snakes, deer, and alligators. The visitor centre has an excellent history of the Civilian Conservation Corps.

We walked the nature trails on Christmas Day. Not too many people but there were a few in the campground. We didn’t see a lot of wildlife because it was in the 50s but we enjoyed the solitude. Would definitely go back and walk the rest of the trails.

After driving all day, we were happy to find a relaxing place to walk. The park staff were helpful in directing us to the trails and telling us what to look for. We spotted an armadillo and picked up some wild oranges there. Definitely worth the $6 per vehicle admission.

the trails of varying length take you back to the Florida pre development.... lush forests that are beautiful... a must do experience...a couple of hours well spent

The trolley ride and nature experience in this park are excellent. The guides are well versed in the habitat and animal culture.

Trolly tour or extensive walking trails. True nature, up close and personal, Florida as it was before the explosion of building. Interesting and worth a visit.

Absolutely loved this beautiful gem of a park! There are several trails to go on with different things to see. The Cypress Grove Trail is partly over water on a nice boardwalk and is beautiful and the Fern Garden Trail is partly over water with little green leaves all over the water. After a while, the ferns begin and there are lots of them! You can drive on the loop drive first to determine which trail interests you. Quite a beautiful park!

Nice trim ride through the park driver is very informative. Much wildlife. The museum interesting . the park also has a park store for your convenience. Admission very reasonable.
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Were from the West so when were in town visiting my parents this park is a must do. It has great trails for walking or biking. Our favorite are the boardwalks through the bogs. We’ve seen alligators, tropical birds, etc.

We didn't care much for the campground itself as there is no sense of being in nature or privacy. But the bike trails, the oak trees, and ranger-led tram ride were excellent.

We went on a tram tour that was well guided , easy to board on and off. Our guide helped us spot quite a few alligators, turtles and birds. Great for photo ops. Would highly recommend, there are several buildings to look through also.

This park is huge so plan to spend some time. Many hiking trails, a museum, and campgrounds available. Highly recommend the 1.5 hour guided tram tour through the park if you're there on a Tues. or Sat.

Beautiful parks with lots of activities. Definitely recommend the tram ride. Make sure you go at 8 am to get your seat reserved. They fill up fast. We saw alligators, turtles, birds, deer and armadillo plus all the native plants and trees. A must stop while in this area

Very well kept park. Took tram tour. Enjoyed learning about the park and the plants and wildlife. Jim was a good tour guide with a lot if information! Would recommend this for all ages!

One of my favorites when I go visit my parents in Florida! I love the cypress walk and the Sweet Gum walk. Everyone there are very friendly.

Whether one is interested in ancient flora and fauna or one desires to participate in geocaching, Highlands Hammock State Park is the place. The grounds and buildings are beautifully kept. The C.C.C. museum explores a distinct period in our nation's history. The cat-walk is a must. But a younger generation has found it a great spot of high tech endeavors. Enjoy the park.

Very large park. Lots of trees and plants. The walk I went on was mostly a boardwalk. That was good to stay from any wild life. The boards were a little slick as everything was wet. The walk I went on was fairly short, but I was fine with that. Plenty of places to park around the loop. It cost 4.00 for an individual to enter.

Highlands Hammock is 900,000 acres in Sebring, lots of flora and the hammock is the star. The staff does great keeping the park clean as well as the facilities. Parking, visitor center, well marked trails, biking, birds and wildlife.

I went to have a short visit with my service dog for a little exercise. Only did one small trail which was the Alan Altvater trail. It was a nice half mile walk for me and my boy. Seems like a great park, with friendly park rangers.

This is my second visit to Hammock State Park and it is a beautiful place to spend a portion of the day. The visitor center has lots of information and is a great place to learn. There is a 30 minute video which is nice however, the previous video had more actual pictures and footage of CCC workers. This new one has more talking and is not as good. I really miss seeing the old footage they used to show...please bring it back.
The hiking trails are enjoyable and lots of wildlife abound. Many of the trails have roots so you have to be careful when walking and pick up your feet. This makes for a slower stroll which is actually a good thing.

This place had a beautiful atmosphere on the trails. My husband and I walked 2 of the trails and enjoyed it so much we went back our second day. We took early morning walks after leaving our hotel. The wildlife didn't disappoint. We both saw our first Gator here.

Love it! Beautiful and so much todo with the kids!has many paths, playground area, picnic area, little museum, bathrooms a snack store, camping u name it! It has everything you are looking for in a state park.

We live in St. Pete and did a Florida staycation in Sebring. Picked up some subs and potato salad at Publix and headed here to tour the place and have a picnic.

No need to repeat things said in all the wonderful reviews. We agree!

The "picnic area", while it had pavillions, tables out in the open and grills was not in a "scenic" area to our liking. We took our chairs and cooler onto the boardwalk and staked out in one of the bench areas the extend beyond the actual walking area. Had a much nicer swamp experience that way.

If you are visiting or just traveling through the area, you really should experience this park. Unfortunately, due to current safety reasons, the hour tram ride is not operational. We are sure it would have been a very educational experience.

Relaxing early morning walk or late after noon after dinner in Sebring. Enjoy Florida State Parks, some might seem out of the way but always worth the drive.

Take the tram (sit on the left side facing the towing vehicle). It's quite the education. Kevin is terrific.

One of the best state parks I've visited. The tram tour is outstanding, informative and an excellent tour guide. The staff is well informed, helpful and it's clear they truly enjoy their work.

The park has a small museum with very friendly staff who love to show you around. You can drive around the park and then stop at different trails to walk in the beautiful Florida trees.

We've never seen such small unorganized spaces. Didn't want to stay first night but had nowhere to go. We felt packed in like sardines. Left next morning for a hotel. Bathhouse very old and insufficient. Maybe there are some bigger sites. We didn't explore.

This is a great place to visit to bike or stretch your legs on the beautiful trails. In February, the wild orange trees were filled with fruit and alligators were occasionally seen basking in the sun. There are playgrounds for the kids and a great camp store to visit. The tram ride will allow your family to view about fifty gators of all sizes and lots of birds - well worth the $10 fee. Tickets are now easily obtained at the new camp store which is a very positive change. We love this place and keep going back yearly.

Small but nice park with a lot of nature trails. We visited the animal education station right outside the Ranger Station. Very informative of the area.

We stayed one night at Highlands Hammock State Park in mid October ... beautiful park with lots of trails. We had camp site 120 which is a pull through with 30 Amp Power and Water Hook-up ...

We took the 30 minute Allen Altvater Trail through the Flatwoods / Pines which is open ... but were unable to hoof it to the boardwalk and plank trails through the swamps an live oaks ... it was just too hot for the dog that day ... so we'll be going back when it gets cooler ... the Altvater Trail is next to the camping area ...

I'd give this park 5 Stars for the grounds, trails and sheer beauty ... but only 3 Stars for the camp sites ... it's very crowded with little space between sites ...and the sing vehicle road loops through the campsite aren't one-way which could be an issue ... having said that, we'll be back to do the trails ...

We spent (5) hours at HH Park biking, walking, and took the 1 hour tram tour. Excellent way to spend the day!

This park has many trails, some with boardwalks through wet areas. A great place to get some exercise, take pictures and visit the CCC Museum. There are campgrounds with a trail to the general store.

The has no staff to maintain anything. The sites are never cleaned up and trash everywhere. The grass was 12 inches tall when we visited. The area where the sinks were was discusting dirty. The dump station is a joke too without a working hose. I would give a 1 star but, I fell in love with the trees. I can't believe this is a state park. If there is a camp host here, he must sleep 24/7. The rangers are a bigger joke as they speed through every day like they late for a date.

Walking Highlands Hammock is so relaxing. The scenery is lush and primordial. You can hear and sometimes see pigs,alligators, snakes, deer,and many different birds. I highly recommend going to see this wonderful park.

Highlands Hammock is a wonderful place to take a break and stroll nature paths through a dense scrub forest. There is a main drive through the park with trails running off of it along with a camping area, picnic tables and a decent play area for kids. The park is home to a variety of animals. There are also concerts in a large grassy field near the entryway of the park. I live near the hammock and still enjoy visiting a few times a year.

Loved walking the Cypress Swamp trail, beautiful reflections of trees and wildlife. Other nice trails as well.

We have hiked many state parks in Florida and Hammock is one of our favs. The trails are well marked and clearly point out the different eco- systems within one park. Animal life is abundant, and the paved one way road is great for biking. Not much parking available so be sure to come early or be prepared to park a distance from your activity. The old style single pedestrian boardwalk is unique and pretty cool!

We are in our early 60's and took our 80's- something parents with us on the tram ride. It was really awesome. We saw an abundance of alligators, turtles, and buzzards.

We would highly recommend this to anyone who wants to see alligators!

Great park with beautiful walks and a loop road from which we see wildlife. The park staff are engaged and anxious to please visitors. Great music programs too.

The campsites are all on top of each other, party central with loud music going on until quiet time. The campsite by the woods had a strong urine smell. Lots to do for kids and hiking, just don’t come if you want peace. We won’t be back.

Great hidden treasure. Friendly staff and easy to navigate. The hiking and nature trails are great. Beautiful Florida nature.

We arrived in our RV on Saturday afternoon and left on Sunday afternoon. Though a quick trip it was a nice break. Highlands Hammock is a very pleasant park with a clean and well-maintained campground. We stayed in Site #4 which was fine, but nothing special. If we go again I'd stay on one of the inner loops because there was more shade there. Our site had a picnic table, water, electric and a fire ring. It was a decent size site and backing in was easy. The Hammock Inn sold firewood (8-5 I think), had a tram ride ($10) and also had some basic camping supplies and sandwiches and icecream.

The park itself was lovely. There were many footpaths through old Florida hammocks - plenty of oaks and sabal palms and ferns. One of the best trails "Cypress" boardwalk was closed from hurricane Irma damage, but hopefully will be open soon. I've been there before and it is worth seeing. There is a sweet outdoor amphitheater that would be lovely for an outdoor wedding. For a quiet weekend, this place is nice. There is plenty of play space for kids and nice play equipment by the concession area. They also had a small nature center with volunteers happy to speak to all ages.

There are no swimming or boating activities here, so bring balls, bikes and bean bags for the kids. There are; however, plenty of lakes, stores and movies nearby.

My husband and I really enjoyed our trip to this state park. After paying to get into the park, we headed over to the CCC Museum. This is the Civilian Conservation Corps and a blast from the past. After the stock market crash of 1929, over 25% of people were out of work. Our president, FDR created an agency where young, single men ages 17-25 could sign up to work. They built structures, such as bridges, dams and roadways in state parks. It kept them from starvation and malnutrition. The museum houses their history in this park and in Florida. Our docent, Dora was very informative and welcoming. We also booked a tram ride. We took an 1 1/2 hour adventure through out the park. We saw numerous alligators, turtles and birds. Our driver and guide, Don gave us a great tour. We had a wonderful time.

Participated in the Firecracker 5k. It was well run and course was good. Checked out camping area while there, it was clean and had several spots open. Park has guides that take you around, and there's also bike rentals.

They were working on a road in the park. So you seen a lot of the construction trucks. They only have two bathhouses that work in the park. We camped next to the one that was closed. But overall it's a nice park. Seen a lot of deer. There are tons of trails. We were unable to hike any of them because the mosquitos were insane even with bug spray. Recommend to bring mosquito nets and long sleeve shirts and pants when hiking. We did rent bikes and rode the bike trails which was very nice. (Except for the mosquitos). There is Lake Jackson nearby like 5 minutes away that you can swim. But no dogs allowed.

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.

It's not everyday you get to go on hikes and see Alligators. I live in Pennsylvania. If you get a chance to go visit this place a lot of neat trails.

One of the most beautiful places I've seen in a while! The best description I can give is "user friendly." The trails are well marked & well maintained. Most trails are bike-friendly, & the bike rentals at the camp store make it easy for anyone to have access. My favorite trail was the boardwalk/catwalk through the Cypress Swamp, but the Old Orange trail & others were equally beautiful. Note that the admission fee to enter the park is $6 per car, & the guided tram ride through the park costs $12 per person. Totally worth it. Such a historically relevant & beautifully natural space. We intended only to walk & explore a little, between other nearby activities, but once we got here, we didn't want to leave. Our one-hour plan turned into a full day of exploration & wildlife photography. We're already planning a return trip in our RV.

The trail with suspended wooden walk was was not too difficult and offered beautiful views. There are stretching stations located throughout the park for serious runners.

In town for work and a couple people recommended seeing the park, so decided to check out natural historic area of Florida. Lots of walking trails and bikes paths. I did not have long as I went after work but did drive through and walked a trail to see the 1000 year old tree. I would like to go back and see the Conservation Corp Museum when it is open. Saw a playground and place to rent bicycles. Lots of families there.

I have been to Highlands Hammock State Park numerous times. During Music in the Park, our group camps & ride the shuttle to the entertainment. You cannot find any better time for $5. The park is awesome with tours & trails. Cost is below the amount of fun and education you will receive while there. Rated a #1 park!

We have camped here many times and always had a nice peaceful experience. Yes, the facilities are dated, but they are fine and generally clean. This trip was awful. There were several huge groups who played loud music day and night. They rode their bicycles and walked between our campsites while going to visit one another. We called the ranger station after the supposed “quiet time” never did get quiet but NO ONE ANSWERED any of the three numbers we were given. So we had to close the windows and put on the air conditioning to drown it out. They partied until at least 3 a.m. We are not prudes, we laugh and carry on at times too, but we have the decency to respect other people’s space. The rangers need to start enforcing the quiet time.

I would have given a five star rating were it not for the confusing maps provided and the poor signing along the trails. A much better job of mapping and signing could be provided at very and little cost. The park itself was outstanding for walking, biking, bird watching, hiking, etc. The tram ride was the highlight of the visit which was about 90 minutes in duration and provided sightings of hundreds of gators, turtles and other wildlife. Tram runs just once a day at 1:30PM and tickets sell out almost instantly at 8AM so get there early for the tram tickets. If you ride the tram, be sure to set on the left side for best viewing and photo opportunities. The staff and volunteers are very energized and helpful. This place is a must see and well kept Florida secret.

Great place to view Florida outdoors. Only one trail that we could not complete because the walkway was narrow over the water and there was only one railing and it was low. Made us kind of dizzy so we turned around.

I believe the guide's name was JB or maybe JD. He was delightfully knowledgeable and pleasant. The tour was very enjoyable and i would say you get your money's worth. We got to see baby alligators resting on the back of their mother. So cool to see.

Had a fantastic time, everything was very clean the park had plenty of services, we camped and was able to stay for 3 days. Reasonable rates about $28/day. Electric, water, and a dump site, wifi at the liitle camp store but no T-Mobile service. Great trails even with a stroller. Bring water for the hot walks through the numerous trails.campground is small but maintained well and patrolled by rangers.

I went here as a Girl Scout 60 years ago. It is just as special as I remember. Wish it would open earlier in the morning for birders and wildlife spotters.

There are nice trails there. There is still a lot of hurricane cleanup to be done but it was still lovely

If you like camping and expect nature and a beautiful campsite, DO NOT STAY HERE. Nothing more than a pile-up on top of each other of campers and RVers crammed like SARDINES. People partying until midnight including little kids and NO ENFORCEMENT BY RANGERS. NEVER AGAIN COMING HERE. Worst park we’ve been to. Worst experience we’ve had camping. Site 49 is deceiving because it looks like no one is next to you but instead you’re sandwiched in by everyone. The RVer next to us pulled up his rig because he said he was getting “claustrophobic” with everyone so close. HORRIBLE.

We visited on a cool Saturday morning. Bright clear sunshiny day. It was spectacular. We visited the Civilian Conservation Corp museum. Spent time talking to the staff and learned a lot about this peacetime works program for young men instituted by FDR during the Great Depression. Very interesting. And the staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. We also visited the Exploration Station for a few minutes. This is geared towards kids but the staff are very knowledgeable about the park and it's worth a quick visit to have a chat with them about the trails. We took several of the trails, but not all. Save some for another day. But we walked the Wild Orange Trail, the Fern Garden Trail, Hickory, Cypress Swamp, and Ancient Hammock. All were different and amazing the Wild Orange has lots of wild orange trees. Sadly, the oranges were to high to pluck!! I would have loved one of them. The Cypress Swamp had Cypress trees as far as you could see. We saw a wild hog in there as well. And alligator and white egret. All of the trails have something fabulous to see. The area is shady with filtered sunlight enhancing the beauty of the entire space. We did a lot of walking. Next time we will take our bikes. The actual loop is not too long maybe three miles, but you can ride your bike from trail to trail, park, walk the trail and then return to your bike and move on to the next trail. I might add this is Florida's first state park opening in 1931. It is well maintained and a real joy to visit.

Take the Tran around the park GREAT. I'd give this park 5 Stars for the grounds, trails and sheer beauty ... but only 3 Stars for the camp sites ... it's very crowded with little space between sites ...and the sing vehicle road loops through the campsite aren't one-way which could be an issue ... having said that, we'll be back to do the trails ...

Billed as the first park in the state of Florida built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, Highlands Hammock has a wealth of things to see and do. There are campsites for extended stays, special events, walking trails, bike rentals and even a CCC museum.
It is a great place to bring the family for a cookout (you can rent a pavilllion or use one of their stand up grills) and there is a children's play area.
The admission is by car so for a family it is a great bargain. Check with them for a schedule of special events and things to see by season. It is well worth the effort.

Another great Florida State Park camping experience for our family. We really liked this campground. We stayed here for the Heartland Triathlon. The race start was a short drive from here. In the park there is great biking, hiking, and a kids playground. The sites are nice and fairly well shaded. Pulling in with a big rig is a little tight, but doable. Try to get a pull through site if available and there are some nicer ones with concrete pads as well. We camped at Highlands Hammock State Park in a Motorhome.

We have done several state parks
Before but this one was really awe inspiring! Entering felt like we had just arrived at Jurassic Park. Incredible trees, thick vegetation and Nate trails for both non-experts and those interested in a bit of a challenge. If you plan on using the non-budge trails wear hiking boots, long pants and sleeves and bug spray. Your going to be pushing vegetation out of the way to get through. We true dog he non-bridge trail but we’re woefully unprepared and had to turn back. But we did a bridge one which oil you over water and was super intriguing! Took my husband and my 14 yr old. I don’t think my 9 yr old would have been keen on it. We didn’t see any animals other than lizards and frogs. But the sun did say panthers and alligators were possible. We got a lot of cool pictures and we definitely want to come back. More prepared!

Lots of paths through the woods. Very quiet and relaxing.

A good workout if you want. Short on wildlife though there are Armadillos and at least one crocodile.

What a beautiful spot and we were so happy to take advantage of the free guided tour through this amazing hammock. Our guide was knowledgeable and generous. We will definitely be back to visit this Florida gem.

Had a wonderful time here, loved the walks in the park. Saw alligator, birds, snake and beautiful flowers, all at a safe distance. Our friends loved it too. The information on the CCC was great.

Always enjoy this park, Campground set up great; plenty of bicycle riding (paved or trails); the concerts in the park, organized by the "Friends of the Hammock" and now I understand they have opened a store!

Serene atmosphere. Great day trip with the kids. Visit the museum then have a picnic across the way under a pavilion. Play area next to picnic area. Catwalk through the marsh is a must see! Beautiful lush greenery everywhere. Bikes are available for rent. Wear lightweight long sleeve shirts and pants....even in the summer, mosquitos can be overwhelming!

My husband and I love camping and nature trails, which many times we ride our bikes through, but signs posted everywhere...no bikes on the trails ( I have very bad ankles, so bike riding is one way for me to be able to see the trails). And the campground itself was very open, no separation between sights. We are going to pass on a camping trip to that State Park.

I take my dog for walks here. There are many paths to explore and get lost in the tranquility and beauty. Even say a huge alligator. Had to keep an eye on my Chihuahua because he thought he could take on that alligator. Lol. Great place for hiking.

My oldest daughter and I enjoy coming here just to walk and talk away from the hustle of everyday life.

It is so pretty here. There are a few different trails. We took the short one. It is a boardwalk so walking is easy. I'm sure there is a lot of wildlife, unfortunately there were some very noisy people so all the wildlife was long gone. We will try one of the other trails and hope for a little more nature. We also went on a weekend so we will go during the week next time.

Our site was spacious and shaded. The park has a ton of trails for all levels and ages. There are actually two parks that we found within the camping area. Great for ages as young as two. Pet friendly! Friendly staff! The only two downfalls is the lication of the water/electric hookup; we'll buy longer cords for our next visit so we can really spread out from our "neighbor" and there's no swimming area. However, a fellow camper told us about a swimming area about 10 min away and it worked out great. We're already planning our next trip!

With the dry winter and spring the park was starting to look extremely dry, Now the rains have started things are turning green and low area's have water again making it a great place to hike and enjoy the sites, bring some bug spray, it is nature's land..

We hiked about five miles of trails in the park. The trails are mostly shorter loops, so you can hike as much or as little as you like. Definitely recommend the boardwalk through the Cypress swamp.We were fortunate to see an alligator and four little ones-three on land and one swimming. A beautiful park to explore.

We were surprised to see so many campers. Sites melded into one another. Even with all the people there the rangers and volunteers took time to talk with you. We left on Monday ~ and it was great to see the park post holiday.

Great local start park. Beautiful trails to walk, and lush surroundings. You can even see an alligator or two basking in the sun.

Very fun fo the family. The lines weren't bad. Affordable entertainmemt.Not too scary for kids. Had band playing. Food benders. Home 2 years in a row.

This is a must see state park to see an inland Florida swamp. There is a loop drive with several trails off of it. It is very easy to bike around, park your bike at the bike stand and walk a trail. My favorites are the boardwalk trails (Cypress Swamp & Fern). We prefer to spend the night in the campground and take our time walking the trails. Weekdays are quite, while the campground fills up during the weekends. There were no mosquitos in October. It was very sad to see several of the larger trees had gone over during the last hurricane.

We visited Highlands Hammock three times, and all experiences were good. However, our most recent visit was the best, because of the tour guide/driver on the tram ride. I very definitely recommend the tram ride. It is a pickup that pulls a trailer with seats, which takes you to the parts of the Park that are not open to the public. Our tour guide, Ed Brown, was extremely knowledgeable, as well as entertaining. We learned so many interesting facts about the Park, about the flora and fauna of the area. Great place for photo opportunities, both on the tram and on the trails. Tram reservations can only be made one day in advance, so plan ahead. Great picnic area too. Don't miss it!

Our family really enjoyed the hiking trail. Real nice trail system with lots to see. We spent the afternoon, but could have stayed longer.

Great place to see the natural Florida and many animals without going far. Noticeable seasonal changes create a peaceful calm visit

A very family friendly park with playground, basic trails and boardwalk our young boys (5&3) loved, an outdoor hands-on display at the CCC museum with enthusiastic volunteers when we were there, and a little former resident history in an interesting pocket of old Florida. The park ranger was a little overwhelmed, but cordial, when we checked-in leading to a long wait. Looking back, I'm not sure what took so long. We did primitive camping. The site was great and pretty clean with 100% grass/sod coverage, which made it a little more "luxurious" and kept our stuff clean. However, they located these sites directly adjacent to the nearby access road, which kept me up/woke me up a lot (cars, big pickups, even tractor trailers going by 100-200 yards away at all hours). As much as we loved the park, I probably would not do primitive camping here again because of that. And the RV camping area is very open (no understory) and cramped. Finally, the review says Jan 18, but we visited in Dec 2017 and the trails were still in rough shape or closed from that year's hurricanes. I would have loved to have seen the hammock canopy before then.

Beautiful park, lots of walking trails that are doable for any age (most are apx .5 miles). There is also a tram ride tour that is affordable and completely worth it!

Peaceful, we had a wonderful and relaxing time. Close to nature. The park is clean, the paths they go over the water on the swamp are well maintained. Very nice to observe nature in it's natural State.

Majestic place. Although we were disappointed because we didn’t see any alligators (the single person Cypress trail was closed), we were too close for comfort with a bear. A bear roared two warning calls at a couple of kids who passed us on the trail!

this is a great park......some times we share some of the park with a alligator.
they keep the park in good shape.

This state park has great walking trails, very interesting museum, and wonderful view of old Florida! $3 admission is reasonable. Nice picnic areas! Highly recommend!

The trails need to be better marked. It’s too easy to get lost. I had two seniors waiting in the car, so that made it worse.

I did my internship for my degree at this park and I visit it / volunteer there so often that I have free access. It is just a spectacular "New Deal" park with a fantastic staff and some breathtaking nature trails. Depending on the time of the day you can see alligators, snakes, herons, deer, and many other animals. The staff is extremely helpful and the CCC museum is very interesting to learn about the history of the 3,000+ New Deal parks. Plus, a neat opportunity for people who want to camp out, you can volunteer there for 20 hours a week and stay at the campground for free! Just a wonderful little park (well, the 'park' part, not the federal land). especially for a place like Sebring.

Park looks amazing but you gotta pay to proceed driving in. Did not wish to pay for a walking/driving through state park. Too hot to walk this in Florida and paying to maybe be there 20 mins was a no no for me. Photos of this park look truly lovely. We just did not do it due to having to pay

A beautiful state park in the heartland of Florida. This park has amazing tropical plants and many wild animals to see. We try to visit at least once a month and we are never disappointed as we always see animals. We often see gators while at the park. There are two sections of the park. Many people don't know of the other section south of the main park. It's also very beautiful. This park is well worth your time to visit.

They have the most extensive cat walks through the Florida swaps anywhere. It is Mother Nature on full display. Don't miss it!

This is a beautiful park. If I was able to, I would rate the park itself as 5 star. However, the camping area is absolutely miserable. We came for an extended weekend, on a cool Thursday afternoon. Met very friendly and helpful staff. Upon arriving at our campsite, which claimed to be partial shade, we find stumps of what used to be the shade. The campsites have absolutely no buffer between sites which means no conversations or sounds (including those of the elusive mating campers in the next tent) are private. This is parking lot camping. Thursday night was perfect. Very few campers, quiet and peaceful. Deer visited the camp area, as did a very noisy armadillo. But Friday became party central. No patrols after 11 to quiet it down. Kids still awake screaming, dogs barking. Bathrooms are clean but antiquated, and inadequate for the amount of people.

If we visit again, it will either be a day trip, or during the week. But if you are a party animal, come here and have a great time.

Lovely drive through the park. We saw a few Sandhill Cranes near the entrance. Unfortunately for us they were the only wildlife we saw. I'm sure there are more perhaps at different times of day. The board walk was not very long and the narrow area which had a handrail on one side only was closed. Probably a good idea. It was a peaceful and beautiful area.

I have visited many Florida parks and this one of my favorite! It is old Florida and nice trails to walk on. Park is very clean and the trees are beautiful! There is a museum in the middle of the park. The information was interesting! I will be back!

The trails here are beautiful. You can walk through palms, orange trees, or swamp. There are a couple of trails with a boardwalk where you can walk over the water. We saw an alligator and an otter on one trail! I highly recommend the tram ride they offer. For $6 it's an awesome value. You get to go to restricted areas of the park and see lots of wildlife including gators. This makes for a great day trip. There is also a campground.

Wanted a dark place to view the stars. This was great. Staff friendly. Lots big power hookup was added plus.. woke up to deer outside my window.. clean bathroom showers. Will go back to explore trails .

This park is amazing, lot of walking path, possibility to lease a bike , really nice place for picnic, lots of table and sitting area, also amazing is walking along those path and to know that has been there for thousand of years, not disturb. with patience you can see alligators snakes, wild pig and different kind of bird, plus the price to get in is by car not by visitor, expect to pay 8$ for the car.there's also some attraction for the little one.

This state park has a festival every year in November honoring those Americans that served in the CCC's. My father was one who served. There are only a few left and it is an honor to get to attend this festival!

This place is amazing. This really put into perspective how much of an impact we have made on our planet, as old growth forest appears otherworldly. Definitely worth a trip.

Beautiful afternoon on trails and catwalk. Not too busy, very relaxing. Lots of trails through the forest. Maybe even see an alligator in the wild. Clean restroom.

Several trails to enjoy strolling through the hammock. Boarded walkways allow you to avoid the swampy areas. Be sure to take the tram ride for a narrated tour behind the public access areas.

Very pretty park, saw gators, otters and numerous birds. I liked the 1,000 year old oak tree which measures around 34' in circumference.

The park is small relatively speaking. They have a good number of trails. We saw some deer and other wildlife. It was an enjoyable stroll through the FL woods.

Very beautiful park that showcases unspoiled old Florida. There is a loop from which many trail heads are there which each have a 10-20 minute loop walk within. Several of these inter-twine, so it is helpful to get a map as you pay your entry fee so that you can determine which way you want to go. An advantage in hotter weather is that many of these are well shaded. There is another area where there are bike paths that can also be walked on - these do not have as much shade.

A special feature not to be missed is the CCC Museum, which has a wonderful collection of artifacts and pictures of the CCC in action. Very knowledgeable staff bring this era to life.

We spent over 4 hours here, and saw less than half of what there was to see. Would love to go back.

I went tent camping with friends, and picked camp sites unseen. We lucked out. We were located on the outside perimeter of the campground area, at sites 43 & 44. It was perfect, because as we took a walk around the campground, we saw that many of the other sites were so close to one another, it was hard to tell where one site ended and the other began. Our relative seclusion though came with a price. The main area of sites has a nice canopy coverage by many trees, and we didn't nearly have as much coverage. With that said, the feeling of extra space was worth it.

We had a nightly (and daily!) visitor, an armadillo. The kids enjoyed seeing it! While more people are worried about raccoons due to rabies, don't touch armadillos as they are known carriers of leprosy. Didn't see any raccoons until the third night, and then it raided the site next to me, taking their bag of hot dogs right off their table! It apparently struck again late at night, because in the morning they found their tote bag had been dragged into the woods. Don't forget to store your food away at night when camping!

The bathrooms are standard campground bathrooms. I've seen better campground bathrooms in Florida, so I know they can be better. I would say these are a 4 out of 10. There are 3 different campground bathrooms, so maybe it was just the one I was using.

I highly advise a walk on any trail in the virgin hardwood forest. This is what the Florida State Parks calls "the Real Florida". It is as much of Florida once was.

Looking for food options? There are plenty of local and chain restaurants and stores outside the park along US 27.

Beautiful walking trails and photo ops. There are three walking trails with catwalks, I would recommend them all. We didn't see much wildlife when we went, but the park was very quiet. The greenery and trees, and the reflections in the lakes were amazing. There is also a lodge/gift shop, and a tram ride (which we didn't go on).

We loved this park; $6 per car to get in ... the map shows all of the trails. The best one is Cypress Swamp. It has a large parking area. You can also rent a bike for $5 for an hour at the Museum closer to the entrance.

The other trails are find by Cypress is the best. You may get to see alligators in the large pond part of the way in.

Restrooms are at the museum parking lot.

This park has some very scenic trails through Bald Cypress swamps. Some trails are part trail and part boardwalk over the water. Majestic trees surround you as you walk these trails. There are quiet a few trails and they are not too long or difficult, but do them all it would take a bit of time. Well worth taking the time.
The campground is not too private, but it is well run and the bathrooms are very clean. A laundry is available. 1 pm check out time for the campground. At night you can hear the barred owls calling.
A good park to visit with some impressive forests and beautiful walks.

We stayed in the campground for 3 days. This park offers a lot of hiking trails but other than that, there’s not much to do. It was quiet at night . Close to a neighborhood

Great experience of the natural flowege in a tropical setting and very old , experience the ride and speaker as they tell you about this great park not to mention the Gators you can also see lounging in water as you ride by

This is a nice state park to hike and bike ride in. The park offers a guided tram ride in a section of the park that is reserved for this tram so wildlife is more easily seen. The guide was very knowledgable and entertaining.

Visited on our bikes. The CCC museum was very good. The walking trails were exciting. We saw alligators, birds, black snake & owl. I’m sure there was much that we missed as well. Love visiting this park!

Beautiful place. Take your bikes and a picnic, and enjoy a couple hours of exploring natural Florida at its best! Perfect for all ages and fitness levels. Playground, dirt trails, bike paths, and boardwalks.

What a great park! It's wonderful for bikers with the paved paths, birders, and anyone who likes nature. We saw alligators, armadillos, and wild pigs. We'll come again!

This state park is such an interesting and magical place to visit. You can go "off road" on a tram ride (fee), stop in at the CCC museum, walk on a boardwalk trail; see alligators, turtles, many species of birds, various other wildlife, ancient oak trees and so many other plants & trees. We especially enjoy the tram tours, narrated by rangers who are very knowledgeable of Florida history and geography; the ride takes you through several different ecosystems and if you go on a warm and sunny day you are sure to see loads of wildlife. We always take guests from out of town to this park and all have thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

From the ranger who greeted us at the entrance, to the volunteer who worked in the WPA Museum, to the staff who maintained the trails.......this is the state park to visit. Accurate, helpful maps guide you on a driving loop off of which are a number of hiking trails, all rated for length of time to hike them. Roads are meticulously maintained, lots of signage to help you appreciate what you're seeing and give you education. There is even a tram ride (extra $) that takes 1-1/2 hours and winds you through the park, with plenty of interesting commentary. Restrooms clean and plentiful, camp store well-stocked. We would definitely come here again.

We enjoyed the tour through the park, which allowed us to see many species of birds, reptiles, and habitats unique to Florida and this region. The tickets sell out fast each morning, so you need to be at the ticket window at the opening time to secure your tickets for that day.

The CCC Museum was a nice small museum that gives an insight into life in the 1930’s. The CCC helped many young men learn discipline and a positive work ethic and helped their families survive the Great Depression!

The drive into the park is simply beautiful! Giant oaks and the tallest sabal palms we've ever seen formed a canopy over the road, shading it from hot sun. We were snapping pictures even before we hit the trails. After a storm brought rain all night and half the morning, we were afraid the trails might be too wet to walk, but happily, we had no trouble at all. All four trails we walked, even the sandy ones, were fine and not muddy. We started with a visit to the museum, which holds the history of the construction of the park by the CCC during the 1930s. The museum also has restrooms. Then we hit the trails. The cypress swamp trail confused us. Part way into the trail, the boardwalk turned from a wide, sturdy construction with tall handrails on each side to a narrow, two-foot-wide walk with a very low rail on only one side. What rationale prompted this? We turned around and came back, preferring that to becoming alligator food. The other trails were beautiful. We took pictures of moss, fungus, flowers, trees, and ferns, and enjoyed the beauty of nature. We saw very few other hikers so it was a calm, peaceful day.

Peaceful, quiet, and super clean experience awaits you! Abundance of wildlife roaming around the grounds and on the many trails. Very clean restroom and shower facilities. Friendly and knowledgeable staff and CCC museum caretakers. Bike rentals, firewood is available.

Seems to be a nice park.. Weather wasn't very good when I was there -- lots of people biking and walking... Seemed to be clean

A good place to go hiking. They have many trails to take in. There is a museum that we didn't have time to visit, so will need to go back for that. We took the Alligator Tram Tour, which was well worth the $12.00 per person cost. Our tram guide was very knowledgable and made several stops so we could get a good look at all the wonderful things that this park has to see. Saw many alligators and even saw Elvis, the big alligator.

This was my 4th tram ride in Highlands Hammock State Park. I have enjoyed it every time. The beauty and wealth of flora and fauna is amazing in this park, the “Real Florida”. I have seen alligators, turtles, birds, wild boar, armadillos, deer, and many wonderful Florida trees and flowers. Ranger Kevin is the most outstanding guide on the tram rides I have experienced. He is very knowledgeable and informative. It is obvious he loves his job and is excellent at sharing/teaching. One of the times I went on the tram there was a different ranger and It didn’t compare. This is a great thing to do when in Sebring!! Highly recommended.

We stopped at this park to use the bike trail. We were very disappointed with the bike trail. Very rough. Actually got a flat tire from driving on trails. Had to pay to use the trail where as we have gone to much better bike trails free. Would not go again

We took the Swamp Walk. It was great! Saw beautiful vegetation and some awesome wildlife. I would highly recommend.

We camped here for about a week. Very nice campground with clean facilities. Ample sites with lots of neat vegetation.AltwaterTrail is perfect for dog walking. The cypress swamp trail is fascinating. Would love to come back!

Nice park for a short bike tour with kids, with short walking trails, great pieces of old forest and swamps.
The wild camping is very good, with excellent privacy.
The camping with full infrastructure is absurdly crowded, with no space, no privacy, no nature.
Luckily we were at the wilderness camp, surrounded by trees and bushes, Great place.

A gem, right in our neck of the woods, filled with so much history. Great place to spend an afternoon with family.

Sad, many of the older biggest trees were knocked down by the storms. Park was hit bad by winds and floods. I guess that is nature. But you can see how Rick Scott has cut funding to Florida State Parks. Very sad.

We took a short trip during college spring break (the day after we left, Florida parks were closed because of COVID-19). Nice park, spaces are kind of small but we were tent camping so we didn't need much room. Bathrooms were kept clean, they had dinner on the first night and breakfast on the first morning ($5 per person), I can't review the food due to diet but we thought it was nice that they gave the campers a chance to get together. We did some hiking, visited the store (WiFi access) and museum but didn't make a tram ride. Will be back.

Really nice park, I did feel unsafe on some of the bridges (walkways) that didn't have a railing on both sides over water. The park is clean, areas for RV's were very accessible. Stopped for something cold to drink and had a great visit with the staff at the gift shop. We rented the hall for a family reunion in Sept.!

Great experience camping. Our hike on the boardwalk we saw several species deer, alligators and baby alligators.

Highlands Hammock State Park is a very beautiful park to drive through... walk through... bicycle through... so peaceful and serene. My favourite place to hang out and have fun on a photo shoot... ❤️ the Hammock ~

The park itself is nice with great trails and a short but nice bike trail. The campground, however, was a disappointment and like we read on reviews prior to going. VERY crowded with no space between campers. Tents sandwiched in between big RV's and 5th wheels, and you will hear your neighbors conversation and unwanted music as we did one night. I did not use public restrooms but they were older.

Nice place to go for a slow down. Lots of scenic walking trails. Do the tour and see plenty of gators.

wonderful tram ride through lush vegetation. will take you on back-roads in park. very interesting nature trip with a great guide. lots of animals. few stops to watch gators.awesome, awesome!!! took some fantastic pictures of wildlife. make sure to make reservation for tram ride. aaa book calls for early reservation at ranger entrance. when we arrived very early and at opening time ranger told us tram is already booked out from day before. wife was not happy after long drive no tickets available. so drove into park and luckily bought last 2 tickets available for day ride.

We visited Highlands Hammock State Park on our recent visit to Florida.

This park is huge and one could spend a lot of time here. Our time was somewhat limited. We did check out the small CCC Museum on the property. We hiked the Cypress Swamp Trail, which is the boardwalk trail through the swamp. It was a little intimidating because it was narrow and only had a railing on one side, but it was very fun. We didn't see any alligators, but saw lots of birds, mostly wood storks. We also hiked Alexander Blair Big Oak Trail to see the big oak tree. This is a very short trail, and the tree stump is impressive, but it is not a whole tree, only the remnants of one. If I lived in the area this would be worth revisiting and possibly camping.

This was our first visit to this park. We had read online reviews about the campground being noisy and crowded so we had reservations about going.we came in on a Sunday and left on Thursday so we missed the weekend. We were very pleasantly surprised that the campground was busy and somewhat close but everyone was very quiet and nice. The hikes were all easy and we hiked the entire park over our stay. I would recommend taking the guided hike on Monday mornings and the tram ride that runs everyday. But go early to get your tickets for the tram ride because they sell out fast! They rent bikes too which is nice. There were other activities that we didn't do but would if we were there again. We've stayed in three state parks and this was our favorite.

The camping area is very nice. The play ground for children is limited. Everything was clean.

The hiking trails are the reason to visit. There is a wide variety of forest trails. Even if one doesn’t hike, driving the loop or taking the tram gives one a great feel for the variety of trees.

My family and I witnessed firsthand a park employee yelling and waving his arms at another family in the park. We talked to the family after he left, and they said he told them his name was Harry and that he was officially a park ranger. He told them he was boss here, and he would issue them a citation if they caused him any trouble. They said they had just paid for an annual pass, but now would think twice about returning at all. They also asked us to spread the word about not coming to the park because of the risk of running into this Harry.

Wonderful experience!! Beautiful park. This park is in the city not far from everything else, but it’s like being in the wilderness. So peaceful.

We brought a couple over to see the CCC Museum and then drove the loop where my car died. Richard the Ranger to the rescue. Great park, great staff, and the museum volunteer was very nice too.

The picnic areas are clean, the trails pristine and the boardwalks are safe. Just be careful as underneath the boardwalks alligators and snakes can often be seen basking in the sun. Huge alligators can be observed in their natural habitat. You may be walking so closely to one that you do not realize it until you are upon it. Many species of snakes are also living in this State Park. Awesome times to be had for the entire family.

Always like to take a hike at Highland Hammock State Park when in Sebring area. The ecosystem is so diverse. We especially like the boardwalk in the cypress swamp area looking for alligators, big birds, and other fauna. Reminds us of "Jurassic Park"! A little disappointed this time that the CCC Museum was already closed.

Nature surrounds you everywhere as you go through Highlands Hammock State Park.
After you stop at the ranger station and pay a very modest entrance fee ($3 per person), you drive through the gate and into Florida as it was thousands of years ago.
The 3+ mile loop takes you around and through the hammock of swamp, cypress , and oak trees, many of which are 1000 years old.
The Cypress Swamp trail is a boardwalk trail that winds it way through the cypress swamp. All types of wildlife can be seen. At the end of the boardwalk, there is a large creek and pond, there are benches to sit and relax and enjoy nature. I was using my mobility scooter and had no issues using the boardwalk. However, at the end, there is a catwalk that crosses the pond, and sadly, the scooter would not be able to go over it, so I had to turn around.
The next boardwalk was the Fern Garden trail. Again, no issues with the scooter, but after a short distance, the boardwalk ended and it was just a dirt path.
There are other trails, but they are also just dirt paths. It has been a wet summer, so I did not attempt to go down any of those paths, but, should the weather be dry, and the ground hard enough, I believe I could get the scooter down some of the paths, using caution.
There is a very nice museum that shows the history of the park, and how the workers lived back in the 1920s and 30s. There are accessible restrooms inside as well.
There is a large camping area with full hookups.
A picnic area with lots of table is nearby, and there are facilities that can be rented for parties and large gatherings.
I would like to return in cooler weather and camp, that would be a nice experience.
So, should you find yourself in central Florida, take some time to go to the town of Sebring, and go to Highlands Hammock State Park, a trip back to old Florida.

What a place! My family of 8 (6 adults and 2 children) went for a weekend camping trip. We booked two sites (15 and 16) for three tents.

As other have said the campsites are close to each other. This was our first trip and site 15 for tents only was a perfect site to offer a little more elbow rooms. It is a corner with a large tree that allows for separation and amble space for set up. We also had site 16 which is good and flat on one side but bumpy with lots of tree roots on the other. For three tents it worked out perfectly between the two sites. After walking around the full campground, I might opt for sites 40 - 45 on a back circle for just a little more privacy.

The grounds are wonderful. Campsites are well maintained and have a mix of families, singles and several small groups of friends. Bathrooms are well maintained and easy to access.

The trails are wonderful. Beautiful scenery, well maintained and easy to walk. The camp store is well equipped but runs out of wood fast. Be sure to bring some of your own if camping on a cold night.

Overall wonderful trip and I look forward to going back again.

This is one of my favorite parks in Florida. The flora is beautiful. Great wild life. I have seen deer, many different birds, gators, snakes, otters, etc. I would definitely recommend the tram with a guided ranger. I have done it several times and the rangers who guide you are very knowledgeable. Each of them has a different expertise and provide you with various types of information. They have great trails, but my favorite is the catwalk. The park is well maintained. They have music entertainment several evenings during the season. This park is a definite must see if you are near the area.

My husband and I loved this park. It’s beautiful and well kept. We walked the paved trail which is almost 2 miles. I appreciated how much of that trail is shaded.

This was our second visit to the park. Our first visit in January 2018 included a trolley ride to see lots of local wildlife including many alligators. We took a pleasant hike on one of the trails. Our visit in April 2021 was during mid 80’s heat and humidity. The trolley wasn’t working so we missed the wildlife tour. I’d suggest a visit in cooler weather and calling ahead to see if the trolley is in operation.

My wife and I took a hike on one of the trails, it was great!!! Went through the museum, general store, and toured the campground!
This place is awesome!!!

Without a doubt, this was the worst Florida State Park we have every visited. The campground was like a Wal-Mart parking lot, with RVs on top of each other. We were in a tent and had absolutely no privacy. Many of the RVers must come yearly and knew each other, and their conversations were loud and distracting. People were too lazy to stay on the road when walking between campsites and just cut across our tent area. The trails were very short and pretty much devoid of wildlife. The $10 tram ride was good and took us to places on the property that we would not have gotten to, and there were alligators, turtles and birds in those areas that are basically off-limits to visitors. If we could have gone elsewhere, we would have, but had to stay two nights until we could move to our next reservation.

Were there in February for a wedding in the outdoor amphitheater. Absolutely gorgeous setting for a wedding. Didn't get to see much else of the park but it was beautiful to drive through.

Love this park. Love all the hiking & biking options & that you can take a short hike or make it longer. Lots of wildlife. Hammock is gorgeous. CCC museum very interesting history. Tram tour informative and fun. And you must try the local orange flavored ice cream in the gift shop store- delicious!!

One of Florida's premier State Parks! Highlands Hammock offers visitors a unique experience that they will not soon forget. Upon arrival, we were greeted by the park ranger, who explained the in's and out's of the park. He had a real cowboy persona and it reminded me of Walker Texas Ranger. Within minutes we arrived at our campsite (primitive), which is a stone's throw from the entrance. The primitive campsites were spacious and offered privacy in the form of dense palmetto's. We quickly made friends with other visitors. This park is marijuana friendly.

The trails are unique and offer visitors an up close and personal experience with some of the largest tree's, ancient trails and exotic wildlife Florida has to offer. We saw squirrels eating mushrooms, hawks perched on treetops, mysterious alien-like slugs and an otter with ADHD. Alligators lined the wetland trails waiting for unsuspecting visitors to slip up and become an afternoon snack. Deer roamed freely. It was exhilarating. We were stalked for days by an unidentified black bug. He would NOT back down. If I close my eyes, I almost feel as though he is still with us.

It's a cyclists paradise. We spent countless hours roaming the streets, joining caravans of other cyclists, ringing our bells freely as we cruised.

The RV campsite was alive. We greeted other campers who were reciprocal in kindness. Everyone was cheerful. Children road bikes, Dads chased the children on bikes and mothers watched soap opera's safely inside their mosquito nets.

The campsite store was very accomodating. We found ourselves returning several times for various odd's and end's. They had everything we needed, for a reasonable price. A real "One-stop-shop"! Their world famous sour orange pie landed my girlfriend and I in a comatose state. I fear we may never recover. The campsite store also serves as a rendezvous point for the trolley. The elderly gathered here in droves to ride it. At one point, I suspected they would form an angry mob when the weather threatened cancellation of the afternoon tour.

In summary, I highly recommend Highlands Hammock State Park for a weekend retreat. If you're ever in the area, stop by and ask about Matt and Ana. #CAMPSITE 12

Beautiful and tranquil. Something for every interest and energy level. Small country restaurant and plenty of paths to hike. Paved bike path and great tent and RV camping. Wildlife observation and very relaxing.

I have never seen a 'tropical forest' but it's here. It's safe and beautiful!! Absolutely worth stopping by. There is a nice tour of the place as well. Drive though, bike through or walk. It's all good. there are several great trails to take.

Came for the day to explore the trails. Beautiful park with well maintained trails. Loved the boardwalks. However, the back entrance could use a bit of a cleanup of the litter.

You can zip through it in 15 minutes by car but don't. Pack food and beverage and stop at the many spots on the loop and take time to breathe and enjoy how Florida used to be. A fav place.

Enjoyed the CCC festival in November. There were interesting things to buy and see. Tram ride for $2.00 was nice. Park is just now getting back to normal after the hurricane. My only comment would be to put up more signs. No signs to indicate location of restrooms, no sign to show where they were selling tram tickets or where to go from the parking lot. Day in the park was very interesting and it was free for Veteran's Day.

We stayed several days camping here and hiked all the trails. They are all 35 minutes or less and most connect to make a longer hike if you wish. We'll maintained trails.

Extraordinarily wildly beautiful! A glimpse of wild Florida...one area on a walkway opens up into a space that is breath taking, like a Monet painting of the lily pads.

Stopped by the park this afternoon around 4 PM. The sunlight filtering through the tree canopy was exquisite for photographs. Took the loop drive in search of accessible trails with parking. I suggest getting the park brochure to give distances. Although a wheelchair will not be able to negotiate the "catwalk" trails, the ranger suggested that even these trails are almost completely accessible by taking two shorter hikes starting at both ends then looping back to the starting point. The ranger station, museum, restaurant and outdoor concert areas are all accessible to wheelchairs. Check with the ranger at the park entrance for the winter concert dates and times.

Nice way to spend a few hours in nature. You get to walk through a swamp (oops, I guess it's now called a wetland) on a boardwalk. It's completely non-threatening and like nothing I've ever done before. Enjoyable if you want to see a part of nature that isn't usually so accessible.

Highlands Hammock really lives up to the Florida State Park motto “The Real Florida”. The trails provide access to the different native plant and animal species on foot or on a very informative tram ride.
The campground gets crowded on weekends, but has the all basic facilities you’d expect. The only negatives are that electric and water access is a little awkward and there isn’t a lot of privacy between sites.
The Rangers and are friendly and helpful, as are the volunteer “Friends of Highlands Hammock”.

It's a long drive out in the middle of no where but it's not busy at all and generally you have good portions of each loop to yourselves. Some of the loops are in great condition, while some need a little repair.
Let me be the first to remind you that you are in nature, you will encounter : snakes and alligators.... We could not get off one of the trails until a snake moved off the narrow boardwalk.
It's quiet and relaxing, except for the snakes. When you pay the $6 admission fee they give you a simple map. Either research the loops you want to discover or you can probably spend the entire day going through all of them.

Highly recommend it. Have taken the tram ride many times over the last ten years or so and each time it has been interesting, seeing different things and listening to different topics from different rangers.
Last time took it with relatives who had small children and kids loved it.
Great to walk the trails too.

Nice level tent sites. Several hiking trails, clean, a lot of wildlife,family of deer right nesr the bathhouse, clean staff very helpful and friendly.

With the combination of beautiful trees, cypress swamp, a wonderful loop drive, numerous shaded walkways, covered picnic tables, and the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) Museum, no wonder Highlands Hammock State Park is a National Gold Medal Winner. My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our visit and were astounded to find out how many legendary screen stars once served in the CCC.

We visited here to take the trolley tour but stayed around to experience the boardwalks and to check out the bike trails for a future visit. The tour was very good and we got to see a number of alligators and turtles up close in a natural setting. The tour guide (Ranger) was excellent and pointed out interesting characteristics of the park. The trolley was comfortable but could use some updating, however it did the job. The boardwalks are in a variety of conditions and some are narrow an in need of repair. If you have mobility issues you should check with the Ranger at the gate to see which boardwalks they recommend.
Tickets for the tram rides are an issue as they go on sale at 8:00 am for the 1:00 pm and 2:30 tours there is usually a line up every morning and tickets sell out quickly. If you are not staying in the park someone needs to go to the park and pick up the tickets. The cost is $5.00 per person and an additional fee of $6:00 per car if you are not camping in the park.
Overall this is a great experience at a very reasonable price .

I went to this park on a Wednesday afternoon in May. Around this time there were barely any people, which to me was great as the Cypress hiking trail I went on was very narrow. I can imagine on weekends this place fills up very quickly.

If you plan to picnic and hike be sure to bring plenty of big spray, especially in the summer months with lots of mosquitos and long bugs. For picnics try brining citronella candles or something similar.

The one park ranger at the entrance was very friendly and helpful. All in all I’d definitely do a second or third trip there to experience all their hiking trails!

This is a very nice state park. Went with friends for the trolley ride. There was lots to see and our driver was very knowledgeable. Would recommend this.

We love taking a stroll through here! It's very scenic. I can imagine people taking their family pictures here since it's so well-maintained.

Don't miss walking on the boardwalk that is constructed over water. You might just catch a glimpse on a gator like we did! We've also seen armadillos there. You just never know what wildlife you might see! We are hoping to see a wild hog one of these times.

This park is absolutely beautiful! I took my daughters age 7 and 4 and they loved it! Very easy to explore. The raised walkways are very cool! It's only $6 per car. I highly reccomend making a stop here for the day.

We had a great night camping here...always a fantastic time! We geocached, saw a gator and hiked the trails before enjoying a perfect campfire on our site!

I recently took my two kids for a Saturday night camping trip here. Check in was easy, and as with most of the ranger stations I've been to in Florida the people staffing it were knowledgeable and welcoming. The camp sites were well marked and well shaded. During our stay we explored the different trails throughout the park and were stunned by some amazing bald cypress trees and huge 1000+ year old oak trees. I've been to a tone of the state parks here in Florida and this is definitely one of my favorites.

A gem of a park & only 1 1/2 hours away from home!
My sister & I went the beginning of May and there many open sites in the campground. We walked all 11 trails even though it was hot & humid. Most trails were shady. We saw lots of wildlife - deer, owls, alligators, turtles, squirrels, butterflies & a gopher tortoise. The $10 tram ride was awsome. Ed had a wealth of information & stopped tram several times to talk about the animals , trees, the swamp & history of the park.
The Hammock Inn sold the tram tickets plus rented bikes. The orange ice cream was delicious & they had a nice supply of items for sale.
We will definitely go back when it's a little cooler.

This beautiful state park is a hidden gem. We didn't stay in the camping area though it appeared to be pretty busy while we were there. A small store, museum, and picnic area are between the camping area and the loop drive through the hammock. The picnic area also had a playground. A shuttle bus/tram runs a guided tour on weekends. Multiple nature trails run through the park, and a boardwalk through the marshy area. We saw otters in this area; apparently there are also alligators when it is a little warmer. We saw several deer in the park. A very pleasant place to spend a couple of hours or a couple of days.

Went to the Highlands Hammock State Park for the first time and it’s nice to get a feel for what it’s like to be in a Hammock. Many trails that are all flat and suitable for all ages due to their short distances. A couple trails have boardwalks that can get slippery when it rains but otherwise easy to navigate. Saw a of couple alligators on the “swamp trail” and various birds on most others. The tram will supposedly take you to an area available only if you’re on the tram but we were unable to try it due to max capacity and it was the last tram of day (1 pm). Staff seemed knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful. We walked and viewed a majority of the park trail system and were there about 3 hours.

There were lots of trails to walk on and lots of interesting new things to discover. I have been 100% blind in one eye and 50% in the other and recently had surgery to correct that. I am now 20/20! Everything I see was simply amazing to me! The colors and size of some trees - and the paths across the water! I am from Wisconsin so to see an alligator after having troubles seeing a cow - was indescribable!

Please go to this park if you love
hiking. Hike was the best part of
the park. Please note, some trails
could be slick in the morning with
the dew. Loved all the hiking
trails with the birds. Park staff
would not give us the code for
arriving late to the camground.
The park staff member was not
trained correctly.We were lucky,
we conceived the park staff
finally after ten mintues of
talking with him to give us the code. Bathrooms
in the campground were not
clean. Loved the area including
Sonic down the road. Would
go back for hiking only!

Guide was very knowledgeable, saw lots of alligators and other wildlife. Many folks said they go often and see a variety of things. Great to see wildlife in it's natural environment. I have never seen alligators anywhere else but a zoo!

Also lots of walking trails!

Enjoyed the drive through and walking trails. Make sure you ask the Park Rangers when paying what trails/areas they recommend. I saw a snake, alligator and different birds.

Well managed beautiful unspoiled wildlife area in the heart of Florida. Well maintained beautiful trails and lots of wildlife to see. The park has good parking lots of information and has lots of activities for all age groups throughout the year. A definite must see if you have any interest in wild native Florida flor and fauna.

Nice quiet well-kept campground. Friendly helpful staff. Showers were clean. Nice trail through the cypresses and interesting history.

Beautiful park with lots of beautiful ginormous trees. This is a wonderful place to bike and take little exploration hikes on the way. We tent camped and the primitive camping sites were sparse on trees and close to a road so you hear traffic. For A camping experience I want to hear nature so that why I didn’t give 5 stars but the biking area is definitely a 5. The camper non-primitive sites were well shaded.

I adore this SP. It is beautiful. There is tons of wildlife and walking, hiking, jogging, biking. There is a ton to do and see right there. It is also close to many other things to do nearby.

been a long time but a very nice state campground. Bike and hiking trail through the woods and a museum at the end.

The campsites are tiny and closely packed together. Zero privacy. Full of huge RVs. I made a point of getting a "tent only" site only to find myself squeezed in between big trailers with families and dogs. Bath houses are a disgrace. Hiking trails are not really accessible from the campground, you have to drive and park. Overall not a great experience.

This is a beautiful park with lots of beautiful trees, hiking trails, board walks, etc. The campground is a mess. Most of the sites have no separation and any uniform pattern of parking. (The area across from my site was just a jumble of campers.)

There was some scrub brush less than 3 feet deep on each side of my narrow site that did nothing for privacy. We did not use the picnic table, but if I had, I could have reached out and touched the RV next to us.

The fire ring was in a very bad location and appeared like it had not been used for a long time. It was at the end of the site VERY close to the parking space for the neighboring site.

The power/water pedestal was on the right side of my camper. Be prepared with an extension cord and extra water hose.

In spite of these negative things, we enjoyed our stay.

What a friendly big beautiful Park. We were a little surprised that the park was not full when we arrived. That did not stop us from enjoying riding the loop and a few of the boardwalk trails. The shop/ cafe was open but the tram was not running. Will save that for another day,. We were visited by a family of 5 deer and they even came to see us off as we left the park.

The park is built around a loop the provides access to several trails, all of them also loops. None are particularly long; the longest is about a 30 minute walk. There is a young and old hammock trail, and a cypress swamp trail, among others. The cypress swamp trail is beautiful. The bugs were not bad, but I imagine that as the summer gets on they will become plentiful and ferocious. The park was originally built by the Civilian Conservation Corps and has a small museum that speaks to this heritage. It also provides information on the original Florida parks built by the CCC, which I found very interesting. The park also has a narrated tram ride, but we did not do this as it was sold out. Apparently this is a common occurrence, so if this is part of your plan arrive early.

Wonderful slice of old growth forest. Educational. Rent a bike cheap explore many trails. Call ahead to see if tram is running. Amazing trip into old growth wilderness. You'll see alligators, snakes, wild boar, and who knows what else.... Haven't been there since Hurricane Irma, so call ahead to be sure they're up and running again. A beautiful relaxing way to spend a day away from the hustle and bustle. Highly recommend. Festivals at certain times too. Ask for their schedule! Or go online for details and pics.

Love this park, the trails, the CCC Museum, the tram ride.... Gives one a real feel for “the real Florida”. An excellent nature volunteer works weekends and has good info.

This is a beautiful park with beautiful well maintained trails. We came just for the trails, we did not camp here. The trails are all on the shorter side, which makes for a nice short hike, or you can combine trails for a longer hike. We unfortunately did not see any alligators, which I'm sure was simply bad timing on our part. I did however get many many mosquito bites, so be sure to bring some bug spray!

Highlands Hammock State Park far exceeded my expectations. It encompasses more than 9,000 acres of huge live oaks/Spanish moss, old growth hammock, ferns, palm trees, & cypress swamps. There are trails, boardwalks, and picnic areas. Unfortunately the museum is currently closed due to covid. However, the gift shop is open. A sign on the door encourages those who enter to wear face masks -- Curiously, though, the park ranger inside was bare-faced, ignoring safety precautions!

This park is one of the nicest inland areas for hiking and biking we have ever visited in Florida. The trails we walked on were varied, based on what type of natural area we wanted to see, and were easy access and beautiful. We enjoyed a picnic lunch in a pavilion near the playground and noticed that food was available in a snack bar/ store along with bike rentals. The CCC museum was extremely interesting and the staff there very friendly and informative.

I was made ware on arrival that you need to arrive before 8am to book a seat on the tour, but they can often squeeze 1 to 3 on at lunchtime when the tour starts. I managed to get on the tour around the restricted area which is where most of the animals reside. The general walks were great with a couple of alligators around, but if yopu want to see wildlife, thenm you need to go on the tour. Great value at only $5 extra for the tour.

This was a great location for my son's school geocaching field trip! The park was beautiful and the staff was friendly.

While this was not the place my husband remembered from 30 years ago, it was still a beautiful place to visit and walk around. It cost $6 for our car load. They have walking trails and bridges....some trails are easier than others. They also offer a tram tour at 1pm and 3pm which we opted not to do simply because of the timing.

We had a wonderful visit at Highlands Hammock with our son's family. We walked the trails and we took a tram ride. Our 3 year old granddaughter was enthralled with the alligators and deer she saw. A great place to spend the afternoon.

Don't miss the museum. Interesting to learn how this and many other parks across the US were created.

Lots to see here. Nine trails including hiking and more for biking. Great hosts in the CCC Museum too.

Nice park, lot of picnic tables, clean bathrooms. I really enjoyed the museum. It was very hot the day we were there. I'm looking forward to going in the fall when it is cooler and exploring the trails.

This is a very nice campground but it was constructed in the 30s by the CCC and so the electrical boxes are in some odd places. We had to visit the local Walmart and get a longer extension cord to get power. Then the cord was running right through our site. The ranger was very apologetic and helpful and explained some of the history of the park to us. There is a nice playground and basketball hoop for the kids. LOTS of walking paths which we love. We heard there are shuttle rides through the park but we didn't partake. There are lots of activities that take place here like outdoor concerts etc. we would love to go back to attend one!

We just drove through the park since my foot was broken and checked out the museum which was very interesting. The restaurant and inn is now only a supply store for campers.

We took a family camping trip with my father-in-law and his dog. The campground in March is very busy but everyone is so friendly. We brought our bicycles and rode on the paved and non-paved trails. We also hiked on the Cypress Swamp Trail and saw a mama alligator with two of her babies on her back. Several of the hikes are short enough for my 84 year old father-in-law and it was great to experience the park with him. We wish we could have stayed longer but we definitely will come back.

All you can eat, great food! Good lunch prices before, 330 pm. Seafood diner they have pricey but, good if, you can eat a lot of food at once. Try the green tea ice cream; differant but, once you eat a few bits you'll want more! Never seen thar flavor anywhere else. My husband like the strawberry as it's very good too!

We stopped here briefly this week and I can't wait to go back and explore some more. This park is so beautiful. The walks are well maintained and the park rangers were some of the friendliest and most helpful that I have encountered. The parking for the trails is nice and we appreciated the suggestions of "must see" trails.

We came here for five days in our RV. Not used to no sewer connection but we managed our first trip with no sewer. We needed to learn to do it since most state parks are without sewer connection anyway. The trails are a good length for our 7/10 year old kiddos. When we camped here, the park was pretty empty so it was nice because our campsite had lots of good views. The park staff is very friendly and helpful. We didn't like our first campsite because it had a lot of dirt which wasn't working out since we brought our large dog with us. The ranger at the front desk switched our site immediately and happily and we loved our site after that. The staff was very helpful with the Jr Ranger program that my kids are working through. Overall, it's a nice campground with clean bathrooms and a laid back environment right in the Florida habitat.

There is a tram ride 54 minutes long into nature. The narration on the tram is very interesting and educational. We've gone 3-4 times and always see alligators, birds in their habitat and other creatures. There are several walking trails. The museum is informative and we enjoy the movie about the CCC program.

This used to be one of our favorite parks until our last 2 visits. It's been a few years, but the first one, we got there in the middle of a huge construction project. Why weren't we made aware when we reserved? Equipment beeping, roaring and banging everywhere and clouds of dust. We are suppose to drive slow but they didn't. I complained and they didn't care.

The second time, we got to the park and they had a "controlled burn" that was still going on. There was fire on the opposite edge of the road from us. No one watching it. We couldn't breath in our camp site, to smoky. Why weren't we told this was going on when we reserved? I have asthma. We complained, they said that's what we do.

We're not going to give them an opportunity for 3 strikes and your out. We won't be back. It's to bad, it used to be such a nice park with caring people.

Beautiful park with camp grounds and many hiking trails. Lots of wildlife to see. I recommend taking the tour. Lots of interesting information and you get to go where the public can't go on their own.

We visited this state park specifically to take the Tram tour and visit the CCC Museum. There is a $6per car entrance fee unless you have a Florida SP pass, then it’s free. We booked the tram tour by phone 24 hrs in advance as we heard they fill up fast in February. Cost is $12/adult. The guided tour is 1 hr and 45min and takes you through different ecosystems in the park some off limits except by this tour. Our tram driver/tour guide was Jim and he was excellent! The various stops included the orange grove, old growth oak tree, cypress grove, pine grove, canal area where we saw alligators, turtles plants and birds. There are no bathroom stops so go before the tour and take water. The tram is covered so you’re not sitting in the sun. Totally worth it! We visited the small CCC Museum which was interesting to see, how the men lived and what they built. There is a small gift shop, camp store. Did not walk any of the trails but will definitely be back!

Wonderful state park with great camping facilities, nice hikes and picnic area and museum. Very friendly staff. We enjoyed camping there -- nice area.

Overall the park is good and a good value. It has a nice family atmosphere with lots of tent camping. But we waited an hour and half to use the dump station and it was not even "rush hour" it was 11am :-(

Various nice trails to walk in this park
Different types of old growth trees
The best walk is the 'swamp' boardwalk trail … feels like stepping back in time

Last time we stopped, it was too soon after Hurricane Irma. The boardwalk was open again. Very nice place to walk... (bring the bug spray just in case) we were able to take the tour on the tram which takes you where others cannot go. The museum was enlightening and the woman in there was very helpful

I wanted to give this review a wait, but I decided to write this as I am listening to people loudly ride there v twin motorcycle(think Harley chopper) around the camp ground, reving the engine at 7:30pm... Ah nature!

So the camping slots are way too close. There are about twice as many as there should be. The park is packed! I think this might be a cheap option if you are going to the races, but not if you want to be emerged in nature..

The park staff are very nice though!

They do have a nice looking camp store and laundry.

The bathroom facilities seem way to small for all the camp spots.

It beats the heck out of Walmart though!

There are 4 pics I will share. One is of the bike trail view, on is of our slot. One is of the rig next to us, which is two slots over..my neighbor didn’t come yet...

I wish we would have picked somewhere else, but such is life...

It isn’t the worst place you could camp...

Great tram ride through park.park ranger was very knowledgable and was very patient answering my sons question. We got to see so much - learned about the ecosystem and got to see lots of local wildlife. Exceptional trails for all levels of hiking ability. Highly red come d!

The park itself is very nice, the spots are tight, the signs are lacking, cars parked all over so it makes it even harder to get in your already tight spots.
nice to see the kids playing all together, what’s not nice to hear are the kids screaming til all hours of the night and then as soon as the sun rises.
Not the quiet peaceful weekend some may be looking for.

We stop by here for a few days each time we are camping in Florida. My husband loves to walk the trails through the swamp to see the thousands of cypress knees. As a woodcarver who carves cypress knees, he walks through and talks about what each one could be if carving. His favorite is one that looks like it has a big ole smiley face. As it is near Sebring and Lake Placcid, there is plenty to do, great restaurants and many scenic lakes.

We absolutely love the tram ride with our children ages 14 and 9. It was a great way to see all of the flora and all of the native animal species with a great park ranger who was very patient with the questions my son asked. At 1 1/2 hours it was the perfect amount of time. There were frequent stops to get off and explore and when the ride was over we were able to drive to one of the numerous trails. Next time we're in the area we will definitely stop again and try one of the other trails. A great day trip for the family. Highly recommend!

Our group went this morning for a day exploring Highland Hammocks State Park. It turned out to be a very chilly Florida morning which can hurt the chances of seeing but we had a fabulous tram driver with nine yrs experience in this park.

His knowledge made our tram ride so interesting! We learned about the history of the development of the park, the wildlife of the park, and more.

We were taken to a section of the acreage that is not accessible to the public where we saw plants and birds, cedar groves and a live oak 90 years old that’s still alive.

As the sun got warmer, some daring young alligators stuck their heads out of the water so we did view them

The CCC Museum has such interesting artifacts and several films to watch with more info on the CCC.

There is also a nature can with very good in fo, a store with souvenirs and some food. Coffee and ice cream too.

We highly recommend a visit to this park. There’s also camping facilities.

Easy trails that offer a mixture of Florida vegetation. A daily tram ride is offered to give access if you are not up to hiking. The campground offers social activities including a potluck supper and opportunity to purchase a breakfast and supper.

First time to a state park and I'm hooked. What a wonderful find, I was amazed at the layout for tent sites to pullthroughs. Bathrooms were terrific, grounds well tended to, and the rangers were very helpful. For a quiet peaceful get a way or a longer stay this is the place. This and the other Florida State Parks are definitely on my radar. Thanks FL.

Attended the 32nd Annual CCC Reunion at Highland Hammock Springs Park on 11-11-27.

The event was rich in history of President Roosevelt's Civilian Conservation Corps (C.C.C.). The Men, now in their 90's and reinactment actors, were marvelous telling stories of the rich history of this program! Currently, their is a Bill in front of Congress to bring this back in action for the 21st Century "H.R. 2206."

This day was also full of antique automobiles, live music, plenty of concessions, and one heck of a great tram ride that last about 20 minutes; which was great to cool you off on a hot afternoon. During the tour you'll become quite knowledgeable about floral and fauna in this unique wildlife.

Are unique right through the woods and along the river which you see some Gators wild birds of all types but depends on the month that you go well worth the trip on the tram and if you like to walk and see some awesome looking cypress trees and others then this would be the place a unique area that has been well preserved

I highly recommend a trip to the park. While you’re there take a ride on the tram. This is our family’s second year taking a tour of the park on the tram with Ed Brown as our guide. He does an amazing job of explaining the wildlife and history of the park. Thanks for a great tour Ed!

I enjoyed our recent visit to Highland Hammock State Park. There are a variety of trails to explore. We chose 3 to do on our recent visit and were not disappointed. It is a very peaceful and beautiful place. The boardwalks made the walk easier and I was wearing a removable cast on my foot at the time. We saw several alligators and a variety of birds. There is a museum that tells the story of the CCC and we found that very interesting. The displays inside were well done. Make sure you stop in before you leave the park.

We really enjoyed our visit here. Our tent site was right across from the bathroom on the outer rim and had a decent amount of privacy. The site was a nice size and the facilities were just what we needed. They have washer/dryer, showers, main office with a store (try their sour orange ice cream it’s delicious!), an outdoor sink, and tons of trails.
They have a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Museum where you can learn about how the park was made/maintained. The married couple in the museum was the nicest and most friendly people when we came in. Our kids loved it.
They even had a mobile nature center with another married Ranger couple that was extremely informative and friendly. Overall, our trip was a lot of fun and this park was great!

This is one of the oldest state parks in Florida. It offers a variety of wildlife, old-growth hammock, a CCC museum, hiking and biking trails and campsites along with several planned activities. A visit to their web site is suggested. There is an entrance fee. We were there to enjoy the cypress swamps and wildlife. We did the Ancient Hammock Trail and found it interesting. However, signage is minimal and it is easy to miss the last turn that takes you back to the parking area. Also, mosquitos were abundant on this trail. We also did the Cypress Swamp Trail and enjoyed it very much. The plants and birds offer great photo opportunities. We did see an alligator on this walk. The boardwalk area is narrow with a low handrail. Give yourself time to get used to walking above the water. There is a small gift shop/concession store near the CCC museum. We enjoyed this park a would visit again.

Great driver, interesting history and gorgeous wetlands. Gators were out in abundance! Beautiful day

Great park for walking and photographs. Cat walk is closed due to damage. Hope they open it soon. Tram ride is also nice.

We came for the weekend to tent camp on a very hot (95 degree) Friday. We were the only people in the tent area until Saturday afternoon. I recommend sites 9 or 16 if you want some shade.

Hiking trails were well maintained - my Merlin app (yes I know it’s not perfect) identified 29 birds, including 4 types of woodpeckers, all of which I spotted. Plus owls! Watch out for gopher tortoises in the roadway also.

Beautiful State Park.

Today Highlands Hammock State Park is Honoring the C.C.C., which was initiated by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the 1930's. The C.C.C. Museum is a time Capsul of History, with Senior Citizens conveying life in those days.

The C.C.C. is trying to get put back into action under H.R. 2358.

Lots of Vendors today, the smell of hamburgers and BBQ whiffs thru the park on a cool breeze, as live bands nearby entertain us from music of that era, country, and gospel. The tram takes us through the park to see the flora, fauna, and wild life. If you've never been to this event, you haven't experienced all of Florida.

It was a pretty area. The tram ride was nice we saw lots of alligators and turtles. It was a nice afternoon trip.

We paid $6 to enter this park. Trams were not running. Paths were invested with bugs and we sprayed down with bug spray. Wait until Winter season for this place. We left after about 10 minutes, nothing to see or do

Walked 3 trails in this park. Did not see any wildlife until the last and it was a raccoon and some armadillos. One trail had no hand rail for most of the boardwalk and we had a group of girls behind us that were chatty kathys and probably scared most of whatever we could see away. Anyway. Nice park to get some exercise but not really scenic.

The tram tour is an excellent way to see how the landscape of the southern FL and area has changed over time. See turtles, alligators, various birds, trees, and plants. Trails to hike are available.

Very nice kept park. They have quite a few hiking trails which are mostly in the shade. The day we went it was pretty humid. We will definitely go back in the fall. They have a nice little museum and a little store on the property. Plenty of places to ride your bike and places to camp. Make sure if you take your dog, there are trails that they won't be able to go on.

nothing special BUT very very clean -- and raised wooden pathways through the wetlands - nice overnight camping facilities -- staff very polite and helpful

have been there many times before and I can honestly say we're never disappointed-many trails and new things to do each time

My family and I are huge fans of highlands hammock state park❤️ it’s full of nature trails, it has a park for the kids, and we’ve been able to see gators and boars almost everytime we’ve visited. It’s also a great spot for family photos❤️! & i’ve heard only good things about the campsites

We drove around the park and walked the boardwalk trials. Great views of what the interior of Florida looked like before it was changed by agriculture and developments. Saw gators, birds and an armadillo.

This park has something to offer for everyone at a reasonable price. Trails for biking and walking are well maintained. Camping is also available. The Civilian Conservation Corp museum provides great incite of a period of American History that is seldom revealed.

I visited Highlands Hammock State Park (just east of Zolfo Falls, FL) on Saturday, November 11, 2023. As an amateur wildlife photographer, I was pretty disappointed with my visit. I hiked every trail in the park. According to the app on my phone, I walked almost 6 miles, in about 4 hours. The only wildlife I was able to see and photograph was a family of feral pigs. I saw one hawk, at a great distance, and heard an owl, somewhere in the woods. Other than that, I saw nothing in my 4 hours. Pretty park, but very scant animals. No snakes, gators, armadillos, fox squirrels or anything else of interest.

I’m pretty sure that I will get grief for this next statement, but I believe the reason for the lack of wildlife was the over-abundance of loud children. It seemed that I could never get away from the chatting and laughing kids. I’m not anti-child. Parks are a fantastic place for children to exercise and learn about mother nature.

My complaint (and it is my problem, not the children’s) is that each of the trails, although separated by distance, are too easily accessible from the roads and parking areas in the park. I had hoped that the more remote trails would be less busy, but that was not the case. A simple mini-van drive and the trail was filled with noisy kids.

Again, this is not a complaint about children. This is just a comment for anyone who would like to walk quietly in the woods and photograph wildlife. Perhaps it was my fault to visit on a holiday weekend, but we can’t always go where we want when we want.

My advice to wildlife photographers is to skip this park and visit others like Circle B Bar Reserve, Lettuce Lake, Deep Hole at Myakka State Park and others.

Highlands Hammock State Park is a beautiful place, just not a great place to photograph animals.

This is a great park, the trails and boardwalks are awesome. We hiked on most of the trails, enjoyed the swamp, beautiful trees, flowers and ferns and saw a few birds and an armadillo. This is the first Florida park, I did not see an alligator. Since we are visiting a lot of Florida's state parks, we had to visit this park since it is Florida 1st park. I would highly recommend a visit.

I came to Sebring to go to another state park area. I saw Highlands Hammock on the map and it looked small, but I decided to go anyway (it isn't small!). I was SO pleasantly surprised. There are a lot of shady walking trails, lots of birds, and a little boardwalk area that walks along a creek that reminded me of the Everglades. The boardwalk goes thru the creek and you hear nothing but quiet and some birds, and it is beautiful. (Small warning: Beware of this boardwalk tho - there are railings at the beginning, but the boardwalk becomes very skinny at one point and a bit challenging if you are unsteady. In one area, the railing ended on one side - so just beware if you are walking with children or elderly. We saw an alligator in there, so it's not an area where you would want to fall off the boardwalk. Not sure if they were fixing the side with no railing, we were here 4/2018, or that's just the way it is. See my photos.)

The loop road is a very nice drive or walk - very quiet and shady. We saw a lot of hawks, red cardinals (very loud and beautiful!) and even a great horned owl nest.

There are plenty of picnic tables under trees and the place is quiet and peaceful.

I really enjoyed my short time in this beautiful state park (one of the best!), and I can't wait to go back when I have more time.

Trails are awesome put they’re too many people. Nothing can be done about obnoxiously loud radios. Spend a day biking or hiking but don’t stay here camping.

Great for bike rides and hiking. Just take the bike path off Hammock Rd. in. The museum is worthwhile and someday we’ll do the tram. We can’t get our act together to get tickets ahead it seems!

This is a really nice walking park. Trails are well maintained and relatively short for a very relaxing time in nature. The time of year will probably make a big difference in any wildlife sightings. The water level was low right now, so critters were scarce. But so were the bugs! Would visit here again.

Visit this park every time I go down to see my mom. Biking, hiking, tram touring ... something for all ages. Love this park.

It is one of FL's great State parks, the Real Florida.. A great family outing. family fun. nature. Built in the 30s by the CCC corps

Very beautiful park unspoiled old Florida. Many miles of trails and bike paths.
I stayed in a RV with Water and Electric Hookup. The RV sites are a bit small. Bathrooms are clean.

The main boardwalk trail was closed and has been for months. The tram only ran at 1:00 PM and was sold out at 10 AM. We did the Ornge trail and a few others, and the paths were muddy and uneven. We did get to see some wild Florida orange treest, which was interesting. Never saw any wildlife, no birds, frogs, or absolutely anything except one single butterfly. Seemed odd.

If your looking for a fun afternoon getaway, this place is just for you. This park has a variety of things to do, such as hiking, animal watching, swings, and Saturday night concerts throughout the year.

Highlands Hammock takes you back to when all of Florida from the Beeline to Miami was the Everglades. Just stunning... the canopy is much cooler on a hot day. The cat walk is super cool! Depending on the time of year, the park can be simply teeming with alligators!

It has been a few months since the last time I visited, but it never really changes, and that's great.

Spent part of the day here. Saw an alligator on Fern Boardwalk. Lots of spring wildflowers. Reminded me of state park in our hometown. Needs rain, very dry conditions! Quiet and tranquil walk. Will go again and take a picnic. As in all state parks everywhere, you can see places that need maintenance. Saw evidence of staff working to protect the swamp from disappearing and of controlled burns. Good practices-just need more funds. Friendly volunteers at the gate. Wonderful day!

We stopped here on our way back from Tampa to West Palm Beach and thoroughly enjoyed the park. There are a number of huge and very old oak trees. There are also boardwalks through the cypress swamps. We saw many deer. This park made a lasting impression on us and we will be back to camp or stay in cabins.

Stayed at the state park for 2 nights in a tent. Showers are adequate and the volunteers and staff keep the place going. Very dense and some good trails.

Was pleasantly surprised with how awesome this place is. Nice nature walk. Don’t miss the Cypress Swamp where you will see alligators and their babies. There is also the Civilian Conservation Corps museum with interesting movies and artifacts. There is also an amphitheater where they hold shows and concerts.

Gorgeous - almost ethereal experience you'll remember for years. walking on the trails you really get a sense of the beauty of Florida foliage

Too hot during the summer, but outstanding activities 8 out of 12 months. Trails are great, museum is interesting & the tram rides through the restricted areas are great. Fabulous for the entire family.

We took a the tram ride through the park, the guide was very informative and taught us about Florida's eco systems . . .the plants, trees, and wildlife inhabiting Florida. We saw several alligators, turtles and birds of the region. Enjoyable time, lasted about 1 hr and 45 min. Great for all ages, and anyone with difficulty walking can enjoy the tour as well.

We rode the park tram ride ($15 pp) narrated by Jim. This was an excellent 2 hour long ride through the history and biology (gators!) of the park.
Dr. Bob Walsh

We just spent two days here and had an amazing time. We brought our bicycles and rode all the bike trails, as well as hiked the numerous short hiking trails. Trails are marked and well maintained. The park staff were very friendly. We particularly recommend the tram tour they have as it explores sections of the park that are inaccessible by bike or foot. Lots of wildlife.

A quiet park with lots of trails to wander. Don’t be surprised if you see a black bear or the rare Florida panther. Camping is available. There are concerts in season and firefly tours via a night time tram ride. The daytime tram ride takes you through the different ecosystems of Florida. A must see for the area.

We stayed here on a Saturday and Sunday, it was very crowded and noisy and Saturday but a lot of people left on Sunday which made it very pleasant. I would recommend not camping here on the weekend if you prefer a more tranquil atmosphere. The sites are very close together without much foliage in between to give you privacy. The trails are great. I had my dog so I couldn’t go on the boardwalk trails which was very disappointing. The museum was interesting and the store had quite a bit of snacks and camping items. If I return it will not be on a weekend

I know there are a lot of complaints because people are close together, but this is my favorite Florida State Park Campground because the place is always full of the sounds of happy people, both kids and adults.

Wear bug spray. It was a beautiful relaxing walk down the paths. We have gone here about 5 times. We bring friends and family members when they come to visit. Everyone loves it.

We drove into the park, paid our fee and then started driving away. Before we knew it we were out of the park. I will try again to give them another chance.

I attended the festival on November 11,2017. The entrance fee was waved in honor of Veterans Day. Parking was very organized. They had a tram and golf carts to shuttle people from parking lot to main festivities. Music and food trucks. Many venders and wild life booths. The look of old Florida al through out. They have a CCC museum there which I missed. Very good visit.

We had a lovely three days at this park near Sebring FL, the wooded area is beautiful and well maintained, lots of hiking and biking trails and abundant wildlife. The lots are serviced with electrical and water and there is an efficient and spacious dumping station for sanitary sewer. Needless to say most state parks do not have sewer service at the site in their effort to minimize the impact on nature. The Ranger Station is small and the parking lot next to it is quite spacious. The staff were fantastic, happy, upbeat and so helpful. Considering the number of trees and that we've just passed the "falling leaves" stage and the pollen and regrowth time is under way (we were there in March2021), they've done an admirable job of keeping things tidy. This park is super pet friendly and family oriented yet was so quiet. Picnic tables and fire pits were at every site I saw, it was much like being able to camp in your local neighborhood park. Will definitely go again. One thing to note there are only a few little streams in the park but four miles away is Sebring FL with an entire lake for bass fishing and kayaking.

Every year we camp here before the 12 hour race week at Sebring. It's a beautiful park with great trails to hike and easy bike riding in a tropical setting. The restrooms are always clean, staff friendly and the CCC museum is really worth a visit. The museum has a new 55 minute DVD they play on the history of this CCC built park, it was so interesting and what a wonderful scheme this was in creating this and many other parks across the US during the depression.
They have a a good Ranger led program with a Trailer ride, it books out quickly and is always popular, it doesn't run on Monday. Can see alligators, turtles and armadillos from the well maintained trails. For campers there are 4 bath houses and a laundry with seating and book exchange. They hold craft afternoons and pot luck dinners in the recreation Hall making the park a good camping experience.

The tour guide was so well informed and was able to answer every one questions and the walk later around the park was awesome. The fish fries are great to

Camping at the park was great...very 'old Florida',,,green and lush.
The bike loop is great...even for kids. We never saw a car the entire loop.
Be sure to take the road in from Sebring. DO NOT take the road from the other direction. It is a complete washboard for about two miles. We were concerned about damage to the car and the motorhome.

Many trails- all flat and easy, the marshy, a few have boardwalks but most do not.
Tip: take the tram (tickets extra and are bought in the store on store). Runs at 1 every day.
Tip: stop in the CCC Museum across from the store (free with entrance-$5 per car).

Wonderful Place to visit. I arrived to late to visit the museum, though I was able to walk on several of the short trails. Beautiful place, very relaxing and peaceful.

This is a lovely state park, I just went for a day visit and found the trails easy walking with plants that I didn't know growing there in profusion. Great park with a very interesting history.