List of Florida state parks facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Map of State Parks of Florida Hold cursor over locations to display park name, click to go to park article.

Florida is home to 175 amazing state parks and 9 state trails! These special places cover over 800,000 acres (about 3,200 square kilometers) and offer tons of fun activities for everyone, whether you live in Florida or are just visiting.

Many of these parks have groups called "Friends of {park name} State Park, Inc." These groups are non-profit, meaning they work to help the parks without making money. In 2015, nearly 30,000 volunteers spent almost 1.3 million hours helping to make the parks even better for about 31 million visitors. Most Florida state parks have a small entrance fee, but some activities like staying in cabins, using boat docks, or camping might cost extra. Across the parks, you can find over 3,600 family campsites, 186 cabins, thousands of picnic spots, 100 miles (160 km) of beaches, and more than 2,600 miles (4,180 km) of trails!

The Florida Park Service is the team that manages all these parks. They are part of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. This service is super good at what they do! They won the Gold Medal for being the best state park system in the country four times (in 1999, 2005, 2013, and 2019). That's more than any other state! The parks are open all year round and offer many different things to do. You can go fishing, hiking, or camping. Some parks are great for watching birds or riding horses. You can even see historical battle reenactments. Florida's natural springs and beautiful beaches are also big highlights. The Florida Park Service wants to help visitors connect with the "Real Florida" by showing them the state's amazing nature and history. They work hard to protect these places for you and for future generations.

Some state parks used to be private tourist spots that the state bought to protect their natural beauty. For example, Silver Springs State Park, Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, Rainbow Springs State Park, and Weeki Wachee Springs were all once private attractions. You can find state parks in 58 of Florida's 67 counties. Not all of them have "State Park" in their name; some are called "conservation areas," "historical sites," or "recreation areas." A few parks are mostly undeveloped, and some can only be reached by boat. Thirteen parks even contain special places called National Natural Landmarks. Besides state parks, Florida also has eleven national parks managed by the National Park Service.

Florida State Parks get their money from taxes, visitor fees, and donations. Many parks have local non-profit groups that help out. You can buy an annual pass if you live in Florida, which lets you enter any park. If you want to camp, you can make reservations through a company called ReserveAmerica. The official Florida State Parks website (floridastateparks.org) has all the latest information about every park.

Exploring Florida's Amazing State Parks
Images for kids
See also

Exploring Florida's Amazing State Parks

Florida's state parks offer a wide variety of experiences, from beautiful beaches to historic sites and wild natural areas. Each park has its own unique features and activities.

Fun Things to Do in the Parks

You can do so many things in Florida's state parks!

Hiking and Biking: Explore miles of trails through different landscapes.
Camping: Spend a night under the stars at one of the many family campsites.
Water Activities: Enjoy swimming, fishing, kayaking, or canoeing in lakes, rivers, and coastal waters.
Wildlife Viewing: See amazing animals like manatees, alligators, and many types of birds.
History and Culture: Visit historic sites, old plantations, or places where important events happened.
Springs: Swim in cool, clear freshwater springs that flow from underground.

Protecting Florida's Nature

Many parks are dedicated to protecting Florida's unique environments. For example, Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek Preserve State Park protects rare scrub habitats. Crystal River Preserve State Park saves a special spring-fed estuary. Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park is part of the vast Everglades. These parks help keep Florida's plants and animals safe for the future.

How the Parks Started

The idea of Florida's state parks began a long time ago. Some parks, like Highlands Hammock State Park, were developed in the 1930s with the help of the Civilian Conservation Corps, a program that put people to work during tough economic times. Other parks, like Royal Palm State Park, were created to protect important natural areas and later became part of larger national parks. Many parks have interesting stories, like Avalon State Park which was used for frogman training during World War II, or Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park where B-17 bomber crews trained.