List of Florida state parks facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Map of State Parks of Florida
Hold cursor over locations to display park name, click to go to park article. |
There are 175 state parks and 9 state trails in the U.S. state of Florida which encompass more than 800,000 acres (320,000 ha), providing recreational opportunities for both residents and tourists.
Almost half of the state parks have an associated local 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, often styled, "Friends of {park name} State Park, Inc.". In 2015, some 29,356 volunteers donated nearly 1.3 million hours to enhance the parks for approximately 31 million visitors. There is a mostly nominal admission to nearly all Florida's state parks, although separate fees are charged for the use of cabins, marinas, campsites, etc. Florida's state parks offer 3,613 family campsites, 186 cabins, thousands of picnic tables, 100 miles (160 km) of beaches, and over 2,600 miles (4,200 km) of trails.
The Florida Park Service is the division of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection responsible for the operation of Florida State Parks, and won the Gold Medal honoring the best state park system in the country in 1999 and 2005 from the National Recreation and Park Association. They were also finalists in the 1997 and 2011 competitions. The Park Service was awarded the gold medal again in October 2013, making it the only three-time winner. In 2019, they received the gold medal award again, resulting in them being the first four-time winner. The parks are open year-round and offer diverse activities beyond fishing, hiking and camping. Many parks offer facilities for birding or horseback riding; there are several battle reenactments; and freshwater springs and beaches are Florida's gems. According to the Florida Park Service website, their goal "is to help create a sense of place by showing park visitors the best of Florida's diverse natural and cultural sites. Florida's state parks are managed and preserved for enjoyment by this and future generations through providing appropriate resource-based recreational opportunities, interpretation and education that help visitors connect to the Real Florida."
Several state parks were formerly private tourist attractions purchased by the state of Florida to preserve their natural environment. These parks include the Silver Springs State Park, Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, Rainbow Springs State Park, and Weeki Wachee Springs. There are state parks in 58 of Florida's 67 counties. Nine of the 175 parks do not have "State Park" in their name. Four are "conservation areas" (reserve, preserve, or wildlife refuge); three are "Historical/Archaeological sites"; one is a fishing pier and one is a recreation area. Seven parks are mostly undeveloped with few or no facilities; 10 parks are accessible only by private boat or ferry; and 13 parks contain National Natural Landmarks. Additionally, there are eleven national parks and service sites in Florida locations under control of the National Park Service.
Florida State Parks are supported by tax dollars (document stamps), user fees, and to a much smaller extent charitable contributions. Many state parks have an associated local non-profit corporation. Most parks charge an entrance fee. Residents can purchase an annual entrance pass that is valid at any of the parks. Camping is available in campsites in some of the parks. All reservations for park facilities are handled through the private corporation ReserveAmerica. The Florida State Parks website (floridastateparks.org) provides an updated online guide to all parks.
Florida state parks and reserves
Note: The table of contents only applies when the list is sorted by park name.
- "Year" refers to the year the park was opened. If that date is not available, the year the state acquired the property will be used.
- Left mouse click on the up/down arrows to sort the list by that column. Photo and remarks are unsortable.
Park Name | County or Counties | Size | Year Established | Water Body(s) | Image | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Addison Blockhouse Historic State Park | Volusia | 134.51 acres (54.43 ha) | 1939 | Tomoka River | Ruins of a 19th-century plantation owned by John Addison | |
Alafia River State Park | Hillsborough | 6,312 acres (2,556 ha) | 1996 | Alafia River | Former phosphorus strip mine unremediated | |
Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park | Leon | (478 ha) |
1,180 acres1954 | Lake Hall | Originally named Killearn Gardens State Park | |
Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek Preserve State Park | Polk | 8,065 acres (3,266 ha) | 1991 | unnamed ponds | Home to rare scrub habitat for wildlife | |
Amelia Island State Park | Nassau | (93 ha) |
230 acres1983 | Nassau Sound Atlantic Ocean |
Horseback riding is permitted on the beach | |
Anastasia State Park | St. Johns | (648 ha) |
1,600 acres1949 | Atlantic Ocean | Hurricane Dora connected Anastasia Island and Conch Island in 1964 | |
Anclote Key Preserve State Park | Pasco | (163 ha) |
403 acres1997 | Gulf of Mexico | Accessible only by ferry or boat | |
Avalon State Park | St. Lucie | (263 ha) |
650 acres1987 | Atlantic Ocean | Used for frogman training during World War II | |
Bahia Honda State Park | Monroe | (212 ha) |
524 acres1961 | Atlantic Ocean Gulf of Mexico |
An island in the lower Florida Keys | |
Bald Point State Park | Franklin | 4,065 acres (1,646 ha) | 1999 | Gulf of Mexico | Amphibious landing exercises held during World War II | |
The Barnacle Historic State Park | Miami-Dade | (2 ha) |
5 acres1973 | Biscayne Bay | Oldest house in Coconut Grove; built in 1891 | |
Big Lagoon State Park | Escambia | (285 ha) |
705 acres1977 | Big Lagoon | Start of the Great Florida Birding Trail | |
Big Shoals State Park | Hamilton | (1,528 ha) |
3,772 acres1989 | Suwannee River | Largest whitewater Class III rapids in Florida | |
Big Talbot Island State Park | Duval | (648 ha) |
1,600 acres1949 | Atlantic Ocean | Part of Talbot Islands State Parks | |
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park | Miami-Dade | (162 ha) |
400 acres1967 | Atlantic Ocean | Home to the Cape Florida Light on Key Biscayne | |
Blackwater River State Park | Santa Rosa | (239 ha) |
590 acres1967 | Blackwater River | Home to 1982 Florida Champion Atlantic white cedar tree | |
Blue Spring State Park | Volusia | 2,600 acres (1,053 ha) | 1972 | St. Johns River | Largest spring on the St. Johns River and a designated manatee refuge | |
Bulow Creek State Park | Volusia | (2,268 ha) |
5,600 acres1981 | Bulow Creek | 400-year-old Fairfield oak and 11 plantation sites | |
Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park | Flagler | (61 ha) |
150 acres1945 | Bulow Creek | Extensive stone ruins | |
Caladesi Island State Park | Pinellas | (992 ha) |
2,450 acres1966 | Gulf of Mexico | Ferry available, 108-slip marina | |
Camp Helen State Park | Bay | (75 ha) |
185 acres1996 | Lake Powell Gulf of Mexico |
Day use park formerly used as private resort | |
Cayo Costa State Park | Lee | (983 ha) |
2,426 acres1976 | Gulf of Mexico | Accessible only by ferry or boat - primitive cabins | |
Cedar Key Scrub State Reserve | Levy | (2,036 ha) |
5,028 acres1978 | Gulf of Mexico | Very limited facilities | |
Cedar Key Museum State Park | Levy | (8 ha) |
19 acres1960 | Gulf of Mexico | The St. Clair Whitman house depicts life in Cedar Key circa 1920 | |
Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park | Charlotte | (17,220 ha) |
42,518 acres1978 | Gasparilla Pass Charlotte Harbor |
Very limited facilities | |
Collier-Seminole State Park | Collier | 6,430 acres (2,604 ha) | 1947 | Gulf of Mexico | National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark, the Bay City Walking Dredge used to build the Tamiami Trail through the Everglades | |
Colt Creek State Park | Polk | 5,067 acres (2,052 ha) | 2007 | several small lakes and creeks | Part of the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve | |
Constitution Convention Museum State Park | Gulf | (5 ha) |
13 acres1956 | none, but near St. Joseph Bay | Site where first Florida Constitution was drafted in 1838 | |
Crystal River Archaeological State Park | Citrus | (25 ha) |
61 acres1965 | Crystal River | National Historic Landmark and one of the oldest continuously occupied pre-Columbian sites in Florida | |
Crystal River Preserve State Park | Citrus | 30,000 acres (12,150 ha) | 2004 | Crystal River | Rare spring-fed estuary | |
Curry Hammock State Park | Monroe | (405 ha) |
1,000 acres1991 | Atlantic Ocean Gulf of Mexico |
Named for a Miami teacher whose family owned key land | |
Dade Battlefield Historic State Park | Sumter | (32 ha) |
80 acres1921 | none | Second Seminole War battle where 105 of 108 troops were massacred by 180 Native Americans | |
Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park | Monroe | (981 ha) |
2,421 acres1982 | Atlantic Ocean | Park's name changed in 2001 to honor park activist | |
De Leon Springs State Park | Volusia | (243 ha) |
600 acres1982 | Crystal River | "Old Methuselah" is a 500-year-old bald cypress; previously a private park with Jungle Cruise; 19 million gallons (72 million liters) of 72 °F (22 °C) water daily | |
DeSoto Site Historic State Park | Leon | (2 ha) |
5 acres2003 | none | Site of Hernando de Soto 1539 encampment and Gov. John W. Martin House | |
Deer Lake State Park | Walton | (808 ha) |
1,995 acres1996 | Gulf of Mexico Deer Lake |
Very rare freshwater lake among coastal dunes | |
Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park | Collier | (67 ha) |
166 acres1981 | Cocohatchee River Gulf of Mexico |
Barrier island with white sugar sand beach | |
Devil's Millhopper Geological State Park | Alachua | (27 ha) |
67 acres1974 | sinkhole pond | 120-foot (36.6 m) deep, 500-foot (152.4 m) wide sinkhole accessed by 232 step stairway | |
Don Pedro Island State Park | Charlotte | (93 ha) |
230 acres1985 | Gulf of Mexico | Barrier island accessible only by boat or ferry | |
Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park | Broward | (126 ha) |
310 acres1973 | Atlantic Ocean | Formerly known as John U Loyd State Park | |
Dudley Farm Historic State Park | Alachua | (132 ha) |
325 acres1989 | none | Shows agricultural development in Florida from the 1850s through the mid-1940s | |
Dunns Creek State Park | Putnam | (2,430 ha) |
6,000 acres2001 | St. Johns River Dunns Creek |
Steamboat stop during the 1920s | |
Econfina River State Park | Taylor | (1,840 ha) |
4,543 acres1989 | Econfina River | Confederate deserters camped here and assisted Union blockcade ships during the Civil War | |
Eden Gardens State Park | Walton | (66 ha) |
163 acres1968 | Tucker Bayou | Restored plantation house with Louis XVI style furniture | |
Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park | Wakulla | (2,430 ha) |
6,000 acres1968 | Wakulla River | One of the largest and deepest freshwater springs in the world | |
Egmont Key State Park | Hillsborough | (133 ha) |
328 acres1974 | Tampa Bay | The ruins of Fort Dade and Egmont Key Light are inside the park | |
Estero Bay Preserve State Park | Lee | 10,000 acres (4,050 ha) | 1974 | Estero Bay | The first aquatic nature preserve established in Florida | |
Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park | Collier | 75,000 acres (30,375 ha) | 1975 | none | Part of the Big Cypress National Preserve in the Everglades | |
Falling Waters State Park | Washington | (69 ha) |
171 acres1962 | 2-acre pond | Contains a 73-foot (22.3 m) waterfall, tallest in Florida | |
Fanning Springs State Park | Gilchrist | (578 ha) |
1,427 acres1997 | Fanning Springs Suwannee River |
A first magnitude spring purchased by the state in 1993 | |
Faver-Dykes State Park | St. Johns | 6,045 acres (2,448 ha) | 1950 | Pellicer Creek | A wilderness area | |
Florida Caverns State Park | Jackson | (527 ha) |
1,300 acres1942 | Chipola River | The only Florida state park with public cave tours | |
Forest Capital Museum State Park | Taylor | (6 ha) |
14 acres1967 | none | Includes a late 1800s Florida cracker homestead | |
Fort Clinch State Park | Nassau | (578 ha) |
1,427 acres1935 | Amelia River | Construction of Fort Clinch began in 1847 | |
Fort Cooper State Park | Citrus | (287 ha) |
710 acres1977 | Lake Holathlikaha | On the Withlacoochee State Trail | |
Fort Foster State Historic Site | Hillsborough | (12 ha) |
30 acres1935 | none | Part of Hillsborough River State Park; replica fort built in 1972 | |
Fort George Island Cultural State Park | Duval | (648 ha) |
1,600 acres1949 | Atlantic Ocean | Hurricane Dora connected Anastasia Island and Conch Island in 1964 | |
Fort Mose Historic State Park | St. Johns | (10 ha) |
24 acres2005 | none | National Historic Landmark originally known as Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mosé | |
Fort Pierce Inlet State Park | St. Lucie | (138 ha) |
340 acres1973 | Tucker Cove Atlantic Ocean |
Used for frogman training during World War II | |
Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park | Monroe | (35 ha) |
87 acres1974 | Straits of Florida | Pre-civil war fort abandoned, restoration began in the late 1960s by volunteers | |
Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park | Okaloosa | (145 ha) |
357 acres1966 | Rocky Bayou | Named in honor of United States Air Force Colonel who preserved site | |
Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail | Alachua | (26 km) |
16 miles1989 | Boulware Springs | Passes through Paynes Prairie | |
Gamble Plantation Historic State Park | Manatee | (35 ha) |
87 acres1927 | Manatee River | Sole surviving antebellum mansion in south Florida, once a 3,500-acre (1,416 ha) sugarcane plantation | |
Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area at Flagler Beach | Flagler | (58 ha) |
144 acres1961 | Atlantic Ocean | Renamed from Flagler Beach State Recreation Area in 1992 | |
Gasparilla Island State Park | Charlotte Lee |
(52 ha) |
128 acres1983 | Charlotte Harbor | Gasparilla Island Lights were lit in 1890 | |
George Crady Bridge Fishing Pier | Duval | (2,440 m) |
8,000 ft1999 | Nassau Sound Atlantic Ocean |
Pedestrian-only fishing bridge | |
Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park | Gilchrist | (165 ha) |
407 acres2017 | Santa Fe River | Several springs in the park, including a second magnitude spring with 44 million gallons (167 million liters) per day. | |
Grayton Beach State Park | Walton | (891 ha) |
2,200 acres1968 | Western Lake Gulf of Mexico |
Popular pristine beach offers cabins & camping, boating, fishing and trails | |
Henderson Beach State Park | Okaloosa | (90 ha) |
222 acres1983 | Gulf of Mexico | U.S. Air Force Clausen Tracking site until 1951 | |
Highlands Hammock State Park | Highlands | (3,640 ha) |
9,000 acres1931 | none | One of the highest ranking parks in Florida for endemic biodiversity | |
Hillsborough River State Park | Hillsborough | (1,370 ha) |
3,383 acres1935 | Hillsborough River | Fort Foster is inside the park | |
Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park | Citrus | (85 ha) |
210 acres1984 | Homosassa River | Home to numerous manatees | |
Honeymoon Island State Park | Pinellas | (1,128 ha) |
2,785 acres1975 | Gulf of Mexico | Easily accessible by bridge from Dunedin | |
Hontoon Island State Park | Volusia Lake |
(667 ha) |
1,648 acres1960 | St. Johns River Hontoon Dead River |
Accessible only by ferry or boat | |
Hugh Taylor Birch State Park | Broward | (73 ha) |
180 acres1941 | Atlantic Ocean | Park is in the middle of urban Fort Lauderdale | |
Ichetucknee Springs State Park | Columbia | (908 ha) |
2,241 acres1972 | Ichetucknee River | Drift tubing and certified cave diving | |
Indian Key Historic State Park | Monroe | (4 ha) |
10 acres1972 | Atlantic Ocean | First county seat for Dade County; accessible only by boat | |
John D. MacArthur Beach State Park | Palm Beach | (132 ha) |
325 acres1989 | Lake Worth Atlantic Ocean |
A gift from John D. MacArthur to the people of Florida | |
John Gorrie Museum State Park | Franklin | (0 ha) |
1 acres1958 | none | Physician John Gorrie patented the first mechanical refrigeration process (air conditioning) | |
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park | Monroe | (21,465 ha) |
53,000 acres1963 | Atlantic Ocean | First underwater park in the United States | |
Jonathan Dickinson State Park | Martin | (4,658 ha) |
11,500 acres1950 | Loxahatchee River | Formerly a top-secret radar training school during WWII; now hosts the Elsa Kimbell Environmental Education & Research Center | |
Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park | Okeechobee | 54,000 acres (21,870 ha) | 1997 | none | The U.S. Army used the land to train B-17 bomber crews during World War II | |
Koreshan State Historic Site | Lee | (55 ha) |
135 acres1983 | Estero River | Home of the Koreshan Unity group | |
Lafayette Blue Springs State Park | Lafayette | (284 ha) |
702 acres2005 | Suwannee River | First magnitude spring with 168 million gallons (636 million liters) per day | |
Lake Griffin State Park | Lake | (234 ha) |
578 acres1968 | Dead River Oklawaha River |
Connects Oklawaha to Lake Griffin | |
Lake Jackson Mounds Archaeological State Park | Leon | (41 ha) |
100 acres1966 | St. Marks River | Fort Walton Culture capital from 1050 to 1500 | |
Lake June in Winter Scrub State Park | Highlands | (342 ha) |
845 acres1995 | Lake June in Winter | Limited facilities; still under development | |
Lake Kissimmee State Park | Polk | 5,930 acres (2,402 ha) | 1977 | Lake Kissimmee | The 1876 Cow Camp is a living history site with Cracker Cowboys | |
Lake Louisa State Park | Lake | 4,372 acres (1,771 ha) | 1974 | Lake Louisa | Park includes the Green Swamp and six lakes | |
Lake Manatee State Park | Manatee | (225 ha) |
556 acres1970 | Lake Manatee | 60-site campground was opened in 1986 | |
Lake Talquin State Park | Leon Gadsden |
(213 ha) |
526 acres1971 | Lake Talquin | Lake Talquin is a 10,000 acre (4,047 ha) reservoir created by the Jackson Bluff Dam on the Ochlockonee River | |
Letchworth-Love Mounds Archaeological State Park | Jefferson | (76 ha) |
188 acres1998 | Lake Miccosukee | Site of the tallest prehistoric, Native American ceremonial earthwork mound in Florida | |
Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park | Monroe | (4,245 ha) |
10,481 acres1971 | Florida Bay Gulf of Mexico |
Access via private boat or tour boat; daily visitors are limited | |
Little Manatee River State Park | Hillsborough | (985 ha) |
2,433 acres1974 | Little Manatee River | Park includes equestrian trails and campsites | |
Little Talbot Island State Park | Duval | (648 ha) |
1,600 acres1949 | Atlantic Ocean | Part of Talbot Islands State Parks | |
Long Key State Park | Monroe | (391 ha) |
965 acres1969 | Atlantic Ocean | Grand resort was destroyed by the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 | |
Lovers Key State Park | Lee | (288 ha) |
712 acres1983 | Gulf of Mexico | Lovers Key State Park merged with Carl Johnson County Park in 1996 | |
Lower Wekiva River Preserve State Park | Lake Seminole |
(7,049 ha) |
17,405 acres1976 | Wekiva River St. Johns River |
Wildlife corridor to the Ocala National Forest | |
Madira Bickel Mound State Archaeological Site | Manatee | (4 ha) |
10 acres1970 | Tampa Bay | Named for the owners who donated it to the state in 1948 | |
Madison Blue Spring State Park | Madison | (1 ha) |
1 acres2000 | Withlacoochee River | First magnitude spring | |
Manatee Springs State Park | Levy | (989 ha) |
2,443 acres1949 | Suwannee River | First magnitude spring | |
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park | Alachua | (40 ha) |
99 acres1970 | none | 1930s farm and citrus orchard | |
Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park | Clay | (810 ha) |
2,000 acres1935 | Little Lake Johnson | Hiking and Equestrian trails | |
Mound Key Archaeological State Park | Lee | (46 ha) |
113 acres1970 | Estero Bay | Accessible only by boat - no facilities | |
Myakka River State Park | Sarasota Manatee |
(14,985 ha) |
37,000 acres1941 | Myakka River Upper Myakka Lake |
Land partly donated by Bertha Palmer, pioneer farmer, rancher & developer | |
Natural Bridge Battlefield Historic State Park | Leon | (46 ha) |
113 acres1949 | St. Marks River | Site of the second largest Civil War battle in Florida | |
North Peninsula State Park | Volusia | (216 ha) |
534 acres1984 | Atlantic Ocean | Metal pieces from the wreck of the North Western, which sank prior to World War II, have emerged on the beach | |
Okeechobee Battlefield State Park | Okeechobee | (85 ha) |
211 acres2007 | Lake Okeechobee | Battle site during the Second Seminole War | |
O'Leno State Park | Columbia | (2,430 ha) |
6,000 acres1940 | Santa Fe River | Many facilities built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s | |
Ochlockonee River State Park | Wakulla | (159 ha) |
392 acres1970 | Ochlockonee River Dead River |
Many older trees show scars from turpentine industry | |
Oleta River State Park | Miami-Dade | (422 ha) |
1,043 acres1986 | Oleta River Biscayne Bay |
Park has high numbers of the invasive species Casuarina (Australian pine) | |
Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park | Baker | (17 ha) |
43 acres1949 | none | First State Historic Monument in 1909 | |
Orman House Historic State Park | Franklin | (1 ha) |
1 acres2001 | Apalachicola River | House built in 1838 | |
Oscar Scherer State Park | Sarasota | (567 ha) |
1,400 acres1956 | South Creek Lake Osprey |
Major habitat of the Florida Scrub Jay | |
Paynes Creek Historic State Park | Hardee | (166 ha) |
410 acres1981 | Paynes Creek | Site of Fort Chokonikla and the Kennedy-Darling trading post during the Seminole Wars | |
Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park | Alachua | (8,505 ha) |
21,000 acres1971 | Lake Wauburg | Savanna formerly occupied by Seminole Indians | |
Perdido Key State Park | Escambia | (117 ha) |
290 acres1978 | Gulf of Mexico | A barrier island | |
Price's Scrub State Park | Marion | (389.42 ha) |
962.28 acres2002 | Sinkhole lakes | Contains woodland, marsh, scrub, scrubby flatwoods, and sinkhole lakes | |
Ponce de Leon Springs State Park | Holmes | (170 ha) |
420 acres1970 | Mill Creek Sandy Creek |
14 million gallons (53 million liters) of 68 °F (20 °C) water outflow daily | |
Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve State Park | Duval | (1,578 ha) |
3,896 acres2003 | Atlantic Ocean | Part of Talbot Islands State Parks | |
Rainbow Springs State Park | Marion | (596 ha) |
1,472 acres1990 | Rainbow River | 600 million gallons (2.3 billion liters) of 68 °F (20 °C) water outflow daily | |
Ravine Gardens State Park | Putnam | (24 ha) |
59 acres1934 | St. Johns River | Gardens built by Works Progress Administration in 1933 | |
River Rise Preserve State Park | Columbia | (1,823 ha) |
4,500 acres1974 | Santa Fe River | Location where Santa Fe River reemerges after 3 miles (4.8 km) underground | |
Rock Springs Run State Reserve | Lake | (5,731 ha) |
14,150 acres1983 | Wekiva River | Joins Wekiwa Spring run to create the Wekiva River | |
Royal Palm State Park | Miami-Dade | (1,620 ha) |
4,000 acres1916 | Everglades | Became the nucleus of Everglades National Park in 1934 | |
San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park | Alachua | (2,981 ha) |
7,360 acres1974 | small water bodies | A mature Florida forest and wildlife habitat with hiking, biking, and horse trails | |
San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park | Wakulla | (7 ha) |
17 acres1964 | Wakulla River St. Marks River |
History of this national landmark dates to 1528 | |
San Pedro Underwater Archaeological Preserve State Park | Monroe | (261 ha) |
644 acres1989 | Atlantic Ocean | Dutch-built ship sank in a hurricane on July 13, 1733 | |
Savannas Preserve State Park | St. Lucie Martin |
(2,430 ha) |
6,000 acres1977 | Indian River | Area around Jensen Beach was known as the "Pineapple Capital of the World" from 1895 to 1920 | |
Seabranch Preserve State Park | Martin | (2,981 ha) |
7,360 acres1992 | Indian River lagoon | Four different natural habitats within short distance | |
Sebastian Inlet State Park | Brevard Indian River |
(306 ha) |
755 acres1970 | Sebastian Inlet | Park never closes; second most visited Florida park | |
Silver Springs State Park | Marion | (2,025 ha) |
5,000 acres1987 | Silver River | The headspring area was the focal point of Silver Springs Nature Theme Park, a now-defunct commercial attraction | |
Skyway Fishing Pier State Park | Hillsborough Manatee |
(10,530 m) |
26,000 ft1994 | Tampa Bay | Utilizes approaches to old Sunshine Skyway Bridge, following the 1980 collision by MV Summit Venture and construction of a new bridge | |
St. Andrews State Park | Bay | (486 ha) |
1,200 acres1950 | Gulf of Mexico Grand Lagoon |
Named "America's Best Beach" in 1995 | |
St. George Island State Park | Franklin | (795 ha) |
1,962 acres1963 | Gulf of Mexico | Named "6th Best Beach in America" for 2011 after Hurricane Dennis destroyed the facilities in 2005 | |
St. Lucie Inlet Preserve State Park | Martin | (376 ha) |
928 acres1965 | Atlantic Ocean | Barrier island accessible only by boat | |
St. Marks River Preserve State Park | Leon | (1,049 ha) |
2,589 acres2007 | St. Marks River | The St. Marks River flows from the wetlands east of Tallahassee to the Gulf of Mexico | |
St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park | Brevard Indian River |
(8,910 ha) |
22,000 acres1995 | St. Sebastian River | The Hernández–Capron Trail was built to link St. Augustine with Fort Pierce during the Second Seminole War | |
Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park | Hamilton | (324 ha) |
800 acres1950 | Suwannee River | Carillon tower with 97 tubular bells plays Foster's songs every day | |
Stump Pass Beach State Park | Charlotte | (99 ha) |
245 acres1971 | Gulf of Mexico | Day park consisting of three islands offer swimming and boating, shelling and hiking, fishing and diving | |
Suwannee River State Park | Suwannee | (729 ha) |
1,800 acres1951 | Suwannee River Withlacoochee River |
The 1860 Columbus Cemetery, pieces from an 1800s sawmill, and Civil War earthworks are points of interest | |
T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park | Gulf | (770 ha) |
1,900 acres1967 | Gulf of Mexico | Dedicated to the former owner, who sold it to the U.S. Army in World War II | |
Talbot Islands State Parks | Duval | 1949, 2003 | Atlantic Ocean | See Big Talbot Island State Park, Little Talbot Island State Park, and Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve State Park. | ||
Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park | Escambia | (1,737 ha) |
4,290 acres1998 | Perdido Bay | Limited facilities; nature trails, picnic tables and a bathroom | |
Terra Ceia Preserve State Park | Manatee | (783 ha) |
1,932 acres2000? | Tampa Bay | Land acquired by the state and Southwest Florida Water Management District | |
Three Rivers State Park | Jackson | (278 ha) |
686 acres1955 | Chattahoochee River; Flint River Lake Seminole |
The 1947 Jim Woodruff Dam created Lake Seminole; the outflow is the Apalachicola River | |
Tomoka State Park | Volusia | (729 ha) |
1,800 acres1945 | Tomoka River | Urban park completely surrounded by development | |
Topsail Hill Preserve State Park | Walton | (665 ha) |
1,643 acres1992 | Gulf of Mexico | Site of munitions testing range during World War II | |
Torreya State Park | Liberty | (5,563 ha) |
13,737 acres1935 | Apalachicola River | Park named after the endangered Torreya tree | |
Troy Spring State Park | Suwannee Lafayette |
(34 ha) |
84 acres1995 | Suwannee River | First magnitude spring; the Civil War steamboat "Madison" was scuttled there in 1863 | |
Waccasassa Bay Preserve State Park | Levy | 30,784 acres (12,468 ha) | 2005 | Gulf of Mexico | Accessible only by boat; no recreational facilities | |
Washington Oaks Gardens State Park | Flagler | (9 ha) |
21 acres1964 | Atlantic Ocean | Park has formal gardens, citrus groves and house | |
Weeki Wachee Springs | Hernando | (218 ha) |
538 acres2008 | Weeki Wachee River | The headspring area features underwater performances by female dancers in mermaid costumes | |
Wekiwa Springs State Park | Orange | 7,723 acres (3,128 ha) | 1969 | Wekiva River | 42 million gallons (159 million liters) of 72 °F (22 °C) water outflow daily | |
Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park | Pasco | 3,400 acres (1,377 ha) | 2001 | Gulf of Mexico | Named for the Werner-Boyce Preserve purchased by Pasco County in 1994; undeveloped | |
Wes Skiles Peacock Springs State Park | Suwannee | (297 ha) |
733 acres1986 | Suwannee River | 28,000 feet (8,534 m) of explored passageways make it one of the largest locations for cave diving in the U.S. | |
Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park | Monroe | (13 ha) |
32 acres1986 | Atlantic Ocean | Quary provided Keystone (limestone) for the Overseas Railroad in 1908 | |
Ybor City Museum State Park | Hillsborough | (0 ha) |
1 acre1976 | none | Shows the history of Tampa's cigar industry and Latin influence | |
Yellow Bluff Fort Historic State Park | Duval | (648 ha) |
1,600 acres1949 | Atlantic Ocean | Confederate camp constructed during the American Civil War | |
Yellow River Marsh Preserve State Park | Santa Rosa | (4,455 ha) |
11,000 acres2000 | Yellow River | One of Florida's last remaining tracts of wet prairie; no recreation facilities | |
Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins Historic State Park | Citrus | (2 ha) |
6 acres1953 | Homosassa River | Senator David Levy Yulee built the mill on his 5,100-acre (2,064 ha) plantation, Margarita, in 1851 |
See also
- AmeriCorps Florida State Parks
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Florida
- List of National Natural Landmarks in Florida
- List of Florida bike trails
- List of national parks of the United States
- List of U.S. state parks
- List of major springs in Florida