Camping at Highlands Hammock State Park in Florida

There are many places for one to go for vacation or for just a few days to get away and relax but one of my favorite is camping there in the Highlands Hammock State Park. Florida has an abundance of things for one to do from places to relax, sunbath, and fish, explore or be super active while being entertained.

The State of Florida has endless miles of some of the prettiest beaches in the world for the beach lover as well as the fisherman. In addition, there is an endless amount of attractions in Florida for one to enjoy, while some or educational, others or for the young at heart.

For the person that loves the outdoors there are more campgrounds in Florida than the interstates have rest areas. In fact, one does not have to travel far at all to get from one campground to the next one whether it’s a State, County, Private or Federal Campground.

Campgrounds are for the person that enjoys experiencing what Mother Nature has to offer. Many of these campgrounds have amenities to fit the needs of most campers. When deciding on which campground to stay at, think about the activities you wish to do.

For the camper wanting to relax and do some exploring Highlands Hammock State Park in Sebring will surely fit ones’ needs.  For the camper that likes primitive camping there is a section for this with individual sites and two group camp sites. This State park has over 9,000 acres and is known for its beautiful old hammock trees, cypress swamps and wildlife.

For the camper just wanting to relax and maybe read a book, Highlands Hammock has 159 campsites nestled under a canopy of large trees. Just get out the camping chair, lay back, read and enjoy the quiet and solitude of this campground.

Tired of just sitting around, take a leisurely one hour tram ride through the park and learn about the parks history and natural communities while traveling through the remote areas of the South Canal.

For the more energetic camper and children there are plenty of things to do. The campground has a volleyball court, shuffle board, horseshoes and a large playground.

Venturing out of the campground is very rewarding and beneficial to ones’ health. From the campground there is a three mile loop that takes one through the heart of the hammock. This paved road is ideal for bike riding and jogging.

Through-out this loop can be found nine hiking trails that will take one deep into the hammock where the forest floor sees very little sunshine due to the canopy of massive live oaks and palm trees.  The forest floor is covered with ferns, small palms and shrubs.

For a longer bike ride, the ride around Lake Jackson is a very scenic route with many historic homes. From the campground this is just under a 20 mile ride, but well worth it.

In the evening time one can enjoy one of the benefits of camping, cooking and eating outdoors.  Take out the camping grill or cook over an open fire in the campfire rings, this just seems to make food smell and taste better. After dinner sitting around the campfire with friends and family is very rewarding and relaxing.