List of Florida state parks


There are 175 state parks and 9 state trails in the U.S. state of Florida which encompass more than, providing recreational opportunities for both residents and tourists.
Almost half of the state parks have an associated local 501 non-profit corporation, often styled, "Friends of 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, of beaches, and over 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" ; 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 and reserves

Note: The table of contents only applies when the list is sorted by park name.
Park NameCounty or CountiesSizeYear EstablishedWater BodyImageRemarks
Addison Blockhouse Historic State ParkVolusia acres 1939Tomoka RiverRuins of a 19th-century plantation owned by John Addison
Alafia River State ParkHillsborough acres 1996Alafia RiverFormer phosphorus strip mine unremediated
Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State ParkLeon acres
1954Lake HallOriginally named Killearn Gardens State Park
Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek Preserve State ParkPolk acres 1991unnamed pondsHome to rare scrub habitat for wildlife
Amelia Island State ParkNassau230 acres
1983Nassau Sound
Atlantic Ocean
Horseback riding is permitted on the beach
Anastasia State ParkSt. Johns acres
1949Atlantic OceanHurricane Dora connected Anastasia Island and Conch Island in 1964
Anclote Key Preserve State ParkPasco403 acres
1997Gulf of MexicoAccessible only by ferry or boat
Avalon State ParkSt. Lucie650 acres
1987Atlantic OceanUsed for frogman training during World War II
Bahia Honda State ParkMonroe524 acres
1961Atlantic Ocean
Gulf of Mexico
An island in the lower Florida Keys
Bald Point State ParkFranklin acres 1999Gulf of MexicoAmphibious landing exercises held during World War II
The Barnacle Historic State ParkMiami-Dade5 acres
1973Biscayne BayOldest house in Coconut Grove; built in 1891
Big Lagoon State ParkEscambia705 acres
1977Big LagoonStart of the Great Florida Birding Trail
Big Shoals State ParkHamilton acres
1989Suwannee RiverLargest whitewater Class III rapids in Florida
Big Talbot Island State ParkDuval acres
1949Atlantic OceanPart of Talbot Islands State Parks
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State ParkMiami-Dade400 acres
1967Atlantic OceanHome to the Cape Florida Light on Key Biscayne
Blackwater River State ParkSanta Rosa590 acres
1967Blackwater RiverHome to 1982 Florida Champion Atlantic white cedar tree
Blue Spring State ParkVolusia acres 1972St. Johns RiverLargest spring on the St. Johns River and a designated manatee refuge
Bulow Creek State ParkVolusia acres
1981Bulow Creek400-year-old Fairfield oak and 11 plantation sites
Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State ParkFlagler150 acres
1945Bulow CreekExtensive stone ruins
Caladesi Island State ParkPinellas acres
1966Gulf of MexicoFerry available, 108-slip marina
Camp Helen State ParkBay185 acres
1996Lake Powell
Gulf of Mexico
Day use park formerly used as private resort
Cayo Costa State ParkLee acres
1976Gulf of MexicoAccessible only by ferry or boat - primitive cabins
Cedar Key Scrub State ReserveLevy acres
1978Gulf of MexicoVery limited facilities
Cedar Key Museum State ParkLevy19 acres
1960Gulf of MexicoThe St. Clair Whitman house depicts life in Cedar Key circa 1920
Charlotte Harbor Preserve State ParkCharlotte acres
1978Gasparilla Pass
Charlotte Harbor
Very limited facilities
Collier-Seminole State ParkCollier acres 1947Gulf of MexicoNational Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark, the Bay City Walking Dredge used to build the Tamiami Trail through the Everglades
Colt Creek State ParkPolk acres 2007several small lakes and creeksPart of the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve
Constitution Convention Museum State ParkGulf13 acres
1956none, but near St. Joseph BaySite where first Florida Constitution was drafted in 1838
Crystal River Archaeological State ParkCitrus61 acres
1965Crystal RiverNational Historic Landmark and one of the oldest continuously occupied pre-Columbian sites in Florida
Crystal River Preserve State ParkCitrus acres 2004Crystal RiverRare spring-fed estuary
Curry Hammock State ParkMonroe acres
1991Atlantic Ocean
Gulf of Mexico
Named for a Miami teacher whose family owned key land
Dade Battlefield Historic State ParkSumter80 acres
1921noneSecond Seminole War battle where 105 of 108 troops were massacred by 180 Native Americans
Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State ParkMonroe acres
1982Atlantic OceanPark's name changed in 2001 to honor park activist
De Leon Springs State ParkVolusia600 acres
1982Crystal River"Old Methuselah" is a 500-year-old bald cypress; previously a private park with Jungle Cruise; 19 million gallons of water daily
DeSoto Site Historic State ParkLeon5 acres
2003noneSite of Hernando de Soto 1839 encampment and Gov. John W. Martin House
Deer Lake State ParkWalton acres
1996Gulf of Mexico
Deer Lake
Very rare freshwater lake among coastal dunes
Delnor-Wiggins Pass State ParkCollier166 acres
1981Cocohatchee River
Gulf of Mexico
Barrier island with white sugar sand beach
Devil's Millhopper Geological State ParkAlachua67 acres
1974sinkhole pond120-foot deep, 500-foot wide sinkhole accessed by 232 step stairway
Don Pedro Island State ParkCharlotte230 acres
1985Gulf of MexicoBarrier island accessible only by boat or ferry
Dudley Farm Historic State ParkAlachua325 acres
1989noneShows agricultural development in Florida from the 1850s through the mid-1940s
Dunns Creek State ParkPutnam acres
2001St. Johns River
Dunns Creek
Steamboat stop during the 1920s
Econfina River State ParkTaylor acres
1989Econfina RiverConfederate deserters camped here and assisted Union blockcade ships during the Civil War
Eden Gardens State ParkWalton163 acres
1968Tucker BayouRestored plantation house with Louis XVI style furniture
Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State ParkWakulla acres
1968Wakulla RiverOne of the largest and deepest freshwater springs in the world
Egmont Key State ParkHillsborough328 acres
1974Tampa BayThe ruins of Fort Dade and Egmont Key Light are inside the park
Estero Bay Preserve State ParkLee acres 1974Estero BayThe first aquatic nature preserve established in Florida
Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State ParkCollier acres 1975nonePart of the Big Cypress National Preserve in the Everglades
Falling Waters State ParkWashington171 acres
19622-acre pondContains a 73-foot waterfall, tallest in Florida
Fanning Springs State ParkGilchrist acres
1997Fanning Springs
Suwannee River
A first magnitude spring purchased by the state in 1993
Faver-Dykes State ParkSt. Johns acres 1950Pellicer CreekA wilderness area
Florida Caverns State ParkJackson acres
1942Chipola RiverThe only Florida state park with public cave tours
Forest Capital Museum State ParkTaylor14 acres
1967noneIncludes a late 1800s Florida cracker homestead
Fort Clinch State ParkNassau acres
1935Amelia RiverConstruction of Fort Clinch began in 1847
Fort Cooper State ParkCitrus710 acres
1977Lake HolathlikahaOn the Withlacoochee State Trail
Fort Foster State Historic SiteHillsborough30 acres
1935nonePart of Hillsborough River State Park; replica fort built in 1972
Fort George Island Cultural State ParkDuval acres
1949Atlantic OceanHurricane Dora connected Anastasia Island and Conch Island in 1964
Fort Mose Historic State ParkSt. Johns24 acres
2005noneNational Historic Landmark originally known as Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mosé
Fort Pierce Inlet State ParkSt. Lucie340 acres
1973Tucker Cove
Atlantic Ocean
Used for frogman training during World War II
Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State ParkMonroe87 acres
1974Straits of FloridaPre-civil war fort abandoned, restoration began in the late 1960s by volunteers
Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State ParkOkaloosa357 acres
1966Rocky BayouNamed in honor of United States Air Force Colonel who preserved site
Gainesville-Hawthorne State TrailAlachua16 miles
1989Boulware SpringsPasses through Paynes Prairie
Gamble Plantation Historic State ParkManatee87 acres
1927Manatee RiverSole surviving antebellum mansion in south Florida, once a 3,500-acre sugarcane plantation
Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area at Flagler BeachFlagler144 acres
1961Atlantic OceanRenamed from Flagler Beach State Recreation Area in 1992
Gasparilla Island State ParkCharlotte
Lee
128 acres
1983Charlotte HarborGasparilla Island Lights were lit in 1890
George Crady Bridge Fishing PierDuval ft
1999Nassau Sound
Atlantic Ocean
Pedestrian-only fishing bridge
Gilchrist Blue Springs State ParkGilchrist407 acres
2017Santa Fe RiverSeveral springs in the park, including a second magnitude spring with 44 million gallons per day.
Grayton Beach State ParkWalton acres
1968Western Lake
Gulf of Mexico
Popular pristine beach offers cabins & camping, boating, fishing and trails
Henderson Beach State ParkOkaloosa222 acres
1983Gulf of MexicoU.S. Air Force Clausen Tracking site until 1951
Highlands Hammock State ParkHighlands acres
1931noneOne of the highest ranking parks in Florida for endemic biodiversity
Hillsborough River State ParkHillsborough acres
1935Hillsborough RiverFort Foster is inside the park
Homosassa Springs Wildlife State ParkCitrus210 acres
1984Homosassa RiverHome to numerous manatees
Honeymoon Island State ParkPinellas acres
1975Gulf of MexicoEasily accessible by bridge from Dunedin
Hontoon Island State ParkVolusia
Lake
acres
1960St. Johns River
Hontoon Dead River
Accessible only by ferry or boat
Hugh Taylor Birch State ParkBroward180 acres
1941Atlantic OceanPark is in the middle of urban Fort Lauderdale
Ichetucknee Springs State ParkColumbia acres
1972Ichetucknee RiverDrift tubing and certified cave diving
Indian Key Historic State ParkMonroe10 acres
1972Atlantic OceanFirst county seat for Dade County; accessible only by boat
John D. MacArthur Beach State ParkPalm Beach325 acres
1989Lake Worth
Atlantic Ocean
A gift from John D. MacArthur to the people of Florida
John Gorrie Museum State ParkFranklin1 acres
1958nonePhysician John Gorrie patented the first mechanical refrigeration process
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State ParkMonroe acres
1963Atlantic OceanFirst underwater park in the United States
John U. Lloyd Beach State ParkBroward310 acres
1973Atlantic OceanNamed for county attorney who led preservation efforts
Jonathan Dickinson State ParkMartin acres
1950Loxahatchee RiverFormerly a top-secret radar training school during WWII; now hosts the Elsa Kimbell Environmental Education & Research Center
Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State ParkOkeechobee acres 1997noneThe U.S. Army used the land to train B-17 bomber crews during World War II
Koreshan State Historic SiteLee135 acres
1983Estero RiverHome of the Koreshan Unity group
Lafayette Blue Springs State ParkLafayette702 acres
2005Suwannee RiverFirst magnitude spring with 168 million gallons per day
Lake Griffin State ParkLake578 acres
1968Dead River
Oklawaha River
Connects Oklawaha to Lake Griffin
Lake Jackson Mounds Archaeological State ParkLeon100 acres
1966St. Marks RiverFort Walton Culture capital from 1050–1500
Lake June in Winter Scrub State ParkHighlands845 acres
1995Lake June in WinterLimited facilities; still under development
Lake Kissimmee State ParkPolk acres 1977Lake KissimmeeThe 1876 Cow Camp is a living history site with Cracker Cowboys
Lake Louisa State ParkLake acres 1974Lake LouisaPark includes the Green Swamp and six lakes
Lake Manatee State ParkManatee556 acres
1970Lake Manatee60-site campground was opened in 1986
Lake Talquin State ParkLeon
Gadsden
526 acres
1971Lake TalquinLake Talquin is a 10,000 acre reservoir created by the Jackson Bluff Dam on the Ochlockonee River
Letchworth-Love Mounds Archaeological State ParkJefferson188 acres
1998Lake MiccosukeeSite of the tallest prehistoric, Native American ceremonial earthwork mound in Florida
Lignumvitae Key Botanical State ParkMonroe acres
1971Florida Bay
Gulf of Mexico
Access via private boat or tour boat; daily visitors are limited
Little Manatee River State ParkHillsborough acres
1974Little Manatee RiverPark includes equestrian trails and campsites
Little Talbot Island State ParkDuval acres
1949Atlantic OceanPart of Talbot Islands State Parks
Long Key State ParkMonroe965 acres
1969Atlantic OceanGrand resort was destroyed by the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935
Lovers Key State ParkLee712 acres
1983Gulf of MexicoLovers Key State Park merged with Carl Johnson County Park in 1996
Lower Wekiva River Preserve State ParkLake
Seminole
acres
1976Wekiva River
St. Johns River
Wildlife corridor to the Ocala National Forest
Madira Bickel Mound State Archaeological SiteManatee10 acres
1970Tampa BayNamed for the owners who donated it to the state in 1948
Madison Blue Spring State ParkMadison1 acres
2000Withlacoochee RiverFirst magnitude spring
Manatee Springs State ParkLevy acres
1949Manatee SpringsFirst magnitude spring
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State ParkAlachua99 acres
1970none1930s farm and citrus orchard
Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State ParkClay acres
1935Little Lake JohnsonHiking and Equestrian trails
Mound Key Archaeological State ParkLee113 acres
1970Estero BayAccessible only by boat - no facilities
Myakka River State ParkSarasota
Manatee
acres
1941Myakka River
Upper Myakka Lake
Land partly donated by Bertha Palmer, pioneer farmer, rancher & developer
Natural Bridge Battlefield Historic State ParkLeon113 acres
1949St. Marks RiverSite of the second largest Civil War battle in Florida
North Peninsula State ParkVolusia534 acres
1984Atlantic OceanMetal pieces from the wreck of the North Western, which sank prior to World War II, have emerged on the beach
Okeechobee Battlefield State ParkOkeechobee211 acres
2007Lake OkeechobeeBattle site during the Second Seminole War
O'Leno State ParkColumbia acres
1940Santa Fe RiverMany facilities built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s
Ochlockonee River State ParkWakulla392 acres
1970Ochlockonee River
Dead River
Many older trees show scars from turpentine industry
Oleta River State ParkMiami-Dade acres
1986Oleta River
Biscayne Bay
Park has high numbers of the invasive species Casuarina
Olustee Battlefield Historic State ParkBaker43 acres
1949noneFirst State Historic Monument in 1909
Orman House Historic State ParkFranklin1 acres
2001Apalachicola RiverHouse built in 1838
Oscar Scherer State ParkSarasota acres
1956South Creek
Lake Osprey
Major habitat of the Florida Scrub Jay
Paynes Creek Historic State ParkHardee410 acres
1981Paynes CreekSite of Fort Chokonikla and the Kennedy-Darling trading post during the Seminole Wars
Paynes Prairie Preserve State ParkAlachua acres
1971Lake WauburgSavanna formerly occupied by Seminole Indians
Perdido Key State ParkEscambia290 acres
1978Gulf of MexicoA barrier island
Price's Scrub State ParkMarion acres
2002Sinkhole lakesContains woodland, marsh, scrub, scrubby flatwoods, and sinkhole lakes
Ponce de Leon Springs State ParkHolmes420 acres
1970Mill Creek
Sandy Creek
14 million gallons of water outflow daily
Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve State ParkDuval acres
2003Atlantic OceanPart of Talbot Islands State Parks
Rainbow Springs State ParkMarion acres
1990Rainbow River600 million gallons of water outflow daily
Ravine Gardens State ParkPutnam59 acres
1934St. Johns RiverGardens built by Works Progress Administration in 1933
River Rise Preserve State ParkColumbia acres
1974Santa Fe RiverLocation where Santa Fe River reemerges after 3 miles underground
Rock Springs Run State ReserveLake acres
1983Wekiva RiverJoins Wekiwa Spring run to create the Wekiva River
San Felasco Hammock Preserve State ParkAlachua acres
1974small water bodiesA mature Florida forest and wildlife habitat with hiking, biking, and horse trails
San Marcos de Apalache Historic State ParkWakulla17 acres
1964Wakulla River
St. Marks River
History of this national landmark dates to 1528
San Pedro Underwater Archaeological Preserve State ParkMonroe644 acres
1989Atlantic OceanDutch-built ship sank in a hurricane on July 13, 1733
Savannas Preserve State ParkSt. Lucie
Martin
acres
1977Indian RiverArea around Jensen Beach was known as the "Pineapple Capital of the World" from 1895 to 1920
Seabranch Preserve State ParkMartin acres
1992Indian River lagoonFour different natural habitats within short distance
Sebastian Inlet State ParkBrevard
Indian River
755 acres
1970Sebastian InletPark never closes; second most visited Florida park
Silver Springs State ParkMarion acres
1987Silver RiverThe headspring area was the focal point of Silver Springs Nature Theme Park, a now-defunct commercial attraction
Skyway Fishing Pier State ParkHillsborough
Manatee
ft
1994Tampa BayUtilizes approaches to old Sunshine Skyway Bridge, following the 1980 collision by MV Summit Venture and construction of a new bridge
St. Andrews State ParkBay acres
1950Gulf of Mexico
Grand Lagoon
Named "America's Best Beach" in 1995
St. George Island State ParkFranklin acres
1963Gulf of MexicoNamed "6th Best Beach in America" for 2011 after Hurricane Dennis destroyed the facilities in 2005
St. Lucie Inlet Preserve State ParkMartin928 acres
1965Atlantic OceanBarrier island accessible only by boat
St. Marks River Preserve State ParkLeon acres
2007St. Marks RiverThe St. Marks River flows from the wetlands east of Tallahassee to the Gulf of Mexico
St. Sebastian River Preserve State ParkBrevard
Indian River
acres
1995St. Sebastian RiverThe Hernández–Capron Trail was built to link St. Augustine with Fort Pierce during the Second Seminole War
Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State ParkHamilton800 acres
1950Suwannee RiverCarillon tower with 97 tubular bells plays Foster's songs every day
Stump Pass Beach State ParkCharlotte245 acres
1971Gulf of MexicoDay park consisting of three islands offer swimming and boating, shelling and hiking, fishing and diving
Suwannee River State ParkSuwannee acres
1951Suwannee 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 ParkGulf acres
1967Gulf of MexicoDedicated to the former owner, who sold it to the U.S. Army in World War II
Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State ParkEscambia acres
1998Perdido BayLimited facilities; nature trails, picnic tables and a bathroom
Terra Ceia Preserve State ParkManatee acres
2000?Tampa BayLand acquired by the state and Southwest Florida Water Management District
Three Rivers State ParkJackson686 acres
1955Chattahoochee River; Flint River
Lake Seminole
The 1947 Jim Woodruff Dam created Lake Seminole; the outflow is the Apalachicola River
Tomoka State ParkVolusia acres
1945Tomoka RiverUrban park completely surrounded by development
Topsail Hill Preserve State ParkWalton acres
1992Gulf of MexicoSite of munitions testing range during World War II
Torreya State ParkLiberty acres
1935Apalachicola RiverPark named after the endangered Torreya tree
Troy Spring State ParkSuwannee
Lafayette
84 acres
1995Suwannee RiverFirst magnitude spring; the Civil War steamboat "Madison" was scuttled there in 1863
Waccasassa Bay Preserve State ParkLevy acres 2005Gulf of MexicoAccessible only by boat; no recreational facilities
Washington Oaks Gardens State ParkFlagler21 acres
1964Atlantic OceanPark has formal gardens, citrus groves and house
Weeki Wachee SpringsHernando538 acres
2008Weeki Wachee RiverThe headspring area features underwater performances by female dancers in mermaid costumes
Wekiwa Springs State ParkOrange acres 1969Wekiva River42 million gallons of water outflow daily
Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State ParkPasco acres 2001Gulf of MexicoNamed for the Werner-Boyce Preserve purchased by Pasco County in 1994; undeveloped
Wes Skiles Peacock Springs State ParkSuwannee733 acres
1986Suwannee River28,000 feet of explored passageways make it one of the largest locations for cave diving in the U.S.
Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State ParkMonroe32 acres
1986Atlantic OceanQuary provided Keystone for the Overseas Railroad in 1908
Ybor City Museum State ParkHillsborough1 acre
1976noneShows the history of Tampa's cigar industry and Latin influence
Yellow Bluff Fort Historic State ParkDuval acres
1949Atlantic OceanConfederate camp constructed during the American Civil War
Yellow River Marsh Preserve State ParkSanta Rosa acres
2000Yellow RiverOne of Florida's last remaining tracts of wet prairie; no recreation facilities
Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins Historic State ParkCitrus6 acres
1953Homosassa RiverSenator David Levy Yulee built the mill on his 5,100-acre plantation, Margarita, in 1851