Forests

Highlands Hammock State Park

Sebring, FL · Central Florida$6 per vehicle; $4 solo driver; $2 on foot or bike

About

Highlands Hammock opened west of Sebring in 1931, four years before Florida had a state park system. Some of its trees are thought to be more than 1,000 years old. The 975-foot Big Oak Trail leads to the lower trunk of a live oak 36 feet around, which died years ago. On the Cypress Swamp Trail a raised catwalk runs through the swamp, where you may see wood storks, white ibises, barred owls and pileated woodpeckers. Bikes rent on site for the 3 miles of paved trail. Take the guided tram if it's running: it goes into parts of the park that are otherwise closed to the public.

Highlights

Boardwalk through a cypress swampNine short trails off the loop driveOld-growth oak hammockCivilian Conservation Corps MuseumAlligators, white-tailed deer, gopher tortoises, and wading birds

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