The Amazing Lake Louisa State Park

A visit to Lake Louisa State Park has been on my list for a long time. Finally we had the opportunity to visit for two days. First let me say, you need more than two days in this park! There is much to do and see in the park itself... hiking, bicycling, paddling the lakes, fishing, swimming, camping, birding, and a raft of other nature activities.

Lake Louisa
The largest of the 13 lakes

Early morning paddle on Dixie Lake

The park literature boasts 4,500 acres of wilderness which includes six lakes, two streams, 105 miles of shoreline, and 23 miles of trails of which 17 are rated multi-use  .Lake Louisa is a huge lake and the largest in a chain of 13 lakes.  The park boasts 11 distinct natural plant communities in the varied terrain.  

Rolling hills where oranges groves
once grew

 To give you an idea of the terrain, the park borders the eastern most edge of the Green Swamp (low and wet) and the northern edge of the Lake Wales Ridge (high, dry, rolling hills).

Sugar Sand trails leading towards Lake Louisa

The campground lies between Hammond Lake and Dixie Lake and I do mean between as it is a very short walk to either lake. If it takes you more than two minutes then you stopped to visit your neighbors.

Grasses gracing Dixie Lake
in the early morning

Hammond Lake
with mossy cypress and lily pads

Now, if the lakes don't interest you... look to the sky for osprey, red shouldered hawks, swallow-tailed kites, sandhill cranes, and other birds of prey. Don't want to look up, then study the trees and shrubs to find cardinals, robins, cat birds, mocking birds, wrens, warblers, sparrows, and other SBB (small brown birds).

A not too timid deer on the Big Creek trail

Lovely Swallowtail Kite
soaring high above the lakes and hills

OK, you want something different? From the campground there are two trail entrances, again with a two minute walk... unless you stop to chat. Both give you access to the 23 mile trail system where you can hike or bicycle these trails. Horses are allowed on the trails but I think you need another access point for horse entry.

A nice sandy but easy to ride trail

Big Creek
which borders the Big Creek Trail
and leads to Lake Louisa

How about a swim in Lake Louisa?
It would feel good after the hike!

The land is varied at the park, so expect everything from sugar sand and swamps to hilly meadows. Sometimes you would swear you are in the mountains and not in flat Florida. However, this part of Florida is hilly and quite unlike the coastal regions.

These hills beckon you to take a stroll

Geologically, this was a coastal region many years ago.  The changing environment left us with many lakes and sugar sand hills as the water receded.

Prairies and Meadows abound in this park

The recent history of the area and  park is rich, by recent I mean 1800-2000.  Summarized From the park website: In 1823, the area became part of the Seminole Indian Reservation by  the Treaty of Moultrie Creek.  It was not used by the Seminole Indians, no surprise if you consider the actions of the military and invasive whites.  

Invasive Lantana
Probably from earlier settlers

 So, in 1910, John and Louise Driggors Hammond settled most of the land surrounding Lake Louisa (does't say if they purchased the land).  They built a home, turpentine still, sawmill, shingle mill, school/church building, commissary, and worker's cabin. Products were shipped way steamboats and barge across Lake Louisa. 

Passion Flower

 By 1943, the Bronson family established orange groves and a cattle ranch on some of the property.  The park was purchased by the state in 1973 and opened to the public in 1977. Read the story and see old photos at https://www.floridastateparks.org/park-history/Lake-Louisa.

Lovely Prickly Pair Blossom