Contact Information
5931 Hammock Road
Sebring, Florida 33872
Phone: 863-386-6094
Fax: 863-386-6095
Located in Sebring, Florida, in Highlands County,
Highlands Hammock is easily reached via US Highway
27. Within about 2 hours driving distance to both
coasts, our location offers a great opportunity
to experience the unique ecosystems found in central
Florida. Recreational opportunities include hiking,
nature walks, bicycling, off-road bicycling, camping,
picnicking and more. Nine separate nature trails
(each a 1/2 mile in length) offer some of the finest
walking/hiking experiences in the Florida Park Service.
Stroll on elevated boardwalks over dark swamp waters,
or marvel over immense oaks hundreds- to thousands-of
years old. (You can view some of these trees, nature
trails, and our wildlife in the Photo Gallery section.)
Hours of Operation
Florida state parks are open from 8 a.m. until sundown
365 days a year.
Driving Directions
Highlands Hammock State Park is located off US 27
on SR 634 (also known as Hammock Road), four miles
west of Sebring.
ACTIVITIES
Full Facility Camping
Our family campground offers water, and electric
hookups, a dump station and access to restrooms
with shower facilities. Nearly all sites offer some
shade, and are close to nature trails, the picnic
area, CCC Museum and the Hammock Inn concession.
Enjoy viewing deer feeding right from your site
during the off-season times.
Reservations may be made up to eleven months in advance. One night’s
camping fee deposit will be required (credit card
only – must be canceled within 24 hours
of check-in time for refund).
Bicycling
A paved loop drive through the hammock offers
nature study and is ideal for cyclists as bicycles
are not permitted on the nature trails. This drive
is smooth and suitable for roller-blading, or
skating. A six-mile “off roadway”
bicycle trail is also available and is best suited
for fat-tired bikes.
Birding
The park’s varied habitats provide excellent
birding opportunities for all enthusiasts and
are part of the Great Florida Birding Trail. A
bird checklist is available at the ranger station.
Concessions
The Hammock Inn has just reopened as the “Friendship
Lodge,” operated by Nancy and Patsy Davis,
both Florida natives, who are looking forward
to the switch from busy career women to busy restaurant/camp
store operators.
The Friendship Lodge specialty is smoked barbecued
meats, including ribs, chicken, sausage, pork, turkey
and brisket. The restaurant portion of the building
can comfortably seat about 50 people, and special
events requiring the entire seating area is also
possible with advanced notice. Call Nancy or Patsy
at (863) 385-7025
Guided Tours
Tram tours are one hour in length and travel into
remote areas of the park where visitors will see
alligators, turtles, wading birds and more. Tours
are scheduled Tuesday-Friday at 1pm, Saturdays &
Sundays 1pm & 2:30pm. A minimum of five persons
is required for all tours. Private tours are available
by reservation for organized groups, contact the
park for further information
Guided Tours
Fort Tours
Saturday at 2pm
Sunday 11am
Horse Trails
Come ride your horse along 11 miles of firelane
trails through remote natural areas. Surprise White-tailed
deer, bobcats, and other wildlife as you quietly
plod along in the silence. This day-use trail is
available for anyone desiring to ride his or her
own horses, please be sure to bring a negative “Coggins”
report. Camping with your horses is also acceptable.
Nature Trails
Highlands Hammock
Stroll along the elevated boardwalk over Charlie
Bowlegs Creek and search the tea-colored water for
alligators. Walk along the boardwalk of the Memorial
Trail and view the colorful, scattered leaves. See
fall in Florida, and maybe observe a flock of White
Ibis feeding. Walk deep into the woods under the
expansive tree canopy of the Ancient Hammock Trail.
Wonder over the giant oaks and their airplant-laden
branches.
Lake June in Winter Scrub
Lake June in Winter Scrub State Park is located
20 minutes from HHSP, and offers hiking opportunities
through rare scrub habitat. Current amenities
include a picnic pavilion, composting toilet,
and short ¼ mile nature walk through scrubby
flatwoods and bay communities along a spring-fed
creek. This nature trail is a delightful oasis,
providing a quiet and shady spot in this predominantly
scrub and scrubby flatwoods ecosystem. Another
brief walk will offer beautiful views of Lake
June in Winter, a 3500-acre lake that lies west
of the property. Hikers may enjoy several miles
of firelanes that transverse this hot, sunny habitat.
From these firelanes, you may see Gopher Tortoises,
Florida Scrub Jays, Bald Eagles, Wild Turkeys,
Bobcats, Florida Scrub-Lizards and more! Rare,
endemic plants of the Florida Scrub can be discovered
by those interested in botany. Full sun and deep
sands should be expected. Be sure to bring plenty
of drinking water, suitable shoes, sunblock and
perhaps a cell phone. This park is remote and
quiet, affording a very relaxing and peaceful
wilderness experience.
Picnicking
Pack a basket or cooler and enjoy a leisurely
picnic in our shady, pleasant picnic area. Let
the kids climb on the playground, or swing on
the swings while you fellowship with friends in
one of several reservable picnic pavilions. (Call
863-386-6094 for more information, or to reserve
a pavilion, reservations are taken up to 11 months
in advance) BBQ grills are also available. The
Hammock Inn, our park’s concession, and
the State of Florida’s Civilian Conservation
Corps Museum are also located in the picnic area.
Primitive Camping
Drive to primitive sites with no electric, no
running water and pit toilet. Drive to family
campground for shower facilities. These sites
have ground fire rings and picnic tables-they
are located in an open pine flatwoods area.
Wildlife Viewing
Enjoy viewing White-tailed deer up close during
the early evening hours in the historic grove
areas. See alligators swimming and basking along
the swamps from the boardwalks over the dark waters.
Hear the scream of Red Shouldered Hawks hunting
prey through the hardwood hammock. Listen for
the deep resonating sounds of Barred Owls calling
in the hours near dusk. Be still in the peace
of the Cypress Catwalk as dawn turns to daylight
and the forest awakens. Glance at the flitting
varieties of song birds as they rest during their
migration through central Florida. See the flash
of black and white as the immense Pileated Woodpeckers
chase each other among the giant oaks. Marvel
over the giant spanning webs of “Golden
Silk Spiders” glistening like gold threads
in the morning light. Bike along the fat-tire
bike trail to look for lumbering Gopher Tortoises
feeding in the heat of the mid-afternoon. Enjoy
a Ranger narrated tram ride and exclaim over the
abundance of turtles, alligators and wading birds
that you see. Enjoy the deafening songs of frogs
mating after the early summer rainstorms in the
hammock.
Youth Camping
Drive to youth site situated in an oak hammock
setting. Non-designated restroom facility with
hot & cold running water, electric, and a
shower on site. Campfire ring and picnic tables
too.
