List of Florida State Parks

List Of Florida State Parks

Map of State Parks of Florida

There are 161 state parks in the U.S. state of Florida which encompass more than 700,000 acres (280,000 ha), providing recreational opportunities for both residents and tourists. Almost half of the state parks have an associated local 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, often styled, "Friends of {park name} State Park, Inc.". In 2010, some 7,245 volunteers donated nearly 1.3 million hours to enhance the parks for approximately 20 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 3,454 family campsites, 235 cabins, thousands of picnic tables, 100 miles (160 km) of beaches, and over 1,625 miles (2,616 km) 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 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 River 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 161 parks do not have "State Park" in their name. Four are "conservation areas" (reserve, preserve, or wildlife refuge); 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 11 National Parks in Florida locations under control of the National Park Service.