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Hike Bike Paddle Camp Florida with authors Sandra Friend and John Keatley as your guides

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View from atop a ridge

Catfish Creek Preserve State Park

At Catfish Creek Preserve State Park, the steep ridges of blinding white sand are some of Florida’s most ancient landscapes, an unusual and unique natural area for Central Florida

Lake Wales      ( 27.984103,-81.497243 )      10.2 miles

Immerse yourself in the beauty of the Lake Wales Ridge by getting into the backcountry of this lesser-visited state park in Polk County.

More than twenty endangered plant species grow here, including scrub plum, scrub morning glory, and pygmy fringe trees.

Explore the preserve by hiking, riding your horse, or fishing in the prairie ponds. Backcountry camping is also permitted.

Birders will be rewarded with sightings of Florida scrub-jays in the scrub and sandhill cranes on the prairies.

Pair of sandhill cranes A pair of sandhill cranes along a wet prairie


Resources

Resources for exploring the area

50 Hikes in Central Florida Central Florida Orlando Explorers Guide book cover Complete Guide to Florida Wildflowers Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State book cover

Disclosure: As authors and affiliates, we receive earnings when you buy these through our links. This helps us provide public information on this website.


Overview

Location: Haines City
Length: 10.2 mile trail network
Trailhead: 27.984103,-81.497243
Address: 4335 Firetower Rd, Haines City
Fees: Free. $5 per night primitive camping fee
Restroom: Vault toilet at the trailhead
Land manager: Florida State Parks
Phone: 863-696-1112

Open 8 AM to sunset daily. Leashed pets welcome. A small picnic area is at the trailhead.

This is a very hilly place to hike with exposed ridges and limited shade. Take plenty of water with you and use sun protection. Get out quickly if a thunderstorm threatens.

Prairie grasses and scrub at Catfish Creek Preserve

If you want to camp here, call the above number to make reservations in advance.


Directions

 
From US 27 in Dundee, follow CR 542 east to Hatchineha Road. Turn right and continue 8 miles to Firetower Road. Turn right. Continue 3 miles. The park trailhead is on the left before the FFA Leadership Camp entrance. If you reach their gate, turn around and come back, since Firetower Road dead-ends at the camp.

About the Park

Established in 1991, Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek State Park protects more than 8,200 acres of scrub habitat along Catfish Creek.

It’s a natural, wild waterway connecting Lake Pierce and Lake Hatchineha in the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes.

Allen David Broussard memorial statue A memorial statue of Allen on a high hill


The preserve honors Allen David Broussard, son of Margaret and Dr. William Broussard, who established the Allen Broussard Conservancy and Forever Florida after their son’s death.

He is memorialized not just by the preservation of this land he loved and the park name, but also with a monument at one of his favorite spots.

Deer looking at camera through forest A deer in the scrub


Allen appreciated and studied the flora and fauna found here on the Lake Wales Ridge, and was concerned with development destroying it all.

One of the delights and surprises of this park are the amazing views from the tops of each ridge. The ridges run north-south, with the trails running up and over them.

Ridgetop view Looking from a ridge top towards the fire tower


This is typical of the Lake Wales Ridge, a landform that stretches from north of Lake Okeechobee up to Clermont, forming the spine of the Florida Peninsula.

However, there are few places along it that have been left this wild, and even fewer where the ridges are so visible from one another in a vast natural area.

Hiker walking downhill Descending to a pond in a wet prairie between ridges


Hiking

The trails at Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek State Park include an outer loop of 8 miles, optimal for equestrian use, and cross-trails enabling inner loops.

Other than on horseback, hiking is the main way to see this preserve. We’ve hiked the long loop described on their map, as well as the shorter ones.

Marker 11 on trail Marker numbers and paint stripes on posts correspond to the official park map


This is one of the tougher places to hike in Central Florida, thanks to the deep soft sand and the steep slopes.

Hiking poles are a must as you traverse each hill, with deep swales between the creases home to long, slender wet prairies.

Florida scrub-jays Florida scrub-jays along the hiking loop


Florida scrub-jays squawk in the oaks, and sandhill cranes browse through open grasslands.

The trail network provides numerous options for you to explore the preserve. Stick with a short loop for birding, or plan ahead for a long day hike or overnight trip.

The loop we describe here is the medium-length hiking loop of 3.5 miles, which you can expand or shorten as needed.

Rolling hills at Catfish Creek Preserve

Catfish Creek Preserve Trails

Allan David Broussard Catfish Creek Preserve State Park isn’t just “a perfect example of Lake Wales Ridge Scrub,” it’s a landscape unlike any other you’ll find in Florida

Biking

While trails are open to cyclists, we found the deep soft sand a real problem for trying to traverse the preserve on a bike.

By deep, we mean some of the deepest sand we’ve seen other than at dunes on the beach. That’s because these are ancient dunes.

Blue post and steep climb in deep sand One of the climbs in deep sand


Since equestrians share the trail system and park vehicles drive on the sand roads, the steeper grades are particularly churned up.

If you try to bike here, consider going clockwise out of the trailhead, and sticking to the flatter ground around the wetlands in the prairie swales just over the first ridge.

Hoofprints and footprints A steep grade churned up by trail users


Camping

Two primitive campsites are available along the trail system. Contact the park to reserve a spot in advance of your visit. There is a $5 per person per night fee for use.

No water is provided in the backcountry. Bring what you need. A picnic table and fire ring are at each site.

Site 1 is along the hiking loop, about 1.7 miles in, over the first two ridges. Site 2 is nearly twice as far and is along Catfish Creek.

View from a ridge with a blue post View from one of the ridges


Park Map

Catfish Creek Preserve Trail Map


Explore More!

Slideshow

See our photos of Catfish Creek Preserve


Nearby Adventures

More worth exploring while you’re in this area.

Disney Wilderness Preserve

Disney Wilderness Preserve

Managed by The Nature Conservancy, the Disney Wilderness Preserve is a 12,000 acre showcase for habitat conservation amid growing suburban sprawl south of Orlando

Wild irises at Huckleberry Island

Lake Marion Huckleberry Island

Providing an easy walk into 8,000 acres of uplands draining into Lake Marion Creek, the trail system on Huckleberry Island at Lake Marion Creek WMA leads 4.2 miles.

Reedy Creek

Reedy Creek Swamp

At the Osceola District Schools Environmental Study Center, trails along Reedy Creek Swamp showcase the beauty of the ancient cypress and floodplain forest.

View from the observation tower at Lake Kissimmee State Park

Lake Kissimmee State Park

Discover the beauty of the land between the lakes east of Lake Wales while exploring the vast prairies and fern-laden hammocks of Lake Kissimmee State Park

Trail Map (PDF) Official Website

Category: Camping, Central Florida, Day Hikes, Equestrian, Florida State Parks, Hikes, Loop Hikes, ParksTag: Birding, Botanical, Catfish Creek State Park, Fishing, Florida State Parks, Hilly, Kissimmee, Lake Wales, Lake Wales Ridge, Lakeland, Opt Outside, Primitive Camping, Wildlife Viewing

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