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Pine flatwoods at Prairie Lakes

Florida Trail, Prairie Lakes Loop

11.4 miles. Enjoy the counterpoint of moss-draped oak hammocks and expansive prairies at Prairie Lakes, one of the older and more beloved pieces of the Florida Trail

Florida Trail, Kissimmee  |  Three Lakes WMA
( 27.9277, -81.1249 )      11.4 miles

When the Florida Trail was first being built through Central Florida, attention fell on a brand new state park called Prairie Lakes State Preserve.

Where better to showcase trail building skills than a landscape that had such outstanding scenic beauty?

It is no longer a state park, having been transferred to Florida Fish & Wildlife management more than fifteen years ago.

But it remains a compelling destination for hikers and birders, who are now joined by anglers and hunters.

FT Prairie Lakes boardwalk
Boardwalk on the orange blazed side of the loop

Intentionally crafted as a backpacking destination, the trail system offers a Figure-8 loop on which the thru-trail, blazed orange, follows the west side of the South Loop and the east side of the North Loop. The opposite sides of the loops are blazed white.

Providing six different potential routes, the double loop traverses the heart of the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes as it tacks between Lake Jackson and Lake Marian.

A compelling scenic hiking destination, it offers options for both day hiking and backpacking as well as very short excursions into the live oak hammocks from its multiple trailheads.


Resources

50 Hikes in Central Florida Orlando & Central Florida: An Explorer's Guide  
Full details on this hike, including a trail map, are in our full-color guidebooks Florida Trail Hikes and 50 Hikes in Central Florida.

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


Guthook GuidesGuthook Guides GPS-driven map-based guide to the Florida National Scenic Trail with thousands of waypoints from The Florida Trail Guide. Works offline. For iPhone and Android.


Overview

Location: Kenansville
Length: 11.4 miles in two loops
Trailhead: 27.9277, -81.1249
Fees: $3 per person day use fee
Restroom: vault toilet at Lake Jackson
Land manager: Florida Fish & Wildlife
Phone: 352-732-1225

The entrance fee is payable at the iron ranger at the Prairie Lakes trailhead. Leave the receipt stub visible on your dashboard.

Three campsites – Parker Hammock, Lake Jackson, and Dry Pond – offer backpackers choices. Lake Jackson has a vault toilet, but is also accessible by vehicles and close to where you’ll hear airboats at night. All campsites have picnic tables and a fire ring.

A large group camp along the west side of the North Loop is suitable for Scouting and youth groups. It includes picnic tables, an outdoor ampetheatre setting, and a vault toilet. It is along one of the roads in the preserve.

Permits are required for camping. Call the above number weekdays during office hours. Although vehicles can access the Lake Jackson campsite, it is for tent camping only. Thru-hikers may camp at Dry Pond or Parker Hammock without a permit.

Be aware of hunting seasons and wear bright orange clothing if hiking during hunts. Links for permits and hunt dates provided at the bottom of this page.

Directions

 
From US 192 in St. Cloud, follow Canoe Creek Rd – which is east of Neptune Rd and west of Michigan Ave – due south for 25.4 miles. The entrance to Prairie Lakes is well marked.
 
Turn right on Prairie Lakes Rd, and continue 0.1 mile to the primary trailhead on the right side of the road. A secondary trailhead is much deeper inside the preserve near Lake Jackson.

Hike

The 5.4-mile North Loop showcases wide open prairie, particularly within the first two miles in either direction from the trailhead.

The trailhead itself is one of the best places to catch a sunrise or a sunset, thanks to the panoramic view to the south.

Sunset at Prairie Lakes WMA
Sunset at Prairie Lakes WMA

Along it, you’ll also find a boardwalk through a cypress dome, a ramble along a cypress-lined creek, and the Parker Hammock campsite, tucked neatly under the canopy of oaks not far from the trail junction with the South Loop.

The 6-mile South Loop begins on the south side of the footbridge over Parker Slough. It keeps largely to the oak and palm hammocks near the lakes, providing sweeping views of prairie from under the shade of the oaks.

Pine flatwoods at Prairie Lakes
Pine flatwoods at Prairie Lakes

Side trails lead down to the lakes. At Lake Jackson, a walk between the campsites takes you down to the boat ramp area and view along the shore.

At Lake Marian, there is an observation deck to perch on for the panorama. The loop comes together again at a bridge north of Road 18.

NORTHBOUND: Three Lakes North (Orlando section)
NORTHBOUND: Three Lakes to Green Swamp East (Western Corridor section)
SOUTHBOUND: Three Lakes South

Full details on this hike, including a trail map, are in our full-color guidebooks Florida Trail Hikes and 50 Hikes in Central Florida


Explore More!

Slideshow

See our photos of the Prairie Lakes Loop


Nearby Adventures

More worth exploring while you’re in this area.

Wetlands at Twin Oaks Conservation Area

Twin Oaks Conservation Area

Named for two ancient live oaks that have long guided anglers to their favorite fishing hole, Twin Oaks Conservation Area protects 399 acres along Lake Tohopekaliga

Sunset Ranch Trail

Sunset Ranch Trail

The 2.2-mile Sunset Ranch Trail at the Prairie Lakes Unit of Three Lakes WMA provides an easy day hike for birding near Lake Marian.


Trail Map (PDF) Hunt Dates Official Website

Category: Backpacking, Central Florida, Day Hikes, Florida Trail, Hikes, Loop Hikes, Trails, Wildlife Management AreasTag: Best Dog Hikes, Best Hikes, Dog-friendly, Favorites, Florida Trail, FT Kissimmee, Kenansville, Primitive Camping, Scenic Hikes, St. Cloud, Three Lakes WMA, Wildflowers

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Florida Trail Guidebook cover The comprehensive mile-by-mile guidebook to planning section and thru-hikes along the entire length of the Florida Trail. 356 pages, $18.95 + tax and shipping.

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Our virtual walk along the length of the Florida Trail, covering more than 1,500 miles from the Everglades to Pensacola Beach. Hardcover, 196 pages. $24.95 + tax and shipping.

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Florida Trail HikesThe best day hikes, overnights, and weekend trips on the Florida Trail. Full hike descriptions and maps, full color. 376 pages. $24.95 + tax and shipping.

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Florida Trail large coffee table book cover of trail down swamp causeway under ancient pines

Our history of the first 50 years of the Florida Trail, from its founding in 1966 to becoming a National Scenic Trail to volunteer efforts today.
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The Florida Trail App

Comprehensive logistics and offline maps all in one: The Florida Trail Guide is now also an interactive map-based mile-by-mile app by Guthook Guides.

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Florida Trail Updates


Get periodic recaps of changes to the Florida Trail, which we accumulate between editions of our guidebook. Find all official Trail Closures & Notices here.

Hiking the Florida Trail

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Florida Trail by Section

Porter Lake, Apalachicola National Forest

Florida Trail, Apalachicola

Florida Trail, Apalachicola
Florida Trail Big Bend view

Florida Trail, Big Bend

Florida Trail, Big Bend
Florida Trail Big Cypress

Florida Trail, Big Cypress

Florida Trail, Big Cypress

Florida Trail, Blackwater

Florida Trail, Blackwater
Florida Trail Nokuse

Florida Trail, Central Panhandle

Florida Trail, Central Panhandle
Eglin Weaver Creek

Florida Trail, Eglin

Florida Trail, Eglin
Florida Trail Kissimmee

Florida Trail, Kissimmee

Florida Trail, Kissimmee
Florida Trail at Rice Creek

Florida Trail, Northeast Florida

Florida Trail, Northeast Florida
Juniper Prairie Wilderness

Florida Trail, Ocala

Florida Trail, Ocala
Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail

Florida Trail, Ocean to Lake

Florida Trail, Ocean to Lake
Florida Trail, Okeechobee

Florida Trail, Okeechobee

Florida Trail, Okeechobee
Florida Trail at Forever Florida

Florida Trail, Orlando

Florida Trail, Orlando
Florida Trail Seashore Dunes

Florida Trail, Seashore

Florida Trail, Seashore
Florida Trail along a canal south of Clewiston

Florida Trail, Seminole

Florida Trail, Seminole
No Name Creek

Florida Trail, Suwannee

Florida Trail, Suwannee
Cypress Lakes Preserve

Florida Trail, Western Corridor

Florida Trail, Western Corridor

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