Situated in Fruitland Park, three miles north of Leesburg and 30 miles south of Ocala, Lake Griffin State Park enables visitors and residents alike to enjoy adventures off the beaten path.
Lake Griffin State Park is an ADA-accessible, outdoor oasis and is home to one of Florida's biggest live oak trees - it has been standing for approximately 400 years!
Visitors can get to it by way of the short trail near the park entrance that's a half-mile path winding its way through a portion of the basin swamp before stopping at the mammoth tree. Not only that, but a canal connects the park to Lake Griffin, which is Florida's eighth largest lake. That's quite a pair of distinctions for one park to have!
Lake Griffin State Park is abundant with wildlife, which includes herons, ospreys, cormorants, soft-shelled turtles, and alligators for some great nature watching. And these are just some of the activities offered in Lake Griffin State Park! Explore all that the park has to offer its visitors & what locals who call Leesburg & nearby their home get to enjoy right in their backyards:
Park History
In 1904, J.D. Robertson began using the longleaf pine tracts - now the park's front entrance and shop - as a turpentine still. That venture lasted until 1910. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the land was used for farming and for citrus.
In 1946, the Murphy Lands Act enabled the purchase of 383 acres for the establishment of Lake Griffin State Park. Then in 1961, the City of Fruitland Park donated four acres to the project. Two years later, construction finished, and the park opened to the public. The entire park was surrounded by orange groves all the way up through the 1980s.
Activities and Recreation Opportunities
Today, Lake Griffin State Park is brimming with opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. Even leashed pets can come along!
Easy Hiking Trail: The half-mile nature trail gives visitors the chance to stretch their legs while enjoying the wildlife and natural beauty of the park.
Playground: Supervised children can enjoy the playground facility that overlooks the boat basin as is conveniently located near the day-use picnic pavilion. It even has a wheelchair-accessible swing.
Picnic Area: An open-air picnic pavilion provides just the right space for picnicking! It also houses a 6-foot long family-sized grill, as well as a volleyball net and two horseshoe pits. Plus, water and electricity are included, and a children's playground and restroom facilities are nearby.
Fishing: Located a mile from the park's boat ramp, Lake Griffin is a great place for anglers to drop a line with wheelchair access from the dock. The water is filled with catfish, crappie, and bass, just to name a few temptations. However, Lake Griffin is a fish management area. A fishing license is required for non-residents and children 16 years of age and older, and all fishing within the park must comply with the appropriate regulations.
Canoeing and Kayaking: Visitors can get out on the water by renting a kayak or canoe at the park! Single kayaks are available for $10, while canoes and tandems can be rented for $12.
Boating: Boating enthusiasts can launch from a double-wide concrete boat ramp that accommodates trailers up to 25 feet. Visitors can use the floating dock and ramp to depart and arrive.
Boat Tours: From November-March, visitors can take a 45-minute pontoon boat tour of the Dead River Marsh!
Camping: Campers will love spending the night at one of the park's 40 campsites. So will their well-behaved pets! There's something for everyone, accommodating tents, motorized campers, and trailers. Fire rings, shade from the sun, water, electricity, picnic tables, and campfire grills are available for your camping getaway.
Geo Caching: Lake Griffin State Park is part of the geo caching game, giving players the opportunity to experience the park in a different way! Participants use coordinates in order to find caches, offering a fun way to learn about geography!
With its rich history and opportunity to bask in a wheel-chair accessible and breathtaking, ideally located, natural setting, Lake Griffin State Park quite a treasure. It's no wonder it holds a special place in the hearts of residents living in Fruitland Park, Leesburg, Ocala, and their surrounding communities.
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