Highlands Hammock State Park Trails

It was another hot day here - in the upper 90's, so we stayed in most of today. We did go over this morning to Dog Designs Pet Resort here in Sebring to see about having Tinker groomed tomorrow. We were able to get him an appointment for tomorrow morning.

This afternoon after it had cooled down a bit, we drove over to Park Loop Drive to go on a couple of the hiking trails here.

The first trail we went on was the Alexander Blair Big Oak Trail. The main feature of this trail is the 1,000 year old Live Oak tree. The tree trunk has a circumference of 36 feet!  A storm came through the park on April 25 of this year and damaged the tree, so we didn't get to see the upper tree branches. But you have to admit, it is still very impressive.

From Highlands Hammock State Park

The Big Oak Trail

From Highlands Hammock State Park

connects with the Hickory Trail

From Highlands Hammock State Park

and we followed it to the Orange Grove. The Orange Grove is a clearing where a Florida pioneer had cleared the land and built a cabin and planted orange trees. Tinker met his first armadillo in the Orange Grove.

From Highlands Hammock State Park

We stopped at the CCC Museum on the way back to the campground. Unfortunately we arrived after 5 p.m. and the museum was closed. Between the years of 1933 and 1942 the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and the Works Progress Administration (WPA) planted thousands of plants and constructed roads, buildings, dams, & bridges in Florida to include Highlands Hammock.

From Highlands Hammock State Park

There is also the Hammock Inn Restaurant here, but it is closed for the summer right now.

Tomorrow we are planning on visiting with Gary, a high school classmate of Mike's, who has a Doberman Rescue in Lake Placid.