Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park protects a remnant of what was once the great Indian Prairie stretching to Lake Okeechobee, a mosaic of wet and dry grasslands where wildflowers flourish Look into the grasses to see the colorful blooms of meadow beauty, blazing star, and wild bachelor’s button. Walk the nature trails, ride the forest roads, or take a guided swamp buggy tour, offered seasonally through this 54,000 acre preserve.
There is easily more than 40 miles of hiking in the preserve, which is loaded with multi-use trails. Most of the hikes are along more than 100 miles of forest roads. Consideration is being given to permanently moving the Florida Trail to the east side of the Kissimmee River through this park, depending on access points to the north and south. I’ve not yet hiked the extensive trail system here, which is also open for bicycles and trail riding. There is a short nature trail at the campground. Pull a trail map off the park website to explore the possibilities.
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Overview
Location: Basinger
Length: Up to 40 miles in loops and round-trips
Lat-Long: 27.584143, -81.045166
Type: loop and round-trip
Fees / Permits: none
Difficulty: easy to moderate
Bug factor: low to moderate
Restroom: Yes
Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park
Directions
From Yeehaw Junction (take the exit off Florida’s Turnpike), head south on US 441. After you reach Fort Drum, keep track of mileage – it’s 5.7 miles south from the diner to the sign that points you west onto CR 724 (NW 240th St). You reach the intersection of 700-A (NW 176th Ave) at 12.2 miles, which is a connection to US 98 at Basinger. Keep going straight. The road jogs sharply to the right onto NW 197nd Ave; state park signs keep guiding you. After 18.4 miles (since US 441), you reach the park entrance.
Hike Details
Kilpatrick Hammock Trail 0.5 miles loop
Prairie Loop Trail 4.5 miles loop
Audubon Loop Trails 2.1 miles loop
Pine Island Prairie Trail 3.7 miles linear
Gum Slough Trail 4.2 miles linear
Gum Slough Prairie Trail 1.8 miles linear
McClure Hammock Trail 4.4 miles linear
McGuire Prairie Trail 1.7 miles linear
Grasshopper Sparrow Trail 4.0 miles linear
Long Hammock Trail 4.3 miles linear
Duck Slough Prairie Trail 1.6 miles linear
Military Trail 6.3 miles linear to river from campground
Five Mile Slough Trail 3.2 miles linear
Five Mile Prairie Trail 3.9 miles linear
Raulerson Trail 2.3 miles linear
Cutover Trail 2.1 miles linear
East Military Trail 3.3 miles linear
Peavine Trail 1.7 miles linear
Kilpatrick Prairie Trail 2.6 miles linear
Of these, I’ve only visited the Kilpatrick Hammock Trail, which starts and ends at the campground.
