Lake Griffin State Park

07/30/2026

Did you know scrub buckwheat is one of the many rare native plants growing at Lake Griffin State Park?

Here are a few fun facts about this unique Florida wildflower:

🌼 Its delicate white flowers are a favorite nectar source for native bees, butterflies, wasps, and other pollinators.

🐝 It blooms during the hot summer months, providing an important food source when many other native plants have stopped flowering.

🌱 Scrub buckwheat is specially adapted to Florida’s sandy soils, intense heat, and periodic drought, making it an important part of our natural ecosystems.

🌎 It is found only in central Florida, making it a true Florida native that exists nowhere else in the world.

⚠️ Scrub buckwheat is federally listed as Threatened and state-listed as Endangered due to habitat loss, development, and the decline of Florida’s natural scrub and sandhill habitats. It also depends on periodic fire to maintain the open, sunny conditions it needs to survive.

At Lake Griffin State Park, we’re proud to help protect native habitats that support rare species like scrub buckwheat. Every native plant plays an important role in keeping Florida’s ecosystems healthy for generations to come. 💚

Photo by park
Manager

07/22/2026

Today we had an amazing group of high school students come out to Lake Griffin State Park to help our CSO tackle one of the erosion issues we’ve been battling at the kayak launch.

These students worked incredibly hard moving wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow of dirt, leveling the area, and helping us install a geocell grid to stabilize the shoreline. We still have a little more work to do, but thanks to their effort, we made huge progress today!

I can’t say enough about how impressed I was with this group. They showed up ready to work, never complained despite the Florida heat, and took pride in what they were doing. It’s refreshing to see young people willing to volunteer their time and work this hard to help improve one of our state parks.

A huge thank you to each and every one of you, You made a real difference today, and our visitors will benefit from your hard work for a long time to come. We truly appreciate you all!

06/24/2026

06/16/2026

We have been delighted to welcome several visitors to our area over the past week. The birds were all seen on the Rookery tour with Epic Water Boat Tours LLC, and the otters were spotted at the boat ramp today. Also, the mother bear and her cub, who were seen in the park last week, made another appearance today, but unfortunately, no photos were taken. Epic Water Boat Tours LLC

06/13/2026

Let our Certified Paddle Tour Guides introduce you to the beauty of summer as you paddle a kayak quietly through the wetlands of nearby Lake Griffin State Park. Summer flowers are in bloom, including puffy white balls of button bush flowers, lavender stalks of pickerel w**d, bright yellow petals of spatterdock, and delicate white orchid-like duck potato. Swallow-tail kites and osprey wheel overhead searching for prey, while green herons and red-wing blackbirds hang out in trees near the water. All equipment provided. No experience needed. We'll coach you in basic paddle strokes. Friends of Lake Griffin State Park guided kayak eco-tours through the end of July are now available for reservations . For details, dates, and reservations, visit FLGSP.org. If our schedule doesn't fit yours, ask about a private tour.

06/09/2026

What are you waiting for? Come take a stroll through the Real Florida and grab lunch from our new concessionaire!

You can’t capture beautiful photos of nature unless you get out and experience it for yourself. There is always something worth discovering at Lake Griffin State Park.

Come explore, enjoy a great meal, and see what makes this little park so special! 📸🦅🐊

06/08/2026

Let us introduce you to the summer flowers, native and exotic aquatic plants, trees, gators, and birds that inhabit the wetlands ecosystem at nearby Lake Griffin State Park. Learn about snails the size of an apple, the many ways to use cattails, and how the early inhabitants found food and shelter and household items in their natural surroundings before the big box stores were available. Marc and Jeanne are Certified Paddle Tour Guides who volunteer with Friends of Lake Griffin State Park. This 90-minute tour is $30 and includes all equipment. Advance registration is required. Visit FLGSP.org for details and registration. All proceeds benefit park projects. Additional tour dates available. Ask us about private tours and Kayak 101 classes.

06/05/2026

It's easy to just hop into a kayak and paddle around, but why not learn to do it safely with an efficient paddle stroke that will save energy and prevent stress on your shoulders and elbows? Central Florida has so many cool springs and scenic rivers to explore by kayak during our long summer days! Friends of Lake Griffin State Park will offer a Kayak 101 class Wednesday, June 17. Registration is now open. The 2 1/2 hour class covers choice of equipment, safety tips, basic paddle strokes, and a mini-ecotour. Learn how to paddle safely among motorized vessels, wildlife, and aquatic plants. Advance registration required. All equipment furnished. For details and registration, visit FLGSP.org. Eco-tours and private tours also available.

06/04/2026

📢✨ We Have News! ✨📢

After months of hard work, dedication, and a whole lot of teamwork, we are excited to share that our campground is expected to reopen on June 11th! (As long as no issues arise) 🏕️🌳

Our staff has been working tirelessly to get everything cleaned up, prepared, and ready to welcome campers back. We cannot wait to see families making memories, enjoying campfires, and experiencing all the beauty that makes our park so special.

Stay tuned for more updates, we can’t wait to see you around the campground again! 🌿🔥⛺💚

We also have a concessionaire offering glamping cabins!!  Look for their information and site!! 

06/02/2026

Twelve paddlers joined us Saturday night, May 30, for our sunset tour. Although we didn't have a spectacular sunset, we enjoyed calm water with just enough breeze to cool us. Our four guides -- Dave, Chuck, Karen and Linda -- helped identify the call of the red-wing blackbird, the yellow flowers of spatterdock, white egg sacs of the Florida apple snail, and several invasive aquatic plants. We watched an anhinga perching precariously on a thin branch overhead, gripping with his webbed feet. The clouds parted slightly so we were able to see the glow in the sky from sunset, and then Jupiter and Venus shining brightly overhead. After dark, we switched on our headlamps and spotted (from a distance) the reflections of alligator eyes along the lakeshore. The full moon came shining through and the chorus of frogs sang for us as we paddled back to our launch. It was a peaceful, relaxing evening on the water.

Our next sunset tour will be Wednesday, July 29. Registration is now open.