Frequently Asked Questions about Oscar Scherer State Park

Question: When visiting the park, we sometimes see people feeding the Florida Scrub-Jays, is this permissible?
Answer: No, feeding any wildlife in the park is against the law and punishable as a second-degree misdemeanor. The Florida Scrub-Jay is a naturally sociable wild bird and will often times fly down and pay people a visit. Feeding them is unhealthy, creates nuisance problems and encourages them to leave their nesting sites. Many problems are created by feeding wild animals. For instance alligators have a natural fear of people but after being fed just one time can loose that fear and begin approaching people for food. The animals in the park have everything they need to maintain a healthy and natural existence, so please do not feed the wildlife.

Question: Does the park have a concession stand or camp store?
Answer: No, the park does not have a concession stand or camp store. We do however rent canoes and kayaks at the Ranger Station and when available, firewood can be purchased. The closest full service grocery store and Laundromat are only 3 miles away and the closest convenience store is ½ mile away. Beverage machines are located throughout the park.

Question: Can we see alligators in the Park?
Answer: Occasionally, alligators can be seen swimming in South Creek or sunning themselves on the bank. If you want a better opportunity at seeing alligators in the wild, visit Myakka River State Park located a short distance away in Sarasota on S.R. 72.

Question: Can we reserve a specific campsite when making our reservations?
Answer: Yes, when you make your reservations by calling Reserve America you can request a certain site. If that site is available it will be assigned to you.

Question: Are mosquitoes a problem in the park?
Answer: Certain times of the year, mostly during the summer rainy season, mosquitoes become active. Due to the impact on other species, we do not allow broadcast spraying for mosquitoes. We do recommend bringing insect repellant with you when you camp, especially during the summer months.

Question: How far away is the closest public beach?
Answer: The closest public beach is Nokomis Beach approximately 5 miles away. This beach is operated by Sarasota County and offers picnic tables, grills, restrooms, showers, and a concession stand.

Question: What other activities are available in the area?
Answer: Sarasota County has many wonderful sites to visit including marine aquariums, zoos, botanical gardens, historical sites, theatres, shops, malls, and much more. The Gulf Coast Heritage Trail was developed as an automobile route to take visitors to many of the less known attractions in the area. A Gulf Coast Heritage Trail map can be picked up at the park when you arrive. For more information about area attractions, visit the Sarasota Visitors Convention Bureau Webpage at:
http://www.sarasotafl.org/pagoda.html

Question: How can we become volunteers or campground hosts at the park?
Answer: The Florida Park Service depends on volunteer help and Oscar Scherer State Park is no exception. Volunteers donated over 13,000 hours of labor at Oscar Scherer last year. Volunteers provide many different services from park maintenance to toll collection as well as campground hosting. If you would like to apply to become a volunteer or campground host, please contact the park for a volunteer application. Once completed, return it to the park with three personal references including contact names, addresses and phone numbers. The volunteer application is also available online. Just go to the MyFlorida.com home page and type volunteer form in the search engine and then go to that link. Keep in mind that Campground Host positions are limited and often times filled well in advance.

Question: Do you have a boat launch in the park?
Answer: We do have a launch for canoes and kayaks, however we do not allow motorized watercrafts within the boundaries of the park. Although many of our campsites are located on the creek, we do not allow launching of canoes or kayaks from the campsites due to the erosion that it causes.