The Firecracker 5K Run/Walk is a major event held annually at Highlands Hammock. Many Heartland residents and campers compete annually in this Highlands Hammock summer tradition with friends, family members and those who enjoy celebrating the Fourth of July cheering them on. Runners aged 8 and younger to those aged 80 and over compete despite the wilting heat! With a field of close to 300 runners, the event promotes running and raises funds for the Avon Park High School Cross Country Team. Local businesses participate as sponsors and enter staff race teams in designer t-shirts. In addition to serious runners, participants also include parents with toddlers in strollers and the family dog decked out in red,white and blue shirts and accessories.
St. Andrews State Park is looking for locals who love the park to come help pick up litter from Shell Island. It is currently nesting season for sea turtles and shore birds and we want the beach clean for our seaside wildlife.
Come celebrate Smokey Bear's 81st Birthday at Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park! We will have several activities to educate and promote prescribed fire, including a prescribed burn demonstration, touch-a-fire-truck, Smokey Bear Storytime and meet-and-greet, and more!
Join a Park Ranger on a guided nature hike of Eden Gardens State Park. The hike will meander through two distinct natural communities, Xeric Hammock and Floodplain Swamp. A ranger will share information about the flora and fauna found throughout the park and specific to the natural communities being hiked through.
The hike will be approximately 3/4 of a mile long and will take between 25 and 40 minutes.
Please dress appropriately for the weather and have footwear appropriate for trail conditions (primarily flat, hard packed soil, sometimes slightly sloped and there are several tree roots along the way) Please have a water bottle and insect repellant available.
Join a park ranger for a Junior Ranger educational program and accompanying activity to explore the four components of the Junior Ranger program: natural resources, cultural resources, recreation, and service. Participants will be eligible for Junior Ranger passport stamps with the successful completion of each component.
Join a park ranger for a guided hike along our Black Island Trail. Learn about the fascinating vegetation and wildlife that reside in our maritime hammock ecosystem, explore our native butterfly garden, and enjoy a little local history along the way.
Join a park ranger for an interesting and informative lecture on our local, loveable manatees. Learn what these magnificent mammals are all about, and how you can help protect them.
Please note, live manatees are not included in this lecture.
Join a park ranger on a guided walk down the shoreline and discover some of the birds that call the beach here at Lovers Key home. Learn helpful tips about how to identify these challenging birds while learning their diet, behavioral and nesting habits.
Join a park ranger for a leisurely walk over the estuary and along the beach to discover the natural treasures of the Lovers Key shoreline. Learn about seashells, crustaceans, starfish, and other creatures that can be found in our waters.