By Rob Rogers

Just an hour south of Orlando off the Florida Turnpike, you can find one of those special places in Florida that offers virtually everything an outdoor lover might seek—hiking for both moderate and longer distances, backpacking, a section of the Florida National Scenic Trail, birding, and even fishing and hunting, all in a vast landscape with a variety of ecosystems that feels far from civilization. If you’re looking for an accessible, quiet place to do an 11-mile one-night backpacking trip on comfortable and varying terrain, you should definitely consider the Prairie Lakes Unit of the Three Lakes Wildlife Management Area.

Prairie Lakes is the central unit of the larger Three Lakes WMA approximately thirty minutes south of St. Cloud, which spans a whopping 63,500 acres bordering Lakes Kissimmee, Jackson, and Marion. Used for centuries by Native Americans and then the descendants of Europeans for tending cattle and operated privately in the early 20th century as the Three Lakes Ranch, the land now containing Three Lakes WMA was purchased by the State of Florida under the Environmentally Endangered Lands Program in 1974. Its broad tracts of open dry prairie were what drew the cattle and cowboys, and Three Lakes now contains the second largest expanse of dry prairie left in the United States. But the Prairie Lakes Unit also contains a variety of other habitats, including pine flatwoods, oak and palm hammocks, and cypress wetlands.

The two Prairie Lakes loop trails traverse all of it. While more than 26 miles of the Florida Trail cross through the entire Three Lakes WMA, the most accessible 5.4-mile leg of the Florida Trail can be found on the eastern curve of the North Loop and the western curve of the South Loop, just south of where the Florida Trail splits into its eastern and western corridors. And with two backcountry campsites and easily accessible trailheads with overnight parking, the Prairie Lakes North Loop and South Loop can be easily combined for a not-too-difficult 11.4-mile one-night backpacking adventure.

The 5.4-mile North Loop and 6.0-mile South Loop lie like an eastern-tilting figure eight separated by the North Canal and connected by a bridge over a pump station. Each loop has a primitive campsite with a picnic table and pitcher pump, with the Parker Hammock campsite lying on the southern tip of the North Loop and the Dry Pond campsite lying 1.7 miles southwest of the bridge over the North Canal on the South Loop.

For my one-nighter, I chose to park at the trailhead for the North Loop just past the entrance to the Prairie Lakes Unit off Canoe Creek Road, then hiked into Dry Pond using the western legs of the North and South Loops for a hike in of 4.7 miles, then hiked out on the eastern legs of both loops for a hike out of 6.7 miles. 

What makes Prairie Lakes so enjoyable is the variety of terrain, the wildlife, and the tranquility at night. The North Loop splits its distance between pine flatwoods and shaded oak hammocks and is the less shaded of the two loops. The South Loop stays primarily in hammocks and contains more palm hammocks with towering palm trees jostling the trail from side-to-side. Most of the trail on both loops also borders the broad dry prairie, which the Dry Pond campsite sits beside. This is also prime habitat for deer, wild hogs, and a wide variety of birds, including bald eagles. While much of the Three Lakes WMA’s more southern legs of the Florida Trail through the wet prairie are home to alligators, you’re unlikely to see too many on the much drier trails in the Prairie Lakes Unit.

Camping at Prairie Lakes is also a treat if you love stars and sunsets painted on panoramic skies. Three Lakes WMA is far from civilization, so no city lights wash out the stars, and you can often see as many here as at the more famous Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park further south. You’re also far enough away from the Florida Turnpike or other major roadways, so you’ll hear little at night from Dry Pond other than the hooting of owls and the howls of coyotes. Overlooks of Lakes Marion and Kissimmee are also easily accessed from the South Loop by connector trails or roads.

Primitive campsites can be reserved online, and parking is available at multiple locations for a day use fee of $6 per vehicle. With well-blazed trails over flat, sturdy terrain that are easy on the legs, Prairie Lakes is a great place for a day hike or a one-night backpacking experience.

Rob Rogers is the award-winning author of Finding My Way Home: Fighting Depression Backpacking in Central Florida. He also writes a blog called the “Central Florida Backpacking Desk Jockey”, and his essays and articles on backpacking have been published on FloridaHikes.com and in the Wilderness House Literary Review, Outdoors Unlimited, and Go World Travel.

By Stuart Dropkin

The Central Florida Chapter of the Florida Trail Association sponsored a bike ride from Lake Monroe Park, Debary, Florida, to Blue Spring State Park on January 17th, in hopes of spotting Manatees in the warmer spring fed water. The day was warm with sunshine and the wind was negligible, so conditions were perfect for a day outside.

Nineteen participants rode the 11 miles on the trail to the Park entrance only to be turned away. The roads were jammed with cars and the traffic tie-ups took precedent over bicyclists for entrance to alleviate the crowded streets. We turned to an alternate plan and rode to the Swamphouse Grill at the Highbanks Marina for a lunch break. Then we continued back to our original starting point and called it a successful ride on a delightful day.

Twenty Years of Florida Hikes

A trip down Memory Lane as we celebrate our twentieth year online and run a month-long giveaway of our books in February 2026.

Upcoming Trail Maintenance

The Central Florida Chapter wrapped up their yearly maintenance on January 13th at Charles Bronson State Forest. Go check out the freshly mowed and blazed paths!

We have some tentative bridge build projects coming up, so stay tuned. The 2026-2027 schedule will be released later this year, starting with our annual Trail Maintenance Kick-off at the Mills Creek Woodlands in September. Request to be added to the Trail Maintenance email list here - cfchapter@floridatrail.org

🌟 Ready to Lead the Way?

As the trail comes alive with fall wildflowers and cooler breezes, it’s the perfect time to turn your passion for hiking into something even more impactful—becoming a Certified Activity Leader with the Central Florida Chapter.

Our trail community thrives because of the volunteers who step up, lace up, and lead the way. If you’ve ever thought, “I could do that”—you can. And we’re here to help you every step of the way.

🥾 It’s easier than you think:

To become certified, simply co-lead two different activities with two different certified leaders. This shadowing experience is a great way to build confidence and learn the ropes in a low-pressure, supportive environment.

🤝 Team up with current leaders:

Many of our Activity Leaders have upcoming hikes and would love a helping hand. Whether you’re interested in weekend treks, beginner-friendly walks, or rugged backwoods adventures—there’s a space for you.

📞 Let’s get you started:

Reach out to our Activity Leader Coordinator, Bill Turman, at 407-413-2950 or email HokieBill@bellsouth.net. He’ll connect you with upcoming opportunities and answer any questions you may have.

✅ Certified Activity Leaders:

Rachael Augspurg

Ron Aube

Stuart Dropkin

Kristen Gilbert

Kelley Galvin

Erica Johnson

Ned James

Jim Krell

Elda Larche

Mary-Slater Linn

David Magness

Tom Regan

Jerry Rogers

Chelsey Stevens

Chris Stevens

Bill Turman

🌱 Whether you want to give back, grow your leadership skills, or just share your love of the outdoors with others, becoming an Activity Leader is one of the most meaningful ways to make a difference. Let’s hit the trail—together.