There will be fun for the whole family from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, at the 24th annual Civilian Conservation Corps Festival at Highlands Hammock State Park. ...more

November 4, 2009

The Wild Orange Grove Trail at Highlands Hammock State Park runs for only about three-fifths of a mile but goes through three distinct ecological areas. ...more

February 17, 2009

A mature bald eagle returned to the skies high above Highlands Hammock State Park, Wednesday, following about two weeks of rehabilitation. ...more

November 22, 2008

The next time you smack yourself to crush a mosquito, blame the bite on a mother trying to raise a family. ...more

July 15, 2008

What makes a "Summer Fun Day" fun? A beautiful park, upbeat music, lots of food, kids and adults dedicated to guiding kids into productive lives. Everyone agreed on that at the Summer Fun Day, held on June 17. It was an alcohol free, drug free, and smoke free fun event, held at Highlands Hammock State Park. And the best part, because of the generosity of a few people, it was a free event. So thanks are in order for the following who contributed to the event: First, to Peter Anderson, for the use of the park, to the park rangers who assisted, especially Dorothy Harris who put on a fantastic and challenging scavenger hunt, to the Highlands County School Board who provided lunch, to DJ Mike Davis, to the School Resource Officers and the DARE program for providing their time, talents, snacks and energy to provide lots of extra fun, to Sheriff Benton, to Youth For Christ for providing the love and energy we all needed to keep going in the heat, to the parents who brought their kids, and to the many local businesses who provided free coupons for the kids to reinforce the message of a drug-free lifestyle. So, special thanks to MacDonald's, to Dairy Queen, to Big Al's Italian Ice, to Blockbuster and the grand prizes were pizza coupons donated by Pizza Hut and Pizzano's Pizza. A and W Rood Beer and Subway also made contributions to the day. ...more

June 21, 2008

SEBRING — From red-bellied turtles to green tree frogs to alligators big and small, students touring Highlands Hammock State Park on Thursday got a close up view of Florida wildlife and the effects of the drought. During the first week of the two-week Sebring Middle School summer science camp about 35 students have been taking part in day trips that included a canoe trip down the Peace River on Wednesday and Thursday's exploration of the state park. Park Specialist Dorothy Harris took the students on a tram-ride tour of the park stopping at various spots to point out wildlife, plant life and other features. ...more

June 19, 2008

SEBRING — Dorothy Harris, the Highlands Hammock State Park ranger, was describing all the artists and exhibitors at the CCC Festival when Nancy Dale, a local historian, walked up, a small, elderly man in tow. "This may have been the man who the statue was modeled after," she said, and started telling his story. In front of the Civilian Conservation Corps Museum, there's a bronze of a CCC worker on a four-foot stone pedestal, shirtless, his right hand resting on an axe. He's about the same size as the man in front of her, wearing a floppy boonie hat all the CCC boys used back then. ...more

November 4, 2007

SEBRING — If you're in Highlands Hammock State Park and a fly lands on your nose, don't swat it. That might be Franki, who's flying to the rescue of bromeliads everywhere. ...more

October 24, 2007