Paddle Adventures at Lake Louisa State Park
Ready for a paddle adventure in central Florida? Make your way to Lake Louisa State Park – just 30 minutes from downtown Orlando and less than 20 minutes from Walt Disney World – for an afternoon of soaking in the beauty of wild Florida.
Paddling at Lake Louisa State Park
First-time visitors to Lake Louisa State Park will be forgiven for thinking there is just one lake – in fact, there are 13! Paddlers will enjoy the easiest water access at Hammond Lake and Dixie Lake, both conveniently located near the park’s campground.
Learn more about our partnership with the Florida State Parks Foundation: Live Wildly Foundation and Florida State Parks Foundation Announce Transformational Partnership to Support Conservation and Amplification of Floridaā€™s State Parks
Live Wildly’s Lead Adventurist Sara and Social Media Manager Aaron pushed into the water at the shallow launch on Hammond Lake and spent an easy hour paddling along the wild shoreline. From lily pads to cypress trees, there was something new to see with every paddle stroke.
The water was exceptionally calm when we visited, leading to incredible mirror views of the sky and the surface of the lake.
We didn’t come across any alligators while we were on the lake but did see one later in the day as we watched a group fishing from the long dock near Hammond Lake’s entrance. Use common sense and caution if you choose to get out of your kayak while paddling!
Gearing Up
Lake Louisa State Park’s concessionaire, P3 Lake Louisa, makes renting gear a breeze. Located on the shores of Lake Hammond, P3 Lake Louisa offers single and tandem sit-on-top kayak rentals, complete with a paddle, life jacket, and safety instructions. They also have standup paddleboards for those who want to ply the waters while working on their balance. With advance reservations, P3 Lake Louisa offers guided paddling tours and lessons.
If you bring your own kayak or paddleboard, paddling on any of the Lake Louisa State Park waterways is included in your $5 entry fee.
Make sure you have everything you need with our paddlesports packing list:
- Quick-drying pants or shorts
- Quick-drying shirt
- Sandals or water shoes
- Hat with a brim
- Sunglasses
- Bandana
- Small dry bag to hold your keys, wallet, cell phone, etc.
- Sunscreen
- Lip balm with SPF
- Water bottle
- Snack
If you are bringing your own boat or paddleboard, don’t forget:
- Boat or paddleboard
- Personal flotation device (PFD)
- Paddle
- Whistle
Beyond Paddling
Lake Louisa State Park is more than just a great paddling spot. On land, you can enjoy walking or hiking on 20-plus miles of multi-use trails, guided horseback riding tours through wildflower-filled meadows, shoreline and boat fishing, swimming or relaxing on the beach at Lake Louisa, and all-terrain Segway tours.
There’s so much to do that you may want to spend the night at one of the park’s 60 campsites or 20 cabins. Lake Louisa also has luxury glamping tents for rent.
Outside the Park
Explore outside Lake Louisa State Park for more adventures in wild Florida:
Lake Apopka Loop Trail: This 17.4-mile biking and hiking trail along the northern edge of Lake Apopka is remote and beautiful – especially the view from the top of the Observation Tower. Prefer exploring from the comfort of your vehicle? Check out the 11-mile (one-way) Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive.
Showcase of Citrus: The land in and around Lake Louisa State Park used to be renowned for its citrus groves. Though few and far between now, you can still get a taste of a working citrus farm at the privately owned Showcase of Citrus, right near the park entrance.
