LAKE LOUISA STATE PARK
A short drive from Orlando, this park is noted for its six beautiful lakes, rolling hills, and scenic landscapes. Lake Louisa is the largest in a chain of 13 lakes connected by the Palatlakaha River, which is designated as an Outstanding Florida Waterway. Lake Louisa, Dixie Lake, and Hammond Lake, the park's most accessible lakes, provide access for fishing, canoeing, and kayaking. Anglers can fish in four of the park's six lakes, but gasoline-powered boats are not allowed; only boats powered by trolling motors or without motors are permitted. Camping facilities and more than 15 miles of horse trails are available for equestrians. For hikers and backpackers, the park has over 20 miles of hiking trails with excellent opportunities for wildlife viewing. Dixie Lake has a fishing pier, canoe/kayak launch, and a picnic pavilion.The park also has a full-facility campground, fully furnished cabins for rent, and primitive campsites. Lake Louisa State Park is located just seven miles south of State Road 50 in Clermont on U.S. 27.

NATURE OF THE AREA
Lake Louisa has many types of wilddlife at the park, including butterflys and birds. Take a moment to print our butterfly and birding checklist to see how many you can find.

CABINS
Lake Louisa now offers 20 new cabins, overlooking beautiful Lake Dixie. These cabins offer two bedrooms/two baths, full kitchen and dining/living room area. All cabins comfortably sleep 6. Each cabin is fully equipped with dishes, pots & pans, silverware, linens, towels, picnic tables and rockers on the porch. All you need is food and your personal items. ADA cabins are also available. Unfortunately, due to limited parking, oversize RVs will not be allowed in the cabin area. Pets will not be allowed in the cabins. To conserve energy, the fireplaces are out of service from May 1st to September 30th.

CAMPING
Lake Louisa has 60 full-facility campsites nestled between Dixie and Hammond Lake. Each site has 30 and 50 amp hookups and a dump station is located between Dixie Loop and Sandhill Loop. In the campground there are two bathhouses, two fishing piers, a pavilion and an amphitheater where ranger programs are held annually from October to April. To make reservations please contact Reserve America.

Primitive Camping

Lake Louisa currently has two primitive campsites, Wilderness Point and Pine Point. Both are tucked away in some of the most pristine and beautiful areas of the park. Pine Point is located next to Big Creek. The park recommends bringing bottled water with you when camping. The sites do not have any water or electric, only a fire ring and picnic table. Each site can hold a maximum of 6 people. These sites are located off of our hiking trails so vehicles are not permitted to the sites. You must backpack in and backpack out.

Youth Camping

Lake Louisa has three primitive youth campsites and each site can hold a maximum of 20 people. All three sites are located south of the park's equestrian primitive camp. The sites do not have water or electric, only a fire ring and picnic table. The closest water source is non-potable and located at the equestrian primitive camp so the park recommends that individuals bring bottled drinking water with them to the site. Parking for the youth camp is located at the sites trailhead but parking on the site is prohibited in efforts to minimize impact to the native vegetation found within the area. Reservations can be made by calling the Ranger Station at (352)394-3969. Payment is made at the time of your arrival. Six to 10 juveniles require one chaperon. Eleven to, and including, 20 juveniles require two leaders, and so on. Chaperons must remain with the juveniles while they are in the park. Groups must arrive at the park one hour before sunset to register for their site. These campsites are for youth organizations only and to qualify the group must have a minimum of six youths per site.


CANOEING
The park offers a canoe and kayak launch at Dixie Lake just off of the fishing pier. Lake Louisa offers canoe and kayak accessibility also but does not have a designated launch area. Canoe and kayakers would have to launch off of the Lake Louisa beach, which is accessible via Lake Nellie Road or our main entrance off of Hwy. 27. Both lakes provide canoers and kayakers an excellent opportunity to see an assortment of wildlife or to just find serenity in the calm waters.

FISHING
Lake Louisa State Park has fishing access at four of our six lakes. Lake Louisa is our largest lake, which offers fishing access off of the lake's shoreline. Dixie Lake is our second largest lake and is only accessible by our main entrance off of Hwy. 27. This lake is a beautiful lake that offers fishermen not only a chance to catch fish but also a chance to see some of the park's abundant wildlife. Dixie Lake is located approximately half a mile inside the park and has a fishing pier, canoe/kayak launch, bathroom, and a sheltered pavilion. The park also has Smokehouse Lake which does not have any amenities and is accessible to four-wheel drive only. You must register at the Ranger Station and give 24 hours advance notice to access Smokehouse Lake. The park prohibits gas-powered motorboats and boat trailers, (hand launch only), into the lakes. Only boats powered by trolling motors or manually powered are allowed. All Florida freshwater fishing laws and bag limits are enforced. Please check with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for current fishing license requirements.

DAY USE AREA
Lake Louisa's campgrounds offer bathouses, with hot water, that are ADA compliant. The Lake Louisa Beach bathhouse offers toilets,with cold water only(non-potable water). Each of our 20 cabins have 2 complete bathrooms, of which two of the cabins are ADA accessible. We have 3 clevis multrum composting toilets,(no water) at Dixie Lake day-use, Lake Nellie day-use and our equestrian area.

TRAILS
Hiking is permitted on the horse trails and an abundance of wildlife may be seen. Birding is a favorite activity with sightings dependent on the seasons. A .5 mile nature trail is located at the Lake Louisa parking lot. The trail winds through three of the parks eleven natural communities with interpretive trail signs provided for visitors to read about the park's flora and fauna.

PETS
Pets on restraints are allowed in the campground area. Pets are not allowed in the cabins.

Pet camping is available at Lake Louisa State Park. Pets must be confined, leashed (not to exceed six feet in length) or otherwise under the physical control of a person at all times. Tethered pets must not be left unattended for more than 30 minutes. Quiet hours must be observed from 11:00 p.m.--7:00 a.m. Pet owners must pick up after their pets and properly dispose of all pet droppings in trash receptacles. Florida law requires that pets be vaccinated against rabies. Any pet that is noisy, dangerous, intimidating or destructive will not be allowed to remain in the park. Non-furbearing pets, such as reptiles, birds, or fish must be confined or under the physical control of the owner. Some animals may be prohibited on park property. Failure to abide by these rules may result in the camper being asked to board the pet outside the park or to leave the campground.

DIRECTIONS
Lake Louisa State Park is located on US 27, seven (7) miles south of State Road 50.