Things to Do on Fisheating Creek and in Palmdale and Ortona
A wild creek, a 1950s gator attraction and earthworks older than Spanish Florida.
See top-rated activities »About Fisheating Creek
Fisheating Creek begins in the prairies of Highlands County and flows south and east for roughly 50 miles to Lake Okeechobee, much of it through land that has never been developed. Cypress and live oaks hung with moss close in over dark, tea-colored water, and the banks are thick with alligators, wading birds and turtles. Most of the creek in Glades County is protected as the Fisheating Creek Wildlife Management Area, managed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The usual starting point is Fisheating Creek Outpost on U.S. 27 at Palmdale, which runs the campground and rents canoes, kayaks and paddleboards. Paddlers can make a short out-and-back from the outpost or arrange a longer one-way trip. The creek depends on rain: in a dry spell you may be dragging your boat over sandbars, while after heavy rain the current can be strong. The outpost posts water levels, and it is worth checking them before you drive out.
Near Lakeport, the eastern part of the management area holds the Fort Center Trail, a short walk past observation decks and interpretive signs to a site where people lived and built ceremonial earthworks for well over a thousand years. Back on U.S. 27, Gatorama has been showing visitors alligators and crocodiles since 1957, with feedings, a walkway over the ponds and a gator hatching festival each August.
At Ortona, on State Road 78 near the Caloosahatchee, the county’s Ortona Indian Mound Park protects mounds and canals dug by Indigenous people centuries before Europeans arrived. A short trail and a picnic shelter make it an easy stop, and the park hosts an old-fashioned cane grinding festival each February. The Seminole leader Billy Bowlegs III is buried in the small cemetery next door.
Don’t Miss
State-managed land along the creek with paddling, camping, hiking, fishing and seasonal hunting.
Tent and RV sites, small cabins, a camp store and grill, and canoe, kayak and paddleboard rentals for the creek.
A short trail with observation decks and kiosks at an ancient earthwork site in the eastern part of the management area.
A family-run alligator and crocodile attraction open since 1957, known for feedings and its August hatching festival.
A 60-acre county park with ancient mounds, hand-dug canals, a short trail and a picnic shelter.
Top-Rated Tours, Tickets & Activities in Fisheating Creek
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Get free trip quotes »Fisheating Creek — FAQ
Can I paddle Fisheating Creek year-round?
Only when the water is high enough. It depends on rainfall, so check the water levels posted by Fisheating Creek Outpost before you go; very low or flooded conditions can make the trip unsafe.
Are there alligators on Fisheating Creek?
Many. Keep your hands and feet in the boat, never feed them, and keep pets on a leash and well back from the water.
