fort cooper state park

AAnderson29

I went here with my dog and really enjoyed our walk. Mostly flat trails with beautiful trees, lakes, and wildlife. The oaks made a nice canopy to shield you from the sun. Overall, a great day :)

wanderer504

Wasn't made clear when we entered park that the fort no longer exists at all. Walk was nice but not exactly what we were looking for on that particular day.

rangeway1

Paid the $3 parking fee at entrance. There was no Ranger on duty so with the office locked, we couldn't get a park brochure and map. Luckily at the parking area near the playground and picnic area there's a kiosk displaying the park map and trails. You'll have to memorize the map since there were no brochures here either. If you plan to go, print the map from the State Park website first and bring it with you. We had a picnic lunch which we had bought at Subway in Inverness before entering the park. There are plenty of picnic tables. We walked the Dogwood Trail, an easy 0.9 mile, self-guided nature trail loop. The trail start is just beyond the playground. We also walked to the Fort site (a short walk from parking lot). The Fort Site trail start is at the opposite end of the parking lot from the Dogwood Trail start). On the way out of the park, we saw a sign for the Seminole exhibit but decided to save that for our next visit. The weather was nice, about 80 and partly cloudy. No flying insects or bugs bothered us.

rosss946

My wife and I decided to visit this state park last month, and glad we did. Hard to believe there was such an intense battle there almost 200 years ago-- because it's so peaceful, quiet and serene. (We were there on a Saturday in October 2014.)The short walk to the old fort is easy and very pleasant. Lots of good parking, and a very friendly and helpful staff. Great picnic area and playground for the kids.The park is directly connected to a GREAT 46-mile long bike trail-- the Withalacoochee-- and there's plenty of bike paths within the park, so bring a bike-- or simply walk.If you're looking for sizzle, this ain't the place. But if you're looking for a nice place to relax and recharge your batteries-- suggest you give this a try.

scheig1

Didn't find too much of interest here. No swimming due to alligators and the water had practically disappeared from the lake due to drought conditions.

387phillipw

We stayed in the primitive campsite area, had a good time. They need to mark the water spigot as well water, and probably should be boiled I would guess. Very brown in a white bucket. Had an enjoyable time with 16 boys and 7 adults

thecraftygal

Location signs could be better, but otherwise, since we were in a group, it was a nice time. Highly recommend you make sure your GPS is working as it is VERY easy to lose your way.

motelmutt

We enjoyed the natural setting of this rural park. The west side nature trails were pleasant walks. The restrooms were clean and had the necessary items. The play area for kids as well as the picnic section are well kept. Be very careful though if you walk on the east side nature trail. When we got back to the end of the trail, we were both covered in ticks! A sign was posted: "ticks on trail", but really it should have been closed since they were so bad. We picked some off there, and the rest at home. We will not return to the park during the warm weather, and when we do, we will spray liberally with deet.

SuzieAdvien

We have gone camping here three times. We like primitive camp sites where we can sleep in a tent and have a nice fire. Fort Cooper has this. It also has lovely hiking trails. Nice. There's a little lake there too, but the water level was so low we couldn't get into the lake from the camp site. The real trouble is there is a race track right down the road from Fort Cooper. So each weekend evening the race starts and those cars are unbelievably loud! We could not even hear each other talking. And the race went on all night long! Literally until after 1 A.M. It completely ruined our camping trip. Never the less, we tried it again. Same problem. Third time's a charm. Nope! Still racing. Guess we wont be back.

647KathyH

This is what Florida must have been like back a few hundred years ago. It can be reached from the Bike Trail as well as by car. Nice place to picnic.

ajcam

My family has been very fond of the abundant wild life that exists in and around the park. Historical Florida on display daily and very knowledgable and accommodating staff. A must for visitors in Citrus County; don't miss it!

davidn307

Ft. Cooper is a quiet place to have a picnic or read or catch some sun. The lake is just a murky pond with a sand beach. There's a short hiking trail to the site of the Seminole War fort and a connection to the Withlacoochee State Trail. Nice restrooms and a small play area for kids.

dorisg565

I have been there for family reunions, various community events and to just find some solitude by the lake.

BOBAPPLEBY

We rent the park area twice a year for Hospice Children's Camp. It is always clean and has a great kitchen for making the kids meals.

Southernroads

This is a nice park with several walking trails, one of which traces the route of a Seminole War era wagon path. It also has a partial (very partial) reconstruction of a fort. The primary draw here are the trails, but they are not dynamic or exceptionally scenic. The fort site could use a little more interpretation, too. But considering how few of the potentially hundreds of Seminole War sites in Florida are interpreted at all I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 3. Could use some more amenities. The staff is really nice.