Brownville Park in DeSoto County, Florida

Photograph: FL Brownville Peace River south01.jpg by Ebyabe · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Restored from the credited Wikimedia Commons file, normalized to the consistent attraction-card frame and converted to WebP by 1stFlorida.com. Portrait originals retain their complete composition over a softly blurred extension of the same photograph.

DeSoto County attraction

Brownville Park

DeSoto County · Central Florida

A 75-acre county park and campground on the Peace River north of Arcadia, and the usual put-in for a day's paddle down to town.

ABOUT THIS PLACE

Brownville Park lies at 1885 Northeast Brownville Street, about half a mile north of Arcadia, on 75 acres in the Peace River floodplain. A half-mile nature loop walks easily under live oak canopy, with river views and limestone ledges and small spring-fed streams showing the karst ground underneath. The park's real use is the water. A boat launch serves paddlers and small boats, though how well it works depends on the river, which rises and falls a great deal over the year. Brownville down to Arcadia is a well-used eight-mile day paddle of three to four hours. When the water drops, people wade out to the gravel bars and sift for fossils, mostly shark teeth; this part of Florida is known as Bone Valley for its phosphate and what comes out of it. The campground holds 22 sites for cars and trailers, with a bathhouse and a dump station, and group camping can be arranged by calling ahead. Paddlers can leave a vehicle overnight for a small charge. There are restrooms, picnic tables, a playground and a kiosk with wildlife information. The park opens sunrise to sunset, there is a per-car entry charge with an annual pass available, and leashed dogs are welcome except where posted

GETTING THERE

Get Directions ↗Official Website ↗

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