Zolfo Springs, FL - Pioneer Park - 01/22/18

January 22, 2018 – Monday
Pioneer Park Campground
Zolfo Springs, Florida

We spent a time at EG Simmons County Park, now we move on to Pioneer Park, a county park in Zolfo Springs. All campsites at this park are first-come-first-serve and we had no problem securing a suitable campsite from the many campsites available.

Pioneer Park is located in Hardee County at the northwest corner U.S. Highway 17 and S.R. 64. The park is bounded on the north by the Peace River (popular with canoe and kayak enthusiats) and to the south by S.R. 64. On the west side of the park is a manmade 8.5 acre lake and a wildlife refuge. Fishing is allowed on the lake and the river and visitors can tour the wildlife refuge center for a $2.00 fee. The road winding through the park is a popular area for walking enthusiats. On the east side is a Pioneer Village restoration and Cracker Trail Museum.

We have camped at Pioneer Park during our past winter visits to Florida and always enjoy our camping experience here. There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of buzzards that gather here each winter and roost in the trees adjacent to the Peace River. Every morning between 9:00 am and 10:00 am they depart, soaring in a circular fashion, as they catch the warming thermals under their long, extended wings. The thermals carry them ever higher into the sky and out of sight as they disperse to unknown regions throughout central Florida. Then, at around 4:00 pm they return in scattered flocks, slowly winding their way in a circular fashion to ever lower altitudes. After circling for extended periods of time, they locate a branch on their favorite tree to roost for the night. As the branches on the trees fill up, late comers attempt to dislodge some of the earlier arrivals. Eventually, all of the buzzards have returned and found a suitable roosting site. It is quite an entertaining spectacle to witness these daily events.

Tomorrow another adventure begins.

Travel Details:
Departed: Ruskin, FL
Departure Time: 10:45 am
Arrived: Zolfo Springs, FL
Arrival Time: 12:05 pm
Miles traveled: 58

Campground: Pioneer Park
Type: Hardy County Park
GPS Coordinates:
Latitude: 27.73900 N
Longitude: 088.46600 W

Camping Fee: $107.00 per week (no discounts for seniors)
Campsite: 19
Campsite Hookups: Electric and Wate
Campground Amenities:
Flush Toilets, Hot showers, Water Spigots, Trash Dumpster, Sewer Dump

Verizon Cellular Service: 4G-3 Bars
Verizon Internet Service: 4G-3 Bars (JetPack)
Dish TV Satellite Service: Excellent