Fort Cooper State Park is a 710-acre historic site in

Inverness, Florida Inverness is a city in Citrus County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census,the population was 7,543. It is the county seat of Citrus County and is home to the Citrus County Courthouse and near the Flying Eagle Preserve. Geography I ...

, United States. It is located two miles (3 km) south of Inverness, off of U.S. Hwy. 41 on South Old Floral City Road. On June 13, 1972, it was added to the United States

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

. It is also a Florida State Park.

Fauna

Among the wildlife of the park are

white-tailed deer The white-tailed deer (''Odocoileus virginianus''), also known as the whitetail or Virginia deer, is a medium-sized deer native to North America, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru and Bolivia. It has also been introduced t ...

wild turkey The wild turkey (''Meleagris gallopavo'') is an upland ground bird native to North America, one of two extant species of turkey and the heaviest member of the order Galliformes. It is the ancestor to the domestic turkey, which was originally d ...

opossum Opossums () are members of the marsupial order Didelphimorphia () endemic to the Americas. The largest order of marsupials in the Western Hemisphere, it comprises 93 species in 18 genera. Opossums originated in South America and entered No ...

bobcat The bobcat (''Lynx rufus''), also known as the red lynx, is a medium-sized cat native to North America. It ranges from southern Canada through most of the contiguous United States to Oaxaca in Mexico. It is listed as Least Concern on the ...

, owls,

heron The herons are long-legged, long-necked, freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae, with 72 recognised species, some of which are referred to as egrets or bitterns rather than herons. Members of the genera ''Botaurus'' and ''Ixobrychu ...

s and cardinals.

Recreational activities

The park features an annual re-enactment during March of the

Second Seminole War The Second Seminole War, also known as the Florida War, was a conflict from 1835 to 1842 in Florida between the United States and groups collectively known as Seminoles, consisting of Native Americans and Black Indians. It was part of a ser ...

. Activities include fishing, swimming, sunbathing, youth camping,

canoeing Canoeing is an activity which involves paddling a canoe with a single-bladed paddle. Common meanings of the term are limited to when the canoeing is the central purpose of the activity. Broader meanings include when it is combined with other act ...

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

, boat tours, and nature viewing. The park is also accessible from the

Withlacoochee State Trail Withlacoochee State Trail is a long paved, multi-use, non-motorized rail trail in Florida located in Citrus, Hernando and Pasco counties. It follows along the Withlacoochee River and passes through the Withlacoochee State Forest. It is the ...

Amenities and hours

Amenities include access to Lake Holathlikaha, a swimming area, paddleboat and canoe rentals, a picnic and playground area, and nearly of hiking trails. The park also has nature trails, a beach, and a primitive campground. Florida state parks are open between 8 a.m. and sundown every day of the year (including holidays).

Gallery

File:Fort Cooper Inverness02.jpg, Fort Cooper File:Fort Cooper.jpg, Fort Cooper site File:WST Northbound Fort Cooper signs.JPG, Entrance to the park from Withlacoochee State Trail

References

1972 establishments in Florida Florida Native American Heritage Trail

Cooper Cooper, Cooper's, Coopers and similar may refer to: * Cooper (profession), a maker of wooden casks and other staved vessels Arts and entertainment * Cooper (producers), alias of Dutch producers Klubbheads * Cooper (video game character), in ...

National Register of Historic Places in Citrus County, Florida Parks on the National Register of Historic Places in Florida Parks in Citrus County, Florida Protected areas established in 1972 Second Seminole War fortifications State parks of Florida {{fort-stub

Fauna

Recreational activities

Amenities and hours

References and external links

Gallery

References