Lake Louisa State Park, Clermont, Florida

Lake Louisa State Park is big! You get a sense of the bigness when you enter the park and drive for quite a while before you get to the campground. It’s open with rolling hills.

The campground is very tidy and open. There are a few trees between the sites, but not enough provide a screen from your neighbors or much shade. We camped at Lake Louisa in late February, and despite the calendar saying it was winter, it was hot.

We experienced daytime temps in the high 80s, and it was a little challenging to keep our Alto cool (though the solar panels worked great!).

When we were out on a bike ride, our Temp Stick sent us alerts that the temperature was rising inside the camper, so we cut short our outing and came back to check on Blaze.

Vic fashioned a makeshift shade cover from our tablecloth and some suction cups for our big front window, which helped a lot. With the air conditioner on and the extra shade, we were able to keep the camper cool enough for Blaze.

Lake Louisa is convenient to Orlando and its attractions. The park is just 30 minutes to Disney’s Magic Kingdom. 

Campground Tour

Campground Details

Number of sites: 57 sites on three loops. Primitive camping and cabins are also available in the park, and a concession offers Glamping and Eco-Tent camping.
Hookups: 30 and 50 amp electric and water; a dump station is available.
Connectivity: Excellent. On T-Mobile, we got one to two to five bars of 5G. 
Bathrooms: There are two bathhouses for the three loops. Bathrooms and showers were clean. The showers had hot water and good pressure.
Campground amenities: There’s a little store by Dixie Lake that sells trinkets and snacks. It’s also where you can rent kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and bicycles. Firewood is also available for sale. Laundry is available at both bathhouses.
Reservations: Florida State Parks take reservations 11 months in advance.
Campground rating: 4 out of 5

Around the Park

The park has lots of hiking, biking and equestrian trails. We found the trails to be great for walking but too sandy for biking, so we stuck to the park roads. These roads are also popular with locals. We saw quite a few who appeared to be doing training laps around the park.

Inside the park are several lakes – the biggest of which is the namesake, Lake Louisa, offering swimming, fishing and paddling. Dixie Lake and Hammond Lake are accessible from the campground. We paddled Dixie Lake one day – a relaxing and serene experience – and hiked the trail around Hammond Lake nearly every day.

There’s a lot to do in and around Lake Louisa State Park. If you camp there, just be prepared for the sunny days.

Nearby

Downtown Clermont: Downtown Clermont is quaint, with little shops, cafes, ice cream spots and more. On a day we visited, there was a nice little farmers/maker’s market going on. It also has two breweries: Suncreek Brewery and Clermont Brewing Company. We tried both and enjoyed both. Suncreek has two standalone restaurants inside, while Clermont Brewing is more of a traditional brewpub.

South Lake Trail: Clermont is also a great launching spot for the South Lake Trail, a 13-mile paved multi-use trail that connects with the West Orange Trail and the Hancock Trail. We did an out and back on the South Lake Trail, then stopped at Suncreek for lunch and adult beverages.