The land in the park was used as a
fish hatchery by the
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission from 1936 until 1951. In 1974 the Florida Department of Natural Resources (now part of the
Florida Department of Environmental Protection) sub-leased the land for use as the
Dead Lakes State Recreation Area. The recreation area was removed from the
State Park System in 2003 and taken over by Gulf County. Initially called the Dead Lakes Recreation Area, as of 2014 it has been called Dead Lakes Park. Activities include hiking, fishing, boating, camping, and wildlife viewing. Among the wildlife of the park are
foxes,
cotton rats,
raccoons,
opossums,
white-tailed deer,
rabbits,
skunk,
beavers,
turtles,
snakes and
alligators. A variety of trees can be found in the park, including
longleaf pine,
magnolia and
bald cypress trees. Amenities include a
boat ramp, fishing pier,
freshwater trails, and a camping area. The recreation area is open from sunrise until sunset. ==References==