De Soto County: Nature Along the Peace River and History in Arcadia

De Soto County combines experiences along the Peace River with nature trails and attractions in Arcadia. When planning your trip, it’s worth first deciding what matters most to you: Would you like to paddle, explore the scenery on foot, or learn more about Arcadia’s history? The offerings vary considerably in form—from a long paddling route to a short loop trail to historic buildings and seasonal events. This lets you search for a hotel based on the experiences you want to focus on during your stay.

Woodlands and Trails

Peace River State Forest includes floodplain forest, cypress stands, mixed hammocks, and remnants of pine flatwoods. The landscape along Horse Creek and the Peace River provides habitat for a wide variety of wildlife. Those who want to explore on foot can find the Horse Creek Hiking Trail in the state forest: the loop is 2 miles long. RV Griffin Reserve has more than 21 miles of multi-use trails. From there, visitors can enjoy views of pine flatwoods, freshwater marshes, wet prairies, forested wetlands, and oak hammocks.

The two trail offerings have different features: Horse Creek Hiking Trail is a single loop with a clearly stated length, while RV Griffin Reserve offers a greater total length of trails that can be used in various ways. The landscapes visible from there range from open wetlands to wooded areas. This makes it possible to plan a nature outing around your preferred trail distance and interest in different types of landscape, without treating the trails as interchangeable.

Peace River: Paddling and Fossils

The Peace River Paddling Trail runs for 67 miles from Fort Meade to State Road 70 west of Arcadia and is highlighted as a scenic paddling route. Brownville Park has a launch site on the Peace River for kayaks, canoes, and boats. These details offer different kinds of guidance: the paddling trail describes a long route with named endpoints, while Brownville Park provides a launch site on the river.

Searching for fossils is another possible experience along the Peace River in De Soto County. Shark and mammoth remains may be found while searching. Those considering a guided tour can find offerings with airboats and/or swamp buggies at Fossil Recovery; the required equipment is provided. These tours offer a distinct way to explore the topic of fossils, alongside paddling on the river.

Arcadia’s History and Landmarks

The Arcadia Historic District covers 58 city blocks and about 340 acres. Its buildings reflect Arcadia’s historical development from the mid-1880s to around 1930. An important public space within the district is the square around the DeSoto County Courthouse. The Tree of Knowledge, a local landmark, also stands near the downtown business district. Together, the district, courthouse square, and landmark offer different starting points for exploring Arcadia’s historic areas.

The John Morgan Ingraham House Museum is a restored home dating from the late 19th century. It commemorates the early pioneer families of Arcadia and De Soto County. Exhibits include historic furniture and household items, some of which belonged to the Ingraham family; there is also information about Arcadia and De Soto County. A T-33 aircraft stands at Lake Katherine and has been on loan from the National Museum of the United States Air Force since 1963. A paved concrete path runs along the lake. Those interested in animals can find lemurs, emus, snakes, and alligators, among other animals, at Jungle Doria’s Wildlife Park in Arcadia.

Markets and Events

A market featuring local vendors takes place on the fourth Saturday of each month in Arcadia’s historic downtown antiques district. Check the specific market dates before your trip. Events also shape the annual calendar: Arcadia’s Annual Watermelon Festival takes place in May during harvest season; the Arcadia All-Florida Championship Rodeo takes place in March. For both events, it’s a good idea to check the dates before your trip.

In addition to the rodeo, Mosaic Arena hosts concerts, Monster Jam, and agricultural and farming trade shows. Together with the monthly market and the events in May and March, these offer a different way to experience Arcadia than visiting historic buildings or spending time by the river and on the trails. If you want to plan a trip around a particular event, its date is a useful starting point for scheduling.

Discover more destinations: Arcadia, Suwannee County, Highlands County, Lee, Gadsden County, Hendry County, Liberty, Franklin County.

For the statewide travel overview: Florida.