Lake Manatee State Park, Recreational park in Manatee County, United States

Lake Manatee State Park is a recreational area spanning 556 acres with pine forests, sand pine scrub, and wetland marshes that line the lakeshore. The terrain supports walking trails, fishing areas, and boat access throughout the grounds.

Lake Manatee State Park covers 556 acres on the south shore of the 2,400-acre Lake Manatee, about 9 miles east of I-75 on State Road 64 near Bradenton. The lake itself was formed when a dam was built across the Manatee River in the mid-1960s to supply drinking water to the area, and the park later took shape along its southern shoreline.

The park's name comes from the manatees once seen in the Manatee River; today the lake and river draw canoeists and kayakers who launch from the boat ramp and dock. Anglers fish the 2,400-acre lake, and a 60-site campground hosts overnight visitors. Alligators, turtles and osprey are regularly seen.

The park lies on the south shore of Lake Manatee, 9 miles east of I-75 on State Road 64 out of Bradenton. A boat ramp, dock and 60-site campground serve visitors, and the grounds are open from 8 am until sundown year-round. Trails cross pine flatwoods, sand pine scrub, marshes and hardwood forest.

The grounds protect the Florida golden aster, a plant species listed as threatened by both state and federal authorities. This rare wildflower grows in the park's specialized sandy habitats.