Myakka River State Park, Florida state park in Sarasota, US.

Myakka River State Park covers 37,000 acres (150 km2) on the Atlantic coastal plain in Sarasota County and part of southeastern Manatee County, nine miles east of Interstate 75. A 22 km stretch of the winding Myakka River runs through the western part and forms the Upper and Lower Myakka Lakes. The park holds pine flatwoods, dry prairie, marshes and cypress domes, and the 41 m deep sinkhole called Deep Hole lies in the Wilderness Preserve.

In 1843 Colonel Samuel Reid recorded the river's name as "Miarca" from Native Americans he met. Bertha Palmer, a Chicago businesswoman, bought land near the river in 1910 for cattle and swine ranching. Her family gave 1,920 acres to the state, and from 1934 Civilian Conservation Corps crews built the ranger station, palm-log cabins and trails. The park opened in 1941.

The wooden bridges and log structures throughout the grounds were crafted by hand during the 1930s, designed to sit quietly within the surrounding wetlands without disrupting the view. Visitors today still walk the same raised boardwalks originally built to let people move through flooded zones on foot.

Visitors can rent canoes, kayaks, and bicycles at the outpost near the entrance, which also sells camping gear and runs a small cafe. The dry season from November through April offers the easiest walking conditions and brings wildlife closer to shrinking ponds.

A section of the river received formal protection in 1985 as Florida's first wild and scenic designation, reserving certain stretches from development. This status keeps the waterway free-flowing and prevents alterations to the banks.