Lake Tohopekaliga (Lake Toho for short) is a grand lake in Kissimmee, Florida. Its name is native for "sleeping tiger" after the sudden storms that appear in the summer time. It is the primary inflow of Shingle Creek, which rises in Orlando. It covers 18,810 acres and spans 42 miles in diameter. Linked to East Lake Tohopekaliga by three-mile Canal 31 running through western St. Cloud, and four-mile South Port Canal, located at the southern tip of the lake linking it to Cypress Lake, Lake Tohopekaliga is the largest lake in Osceola County and is known for its bass fishing.
For kayaking purposes, Brinson Park on Neptune Road is not the best place to put-in...but I didn't know that until I got there. There is a great pier to fish from here, but no launch points nearby...anywhere. I managed to pull my boat over a weeded area near the bridge, but it was steep and definitely not ideal...still, it got me in the water, and that's what mattered for this trip. There are better put-ins around the lake, and I think I'll check them out next time around.
© April L. Gustetter
