Tohopekaliga (Toho for short) is most often said to mean "we will gather together here". It is thought to be derived from two words, tohopke (meaning fenced area or fort) and lika (meaning a gathering site).

Two East/West adjacent lakes share the name. The larger (west) lake claims the title "Lake Tohopekaliga" and the smaller lake to the east gets the modifier "East Lake Tohopekaliga".

Locals almost always shorten the names to just Toho and East Lake Toho. Sometimes, they are referred to simply as West Lake and East Lake when it is clear that the context is northern Osceola County.

A less official definition claims Tohopekaliga could mean 'sleeping tiger', a reference to the fact that inclement weather quickly causes the lakes to become dangerously choppy. We are not going to takes sides, but will point out that the mascot for Tohopekaliga High School is a tiger.

Some lakefront communities have private boat ramps for use by their homeowners. In addition, there are three boat ramps open to the general public.

Boggy Creek Boat Ramp (small fee required)

St. Cloud Boat Ramp

Chisolm Park Boat Ramp

See this map for locations.

Unfortunately, no. There is no gas for sale on the lake.

Restrooms are available near each of the three boat ramps. In St. Cloud, they are inside the restaurant building. At the Boggy Creek RV Camp, they are in the gift shop. At Chisholm Park they are in the covered picnic area, near the playground.

There is a childrens' splash park next to the St. Cloud marina. A playground and beach area are next to the splash park.

There is a playground, swings, sand beach and picnic tables at Chisholm Park. This park has a lot of open space where children can play.

Boaters often anchor and swim next to the Chisholm Park boat ramp, just offshore from the sand beach. This swimming spot is a particularly active anchor location on holidays.

On the South shore:
There is an outdoor patio bar and air conditioned indoor bar at the St. Cloud marina. Both offer restaurant service and both have a lake and dock view. Live music is often available on the patio on weekend afternoons.

On the North shore:
There is an air conditioned restaurant offering beer at the Boggy Creek RV park. It is not situated to provide a lake view and does not have a full liquor license. The restaurant is less active than the dockside restaurant in St. Cloud.

Yes you can. Airboat rides are offered from the dock at the Boggy Creek RV Resort every day except Sunday. No reservation is required. Website

Yes. One estimate is that the lake has about 100, living along approximaetely 17.5 miles of shoreline. The exact number is not well documented. But there are enough to justify including East Lake Toho in the list of approved hunting locations during the annual permitted hunting season.

They are not a serious danger provided you are doing traditional lake activities in a traditional way.

Attacks are rare and are not generally fatal. In 2017 there were 12 reported bites state-wide, none of which were fatal. In 2018 there were 9 reported bites state-wide, one of which was fatal.

There are more alligator attacks on dogs than people, so don't let your dog wander near the shoreline. Alligators are most active between dusk and dawn.

If you are skiing, tubing, or swimming do not do so near the reeds and cattails. If you should fall, you are unnecessarily near where alligators are most likely to be.

You are not likely to see an alligator if you are swimming or wading with a group of people at one of the two park beaches during normal daylight hours.

Those attacked are generally near the shoreline, often alone, and doing an activity near the vegetation. Alligators are opportunistic hunters who prefer a meal they can easily overpower. Those that have survived an attack have fought back, often by poking at the eyes while resisting being dragged into deeper water. Alligators release prey they cannnot overpower.

Alligators prefer small prey but can mistake larger animals as a meal. Alligators larger than 4 feet are far more aggressive hunters than those under 4 feet.

It is illegal to feed an alligator in Florida. If you feed an alligator, you are training it to move toward people in search of a meal. Once an alligator loses a fear of humans it must be destroyed.

Serious injuries caused by alligators are rare in Florida. The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) places its highest priority on public safety and administers a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) to address complaints concerning specific alligators believed to pose a threat to people, pets or property. People with concerns about an alligator should call the FWC toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286). When someone concerned about an alligator calls the Nuisance Alligator Hotline, FWC can dispatch one of their contracted nuisance alligator trappers to resolve the situation.

Other good advice is located here.