Nestled behind the W.T. Bland Public Library in Mount Dora, the new Forest Preserve is a beautiful 14-acre tract of long leaf pine forest in the heart of a residential area. It features a 400-foot boardwalk and 1-mile hiking trail (with actual elevation changes!). We saw a barred owl and marsh rabbit during our first hike. Well done, City of Mount Dora! Highly recommended!
Take a short stroll through scenic Ponce Preserve in Ponce Inlet to view this majestic 350-year-old live oak tree, which sits at the foot of the Green Mound State Archaeological Site, an ancient Native American midden. Don’t miss it!
If you ever make it out to Tavares Nature Park, take a left just past the entrance and follow the trail to a rather rickety boardwalk that will lead to a scenic view of Lake Dora. Very cool!
One of the best places to see gopher tortoises in their natural habitat is Hidden Waters Preserve in Eustis.
On a typical sunny afternoon, you are almost guaranteed to see an alligator or two at Palm Island Park in Mount Dora. Check it out!
Our first hike of the year was actually just a stroll along the boardwalk at Oakland Nature Preserve. However, over the next few months I intend to revisit my favorite Central Florida hiking trails. Stay tuned!
Along with Palm Island Park, Trimble Park is one of my go-to spots in Mount Dora for a quick hike. It’s a nice mix of wooded trails and scenic boardwalks. Sometimes I’ll glimpse an alligator or two, but not this time.
We spent a nice Sunday afternoon wandering around Lake Lotus Park in Altamonte Springs, followed by a visit to Lake Lily Park and then dinner at Athena Roasted Chicken (I ordered the vegetarian pita, which was amazing!).
During the rainy season, I usually try to avoid the muddiest hiking trails and spend most of my time outdoors wandering on the scenic boardwalks. Here are my favorite Central Florida boardwalks:
I enjoy hiking Lake May Reserve in Eustis because it offers some rare elevation, a scenic path around the lake and a cool red barn that provides a good subject for amateur photographers like me. I never see too much wildlife here except for numerous butterflies. However, today I did view a black racer sunning directly on the trail. Cool spot!
Wandering Florida 