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!).
Florida Hiking Trails
Central Florida Boardwalks
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:
- Black Hammock Wilderness Area
- Blue Spring State Park, Orange City
- Hickory Point Park, Tavares
- Lake Ashby Park, New Smyrna Beach
- Lake Lotus Park, Altamonte Springs
- Lighthouse Point Park, Ponce Inlet
- Oakland Nature Preserve, Oakland
- Palm Island Park, Mount Dora
- Tibet-Butler Preserve, Orlando
- Trimble Park, Mount Dora
- Trout Nature Center, Eustis
Hiking Lake May Reserve
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!
Hiking Spring Hammock Preserve
Over the next few months I will be doing a “greatest hits” tour of my favorite Central Florida hikes. I started with Econ River Wilderness Area in Oviedo a couple of weeks ago. Last weekend I hiked Spring Hammock Preserve in Longwood. Both are very scenic and not too strenuous.
Back to Bear Creek
Nestled amid a sprawling neighborhood in Winter Springs, Bear Creek Nature Trail is a real diamond in the rough! It’s a short but very scenic trail that’s worth seeking out.
A Walk in the Woods
With apologies to Bill Bryson, I had a great hike at Econ River Wilderness Area in Oviedo yesterday. It was good to be back there! One of my favorite local hikes.
Wandering Hickory Point Park
Tucked in a far corner of Hickory Point Park, a huge recreational complex in Tavares, lies a very scenic boardwalk. Just follow the sidewalk that heads west of the playground to find it. You’ll be glad you did!
Sabal Bluff Preserve
Tucked behind a mobile home park in Leesburg, Sabal Bluff Preserve is hard to find, but well worth the effort. The Bourlay Trail takes you to the Lake Griffin Trail for some spectacular views. The entire trail system is just about 2 miles total, so you can knock it out in an hour or so. Keep an eye out for gopher tortoises (unfortunately, we didn’t see any this time out).
The Trails of Palm Island
I’ve visited Palm Island Park in Mount Dora dozens of times and I see something new with each visit. That’s why I encourage you to explore both the great boardwalk and the short but scenic network of trails. Enjoy your hike!
Hiking Gemini Springs Park
Gemini Springs Park in DeBary gets a lot of visitors, but the vast majority come here for fishing, picnics and the playground. However, if you head out on some of the scenic hiking trails, you can quickly leave the bustling world far behind and enjoy nature at your leisure!
Wandering Florida 