Florida Hiking Trails

Turkey Creek Sanctuary

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As soon as we left the parking lot and made our way through the entrance of 130-acre Turkey Creek Sanctuary and walked as far as the boardwalk, a light drizzle turned into a significant downpour and unfortunately we had to abort our hike. However, this well-maintained sanctuary looks like an amazing spot in Palm Bay to enjoy the great Florida outdoors and we will return soon! By the way, Turkey Creek Sanctuary was established in 1981 and features not only the 1.85-mile boardwalk, but 1.5 miles of jogging trails, a one-mile mountain bike trail, the Margaret Hines Nature Center and more. It is part of the East Florida section of the Great Florida Birding Trail. Wildlife that call Turkey Creek Sanctuary home include Florida cooters, manatees, alligators, otters, ospreys and owls.

Barrier Island Sanctuary

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Nestled along A1A in Melbourne Beach, the Barrier Island Sanctuary Management & Education Center serves as the gateway to the 258-acre Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge. The Center itself features a variety of interactive exhibits, auditorium, gift shop and observation deck. Don’t miss the opportunity to take the one-mile hiking trail through several scenic habitats that are home to wildlife such as great land crabs, gopher tortoises, ospreys and great blue herons. 

Wandering Around Audubon Park

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I accidentally stumbled upon Audubon Park while exploring Green Springs Park and the Spring-to-Spring Trail in Deltona. Audubon Park encompasses approximately 60 acres and features a nice boardwalk, four small water bodies used for stormwater management and access via the Spring-to-Spring Trail. It’s a great place to get away from it all (I nearly had the entire place to myself!).

Lake Woodruff

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Several months ago, I got the chance to take a brief stroll and sample Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge in De Leon Springs after I hiked a little bit at De Leon Springs State Park (or was it the other way around?). It’s a great spot for hiking, birding and wildlife viewing in general. I need to return here (after hunting season ends!) and explore some more.

Black Bear Hike 2020

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In August, my son and I finally managed to hike the entire 7.1-mile Black Bear Wilderness Loop Area in Sanford. It was a great experience and several miles of the trail run alongside the scenic St. Johns River. We didn’t see any alligators this time out, but we did view two deer along the way. The trail is definitely rugged, so bring plenty of water and bug spray, and prepare to invest at least 3.5 hours if you plan to hike the entire thing. However, a good short hike involves going counterclockwise to the St. Johns River and back for a two-mile stroll.

De Leon Springs State Park

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Due to the global pandemic, swimming at De Leon Springs State Park has been prohibited indefinitely. However, this means that you can enjoy picnicking and hiking here without dealing with the usual frenzied crowds that descend upon this widely popular Florida state park located just north of DeLand. The Wild Persimmon, a four-mile hiking trail, is definitely recommended. In addition, the legendary Sugar Mill Restaurant remains open.

Return to Lake Harney

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Ideally located along the scenic St. Johns River, Lake Harney Wilderness Area is the perfect spot to get some exercise, view wildlife (I almost always see deer out here in the early morning) and social distance (I hardly ever run across anyone else out here during my hikes). There’s even an observation deck for a sweeping view of Lake Harney itself and the surrounding area. So, what are you waiting for? Mark Lake Harney Wilderness Area down on your calendar and get out in the great outdoors!

Circle B Bar Reserve

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After hearing great things about Circle B Bar Reserve in Lakeland, we finally got the opportunity to visit and enjoy just a small sampling of this amazing wildlife habitat. A former cattle ranch on the shore of Lake Hancock, Circle B Bar Reserve encompasses 1,267 acres and contains a diversity of great hiking trails. We saw several alligators and the reserve was also teeming with various bird species. We will definitely return soon to explore other areas of Circle B Bar Reserve. Highly recommended!