One of my favorite early morning strolls is to wander around Gemini Springs Park in DeBary and take in the amazing scenery of this 212-acre natural oasis. And it’s the only park so far where I’ve viewed a bobcat, a very special experience (unfortunately, he/she darted away quickly before I could snap a photo)! I return to Gemini Springs Park regularly and always find something new to discover. Don’t miss it!
If your travels take you to Gainesville and you want to view some wildlife, make sure you add Sweetwater Wetlands Park to your travel itinerary. A thriving habitat, Sweetwater features 125 acres of wetlands and ponds teeming with wildlife such as alligators, birds and even Florida cracker horses (although we didn’t see any during our most recent outing). Wander through 3.5 miles of crushed gravel trails and boardwalks at this serene nature sanctuary just minutes from downtown Gainesville.
Nestled between Lake Beauclair and Lake Carlton, scenic Trimble Park never fails when it comes to wildlife viewing. The past two times I have viewed two different alligators sunning on the same log (see above). Also, if you are going for a hike, make sure you visit the boardwalk toward the back of the park. Very cool!
Surrounded by sprawling residential developments just west of bustling Flagler Beach, Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park is a welcome natural respite from all the “progress” of modern life. Nestled in a scenic wooded area along the banks of Bulow Creek, this Florida state park contains the ruins of a sugar mill that was built around 1830 at the briefly thriving Bulow Plantation and burned by the Seminoles in 1836. Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park also serves as the northern trailhead of the 6.8-mile Bulow Woods Trail, which runs south through Bulow Creek State Park (home to the spectacular Fairchild Oak).
For obvious safety reasons, swimming and tubing are not currently allowed at Rock Springs. However, this means that hikers and wildlife viewers have a great opportunity to check out Kelly Park without the throngs of people that usually descend upon Rock Springs throughout the entire summer. In fact, once you head out a little ways on the scenic 1.5-mile Kelly Loop Trail, you will pretty much have the whole trail to yourself. The last two times we’ve visited, we were lucky enough to view some deer, including the fawn pictured above.
A visit to Lake Lotus Park in Altamonte Springs can be tricky, but it’s definitely worth the effort! For example, it’s only open Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. On weekends, you will have to park at the offsite parking lot and take the tram over to the park. Highlights of Lake Lotus Park include 120 acres of woods and wetlands, one mile of raised boardwalk, playground, education center, picnic pavilions, barbecue grills and a fishing pier.
A trailhead for the 17-mile Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail, Boulware Springs Park and Historic Waterworks is the site of a 19th-century waterworks building that provided the water supply for the City of Gainesville back in the day. Believe it or not, Boulware Springs produces approximately 194,000 gallons of water daily that flows into Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park.
“I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees.”
– Henry David Thoreau
Two days. Thirteen miles. 11 deer sightings. Many osprey sightings, among other bird species. Riverbend Park. Jupiter. Don’t miss it!
With a 1.5-mile-long boardwalk that meanders over vast sand dunes and overlooks white-sand beaches, Smyrna Dunes Park in New Smyrna Beach is the perfect spot for a family outing! We spotted dozens of gopher tortoise burrows, but the weather was a little too chilly for the friendly critters to leave the confines of their homes. We will be back soon!
