














Green Springs Park serves as a trailhead for the Spring-to-Spring Trail and the East Central Regional Rail Trail, but the highlight is the amazing mint-green sulfur spring and short but scenic hiking trails.















Green Springs Park serves as a trailhead for the Spring-to-Spring Trail and the East Central Regional Rail Trail, but the highlight is the amazing mint-green sulfur spring and short but scenic hiking trails.
There is one bright spot to the frigid cold that has engulfed Central Florida during the winter of 2026. Hundreds of manatees can be viewed at Blue Spring State Park in Orange City!








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!






Green Springs Park in Deltona features a series of very short but scenic hiking trails. I suggest parking at Green Springs Park and wandering around a little bit, and then hiking to nearby Thornby Park via the Spring-to-Spring Trail. It’s a great way to spend an early Saturday morning!





Green Springs vs. Gemini Springs? Each is amazing in its own way. Best of all, they’re about five minutes away from each other! So, you can easily hike around both like I did on an early Saturday morning. What are you waiting for?








1st Stop: Green Springs Park, Deltona
2nd Stop: 1871 DeBary Hall, DeBary
3rd Stop: Gemini Springs Park, DeBary
4th Stop: Swamp House River Front Grill, DeBary

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.
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.