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).
Leesburg
Venetian Gardens
Seeking some solitude for reflection? Head out to Venetian Gardens in Leesburg! This unique city park features seven small islands connected by bridges. It’s full of wildlife and scenic landscaping. We saw the purple gallinule above just wandering across one of the bridges. The Venetian Gardens overlook Lake Harris (you can even catch a glimpse of tiny Monkey Island in the distance). Check it out!
Bourlay Historic Nature Park
Nestled alongside scenic Lake Griffin in Leesburg, Bourlay Historic Nature Park features several short hiking trails, along with an old Florida cracker house (which serves as a visitor center), 1930’s Bourlay House and Barn (a private residence but one of the trails goes right by it), chickee hut, small fishing pier and kayak launch.
Hike #48: Flat Island Preserve, Leesburg
Hike #48: 52 Hike Challenge: Flat Island Preserve, Leesburg. I arrived early at the 2,300-acre Flat Island Preserve in the Okahumpka Marsh and was the first one there and (briefly) had the whole island to myself. The trail system here is well maintained (and marked) by the Florida Trail Association. Don’t miss a chance to check out the scenic boardwalk. I will be back! Distance: 3.7 miles.
Wandering Florida 