Bear Creek Trail was a fun discovery on a recent trip to Winter Springs. There is a small parking…read morearea at the trailhead. From the parking area the trail radiates in both directions through a small hammock area with ancient cypress, oaks, and cabbage palms. The natural area serves as a floodplain buffer between two neighborhoods in the Tuscawilla community. The trail is maintained by the City of Winter Springs. Bear Creek Nature Trail is narrow and sandy. It runs parallel to Bear Creek. There are changes in elevation which makes it more interesting and you cross two small bridges. When you are high above the creek you have to be cognizant of your footing so that you don't accidentally step off the trail and fall. There are also picnic tables available. The length of the trail is .9 of a mile. Bear Creek Nature Trail was an easy and fun hike and I enjoyed the view of the creek. It also had the added bonus of being mostly shaded and bug free!

awful do not recommend. I couldn't even stand up from over five seconds straight before freaking…read moredirt slid out from underneath me and I fell into like 20 different rivers only like a mile we ended up like 5 miles away from where we started and I was drenched in water for how many times I fell in the creek bro. I've probably got one or 23 amoeba's in my dick right now, dude if I get sick, I'm suing the creek

Great place for a hike walking through the various trails available. So much nature around you…read moreforget about city life for a bit. You see all types of animals and plants as you walk along, beautiful view. I love the fact that so much wilderness has not been disturbed. If you need to get away this is a lovely place to do so. So calming and peaceful being with nature. The cross Seminole trail goes through here. I love to ride my bike here then explore one of the trails. They have picnic tables available to sit and have a snack or lunch. I really hope they continue to preserve this land for years to come so plenty of others are able to enjoy.

Spring Hammock is a 1,500 acre preserve on the shore of Lake Jesup. The ecosystem contains hydric…read morehammocks, floodplain forests, pine flatwoods, and upland mixed hardwoods. Two thirds of the preserve is swamp but it also has ancient bald cypress trees, rare cuplet ferns and the largest stand of tulip poplars in Florida. Unfortunately many of these natural wonders are no longer reachable by hiking. The boardwalks in the preserve were built by the School Board for use by the Environmental Studies Center. As they fell into disrepair, the trails were closed off for safety. You used to be able to hike for three miles in the preserve. There is currently no way through it now. Since 2018 The Natural Lands Program has had plans to rebuild the Cypress Boardwalk and a pavilion and add a new rain shelter and wayfinding signage. Here it is 2025 and the boardwalk is still closed although there are signs saying the new trail is coming. According to videos on the internet, ground was broken on the project 8 months ago in cooperation with the county and federal government. The new boardwalk is being paid with a voter approved one penny sales tax addition. While the new boardwalk is being completed there is still one large cypress tree that is still reachable. You can find Lady Liberty in the Big Tree Park portion of Spring Hammock Preserve where there is a short boardwalk to reach the tree.

Great trial to connect to nature. Lots of wildlife and natural Floridian terrain. 10/10read more

This is a pretty nice trail. It's a 7 mile trail with plenty of things to see like the St John's…read moreRiver. I recommend coming early in the morning to avoid the Florida heat. You'll definitely feel the mugginess in the afternoon. Though it is a popular place to hike. It was actually quiet and peaceful. It's an easy trail but I wanted to challenge myself so I did it with a weighted vest on my back. In fact, I passed a few other hikers with weights on too . so if you're training for something, this place is it.

I enjoy strolling around the Loch Haven Park admiring the artwork, lakes and occasional visits from…read morewildlife. There are three lakes, museums, two theaters, walking/jogging paths and plenty of parking. Pets are also welcome. They are open daily from 6am to 11 pm. The park host lots of outdoor festivals and activities throughout the year.

Highlight of my trip to Orlando. I'm not into the overstimulation that Orlando is famous for, if…read moreyou're looking for a little peaceful contemplation and relaxation come here for a leisurely stroll. There are interesting and tasteful sculptures distributed among the well planned horticulture. I love this park. There are a couple of ancient Oak trees. I'm sad to see the native green anoles are being over run by the invasive brown anoles, but they are both cute. The perfect break if you're in town for a busy convention or meeting. If you're coming to visit the art museum, plan on an hour or so to stroll through this park.

Lake Jesup Park is a passive 6-acre green space that has a boat launch onto Lake Jesup and a picnic…read morepavilion. Lake Jessup is notable for being the home of over 13,000 alligators giving it the highest concentration of alligators in Florida making this a great park for wildlife viewing. Next to the picnic pavilion is a memorial to 12 people who lost their lives during Florida's deadliest tornado outbreak which took place in this area on February 23, 1998. Many of the victims were mobile home residents. Five year old Ashley Himes lost her mother Penny, Penny's fiancé Kevin Taylor, and her grandparents Edward and Debra Hall in the tragedy. Forty people in total died in Central Florida when the tornadoes swept through on Feb. 22 and into early Monday. In Lake Jesup Park there is also a trail to the Lake Jesup Wilderness Area. It is located near the picnic pavilion. This conservation area was purchased to protect the environmentally sensitive area around Lake Jesup. The shallow marsh habitat is a haven for migratory birds.

Late Jesup Park is a pretty cool park that surrounds Lake jesup. I guess you could kind of figure…read morethat out by the very name of the park. This park is not far off of Interstate 417 and is on South Sanford Avenue. It is also pretty easy to find. Just run south Sanford Avenue to the end and you go right into the park. The big appeal about this park is obviously the view of the lake. As a side note, Lake Jesup it's supposedly the most alligator infested Lake and all of the country. Just a pretty cool little tidbit. All in all, I would definitely recommend a visit to this park.

The Gardens are beautiful and a great place to reconnect with the world. We went to see the…read moreNight-Blooming Cereus. It's a once a year blooming that is amazing. The trails are an easy walk and quite beautiful. I highly recommend it.

i had a great time walking around this garden located in winter park. there was a wedding…read morehappening, a family gathering elsewhere by the river, & the whole space was buzzing w/ summer energy. there is a whole area of the garden i have yet to explore but good thing is - it's free! i was a little lost on the map, it would have been nice to have a more clear distance gauge because some of the lines look like the trail is super long when in reality it's not and just the placement of buildings/parking too. i'll be back to conquer that map !! or maybe i'll stay a while and smell the roses.

Amazing place. Fairly easy to get to and lot of wildlife. Few trails for hiking, no horseback…read moreriding. Beautiful lake. Picnic area and I think that's about it. Oh you can camp there and they do have Occasional hunting

This has to be one of the MOST beautiful state parks in Florida! Its 18 thousand acres occupy Lake…read more& Seminole counties. The park is managed by the Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection. Opened 8:00 - 8:00 seven days a week, this is where you come for excellent hiking & wildlife observation. You'll also see lots of fishing & boating. There is; however, no water access from the North end, which is where you'll find the equestrian campsites. Afraid to lose my phone on the trails or in the water, the pictures are from the web; I did not take them, but wish I had. You've got to visit this gorgeous park. It's a very special state park. I cannot wait to return!

Popped by Big Tree Park this past weekend, and what a nice little park. It is located within the…read moreSpring Hamock Preserve. The park is home to The Senator, a large cypress tree that was 3,500 years old (sadly, it was mostly burned down in a fire), and Lady Liberty, aged 2,000 years (to name a few). While the trees themselves are the lure, the park does have some amenities like a playground, public restrooms, and areas to sit down, eat, and relax. The park has raised walkways, and the canopy of overhead tree coverage creates a cool escape from the Florida sun. Just come prepared with some bug spray - the mosquitoes are at play with all the humidity. Also, they have a handful of plaques throughout the park that provide a brief history of the trees and the park itself. All in all, it was a quick little side quest with a nice little history lesson infused. There is a good amount of parking, and it is truly a quiet and peaceful little park. If you are in the area, it's worth the detour.

Big Tree Park is located in a corner of Spring Hamock Preserve. The park is famous for having the…read moreThe Senator, a champion bald cypress that was 3,500 years old. The tree was named for State Senator Moses Overstreet, who owned the land around the tree and donated it to the county in 1927 for use as a park. In 1929, President Calvin Coolidge visited the Senator for the park's dedication. The Senator was a popular tourist stop for many years. The Seminole Tribe of Florida used the tall cypress as a landmark, and in the 1800's sightseers paid for buggy rides through the swamp, then hopped a series of logs to make it to the tree. A boardwalk was added to make it easier to access The Senator. Sadly it burned down in 2012 in an arson fire caused by a drug addict. Visitors to the park can see the remains of The Senator along with some informational signage. Big Tree Park is also home to Lady Liberty, a 2,000 year old historic Bald Cypress, and the Phoenix, a genetic clone of The Senator. While the trees are the real draw to the park it also has a cute playground in the center island, which lets kids play inside a replica of a cypress trunk. There is a picnic pavilion and restrooms if you want to bring a lunch. Big Tree Park is a stop on the Cross Seminole Trail used by cyclists and runners.

This park is more about sport fields than about getting back to nature. They have baseball fields…read moreand soccer fields. They also have a children's playground and an amphitheater. Across the street, I saw a football field, but i do not know if that is part of the park. There is plenty of parking, which is definitely a good thing. I am positive that the community has embraced these sporting fields and are making memories here.

I went for the Winter Wonderland 2025 Drive-Thru. It was a beautiful light display that helped me…read morereally get into the holiday spirit! The people helping to direct the traffic were kind and friendly - all with smiles on their faces and waving us along. There was music you could hear at certain parts (I wish it was louder and we could hear it the whole time). There were two parts where there was "snow". I definitely would have loved more of that being a Florida girl craving a winter wonderland! I was so grateful to attend and drive through and that it was free! So worth it!

I consider this one of my secret spots. I have been going here for years and every time I do the…read moretrail, I find something different, and feel something new. Sometimes I come here to write or draw or read or think. I like that the trail is soft which makes it easy to jog on. I love that there are many options within the trail that helps you customize your experience depending on the time, energy, and desires that you have. This is definitely one of the spots that I repeatedly go to in order to feel grounded and get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. It's pet friendly, feels super safe, and has beautiful trees.

One of my fave hiking areas! The only con is that there are no restrooms so prepare accordingly…read more You'll see lots of lovely trees, rabbits, tortoises, birds, and the occasional snake, and there is a nice river at the end of the loop with shaded banks to rest.