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

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.

Not a bad little hiking trail! About 30 minutes out from Orlando, there is a paved biking trail and…read morethen a shaded walking trail through the woods with a small creek running alongside for part of the trail. The walking trail does not loop so you walk to the end and then back, its about 2.3 miles altogether. It is nicely shaded for a majority of the walk but I would recommend a bottle of water and some bug spray on a hot Florida day! Probably not a place I would go out of my way again to visit given there are some other great trails near Orlando but at least its open during the current shut down if you're feeling stir crazy!

Amazing hike for the whole family! It was challenging for our younger kids and adults alike, but…read moredoable terrain and so worth it! We saw two families of hogs close to the trail, several alligators, tons of birds, and squirrels. I agree with other reviewers-- going right so you do the harder terrain first and have the flatter land when you're more worn out was perfect. One huge tip-- even with bug spray, we were SWARMED with mosquitoes the second it started getting dark-- absolutely attacked. Get out before dusk!

We tackled the 7.1-mile loop at Black Bear Wilderness Area and loved it! True Florida nature vibes…read moreall the way -- we saw turtles, alligators, and even hogs with their babies. The kids came along and had a great time too. The trail is beautiful but has lots of tree roots, so watch your step and wear good shoes. We were definitely sore afterward, but the views and wildlife made it worth it. A perfect day outdoors and one of the best nature trails in the Sanford area!

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.

This community park is next to a short trail thats in between apartments, houses, business…read morebuilding. This a park without a playground however with unique art sculptures. Right next to the museum. The grounds are kept up nicely. I haven't seen many cyclists, however you find people walking and running near the trail

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.

I was here for a wedding, and what stunning scenery this garden has to offer!…read more The venue was beautiful! From the natural beauty of the plants and flowers, to the Garden Room venue. The venue is like a clubhouse with an outdoor portion perfect for event set up. The catering and staff were very friendly and welcoming too! I definitely need to come back and view the garden more, but if this space is a sign of what to expect, then it's going to be magnificent!

It is ok, but mostly uninteresting fairly untended swamp, albeit with boardwalks…read more The rose garden was excellent and in alignment with what I expected, but was atypical of the rest of the grounds. The wedding venue looked like a nice place to get hitched. Admission was free, maybe they would be bettet off charging a few bucks so they could do more with the place. Popular with birdwatchers. I was expecting a higher percentage of manicured gardens and signage, but instead saw many toppled over swamp trees with shallow roots. We did feel safe there, not in sketchy area.

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!

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.

Big Tree Park is a bit out of the way, but it's worth the trip. The raised walkways make it easy to…read moresee the massive, historic trees up close, and it's a peaceful place to wander. The playground is decent, though it could definitely use a little more shade on hot days.

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!

This park is cute. There's a lot to do. Walking trails, playgrounds, fields, and more. Some of the…read moreplaygrounds could have been better kept up with but plenty of parking. No trash laying around.

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.