Howell Branch Preserve is a beautiful park in Winter Park but it is more than just a place of recreation. This is an environmentally important preserve that contains Howell Creek which connects Lake Maitland with Lake Howell. The stream flows north to feed the St. John's River. In 2017, the City of Winter Park purchased 43.4 acres of wetlands and floodplain lands that bordered existing city properties and portions of Howell Branch Creek. All of the lakes in Winter Park drain to the creek in Howell Branch Preserve. The preserve serves the important function of capturing water overflow so it does not flood neighborhoods and it cleans the storm water before it gets to Lake Jesup and out to the middle of the Sr. Johns River basin.
Howell Branch Preserve offers a peaceful escape with plenty of opportunities to connect with nature. Whether you're looking for a relaxing walk or a chance to explore local wildlife, this well-maintained and scenic spot provides an engaging outdoor experience. The 10.38 acre preserve has a finished park area surrounded by wetlands and natural habitat located on the north side of Howell Branch Road, west of Temple Drive. Amenities in the park include a large playground, boardwalk and observation deck overlooking the wetlands, fitness trail with exercise equipment that uses your own body weight to work out, a picnic pavilion, restrooms, and open lawn area for play or unstructured games. A gravel parking lot is available at the entrance to the fenced in preserve.
The City of Winter Park owns another 50 acres parcel beyond the park. Plans are in the works to create trails so that people can hike to other city properties and even into Maitland. I love that Winter Park is committed to increasing parks in the city and to protecting important ecologically areas like this one that are critical to water health which impacts the entire environment. I can't wait to see how this area continues to develop. read more