Great trails to get lost in! I've been here a few times now and love adventuring and getting lost…read morein the woods. It's beautiful with all of the moss trees and very quiet most of the time, maybe see a person once or twice an hour on a weekend day. I did take away a star since there are portions of the trails that are completely in the open with no shade coverage at all, and times that you're walking on sand which is a bit uncomfortable. I would wear sunscreen and bug spray for those spots. Once you get through them though under the tree coverage it's wonderful!

I joined the Save Split Oak group for a guided hike and had a lovely visit. Highly recommend…read morechecking them out and going with the group as they are so knowledgeable about the flora, fauna, special points of interest, and any questions we had. It's a beautiful area with plenty of trails to wander and experience true Florida nature. There are many options to choose from to have the experience you're looking for for length of hike, shade level, openness, what to see, etc. Hopefully it will remain protected but definitely recommend visiting while you can.

Peghorn Nature Park combines two of my favorite things, history and nature. This beautiful 58 acre…read morepark was established in 1992 by the City of St. Cloud's Parks and Recreation Department to preserve Florida's natural wetlands and protect the area's ecological heritage from encroaching development. The park's unusual name dates back to the early 1900s and honors the local "peghorn" cattle, which were known for their distinctive peg-shaped wooden-looking horns. The park has a Cracker Village, which celebrates St. Cloud's pioneer history. In Florida, the term "cracker" refers to the state's early frontier settlers, particularly cattle ranchers and small farmers. The name is believed to come from the loud crack of the long leather whips these cow hunters used while herding free-range cattle across the Florida prairie. The Cracker Village serves as an open air museum filled with authentic historic buildings and exhibits from the late 1800s and early 1900s. Visitors can explore an old schoolhouse, blacksmith shop, cannery, and other restored structures that offer a glimpse back in time into the daily lives of Florida's early settlers. It's also an educational resource for school groups. Peghorn Nature Park amenities include restrooms, benches, picnic tables with umbrellas, a trailhead center, outdoor classroom, educational center, community gardens, a small playground, bike racks, and paved parking. This park offers Florida history, wildlife, and nature all for free. This was one of my favorite stops in St. Cloud. After exploring the historic village, I headed out to the nature preserve, where you can hike the Blue, Orange, and Green Trails. Several sections of the trails cross boardwalks that wind through nature where you can spot wildlife. During Halloween these boardwalks are transformed into a haunted trail, which sounds like a fun reason to come back.

It's been a long time since I updated this review. Didn't go often last year because it was…read moreliterally under water. Couldn't walk the trail if you tried, though you might have been able to swim it. It's about 40 minutes from my house and the trail is less then a mile anyone. They have an old schoolhouse, a cannery, and a blacksmith building on the premises, so that's pretty cool to see. Once in a while they host pioneer type days, which are fun, but yesterday's was really tiny. Only a couple venders. The blacksmith was there, someone talking about composting, and Shellie's Jellies (best jelly ever! Award winning, great flavors, my fav is the pineapple rum, but all of her jellies are bursting with flavor, except maybe the beauty berry, that one is a bit reserved) The best time of the year to go is Halloween (I'll have to go back and find my pics from last Halloween, insane). Entry is free during the day. Open Mon-Saturday. They have a fright night type of thing Halloween nights, they charge for that If you live close go to see the park often, quiet and relaxing. If you live a little further like me, at least go for Halloween! Oh, yes, the nature trail is now dry, they've cleaned it up, got rid of those horrible pallets, and cut back some of the vegetation so even my 80 year old mom felt comfortable walking through

If I lived anywhere near here, we'd be at this spring every weekend! There were no crowds present…read moreduring our off-season visit on 9-25 and the water was still between 68-72 degrees Fahrenheit. That is how the spring is year-round. We paid a $5 vehicle entry fee to the park, brought our own tubes and stripped down to our swimwear before walking to the start of the run (Rock Springs Run). We found ourselves a slippery rock to launch from and away we went! The current is strong, so you fly through the run pretty quickly up until you reach the "spring head". There were lots of families just hanging out here, listening to music, picnicking and the like. Once you get past that part, the current picks up again. We saw fish, birds, otters, wild turkey and a turtle during our visit. We did not see any gators, thank God! It was so relaxing and serene (aside from a few Bluetooth speakers blasting some tunes). We didn't stay more than a couple of hours, having done the run several times. The park's facilities are meager. The concession stand isn't open during the off-season, the bathrooms were borderline gross, and the lockers were old, small, beat-up and you had to bring your own lock. We opted to cover the windows in our SUV and do our toweling down and changing there. As far as outdoor adventures go, you can't beat the fun you'll have here for $5/vehicle. The water is crystal clear, and you can just float the run if you'd like. Some people were snorkeling and digging for gems/crystals and shark teeth (not sure that there are any really there though). Good, clean fun for people of all ages.

What a beautiful little gem!…read more I've seen Kelly Park - Rock Springs pop up on my Instagram and TikTok SO many times, but I kept reading that it gets PACKED during busy season. My husband and I celebrated 13 years together on September 29th, took the day off, and last minute decided to finally check it out. I'm SO glad we did. It ended up being the perfect way to celebrate our love. We did the lazy river THREE times, and it was honestly exactly what our sore muscles needed. The water was definitely cold, but in the best way! There were spots where the sun would shine through the trees and hit my skin, and it felt absolutely amazing. I also loved that you can find your own little spot along the river if you want to hang out for a while. We brought our own floaty and just relaxed. I didn't really swim, but I tried walking parts of the river and, for reference, I'm 5'1" and the water was around waist-deep for me most of the time. The park itself is HUGE, and because it was nearly empty when we went, it literally felt like we had the whole place to ourselves LOL. They have a concession area, although we didn't grab anything, and the bathrooms were clean. Admission was only $6, which felt like such a steal for the experience. And the best part? It's only about 30 minutes from home for me! So happy we found a new little local gem. Definitely excited to come back!

Beware of the biting insects especially the yellow flies! my neighbor got a bite and her ankle…read moreswelled to three times normal. Wear protective clothing and insect repellents!!! They will chase you

Awesome quiet trail in the lake Nona area , dotted with small ponds and lakes and wildlife ! This…read moretrail has some seating along the way to get some respite from the heat and sun and water stations as well. We love it !

What a lovely day we had at Shingles Regional Park! We started off at 4280 W Vine St Kissimmee,…read morewhich runs past the Osceola Welcome center, Historical museum to the pioneer village. It was very informational and neat to see a little piece of history. Once we were done there we got on the Bridge walkway. We did not realize how long the Park Trail was, which is 17 miles! We decided we are going to rent some bikes when it gets a little warmer and try our hand at finishing the path. However, we did walk some of it though, and it was beautiful. I can't wait to explore more of this lovely park that we ran across! So more review to come:)

Today is was at the Pioneer Day event of Osceola county and wow... blown away!!! What an amazing…read moreand well organized event!!!! So much activities!!! Farmers market, food trucks, petting zoo, horseback rides, live music and dancing, pioneer houses and demos, etc!!! Very impressed with how awesome today was!!

We love the outdoors, we appreciate nature and learning about wildlife. It was a very hot day and I…read morehad a foot injury the day before and still walked the trail. The level of difficulty was just fine for us and the kids, even with my limping. We loved the informative Boy Scouts markers showing the animals that were in the wilderness. Sadly but lucky for us. The sign mentioned bobcats, otters, deer, wild hogs, coyotes, rabbits, opossum, skunk, raccoons, and armadillo. Also there was a bridge made by a Boy Scout as his eagle project. It was done so well. We didn't actually see the animals but we did see very tall birds and the prettiest color of dragon flys. We saw, red, orange, and a tiger patterned wig one. We also saw plenty locusts grasshoppers, and anole lizards. Unfortunately the information center was closed due to covid but the lady working did come out and talk to us. She was supper friendly. Sadly our trip was cut short because of the rain. However if you like the outdoors and love free activities, put this place on your list.

Decided to have an untraditional trip to the Orlando-Kissimmee area. I love nature and when I heard…read moreof the preserve, I had to check it out. My husband and I decided to do the longer of the two hikes (well marked trails, 6-8 miles). Just be warned that although these trails are well blazed and clearly marked there is NOTHING around for miles. In fact we only saw one another person the whole time we were there! Bring plenty of water to stay hydrated. I have to be honest though and say I would not bring children as they will tire easily and most likely be bored. It was so wonderful to be surrounded by beautiful nature. My favorite part is that you cannot hear any cars or city noises. Be warned that you will have to walk through some marshy areas. Disney does its best to provide wooded walking areas but they do not cover everything and both my feet were fully submerged. When you return to the parking lot, the bathrooms are very clean and cool. It was very interesting to learn that the preserve was built as a result of the U.S. Clean Water Act - a law that requires wetlands damaged by human activity to be "mitigated" (replaced elsewhere). The Preserve is a mitigation project established in 1992 with the purchase of 8,500 acres! Although I am upset that so much damage was done, I am over joyed that Disney has taken the proper steps towards making reparations. One should definitely check this preserve out.

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.

We love this park because it has a big playground and small playground more appropriate for…read moretoddlers. The playground is naturally shaded by the trees which is a huge deal in summer. There are swings, two pavilions for events, field, lots of parking and restrooms. The lake nearby is also usable for boats.

Just look at my images of the park it is gorgeous tranquil and peacefulread more

A beautiful state park, gorgeous Spanish moss trees scattered throughout the park. A much bigger…read morestate park than I thought, they have picnic areas, trails, camping, and a few playgrounds. lot of green space. There are plenty of campsites and all have an electric hook up and water at your site. Since 1- 20ish are more open and then when you get further into the campground, it's much more wooded. The campsites are still relatively close to each other, but it's a little more private the further back you go. The wildlife run the park! raccoons come out at night and there's plenty of deer that hang around as well. There are signs everywhere that says do not feel the wildlife so just be cautious of what you leave outside your campsite because you might have nightly visitors. The bathrooms are great, they clean them quite often!

Great Park multipurpose... you can view a lot of animals... ride bicycle.. walk... and navigate to…read morethe lakes