This is an incredibly clever park that is a hidden gem for sure! 5 senses indeed, I see they added…read morefruit trees, I hope they allow us to actually pick the fruit! There is sooo much to explore! There is a little boy reading a book statue (with a must see secret book he's reading, just peak inside) The plants and trees are sooo nice and all labeled for educational purposes, there is often a landscaping crew around constantly keeping up on appearances. I met Joe the lead maintenance manager and requested some black tar to be cleaned up off the swing seat under the huge tree near the parking lot, I like to feed my baby there and look up at the tree, there are a lot of bird and squirrel action right there that love the branches and bushes. Joe was so polite and went to take care of it immediately! Wow! There is also a gorgeous bamboo tree garden around a rock fountain. And one of the best things here are the butterflies!! Oh there are so many! They have flowers that specifically attract them so it gets so busy with them, you can sit on the benches or the covered patio tables to relax and enjoy! There is crunchy rock area we enjoy stomping around on, really makes you think back onto the theme with the "feel" sense. There is an amazing compass or solar clock, shoot I forgot exactly but there are just sooo many details if you just stop and look around, like the brick pathway that has people's names on them. One of the best things here is the walk into the forest, there are read along glass framed display cases that usually show a children's book, and other local announcements and events, there must be over 30 of them because my son loves going over it more than once and following along, counting the numbered pages. This park also added a couple of bat boxes, which actually have bats in them! You can hear them squeak! And there is a tortoise I have seen here for years, when you get on the far edge of the path you can actually see his den, a hole not far from one of the bat boxes. This place keeps improving over the years, although it's over due for a good pressure wash, it's still amazing. Great toddler playground and an even better bigger playground with a classy merry go round (you don't see much of those anymore) a ton of variety of swing sets, teeter totters, oh and so much more! Fun for adults too! This place is for people that notice small details and actually enjoy nature. I can go on and on about this place, you just gotta come see it & experience it with all 5 senses!

Every sense lights up here. Smells great, looks great, feels right. We will be back. Service was…read morequick and friendly.

This is a nice preserve at the back of the larger and more forested Oscar Scherer. Set along Honore…read moreAve amidst new decelopments it features a picnic table, crushed shell parking lot that doesn't have much of a sign on the road, and a trail with some offshoots around a body of water. There are cattails. Some wildflowers. 275 isn't far and the apartment complexes are visible and nearby for much of a wildlands experience, but water features, marsh plants, and looking for birds is nice. There's a small canoe launch. Seems to be a trail connecting into Oscar Scherer. I posted a photo of the map as of March 2020. You can take a look at the trail. Nice oasis and I see bicycle riders coming from surrounding area as well as visitors from further afield. Doesn't rank up there with the beaches and wilder preserves and more scenic preserves in the area for me but I enjoyed visit and am glad it's there. Be prepared for some bugs. I got bitten by a horsefly after my hiking buddy took a photo of it on me instead so I coukd tell them what kind of insect it was instead of smashing it..

This is a neat trail with some fun native plant spotting and butterfly viewing opportunists. It is…read morenear to and runs along a blackwater creek (tannins). I will note that the biting insects, giant horseflies the size a Volkswagen Beetles, and 3-foot mosquitoes are pretty vicious here, perhaps because of the creek and possibly horses in the area. If you aren't a runner this area will get you started real quick. If you can get a guided walk from Big Waters or the Sarasota County Parks department you will see more sights and learn more otherwise have at it with a plant guide or app. Take lots of pics. The Curry Preserve East entry is a very small driveway (blink and you'll miss it) just north of the park and a grassy parking areas for the East entrance. There is also a West entrance and the parks i being expanded in 2026 which is pretty neat. Quite a bit of Caesar weed especially along the borders. But some cool wildflowers and vines. Fire has been excluded from the area so it is a bit overgrown and jungley. Plenty to see and fun to walk as long as you're prepared to be hunted by voracious blood sucking Florida beasts with the appetites of lions. Soeaking of food Word of Mouth is pretty nearby for breakfast or a late lunch. Enjoy.

A beautiful landscape thanks to a trust fund. The trailhead has a helpful map. Take a photo…read morebefore starting your trek. You have an option for a 3.3 mile loop or a shorter inner loop. I was planning for the larger loop but ended making a haphazard figure eight. The trail has numbered markers. The only problem is the roads often fork, which are not always on the map. Also, I could not find the observation tower because there was no signage. I easily walked five miles, more than I intended. Also, my photo dis not capture that section near 10. Murphy's Law at work. During March, I did not need bug spray but I am glad I brought extra water. The beginning and last half mile offers little shade. Trail section 12-14 is in a wetland area and close to the highway. It was also a bit uneven. A nice array of fauna and wild irises in the wetland area. In order to see the river, you need to take a detour from one of the offshoots. I recommend number six, which also has a picnic table.

Definitely a great hiking or running circuit. Some lovely view spots along the way. Gopher…read moretortoises. Known as gophuses to my lil. There's also a close in wilder narrow river trail for the firdt section. A loop is always a good trail design. This trail includes some nice sandy flatwoods and old wooded.oak sections with lota of air plants.covering the trees. Recommend.

I'm so glad that Walton Ranch Preserve is opened to the public…read more Great walking place and what is even more exciting it is a wonderful biking area. You can bike for miles on well kept dirt roads,best time to go is the dry season,after rain the Preserve could flood. I loved biking through the Cattle fields.Beautiful and timeless experience. Lots of cows few babys too.So beautiful and peaceful. Walton Ranch Preserve is not well known even by the locals,it only went public a few years ago. So this place is never too busy.Planty of free parking. Only has a porter potty,no real restrooms. Bring planty of water and plan your trip ahead. Not all the trails are well marked,so best if you make a map before heading out for your first hiking trip. As far as biking the best way to go is north from the parking lot kinda towards the Myakka State Forest although it is a long way from there. I think the farthest we went was about 8 miles. Beautiful,beautiful unspoiled Florida. For that 8 miles it was flat,hard packed dirt road,easy to ride even with a bicycle without any gears. No motorized vehicles. Safe with the kids. Minimal traffic. My only wish would be that I could take my dog on a leash here. Other than that it is fairytale like!

We had a great time walking the preserve. There is a parking lot with a handicapped porta potty on…read moresite that was clean. My sister and I planned to walk a few miles so we brought a backpack cooler with drinks and lunch. We walked a total of 6.5 miles. Most the of the trails did have some shade. There were numerous benches to sit throughout the preserve. We did end up coming to a dead end and had to crawl under the Bob wire fence but was totally worth it as the trail was trees lined and absolutely beautiful. We did see some cattle that moved out of our way. Lots of birds and some baby gators. It was a very nice hike and was worth it. We seen two other people on horses on the trails but besides that very peaceful.

Two full court basketball floors, some tennis courts and great walking trails for this outstanding…read morepark. One may ride bike to Sarasota if inclined, or cross Circus Bridge and bike up and down the Venetian Park Waterway. Clean bathrooms and small nature center. Nice park.

The playground was covered which is amazing with the summer heat. We went after closing so we…read moredidn't get to do the nature center and we also didn't do the trails. We did appreciate the smaller playground for our little one and the bigger playground for our big kids.

Great spot to walk around! Taking 1 star off as I wish there were better signs directing the trail…read more Overall, great spot for a small walk through nature!

Cute park in a somewhat residential area. Parking is…read moretricky, so I parked parallel to the road. ~Green space with ponds and birds ~Exercise stations ~Playground area ~Trail area ~Free

The Punta Gorda Nature Park is located in the middle of Punta Gorda Isles, the largest residential…read morecommunity in Punta Gorda. In the 1990's the land for the 21 acre park was purchased with funds from the Florida Community Trust. The park has several gardens: butterfly, flower, herb and spice with benches and picnic tables. There is a multi use recreational trail winding through habitats including wetlands, pine palmetto forest, salt/high marsh habitats,and disturbed upland. Boardwalks and an observation deck are along the trail. Volunteers maintain and enhance the park and offer nature lectures and training in the outdoor classroom. The park is used for walking, bird watching, photography, environmental lessons, and wildlife observation. Since it is well suited to all of these outdoor activities, it was given the name Nature Park. On my hike i saw a red-shouldered hawk, crabs, and rabbits. The entire walk was approximately a mile. I really enjoyed getting exercise in this beautiful park. Finding this nature oasis in the middle of a neighborhood was one of my favorite discoveries of the day.

The park is a lovely place to meet up with friends. Go for a walk, jog or bike ride. It's just the…read moresounds of nature. I love the texture of the walkway, it really works your legs. Once inside the nature walk there are hidden bridges and nooks to sit. I love this park.