What an amazing oasis this place is. There's so many hiking trails. I wouldn't even know where to…read morebegin. My visit was brief, but beautiful. I would have to take a whole day to even begin to remotely explore this springs Park. I was hoping to see the fluorescent green water, but it wasn't that way this time of year. Either due to the weather or the time of year, I'm not sure. But I will be back. I will see that water yet!

Such a beautiful Florida hidden gem! Green Springs is a small, easy hike that's perfect when you…read morewant to get outside without committing to anything too long. The spot where the river and spring meet is pretty cool, and the water is the prettiest turquoise blue -- absolutely unreal. Definitely worth checking out!

We camped over the weekend and had a steady flow of people walking through the middle of our…read morecampsite all weekend. We had to stand at the entrance and route people to the well marked trail. We were constantly told that this is public property and we can walk wherever we please. If it is public property then why do we have to pay to camp? Since we are paying to be there shouldn't that provide us with some kind of privacy? Are we paying to be subjected to people invading our privacy or are we paying to have the area to ourselves.

Hiking picnics and a…read moreriver Hickory Bluffs Preserve is a hiking area that offers several miles of easy hiking on trails that end up right on the St John's River. Nothing difficult or exhausting, most of the trails are soft sand on very flat terrain. Easy to walk but probably not a place to bring a mountain bike. This whole area was probably some kind of farm and most of the trees are on the small and young side. Lots of cool pines, oaks, cypress and saw palmettos with the occasional large, mature and spooky tree thrown in. The hike ends at the St John's River and there is a little picnic area, primitive bathrooms and of course great views of the river. Not a place for a serious hike but a lovely little place for a few hours with nature.

I entered at the Jones East Trailhead, which has plenty of parking and also has restrooms at the…read moreentrance to the trailhead. Walking the trailhead was relatively simple and relaxing. I did encounter a few other people (they were either walking like myself or on a bicycle). The path itself is somewhat narrow, but it was enough for us to pass each other with no real inconvenience. Little Big Econ State Forest is a pretty cool place to check out. Walking the path, it was easy to forget that you were just outside of a major United States city in the twenty-first century. I seek out these spots where I can walk through the trees and forget the troubles of living in a modern city in today's modern world. Little Big Econ State Forest is a cool place to seek out if you are looking for a respite from the hustle and bustle of the modern world.

This state forest is about a 25 minute drive from downtown Orlando. We highly recommend it. They…read moreoffer maps at the start of the trail. So lush and peaceful. The stream along side most of the trail is beautiful. There are many benches along the path that offer a nice view of the scenery with shade. We took our pups and hiked for about 2 miles. The hikes range from 3 - 10 miles. I saw they do offer camping as well. Make sure to pack some water. It was nice to see many tamiles and couples enjoying the outdoors. We loved the variety of scenery and that it has lots of natural shade throughout the hike.

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

This is such a great spot for walking/running. There is a parking lot out front, hardly ever a…read morecrowd when I come. Typically visit in the morning. There is no fee to enter. You do need to sign in at the front desk. Sometimes there is someone at the desk to greet you. There are accessible restrooms inside the main building. There are a few different trials, in which all are marked. Throughout the trials, there are clear signs and markings as you navigate your way through the sanctuary. I love the coquina trial. There are pretty views and I have seen on occasion turtles on my walks.

Requested a guided tou very informative beautiful mile long walk many more trails we fidn t even…read moreventure saw 3 different gopher tortoises first about 15" across then 4" then finally 30" going back will take our grandson

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.

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!

This small quiet park along the St. John's sports tennis and basketball courts, soccer field, and…read more hideaway fishing pier boat launch. While there are some who seem to over-use the amenities, they're not always there and that's when we go. Should say there's also a small play area for play area sake, and bathroom facilities.

A park with water…read more Mariner's Cove Park is an almost fifty acre park that has just about some of everything. Basketball courts, tennis court, baseball and soccer fields, a play ground, hiking trials, picnic areas, clean bathrooms and even a fishing pier and small boat ramp. The park has access to Bethel Creek and from there you can head into Lake Monroe, The St. John's River and across half of Florida. Lots to do in the park but if you want to do absolutely nothing that is fine too. Plenty of peace and quiet and a great place to get aquainted with nature. Lots of huge aquatic birds and if you're lucky you might even see a gator or two. A cool park that never seems to be crowded but always is friendly and welcoming. A place that has just about anything you could want in a park and lets you discover something new everything you go.

Nice park. There is playground equipment for children to climb on which appears to be popular in…read morethe mornings. There is one tennis court which has been available on most occasions when I come. There is a fishing pier over the lake also seems popular with a few fishermen. The only drawback there are no large trees to make shade over the tennis court and playground. On hot sunny days it is very hot and hard to use. Other parks have canopies over the playground which would be nice to have. Second it would be nice if park personnel would blow off the sand and gravel off the tennis court. Overall nice park.

I visit Campbell Park today. I enjoyed the docks on the lake. I liked seeing the ducks on the…read morewater. They have a nice path to follow around the park.

I found Gemini Springs Park in DeBary on Google Maps for a discover a new park day, so stopped in…read more It's huge, with 212 acres and 2 springs! You can hike the trails, kayak on the St. John's River, or fish in Lake Monroe or off the pier. Plenty of parking, picnic tables, BBQ grills, and a cool playground for the kids. Even dogs have their own park! Plus, there are primitive camping sites available. It felt super clean and safe, and parking was easy.

Gemini Springs Park is located in DeBary, Florida, 25 miles north of Orlando…read more Since you can no longer swim here due to high concentrations of bacteria in the waters, visitor attendance can be quite low. And since there's alternative parks situated throughout Central Florida that are swimmable, not many people will make the effort to experience Gemini Springs. In fact, I'd categorize this place as a local town park more than anything. It's free to visit and hours are sunrise to sunset. There were no names or signs for the hiking trails, so at times it felt like I was wandering aimlessly. But, the trees decorated with Spanish Moss exuded southern charm and most corners I turned felt like strolling along a nature trail. There's a dual sided passageway that acts as the centerpiece to the park and is also a dam spillway which (I believe) separates the DeBary Creek waters and the Gemini Springs area. I did spot a gator which almost caught a fish right in front of my eyes. I also noticed a soft shell turtle who appeared to be laying her eggs in the sand and some birds doing fishing of their own. Gemini Springs has picnic pavilions, a playground, a dog park, a fishing pier, plenty of grass to play around, and even camping is permitted here. Lastly, I'd like to highlight a section of the park that turns colorfully vibrant when the sun is shining... - Follow the concrete walkway (which you can't miss). - Then...you'll approach a tucked away corner of the springs. This area can be a rewarding moment for admiring the great outdoors. If you just pause and absorb the surroundings, nature's beauty shines through. It's a refreshing reminder that just because a park isn't as accessible as it once was, doesn't mean it should go unnoticed. I believe Gemini Springs Park can be a worthwhile half day visit.

Beautiful park with a nice playground. The park itself has all kinds of things like a soccer field…read moreand more. It's huge but we only went to the playground area. There's a few benches and picnic tables. It's clean with pretty surroundings.

Chain of lakes Park turns out to be a very large Park. I did…read morenot see any area that was pet friendly. There is an area with playgrounds for the kids. There's an area where they have multiple soccer fields. There's an area where they have multiple baseball fields and practice areas. There's also a public bathroom over by the soccer fields. The walking trails here are paved path and they loop all around the park. Park as miles of walking path. In the back area of the park you will find a pretty tall observation tower which you can get a really good view of the native Florida railway. There's also a few Bridges going over lakes which are prefabricated metal bridges that are fun to walk over and stare into the water. I went on a fairly rainy day and the wildlife was mostly all birds. I saw regular ducks and a lot of different waterfall that I'm unfamiliar with. I also spotted an alligator who was floating around one of the main lakes.