The Welaka mud is soooo amazing!.. You can walk, run and do…read moreexercise, bike and walk dog around there.. The pool is very cold omg and your body feel nice when you get out of the water.

Absolutely beautiful spring. A short mile and a half hike to the beautiful spring. Well worth the…read moretrip

This place is fantastic! It's way, way off the main street! You literally go down a dirt drive (…read morewhich was very well maintained) maybe 2 miles back then reach just a gorgeous natural area right on the water! Beautiful trees and water! It's nice and clean and seems to be very well taken care of, I think you can camp here also.

Very beautiful park! We saw two groups of 3 deer ( possibly the same ones?) while driving on the…read moreloop. I was traveling with someone with a walker and my husband who has limited walking abilities so the long driving loop was great for them and their limitations. However - we had brought a picnic lunch but there were NO picnic tables accessible out of the sun with parking nearby. We did see some tables with lovely shade but there was NO parking at all unless you parked on the grass which was forbidden. I don't know how they expected anyone to get to them unless they were out for a long walk! We finally had to eat lunch sitting in the car and that was sad considering the beautiful surrounding. But aside from the handicap inaccessibilities, we did enjoy the park very much.

CR 13 entrance: This is a very nice, out-of-the-way, conservation area. There is a parking lot…read moreand can park easily. It is a quiet and peaceful place to just take a walk or run. You don't have to worry about crowds and can just enjoy. Why the 3 rating? There are not any restrooms. So, please be prepared for this in advance. There are not any clearly marked trails, so please stick to the path straight in and out so you don't get lost. They do provide a trail map (see pic), but the area is slightly overgrown. There are not any benches or even a downed log to rest on. These things are fine with me, but for this I can't give a higher rating since other places do have these things. Best of all...it's free!

Breathtaking views. From old beautiful trees to highways w covered green branches for miles to a…read morespectacular ocean view. The whole loop is longer than 10 miles and several people will probably try to zoom past, I suggest pulling over and letting them pass so you can enjoy all it has to offer. Also some amazing houses both on the ocean and the Halifax river to see. Overall it's a good day. And there are more than 1 state parks you can detour off on if you like.

This was a lovely drive- plenty of opportunities to pull off for fishing, to put in kayaking or…read morejust enjoy tailgating right there at the waters edge. Classic natural Florida alive and well. The roads obviously flood and often. They had the road closed sign off to the side when we entered the scenic drive and several signs about roads may flood~ obviously- the water is right there! If fact- you should be careful driving or you could easily find yourself taking a corner too fast and ending up in the water! I wouldn't want to drive this at night. Lucky for me- we drove it in bright beautiful daylight and I hung out the window taking snapshots as we drove by. Plenty of people were fishing! Just a good day to be outdoors. I know there is some hiking trails too~ we obviously didn't do that part.

Mountain bike trails are cleared back and are being kept clear. Nocatee Preserve has approximately…read more5+ miles of wildlife preserve single track trails and an additional 7 miles of double track in the beautiful wooded preserve. Nocatee is a quiet trail where you might see one or two groups of people and mostly wildlife. You will have the trails to yourself and it is a perfect way to wind down on your bike after a long stressed week of work. Come out and enjoy a day away from the rat race.

The Good: Nocatee Preserve has tremendous potential to be a…read moregreat trail. You can hike, jog, mountain bike, run, horseback ride and so much more. Bird watching and even photographing nature's finest is also great here. Large variety of plants and wildlife. The MTB trails here are mostly singletracks. It's well maintained for the most part. Great trails for beginners and for those looking to get better. The Bad: Nocatee Preserve Trail is situated in a swamp or I guess, wetlands. Some areas are low lying. At around Mile 2 or 3, some areas tend to flood or collect water especially after some hard rain, which makes it not suitable to hike nor bike towards. In light of this, expect lots of insect activities. The Ugly: During the hotter months (especially Summer months)... the bugs here can be downright vicious. Yellow flies, Horse flies, Mosquitos, amongst others, are VERY VICIOUS. There's also Ticks (I call them NocaTICKS); they give me the eebie jeebies. So make sure you bring and use Insect Repelents. As a matter of fact, just go ahead and bathe in insect repellents. And there's some Pretty: I would say the best time to come here in my humble Yelp opinion, would be between Nov - Feb, when the temperatures are nice and cool. Happy Trails to You!!!

You have to bring water!! It is a nice little trek over to…read morethe grassy part of this natural vista, but the summer Florida sun does not abate itself. There is even a stand with pamphlets and two very nice people manning it, to answer your questions. I imagine there are more alligators to see early in the morning, but I went around 10:30a. A nice long boardwalk with one place to sit and get shade from the great ball of fire in the sky. Beautiful trees, remnants of alligator eggs, and water fowl feeding and foraging. I can imagine that the Alachua sink would be more active, after a big rain. I will def go there a day after a big storm, to see the action of the earth!

La Chua Trail is hands down one of the many great spots in Gainesville for wildlife viewing and…read morestunning scenery. Whether you're a birdwatcher, a photography enthusiast, or just someone who loves a peaceful walk through nature, this trail delivers. We visited in February for one of the Rim Ramble ranger-led hikes, which started around 10 AM. Our guide, Ranger Wes, was fantastic--full of historical facts and insights about the landscape that truly enriched the experience. He painted a vivid picture of the area's past while pointing out key features of the ecosystem. The trail itself is easy to navigate and offers an incredible mix of open wetlands, boardwalks, and views of Alachua Lake. Wildlife was everywhere--majestic sandhill cranes & alligators basking in the sun. The early morning mist over the prairie gave everything a magical, almost prehistoric feel. If you're visiting between November and March, I highly recommend joining one of the ranger-led hikes (most Saturdays) to get a unique experience. Whether you go solo or with family and friends, La Chua Trail is an unforgettable slice of Florida's wild beauty. Tip: Bring binoculars, wear comfortable shoes & long pants , and bug spray. Come early for the best wildlife sightings!

Not my favorite North Florida trail. This trail is kind of…read morean extension of the Palatka - Lake Butler Trail (a winner of a trail) - but pales in comparison. Most of the trail is parallel to a county highway (4 lanes) and you have to cross traffic 3 times! Approximately 65% of the trail is unshaded, making it very hot in Spring & Summer (and most of Fall) On the plus side, there are several trailheads and some of them have bathrooms.

This is a nice trail to ride, but there are others in the area that are nicer. Part of the trail is…read moretucked between nature on both sides. That portion is beautiful, but short lived. Much of the trail is along side the road. The temps were perfect when we rode, but I imagine this part must get very hot on warmer days since there is no shade. The trail is flat and paved. There are also bathrooms, a filtered water dispenser and even a small picnic stop. I'm glad I tried this trail. It's worth returning, but I am inclined to gravitate toward other trails.

Outstanding natural area in Volusia county. Encompass miles of salt marsh shoreline and hiking…read moretrails. It's amazing natural beauty makes it a perfect place to get away and enjoy nature.

What a beautiful place. First the tree that is over 2000 years old. Wow!!! It's fantastic how they…read morehave it as such a prominent feature of the park. For a state park it is smaller as far as 'things to do' outside of hikes but there is a CLEAN real bathroom and dog bags for clean up and clearly marked trails. It is beautiful. Also a few places to sit and enjoy a picnic. If you love nature and just want to take it in this is a good place. Plus it's right on the 'Ormond Scenic Loop' which is gorgeous and a must see on your travels as well.

What a neat little hidden treasure! They've got some lovely trails in here and incredible views…read more There is a kayak launch as well. And loads of different types of camping/cabin rentals available. And a pool! This day I went just to walk the trails and it's amazing how you can feel so far in the woods while still being basically in a neighborhood. The trails aren't very long but plenty to see along the way. I liked the tree house trail and seeing the neat treehouses you can camp in. And the views over the river are gorgeous down the jungle trail. If you need to get out to touch grass, highly suggest this spot!

Such a fun time last night at Camp Chowenwaw!…read more We stayed in one of the treehouses, number 5 to be specific. There was so much wildlife to be heard throughout the night including owls, woodpeckers, and what we think were crickets or maybe lubbers. The bathrooms and shower areas were very clean for a park/camping area. There are different trails to explore along the path to the treehouses, which we didn't have a chance to do. We suggest bringing a sheet or blanket to cover your mattresses. Each treehouse has 2 twin sized bunk beds (total of 4 mattresses). They are VERY uncomfortable, so if you need extra support, you should probably bring a mattress topper/padding. The grills were pretty clean, just need some dusting off before cooking, though, nothing out of the ordinary. Upkeep for everything was great!

Such a beautiful state park! We joked it's the grand canyon of Florida! lol! You pay $5 for each…read morecar to enter, and you can park right at the entrance and walk around or you can drive in to the bottom of the Ravine! I thought this was great cause it's about 2 miles to walk the whole thing and we had kids with us that would have a fit with that much walking. You can stop at multiple areas on the drive in and we walked a short way to the suspension bridge and to the bottom, SO pretty down there! A lake/ spring is at the bottom, with lots of vegetation just a beautiful area! Nice bathrooms are also available around!

The Ravines was enhanced in the 1930's with the New Deal; the ravine is a natural sink hole. It is…read morea Fl State Park and they have several trails through the park and it appears locals walk the trails regularly. What is also nice is they have events there too...festivals. The cost is $5.00 per car. We enjoyed the two hanging bridges , paved pathways, small stream at bottom of ravine...one thing the old, steep rock steps need rails to hold onto! Let it be a Scouts of America project or Garden Club....some organization if the state won't pay. I believe it is a safety hazard. Palatka has a real asset with this park!