The Enchanted Forest Sanctuary in Titusville, Florida, is a 470-acre nature preserve. It is a flagship Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) property and offers visitors an opportunity to experience one of Florida's most diverse natural landscapes. In 1911, Edgar W. Ellis, J. H. Beckwith, and a consortium of developers established the Titusville Fruit and Farm Lands Company after acquiring 22,500 acres of marshland within the historic Delespine Grant. Their ambitious goal was to drain the wetlands and convert them into productive farmland. What they failed to appreciate was the massive coquina rock ridge hidden beneath the landscape. Excavation equipment proved incapable of cutting through the rock, preventing completion of the project's main canal. Without adequate drainage, the venture collapsed financially. Ironically, this failed engineering project was the very thing that helped preserve the land in its natural state. Nearly a century later in he 1990s, the property was designated for conservation, becoming the very first acquisition under Brevard County's Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) Program. On August 27, 1999, the Enchanted Forest Sanctuary officially opened to the public. Today, visitors can explore a unique ecosystem where northern temperate and southern subtropical habitats overlap. The sanctuary contains five distinct habitat types, oak scrub, mesic hammock, hydric hammock, wet prairie, and pine flatwoods that support abundant native wildlife. You may see gopher tortoises, white-tailed deer, bobcats, Florida scrub lizards, and even the rare Eastern indigo snake. More than 4.5 miles of well-maintained hiking trails starting at the visitors center wind through the preserve, making it excellent for hiking, wildlife observation, birdwatching, and nature photography. The Management & Education Center features interactive exhibits that explain the sanctuary's natural history and diverse habitats. You may want to stop in here first because the center also offers trail maps, restrooms, and a water fountain for visitors. On weekends, the sanctuary offers free naturalist-led guided hikes lasting approximately 45 minutes and covering about one mile of the trail system. These walks typically include portions of the Coquina, Biodiversity, Mesic, Tomoka, and Tortoise Trails while introducing visitors to Florida's endangered upland ecosystems and the plants and animals that call them home. One of the preserve's most distinctive historical features is the network of overgrown canals, remnants of the failed agricultural project from more than a century ago. Now recognized as a Florida Heritage Site, these canals stand as a lasting reminder of an ambitious engineering vision that nature ultimately reclaimed. Enchanted Forest Sanctuary is one of Titusville's true natural gems. It's a beautiful place where history and nature exist side by side. Unfortunately when I came when the weather was pushing a 105 degrees. They were also doing a prescribed burn on some of the trails so they were closed and the air was smokey. For the most enjoyment I recommend visiting during the cooler months of the year. read more

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This is such a great spot for walking/running. There is a parking lot out front, hardly ever a crowd 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. read more

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

What a great place to spend an hour or 2 and it's free! Walked all the routes in flip flops so it's easy terrain. Saw lots of turtles and lizards luckily no snakes:) Trails of all lengths from .1 to .7 or even 1 mile , all easy and the time flies . Bathroom on site and it's clean. read more

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This is a lovely area to hike in Titusville. There are multiple trails to choose from - several loops and short options. I would say it is not wheelchair accessible overall although there are a few boardwalks. There is a nice mix of habitat - scrub, forest and swamp. There is also a small education center and gift shop! read more

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Absolutely lovely place to walk in nature. Each trail has a different floor, coquina trail is Sandy and dirt, another trail is covered in pine needles while another is covered in oak leaves. Fascinating info about the canal that is there covered in palms and vegetation, was built in the early 1900s to divert water from St John river to create farmland. Never completed. You can see it clearly from the coquina trail. Worth the drive from Orlando. Nice education center that is open to all. read more

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Glad this park is in the neighborhood. Great way to get out the house and soak in a little nature. The path is not paved and feels like it's been left in it's true natural element as much as possible. read more

Enchanted Forest Sanctuary - Walking path - Hiking Near Me - Titusville, Florida

It's quit relaxing and shaded thick brush and canopy. You could choose to walk shorter trails if you had small kids or go all the way back for a 1 mile route either way we spent about an hour and half walking around. There is a nature center up front with a gift shop and rest rooms and other nature info. I notice a few oaks along the mile long trail that were just huge! Was nice seeing them. I didn't see any snakes on my visit, but I'm sure they are there there's a swampy area towards the back and the trails are not very wide. As we walked Single file thru the park and not side by side We watched our steps carefully. Lots of birds chirping and a couple squirrels. Worth stopping by read more

Enchanted Forest Sanctuary - Trails - Hiking Near Me - Titusville, Florida

The cutest little nature walk in Titusville. We haven't got to see the visitor center yet as we arrived late in the afternoon near closing but we walked a good portion of the trail and it was really nice. It is mostly dirt paths but the views are quite pretty. I love the water trails and all the beautiful greenery. Part of the trail is shaded so it's not that hot to walk. While on our walk we saw the happiest gopher turtle. I enjoyed the various signs indicating the plant species. One of our favorite parts was seeing the exit sign with all the Sitings visitors have had hand written. We added ours. Overall a great way to stay socially distanced and have some outdoor fun with the family. read more

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This is a cool Park! As far as the nature part of it goes it's in the woods area that's mostly Florida native landscape. It didn't feel like a whole lot was going on but then again I'm from Florida and grew up here. This park has quite a few trails. There's a couple loops are all over 1 mile and if you did them all in one day I think it added up to about 10 miles. The park has some really neat features I'm sure you could rent some of these features out and buildings out for special events. The trail I went on did offer a bit of shade and a nice little relaxing experience. The spark does have some wildlife. All I saw today what's some gopher turtles. The one we walked into was very friendly it seemed to actually follow us down the trail as if he was looking for food. I would definitely visit this park again and try some of the other trails that they have. read more

Enchanted Forest Sanctuary - Hiking Near Me - Titusville, Florida

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This place was a great stop for a hike. Spent about 2 hours or more on all the trails they had. Plenty of lush walkways and scenery rest areas if you need them but over nature just beautiful and free Saw some beautiful and unique turtles they were pretty epic to see. Not the mention little baby random piglets and all the beauty that nature had to share definitely a family or solo length of trails to explore. It was a little hot but the canopy of trees on certain Trails made up for the hotter shade less routes taken as well. The sanctuary offers an education center to give insite as well on all the trails and things located in the park that give you better understanding of what the sanctuary does and how it promotes a great ecosystem all in one amazing stop. Make sure if your in Titusville check the place out. It's also completely free of cost as well. Bring the family and make some great memories. read more

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What a delightful hiking spot. They have a pretty detailed map, well marked paths, and a combination of their trails to make for a good 5K walk. You can make it longer by exploring the different areas of the trails. The paths are pretty wide in most spots, but other parts are narrower, so be aware of that (pants over shorts for some areas). They made it nice for the areas that can get damp by building wooden walkways. I'd still recommend hiking boots as some of the trail is sandy and soft, but it's not as woodsie as some of the hiking trails in the area. The "Welcome Center" for lack of a better term has some nice restrooms and other areas to explore and learn about stuff. I would definitely come back to hike here as there were some hills which made it more of a hike than some of the other flat spots around. read more

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We only discovered this place because of the geocaches located here. Glad we found this small gem of a nature area even on a gray and rainy day. The volunteer who checked us in was friendly and helpful. We went on one short hike since it was late in the day and also we got caught in a brief downpour. We were impressed by the well marked trails and the very good condition they are in. We also liked the gopher tortoise display near the parking lot. If we are ever back in the area I would definitely make more time for exploring this sanctuary. read more

Enchanted Forest Sanctuary - Biodiversity Trail - Hiking Near Me - Titusville, Florida

I drove over from Orlando today to check this place out and let me simply state that it was an incredible place to walk and soak up the simple majesty that nature holds. I pulled in and signed in for my hike. I noticed a calendar of events and that they had a yoga class going on in a screened in room. There are a few trails to select. I walked two of them and both were fantastic. As I walked beyond the threshold of civilization, I was immersed in the Florida that is becoming increasingly less and less as development takes away the raw, real natural beauty that Florida possesses. This park has well labeled trails, informational signs, and benches to either rest or just sit back and chill. This was my first time at this park, but I see myself returning. I truly enjoyed my time here. read more

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Enchanted Forest Sanctuary is a magical place to spend a couple of hours while getting some outdoor exercise! It's completely free to visit, and there are facilities available (restrooms and drinking fountains) once you pull up in the circular parking lot. The nice young lady at the front checked me in (they log your name and where you are from) and handed me a map, recommending for me to start with the Biodiversity Loop trail. There are several different walking paths available. The trails are beautiful with plenty of nature to view along the way. I spotted a bunny, a few tortoises (including a baby tortoise!), and several species of birds (including one hawk). And of course, plenty of trees, Spanish moss, and plants. There are benches to sit on throughout the trails so if you get tired you can take breaks before continuing on. Everything eventually connects, which is good for people like me who struggle with maps, and you can follow the signs for guidance. I got to complete several of the trails. It was peaceful and felt mostly secluded, although I did encounter other hikers on the Coquina Trail. They also conduct tours, which you can book online in advance. Overall it's a beautiful forest and it was a great experience. I definitely plan to revisit in the future so I can finish exploring the remaining trails! read more

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Nice trails. Best to go when it's not too hot out. Quiet and enchanting! Well go back!

Open Tue-Sun, 9-5. There is a good amount of parking, easy trails, well maintained, great signage so you know what trail you're on, several trails with shade, and peaceful. They have a clipboard at the beginning to sign in if you're hiking. Bathrooms are in the building and can be accessed from the parking lot or inside. Saw several families with kids, so good for all ages. read more

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There's a hiking desk to sign in at and then my 4yr old and I set off on the Coquina trail and connected to the Biodiversity Loop. Well maintained. Pretty easy but not paved, some stairs, fair amount of sand walking. Mostly shaded aside from a few stretches. We'll be back! Oh and we saw a tortoise!! read more

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471 acres of unspoiled Florida. This is how things looked before we started paving every thing over. This sanctuary creates a nice space for wildlife to thrive. On my recent visit an Armadillo crossed my path and it took him a few moments to notice me on the trail, at which point he scurried off into the woods. There are a number of trails through the sanctuary, and if you hike them all you will walk about 4 miles. There are some very interesting landscapes to walk through, including a mini canyon where the ground drops down about 50feet to the creek below. There are volunteers at the entrance to log you in and help you get started on the tour. I would advise touring here on a cool winters day so you can avoid being pestered by insects. They close at 5 PM so arrive by 3 if you want to walk all the trails. read more

Nonprofit sanctuary! Beautiful and BIG! Definitely recommended to bring some bug spray and water for your walk. Just follow the bear footprints ;) read more

This park has multiple trails of different distance's ranging from just under a mile to the perimeter trail which is a 5k. There are multiple types of terrain but nothing to difficult. You don't need special shoes, although due to the terrain closed toes is a must. Plan to bring bug spray and sunscreen as there are areas with no shade as well as marshy areas with mosquitoes. Be on the lookout for wildlife, gopher tortoises, bobcats wild pigs, you never know!! Take time to checkout the learning center. There are bathrooms here as well. read more

Cute trail! It didn't flood after it rained. It was still hikable. There are different length trails and they are kid-friendly. No pets or bikes allowed, though. read more

I great place for a short hike!!! It was peaceful and not too crowded!! We really enjoyed the walk.

This place is a hidden gem. There's beautiful hiking paths throughout the sanctuary. A butterfly garden, and screened in porch area. Inside there's a classroom with several books and educational material. My kids attened homeschool classes here. The staff is wonderful and knowledgable. They hold several community events that we've attened. There's a picnic area too. read more

This is an awesome place to go for a relaxing walk... or a 100 mile run (Ancient Oaks 100)

We took our two and a half year old grandson for a walk here. It is an easy trail and he had fun on the boardwalks. We went in early March and the weather was beautiful in the mid-seventies. No bugs and it was a dry day with no humidity. The trails are mostly shady and I can imagine on a hot, humid summer day the mosquitoes might be pretty bad...so be prepared! Our little one did not make it the entire trail we chose so we did have to carry him out about the last third of the trail. We did not see any wildlife...saw a few tortoise holes, but no tortoises. The tortoise trail is not shady and it's very sandy. There is a visitor center, gift shop, a few picnic tables and restrooms. We did not go into the visitor center and the gift shop was closed during our visit. There were no fees to enjoy and walk the trails. Definitely recommend. read more

Love it here! Fun to take a nice stroll on Sundays! Very enjoyable and relaxing. Take the whole family. You won't regret it!

Very easy to follow trails, beautiful well kept land. There are 8 different trails, most will overlap so u can always go from one to the next, easy markings and walkways to not get lost, there are some tortoise walking around , beautiful flowers , and a lot of areas were shaded which was very nice considering the August heat. Sign in at desk at front and go explore. read more

I came here on a week day and there was hardly no one visiting the forest, which made it easier for parking as seemed limited. The forest has lots of areas for walking and spending time in nature. I honestly came expecting more; maybe something really "enchanting" or magical, but after an hour or so, I was already feeling bored; seeing the same. The place is beautiful indeed, but I guess my expectations were way too high. I came from Kissimmee, Fl. read more

Love turtles and this is where to find them. Peaceful enchanting spot for observing nature

Beautiful beautiful place to walk. The trails are easy and short, but if you want to walk more you can combine several of them to make a longer walk. It is a nice place to take visiting family or to take a significant other. I loved their resident tortoise and butterfly garden especially. Their nature center has a cool footprints in the sand hands-on activity for the kids as well as other learning activities. Very clean and picturesque. There is no charge either! read more

Very cool trails especially the coquina trail where in 1911 they try to dig out a canal for were stopped by the Coquina rock. read more

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Great trails. Lets be honest hiking in Florida is pretty much walking around outside, but that said they offer a variety of trails and trail combinations. They have information plaques set up throughout to give you insight to your surroundings. I always enjoy going out there and suggest you give it a try. read more

Nice and convenient to the Space Coast bedroom communities. We like to wander the trails and watch the wildlife. Wildlife is not as numerous as other refuges in the area, this is mostly for trees and wildflowers. read more

Well maintained and pretty trails. There's more than enough parking, clean indoor restrooms, water fountain, and an information center. The trails are pretty short, most of them less than a mile, but we combined several of them into a 3 mile hike. read more

Walking & Learning trails wander through timeless Scrub, Mesic, and Hydric ecosystems with their wide variety of endangered and threatened species. Highlights: - There are up to 5 miles of intersecting trails. - Guided nature walks on Saturday mornings at 10 - A bit of history on the Addison Canal - A small learning center inside for kids (and big kids too) We would go again. Although, I knocked off a star since it is a domestic pet free walk, so no chance of multi-tasking by wearing out the dogs. Native pets are welcome, and sightings of tortoises, bobcats, etc are better with smaller groups :-) read more

Live so close yet haven't been their in years,, I remember liking it... Need to make a visit soon....Soace

Nice park. Trails are well identified and fairly easy. Plenty of wildlife with different habitats all within the same park. Use caution driving in and out, there were a number of turtles crossing the drive way as we were departing. Pets aren't allowed which was a bummer but you can't beat the price of admission ($0)! read more