My daughters and I recently visited Oakland nature preserve and had a great time. The trail is well maintained with several different paths and a nice lookout area overlooking the lake. We saw plenty of nature along the way, and the educational signs about the native plants and insects were a nice touch. We even spotted a gator! Overall, it's a great spot to enjoy the outdoors with family, and we'll definitely be back. read more

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It is a nice scenic board walk about 30 minutes. See lubber grasshoppers, alligators, raccoons, frogs, all types of vegetation and flowering trees. Very nice museum as well. We enjoyed it very much and a little exercise. read more

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Top notch nature preserve. Been coming here since a child and they only continue to add new features and to make the preserve more authentic, in accord with the original landscape and ecology of Florida. Truly a gem of Winter Garden, and a must visit if one wants to get a true understanding of how this entire landscape once looked, as untouched as possible in the modern world. read more

Oakland Nature Preserve - sleepy opossum. - Parks Near Me - Oakland, Florida

So magical to see lightening bugs!!!!! I haven't seen any since moving to Florida! This is a wonderful trail to go on at any time, lots of wildlife to view. read more

Oakland Nature Preserve - With a fish as big as he was - Parks Near Me - Oakland, Florida

Absolutely stop here! Beautiful nature. Found this place driving thru Florida. Butterflies and birds galore. 40 minute walk on boardwalk thru the nature full of native plants and trees, and then opens up to Lake Apopka full of gators. Pure bliss sanctuary! We walked up on a coral snake. It slithered on past. read more

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The Oakland Nature Preserve is a great spot to visit to explore nature without having to travel very far from town. They have a great boardwalk to the lake, gardens, and lots of opportunities to learn both self guided or with their awesome staff. Our favorite has been the fall evening event with lighted jack-o'-lanterns and fireflies! They're also conveniently located on the West Orange Trail so it's easy to bike there (with your own or a rental facility a short ride from the Preserve entrance!) and make a whole day in nature! We have biked from there to downtown Winter Garden for brunch as well! read more

Oakland Nature Preserve - Boardwalk - Parks Near Me - Oakland, Florida

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As Biz S states, "a gem near Winter Garden." My husband and I are big walkers. Last year we added to our crew so now our walks need to be stroller friendly. The Oakland Nature Preserve has numerous trails. We tried the boardwalk one Sunday morning prior to going to the Clermont farmers market. The boardwalk is shaded with all the greenery and has plenty of benches to stop along the way. It leads out to a dock overlooking Lake Apopka. It was very peaceful. There is also an information center that was closed, but the restrooms were open and were in decent shape. There is also plenty of parking. I highly recommend stopping if you are in the area. We will definitely be back one day. read more

I have been going here for years and never had actually stepped foot inside the cabin! I can't believe what I was missing! The cabin is a child's heaven! There is a snake, tarantula, scorpion, and some other insects. There is also a lovely women on Sundays who volunteers there and teaches you all about the animals in the cabin and out in the woods. My two year old LOVES going there as they have books, games, toys for him to play with while learning about the animals. Out back from the cabins you will find fish and turtles in a tank and also a fun little area with a sandbox that my kid loves to play in. I LOVE Oakland Nature Preserve and am so thankful it's so close to home! read more

This is very nice set of trails just off the West Orange Trail (WOT). There are a few dirt trails at the entrance from WOT, one with a small exercise course. One leads back to an ancient old sinkhole. But the main attraction is the boardwalk to Lake Apopka. The boardwalk is very impressive in length and quality. Someone put a lot of $$ and effort into its construction. This allows it to be very accessible for all ages and abilities. At just over a mile round trip, it's a perfect stroll for anyone even the youngsters. The boardwalk travels through heavily wooded forest above the swamp. At the end of the boardwalk guests are rewarded with a nice view of Lake Apopka and its varied birds and waterfowl. Those friends of Scouting will be impressed with the various Eagle projects in the park. Recommended. read more

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Need a nature fix? This is my favorite go-to just to get outside. You can make it a quick trip or stick around and spend about 4 hours. Options? They've got them. Explore the birding area and you never know what you'll see. Walk the boardwalk out to Lake Apopka and be sure to look for what I refer to as the "nursery" where the baby alligators are always hanging out - roughly 500 feet from the end of the boardwalk. Check out the discovery center and sit on the porch for a little rocking. And yes, there are bathrooms available. This is just off the West Orange Trail if you're on a bike so don't miss it. This time of year (April) they're hosting some firefly walk evenings. Don't miss it. The fireflies are out and the sunset on Lake Apopka is worth the view. Pics coming! read more

I surprised my family with a visit here a few nights ago to see the fireflies and WOW! what a treat! The event was free, but they accept donations. The preserve has ample parking, a nice education building, and really friendly staff. They had a few clean, stocked restrooms. There were tanks displaying local animals. I have fond memories of watching fireflies in the spring and summer growing up and I wanted to share that with my son. He's still very young, but he was quiet and looking around in amazement. The walkway to the water is surrounded by several types of trees, bushes, vines, etc. We also saw a couple different butterflies. The preserve seems to be well maintained. I will definitely keep my eye open for future events at the preserve! Rating from F to A +++, I give it an A+++! read more

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I was hoping to post a video of the fireflies, but no option. I attend Oakland for a lot of nighttime and daytime activities Halloween weekend is great to see hundreds of decorated and carved pumpkins, and there is bird watching season, but the best is the mile walk to the lake. Relaxing rocking chairs staring at the lake hoping to capture glimpses of alligators. This is a special place to get out in nature, relaxing and heal your soul. read more

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This is a beautiful location. Short but picturesque hiking trails with lots of stops to talk about the environment. Great for younger kids. Includes a small museum and learning center. Everyone was kind and welcoming. The boardwalk to Lake Apopka was really nice and the pavilion at the end of the walk is quiet and has a beautiful view of the lake and shore environment. read more

Oakland Nature Preserve - Historic canoe - Parks Near Me - Oakland, Florida

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The Oakland Nature Preserve is located between Winter Garden and Oakland and offers a great opportunity to get out and enjoy nature. It is a 128 acre preserve that is open year round. Their mission is to promote an understanding of the fragile balance between mankind and the environment by educating visitors about Lake Apopka basin's ecosystems and cultural history, and by restoring and conserving the lands within the Preserve. You can support the mission by becoming a member of the Oakland Nature Preserve, becoming a tour guide or by getting involved with the restoration efforts. On my most recent visit the boardwalk trail and museum was closed off but there was still lots to do. The parking lot was full and everyone was keeping a social distance. read more

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Took another morning stroll enjoying the last of the 70s weather. Looks like the boardwalk has been upgraded to Poly-wood. Looks immaculate. I presume they can pressure wash this regularly with no concern for damage. The plants are encroaching into the walkway some but nothing really bad. Probably Covid related maintenance tardiness. First time we we have ever seen gators. Must be baby season? Saw one loner and then two siblings. This is a must do freebie if you choose not to donate. Go, but just have some water in the car for when you return. Restrooms and parking are no problem. read more

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Nice walk, bigger than you think I like that there's so many places to sit and bird watch

This is a nice outdoor spot to walk around and enjoy nature. The longest trail is 0.7 miles so even the really young ones can enjoy it and walk. There is a soothing sounds of birds in the air all around you. Free parking and nice scenery. Great spot to go for an hour or so and get some fresh air read more

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Wow this place is such a gem! There are a few walking trails immersed in a little nature paradise. There were so many animals, from birds (wood peckers abound!) as well as turtles which were freely walking the grounds. Perfect spot if you are looking for a relaxing escape for the day. read more

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We moved to Oakland this summer, and I was looking forward to seeing this preserve after finding great revieas on Yelp. I took my 3 year old early Friday morning - we arrived at 7:30am - in the hopes of seeing more wildlife. The pavilion was closed (though the bathroom open, hooray! The 'outhouse' labeled ones were locked but thankfully we were able to use a different bathroom close to the office...basically across from the bullfrog tank) and at that time we only passed two other people walking on the trail through our 90 minute visit. We enjoyed ourselves - it's a very clean boardwalk in perfect condition...you could easily bring a stroller on it as long as you can carry it down a couple of initial steps to get to the trail. I did pack a few snacks for us to have as breakfast, though there's no trash cans along the entire trail (I assume because they don't want animals getting into it? Fair) so I carried the trash out with me. From the reviews it seemes like we would see a lot of animals and I was excited about that, but we saw...almost none. A couple of birds, an impressive spider, a squirrel...I was on the lookout for gators or anything but didn't manage to find anything. I grew up in Florida and feel like I can spot a gator, but didn't have luck on our visit. The plants are quite dense along both sides of the boardwalk for much of the trail, so it seemed hard to imagine that it would be easy to see anything. Still, we went in August and even early in the day it's still hot and humid, so maybe we'd have better luck in cooler months. I definitely didn't see the animal preserve that other reviewers reference with zebras, emus, etc, though I was on the lookout. Basically, this is a excellent (and free!) quiet walk to escape the hustle and bustle, and if you are lucky you might see an animal. Regardless you can enjoy a great view of Lake Apopka at the end of the boardwalk. read more

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Walk along the boardwalk and experience Florida. Take a stroller or wheelchair along the accessible boardwalk and everyone will enjoy this wonderful experience. read more

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Beautiful walk Highlight was seeing a kingfisher Not as much wildlife as expected Hope to see buntings but there were none read more

This place is an absolute treasure! I've been here loads of times and every experience leaves me loving it more than the last time. They've got a beautiful boardwalk from the nature center down to Lake Apopka with numerous educational signage along the way about the different plants and animals that make this place their home. There are plenty of benches and rest areas along the boardwalk culminating with a breathtaking view of Lake Apopka and a large sitting area. They do kayak and boat trips out of here on certain days I believe as well. The nature center and area around the parking lot has other things to see and learn about and there are other trails to explore the various ecosystems of the preserve. I've come here many times and I'll be back many more! read more

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Great little preserve that's local to me. They have a handful of trails, offer sporadic homeschool classes (which are very affordable) & accept volunteers as young as 15 or so - offering an ideal environment for teens to fulfill necessary high school service hours while out in nature. They have a handful of small animals to observe (& even touch sometimes!) I also went to their Halloween Jack-o-lantern walk & that was really great. Overall I highly recommend! read more

Native Florida nature. Walking through the wood deck you'll have the opportunity to meet native Florida animals. At the end of deck there's a seating place to contemplate lake Apopka. Hidden gems of our beautiful Orlando. read more

Within the early miles of the West Orange Trail, you'll come across the Oakland Nature Preserve entrance. Not pet friendly, or bike friendly, as there are wild animal signs. There will be a bike rack and parking for you to return to. The visitors center was one of the nicest I've seen for a preserve. There are 2 gender neutral restrooms which are kept very cleanly. You would think it's a restroom for a nice hotel. There is also a water fountain and educational reading. The trail itself goes off a few different directions. There is a boardwalk that will take you to Lake Apopka which is about 2/3 of a mile. Plenty of shading from the trees, and the boardwalk is covered with wired sides. You will see alligators along the way. Did not encounter any snakes nor too many birds during the mid afternoon hours. Once you reach the Pavillion at the end, you can see how vast Lake Apopka is. Not much to see while on the lake, however. It is a large sitting water lake. Definitely a good place to spend an hour or so. Recommend to take during your trail run or bike run along West Orange Trail. Remember to bring your own bike lock to leave your bike unattended. read more

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This preserve is a gem near Winter Garden. It's free to the public, and is wonderfully upkept. It has a boardwalk trail that's a bit more than a mile long that leads out to Lake Apopka. At the end is a covered dock with some bench seating, so visitors can view the lake wildlife. Halfway through the trail there is a stop that highlights the birding opportunities in the area, and educates on different houses that can help encourage different species to roost. There is a small visitors center, that I haven't had the opportunity to go inside of, but it is there. I believe there is also a non-boardwalk trail towards the front of the preserve, but I haven't had the opportunity to check it out yet either. Overall, this is a nice trail to walk for anyone, but especially if you want a nice, low effort way to enjoy nature. My SO and I took our new baby in a stroller with his grandparents, and everyone enjoyed it. read more

Another great place to spend an hour or so walking around. Love going out on the boardwalk out to the lake and just sitting there. So relaxing. read more

Oakland Nature Preserve - Parks Near Me - Oakland, Florida

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Beautiful scenery along the entire walk! At the end of the boardwalk you get to a deck with plenty of places to sit and enjoy the nice view of lake Apopka! Would go back again :) read more

Oakland Nature Preserve - Sunset at the end of the walk - Parks Near Me - Oakland, Florida

Such a great place to visit and just enjoy nature! Had a great time walking and adventuring out. Wasn't to crowded on a Sunday and can around 12pm to 2pm. Highly recommend coming to Oakland Nature Preserve. read more

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This little park is a treasure. There's a wonderful .7 mile boardwalk to Lake Apopka with pretty views. The education building offers info about the property and natural Florida, with many restrooms. Will def make a trip out here to discover more of the park. read more

Very nice place for a good walk and enjoy the nature with family and friends. The view of the Apopka lake is awesome! You can see some animals like turtles and alligators around the area. read more

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I live close by, and go at least once a month. It's a great place for a walk. There are dirt trails and a board walk to Lake Apopka. Sometimes you can see baby alligators on tree roots beside the board walk. There is a sink hole trail. A prairie trail, and lots of beautiful plants, birds, animals, and insects to observe. They also have a nature museum and Air conditioned bathrooms (important in Florida!). Be sure to ask for a trail map...many options! read more

This is a must do for any Floridian or tourist for that matter. The Preserve itself is in such great condition and is really educational. It starts at the main house, which has numerous types of fish, turtles, plant life, etc on display. You then start down a trail that leads to a bird watching observatory. On the other side of the bird watching area, you can see many types of exotic wildlife, including zebras, emus, gazelles, etc. The next part of the experience is a 2/3 mile nature trail/dock that leads you through a marsh and out to Lake Apopka to a beautiful observation deck. You can see many birds and even alligators from here. I live close to the preserve and have not been in forever. I definitely recommend coming and enjoying this great nature observatory. read more

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