It’s a short trail, but it’s tall on scenery…when you look up at the tallest cypress in the Southeast.
As old Florida postcards can attest, Big Tree Park has been a major tourist attraction for decades. It’s “The Senator,” of course, that keeps them coming. Named for Senator M.O. Overstreet, who donated this massive cypress and the land around it to the people of Seminole County, the tree towers more than 129 feet tall, and that’s only 2/3 of the height it stood when it was a regional landmark for Indians and settlers passing through the region. Like most big trees, its top came off during a hurricane — the 1925 hurricane that spilled Lake Okeechobee into the towns that surrounded it.
This small park has restrooms, picnic tables, and a boardwalk through the floodplain forest to showcase the spectacular cypresses. As you walk the 0.3 mile round-trip, notice how large all of the trees are here. Both “The Senator” and “Lady Liberty” are large enough that only a panoramic camera can capture their stature—and you’ll be craning your neck to see the tops of the trees. The park is open 8 AM to 6 PM daily, and yes, they do lock the gates—so don’t stick around too late.
Big Tree Park is a must-stop for hikers walking the segment of the Florida Trail connecting Spring Hammock Preserve (Soldier Creek) with the Cross Seminole Trail through Longwood.
From US 17-92 in Winter Springs, take General Hutchinson Parkway west for 1 mile to the park entrance on the left. The park is between US 17-92 and SR 427 in Longwood.
