Hikes near Orlando

Home of Walt Disney World, Sea World, Universal Studios, and other theme parks that attract many, many millions of visitors each year, Orlando is also one of Florida’s best places to get outdoors and play. With riverside strolls, dense forests, open prairies, and wetlands, it’s a diverse region to explore. The following hikes are within an easy drive of Orlando. Some can be reached via public transportation.

When I started researching Five Star Trails Orlando, I revisited many Orlando area hikes that I’d done before and found a bunch more than were new to me, thanks to purchases of natural lands in the region over the past decade. These locations are based on my personal exploration of the region.

Download a list of hikes around Orlando with GPS coordinates for trailheads
See all Florida Trail hikes in the Orlando area for backpacking and day hiking

In the list below, trail lengths are based on hikes I’ve done or written about on this website. You may always opt to hike a shorter route. If a “+” is shown, longer routes are available. Hikes shown in italics are on public lands that permit hunting certain times of year. Always check ahead regards hunting season (links provided on hike pages) and wear a bright orange shirt or vest if hiking during hunting season on these public lands, which include Florida State Forests and Wildlife Management Areas.

Trail Length Location Direction
Bear Creek Nature Trail 0.9 Winter Springs Northeast
Black Bear Wilderness Area 2.8 Sanford Northwest
Big Tree Park 0.3 Longwood Northwest
Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake 2.4+ Orlando West
Black Hammock Wilderness Area 4.5+ Oviedo Northeast
Blue Spring State Park – Boardwalk 1.3 Orange City Northwest
Blue Spring State Park – Pine Island Trail 7.3 Orange City Northwest
Buck Lake Conservation Area – East Loop 1.5 Mims Northeast
Canaveral Marshes Conservation Area 5.0 Christmas East
Catfish Creek Preserve State Park 3.5+ Haines City South
Crooked River Preserve 1.7+ Clermont West
DeLeon Springs State Park 4.5+ De Leon Springs Northwest
Disney Wilderness Preserve 2.5 Poinciana South
Econ River Wilderness 3.2+ Oviedo East
Econlockhatchee Sandhills Conservation Area 3.2 Lake Pickett East
Ferndale Preserve 2.2+ Ferndale West
Florida Trail – Bull Creek WMA 20.5 Holopaw South
Florida Trail – Bronson State Forest 2.0+ Christmas East
Florida Trail – Chuluota Wilderness to Joshua Creek 4.3 Chuluota Northeast
Florida Trail – Little Big Econ State Forest 10.0 Oviedo Northeast
Florida Trail – Mills Creek Woodlands 4.0 Chuluota Northeast
Florida Trail – Seminole Ranch 4.0+ Christmas East
Florida Trail – Seminole State Forest 7.6 Sanford Northwest
Florida Trail – Three Lakes WMA 17.6 Kenansville South
Florida Trail – Tosohatchee WMA 10.0 Christmas East
Florida Trail – Wheeler Rd to Joshua Creek 9.4 Christmas East
Gemini Springs Park 2.2+ Debary Northwest
Geneva Wilderness Area 1.8+ Geneva Northeast
Green Spring Park 0.5+ Enterprise Northeast
Hal Scott Preserve 5.1+ Bithlo East
Hickory Bluff Preserve 1.5+ Osteen Northeast
Hontoon Island State Park 3.3 Deland Northwest
Howell Branch Preserve 0.3 Winter Park Northeast
Isle of Pine Preserve – Blue Trail 1.8 Orlando South
Isle of Pine Preserve – Green Trail 1.3 Orlando South
Kelly Park – Kelly Loop Trail 2.3 Apopka Northwest
Kelly Park – Oakhill / Prairie Lakes Trails 1.8 Apopka Northwest
Lake Ashby Park 1.5 Lake Ashby Northeast
Lake Harney Wilderness Area 2.4 Geneva Northeast
Lake Jesup Conservation Area – Cameron Tract 1.0 Sanford Northeast
Lake Jesup Conservation Area – East Tract 2.1 Oviedo Northeast
Lake Jesup Conservation Area – Marl Bed Flats 1.0 Sanford Northeast
Lake Jesup Wilderness 2.1 Sanford Northeast
Lake Lizzie Preserve 6.0+ St. Cloud South
Lake Lotus Park 1.7+ Altamonte Springs Northwest
Lake Louisa State Park 8.2+ Clermont West
Lake Marion Creek WMA – Huckleberry Island 4.2+ Davenport South
Lake Mills Park 0.8 Chuluota Northeast
Minnehaha Park / Covered Bridge Park 0.3 Maitland Northeast
Lake Monroe Conservation Area – Brickyard Slough 6.2 Osteen Northeast
Lake Monroe Conservation Area – Kratzert Tract 1.5 Osteen Northeast
Lake Proctor Wilderness Area 6.0 Geneva Northeast
Lake Runnymeade Conservation Area 0.9 St. Cloud South
Lake Woodruff NWR 6.0 De Leon Springs Northwest
Little-Big Econ State Forest – Culpepper Bend 7.8 Chuluota Northeast
Little-Big Econ Forest – Kolokee Loop 4.7 Oviedo Northeast
Lower Wekiva River Preserve State Park 2.2+ Sanford Northwest
Long Branch Park 4.0 Bithlo East
Lyonia Preserve 2.1+ Deltona Northeast
Makinson Island 1.0+ Kissimmee South
Mead Garden 0.5+ Winter Park Northeast
Moss Park 2.8+ Orlando East
Oakland Nature Preserve 1.3+ Oakland West
Orlando Wetlands Park 4.8+ Christmas East
Osceola County Environmental Education Center 5.3 Poinciana South
Palm Bluff Conservation Area 10.0+ Osteen Northeast
Peghorn Nature Park 1.0 Kissimmee South
Pine Lily Preserve 4.3 Bithlo East
Ralph V. Chisholm Regional Park 2.0 St. Cloud South
Rock Springs Run State Reserve 13.2+ Mount Plymouth Northwest
Sabal Point Sanctuary 7.0 Longwood Northwest
Salt Lake Wildlife Management Area 2.5+ Mims Northeast
Sandhill Preserve 1.5 Sorrento Northwest
Savage Christmas Creek Preserve 4.8+ Christmas East
Seminole Ranch Conservation Area – Lake Loughman 1.2 Mims Northeast
Seminole Ranch Conservation Area – Puzzle Lake 8.4 Mims Northeast
Seminole State Forest – Lower Wekiva Loop 8.8+ Sanford Northwest
Seminole State Forest – Sulphur Island Loop 8.9 Cassia Northwest
Shingle Creek Park – Historic Babb Landing 1.8+ Kissimmee South
Shingle Creek Park – Historic Steffee Homestead 1.3+ Kissimmee South
Split Oak Forest WEA 7.8 Orlando South
Spring Hammock Preserve 2.6+ Winter Springs Northeast
St. Francis Trail 7.9 Deland Northwest
Three Lakes WMA – Sunset Ranch Trail 2.2 Kenansville South
Tibet-Butler Preserve 3.0 Windermere West
Tosohatchee WMA – Taylor Creek Loop 4.0 Cocoa South
Tosohatchee WMA – White Loop 11.7 Christmas East
Trimble Park 1.3+ Tangerine Northwest
Triple N Ranch WMA 7.5+ Holopaw South
Wekiwa Springs State Park – Wekiwa Springs Hiking Trail 10.2+ Apopka Northwest
Wekiwa Springs State Park – Wet-to-Dry Trail 0.4+ Apopka Northwest
Wiregrass Prairie Preserve 3.3+ Osteen Northeast

Need a hiking partner? Go on a guided hike in the Orlando area with the Florida Trail Association or check in at our Facebook page or on the forum to ask around!