Sanford

Exploring Sanford

Established in 1870, Sanford was a planned city complete with a grid of streets that included many full blocks as community green space.

It is one of the region’s older cities, with a historic downtown along the St. Johns River which was once a final destination for steamships from Jacksonville.

The extensive marshes just upriver along this north-flowing river proved too shallow for most boat traffic.

The city extends far beyond its original boundaries to encompass a large chunk of Seminole County, from the Wekiva River to the north to Lake Jesup to the east.

Paddlers do ply Lake Monroe, but the Wekiva River is far more popular and reachable from two put-ins at parks off SR 46.

As a great deal of river floodplain has been set aside as natural lands, residents have a surprising variety of destinations to explore on foot and by bike.

A portion of the peninsula-spanning Florida Coast to Coast Trail, a paved bike path, crosses one corner of the city close to the entrance to Lake Monroe.

The Florida Trail, our 1,400 mile National Scenic Trail, also passes through Sanford atop existing bike paths.

Sanford’s Botanical Beauty

The Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens offers a place to enjoy both native floodplain habitats and tropical plantings year-round, but Sanford has a surprise to offer in late summer and early fall: massive fields of wildflower blooms.

From the summer months through early October, the floodplains around the St. Johns River and Lake Jesup bloom, starting with pink swamp hibiscus (Hibiscus grandiflorus), which can grow 15 feet tall, and red swamp mallow (Hibiscus coccineus), which can grow up to eight feet tall.

By October, swamp sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius) takes over and, in perfect conditions, swarms around the edges of Lake Jesup in a delightful show. They are best seen at Lake Jesup Wilderness, where you can walk among wild sunflowers over your head.

Trails and Parks around Sanford

Audubon Park In 60 acres of green space that gently reclaims stormwater through a series of marshes, Audubon Park lets birders and hikers enjoy a quiet walk adjoining a beauty spot along the East Central Regional Rail Trail.

Bear Creek Nature Trail A patch of wild in a sea of suburbia, Bear Creek provides nearly a mile's worth of exploration atop sandy bluffs in a shady creekside hammock in Winter Springs.

Big Tree Park While the iconic Senator is no more, Big Tree Park continues to fascinate visitors with its enormous cypress trees, including Lady Liberty. The park provides access to the Cross Seminole Trail.

Biking the Rinehart Trail John takes on an urban piece of the C2C in Sanford following the Rinehart Trail - bits of path, sidewalks, and road shoulders - to meet the Seminole Wekiva Trail.

Black Bear Wilderness Area North of Orlando, Black Bear Wilderness Area in Sanford offers some of the best wildlife watching in the region on its loop along the St. Johns River.

Black Bear Wilderness Loop Trail Trot out your sense of adventure to immerse into one of the wildest trails you'll find near Orlando, a trek into the tangled jungle of the St. Johns River floodplain.

Black Bear Wilderness Walk Tackle the easiest portion of the Black Bear Wilderness Loop Trail with a walk on its original trail segment out to the St. Johns River.

Black Hammock Wilderness Area Black Hammock is a bit of Old Florida in Oviedo, with a trail showcasing a delightfully long boardwalk and a loop through scrub habitats above Lake Jesup.

Blue Spring Boardwalk If you've never seen manatees by the dozens, let alone a hundred or more, there is no better place to watch these gentle giants than the Blue Spring Boardwalk in the wintertime

Blue Spring State Park Blue Spring State Park is well acclaimed for being the best place in Florida to see manatees in the wild, and we don’t mean a dozen or two. Think hundreds.

Cross Seminole Trail North Connected to a vast network of bike paths, this 21 mile corridor between Oviedo and Sanford hosts portions of the Florida Trail and the Florida Coast to Coast Trail.

D Ranch Preserve Near the vast floodplain of Lake Monroe, a trail network weaves across a former ranch where an impressive mosaic of upland and wetland habitats are being restored.

Flagler Trail South Following a historic railroad route, the southern portion of the Flagler Trail provides a sometimes rugged, sometimes gentle offroad ride between Chuluota and Geneva.

Florida Coast to Coast Trail With a corridor spanning more than 220 miles across nine Florida counties, the Florida Coast to Coast Trail (C2C) is Central Florida's long distance bike path.

Florida Trail, Chuluota Wilderness to Joshua Creek 3.9 miles. Enjoy natural beauty and botanical diversity along a scenic segment of the Florida Trail connecting Chuluota Wilderness and Bronson State Forest.

Florida Trail, Little Big Econ State Forest One of the most beautiful hikes near Orlando is rugged, too: the Florida Trail atop bluffs above the Econlockhatchee River through Little-Big Econ State Forest.

Florida Trail, Mills Creek Woodlands Discover a fairyland of ferns at the center of a spectrum of fascinating habitats along this 2 mile linear section of the Florida Trail.

Florida Trail, Orlando Between the prairies of Osceola County and the Ocala National Forest, this 150 mile section of the Florida Trail slips through suburbs of the Orlando metro.

Florida Trail, Seminole State Forest 7.5 miles. Walk through vast, open spaces that you’d never imagine existed so close to Orlando.

Gemini Springs Addition Protecting nearly 950 acres of lush oak hammocks, palm hammocks, and wetlands along the rim of Lake Monroe, Gemini Springs Addition has many options for hikers

Gemini Springs Park With nearly 5 miles of gentle woodland paths and paved trails, playgrounds, picnic area, paddling trail and a dog park, Gemini Springs Park is a popular, well-connected getaway

Geneva Wilderness Area Showcasing prairie ponds amid scrub on the edge of a pine flatwoods, Geneva Wilderness Area offers two loops of gentle paths on which to explore the habitats.

Green Springs Park An unearthly glowing bowl in shades of green, the centerpiece of an ancient forest at Green Springs is surrounded by gurgling streams and the trails that follow them.

Hickory Bluff Preserve Just east of Osteen, Hickory Bluff Preserve provides a 1.5-mile loop to a bluff of notable size along a scenic stretch of the St. Johns River.

Historic Ethel Trail Inside Rock Springs Run State Reserve, an interpretive loop trail leads visitors through a corner of the state park where the rural settlement of Ethel once stood.

Kelly Park Tubing Rock Springs Run is why most folks visit Kelly Park, but the Kelly Loop Trail provides unique perspectives on many more natural features within the park.

Kelly Park Western Addition Trails Along the Oakhill and Prairie Lake Trails at Kelly Park, explore the Western Addition to walk around anomalous habitats persisting where a spring-fed lake flourished long ago.

Kratzert Trail For a quick dip into the beauty of the St. Johns River floodplain, the 1.6 mile Kratzert Trail offers a walk beneath ancient oaks and cabbage palms of enormous size.

Lake Harney Wilderness Area With an outstanding accessible observation tower offering a panorama of the St. Johns River floodplain, Lake Harney Wilderness is a must-see for birders and photographers.

Lake Jesup Cameron Tract On a mile-long loop in grassy prairies along Lake Jesup, enjoy palm-framed panoramas of the open prairies along the lakeshore.

Lake Jesup Conservation Area Protecting large swaths of marshy shoreline, the Lake Jesup Conservation Area filters runoff from surrounding suburbia while providing places to hike along Lake Jesup.

Lake Jesup East Tract Savor the bird's-eye view of one of the largest lakes in the Orlando metro from a tall observation tower along this 2.1-mile loop hike in Oviedo

Lake Jesup Marl Bed Flats For the broadest panorama along the south shore of Lake Jesup, follow this mile-long loop through lush oak hammocks and open prairies in a rural corner of Sanford.

Lake Jesup Wilderness A pair of loop trails across the St. Johns River floodplain create a 4-mile hike amid jungle-like hammocks and expansive prairies that erupt with vibrant sunflowers in the fall.

Lake Lotus Park At Lake Lotus Park in Altamonte Springs, the 1.7-mile trail system along Lake Lotus and the Little Wekiva River floodplain provides a great respite from surrounding suburbia.

Lake Mills Park Camp beneath ancient live oaks or wander the gentle trails to Lake Mills as you enjoy one of Seminole County's nicest county parks.

Lake Monroe Conservation Area With marshes brimming with swamp sunflowers and old-growth forests along natural ridges, Lake Monroe Conservation Area protects the St. Johns River north shore at Osteen

Lake Monroe Park Centered on a deeply shaded campground with direct access to the St. Johns River for boaters, Lake Monroe Park is a gateway to outdoor adventure.

Lake Proctor Wilderness Area Protecting 475 acres of of marshes, prairie, sandhill, and scrub, Lake Proctor Wilderness Area echoes with the cries of sandhill cranes across the landscape.

Little-Big Econ Kolokee Loop Tieing together the Florida Trail, the Kolokee Trail, and the Flagler Trail, the 5.6-mile Kolokee Loop in Little Big Econ State Forest shows off the best facets of the its humid subtropical forest.

Little-Big Econ State Forest Spanning from Oviedo to Geneva and Chuluota, Little Big Econ State Forest encompasses more than 10,000 acres of diverse habitats.

Lower Wekiva Loop Venture across lush floodplain forests of Blackwater Creek and the Wekiva River, using a scrubby section of the Florida Trail to create the 10.5-mile Lower Wekiva Loop.

Lower Wekiva River Preserve Red Loop A quiet path leads through sandhill, scrubby and mesic flatwoods, providing opportunities for bird watching among a vivid backdrop of seasonal flowers.

Lower Wekiva River Preserve State Park Paddle, hike, or ride your horse within this massive riverine preserve on the edge of the Orlando metro, where the Wekiva River and St. Johns River mingle.

Lower Wekiva River Sandhills Trail The Sandhills Nature Trail at Lower Wekiva Preserve State Park has been destroyed by clearcutting of the forest by DOT for the Wekiva Parkway.

Lyonia Preserve Florida's best place to see a Florida scrub-jay up close is Lyonia Preserve, with 2.1 miles of loops through the highest ground in Volusia County.

Mullet Lake Park Set along a remote sweep of vast marshes along the St. Johns River, Mullet Lake Park is home to a stunning array of swamp sunflowers each fall.

Rock Springs Run Hiking Trail With more than 12 miles of hiking through the heart of Florida black bear territory, the loops at Rock Springs Run Reserve State Park get you into the wild outside Orlando.

Seminole State Forest With nearly 50 miles of trails and roads for hiking, biking, and equestrian use, Seminole State Forest offers surprising panoramas and bubbling springs north of Orlando.

Seminole Wekiva Trail South John bikes the next segment west on the Coast to Coast Connector, the Seminole Wekiva Trail. This well-established bike path connects Seminole County communities.

Spring Hammock Preserve Accessible pathways and boardwalks wind through an old-growth floodplain forest to a scenic overlook of Lake Jesup, passing massive cypresses and a cloudy blue spring along the way. 

Spring to Spring Trail South Linking Green Springs to Gemini Springs to Lake Monroe, the southern portion of the Spring to Spring Trail is also an important link in the Florida Coast to Coast Trail.

Sulphur Island Loop A short distance from the bustling metropolis of Orlando, the Sulphur Island Loop Trail explores one of Florida’s endangered ecosystems, the scrub.

Sylvan Lake Park In a family-friendly park renowned for its competitive sports complex, an accessible 1.5 mile pathway winds around the perimeter to a scenic lakeshore boardwalk.

Wekiva River Paddling Trail A leisurely float downriver from Wekiwa Springs provides paddlers an immersion in the beauty of a Wild and Scenic River teeming with wildlife.

Wekiwa Springs Hiking Trail A 10.2-mile loop through landscapes both vast and intimate, the Wekiwa Springs Hiking Trail shows off the best of nature at Wekiwa Springs State Park.

Wekiwa Springs State Park A massive wilderness area on the edge of the Orlando metro, Wekiwa Springs State Park is centered on a first-magnitude spring that pours forth a river lined with jungle-like vegetation.

Wekiwa Springs Wet to Dry Trail Starting at the outflow of Wekiwa Springs, the Wet to Dry Trail at Wekiwa Springs State Park offers an easy walk showcasing habitat changes by the waterway.

Wilsons Landing Park A small but welcoming green space in suburban Sanford, Wilsons Landing Park provides accessible access to a beauty spot on the Wekiva River.

Wiregrass Prairie Preserve Pull on your swamp shoes to explore one of Volusia County's most remote trail systems along a massive basin swamp in the St. Johns River floodplain.

Wiregrass Prairie South Loop Circling a panoramic landscape of pine savanna, this 3.3-mile hike at Wiregrass Prairie Preserve features colorful wildflowers and expansive views.

Featured Articles

Sunflowers on the St. Johns (10/5/2021) For more than a decade, I've been chasing sunflower blooms in Florida wetlands in October. In 2021, it's a banner year for these showy beauties in Central Florida.

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