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Hike Bike Paddle Camp Florida with authors Sandra Friend and John Keatley as your guides

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Creek through a Florida forest

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.

Winter Springs      ( 28.677795, -81.245833 )      0.9 miles

344 shares

A patch of wild in a sea of Winter Springs suburbia, Bear Creek provides nearly a mile’s worth of exploration atop sandy bluffs in a deeply shaded creekside hammock.

Walking among the ancient cypress, oaks, and palms is a delightful escape from the backyard blues.


Resources

Resources for exploring the area

Central Florida Orlando Explorers Guide book cover 50 Hikes in Central Florida Five Star Trails Gainesville Ocala book cover

Disclosure: As authors and affiliates, we receive earnings when you buy these through our links. This helps us provide public information on this website.


Overview

Location: Winter Springs
Length: 0.9 mile loop and round-trip
Trailhead: 28.677795, -81.245833
Fees: none
Restroom: None
Land Manager: City of Winter Springs
Phone: 407-327-1800

Day use only. Several picnic tables are provided. The parking lot is very small. Low areas may flood or may be muddy.


Directions

 
From SR 426 in Oviedo, drive 1.5 miles south on Winter Springs Blvd. The park is on the right, at a small parking corral with a brown sign. Winter Springs Blvd can also be accessed from Tuskawilla Rd.

Hike

The loop is not well marked, but the small size of the wilderness area will keep you from getting lost.

From the parking area, walk into the woods and follow the creek as far as you can; the trail stays atop bluffs along the creek for the most part.

At the retention pond area beneath the powerlines, look for the trail to continue farther into the woods, where it finally shrinks down and ends among the dense saw palmetto.

On the return trip, there is a side trail through the uplands to a boardwalk that leads to Winter Springs Boulevard, but if you pass that and retrace your route, you can continue downstream.

Pass the parking lot for another few glimpses of the creek before you reach the park boundary.


Explore More!

Slideshow

See our photos of the Bear Creek Nature Trail


Nearby Adventures

More worth exploring while you’re in this area.

Cross Seminole Trail map at Big Tree Park

Cross Seminole Trail

A 27.6 mile paved bike path connecting to the Orange and Volusia county lines, the Cross Seminole Trail provides access to a massive network of Central Florida bike trails

Spring Hammock Preserve Question Pond

Spring Hammock Preserve

Protecting more than 1,500 acres along Lake Jesup, Spring Hammock Preserve is home to some of Florida’s oldest and largest cypress trees

Lady Liberty and photographer

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.

Cross Seminole Trail in Soldiers Creek Park

Cross Seminole Trail North

Connected to a vast network of bike paths across Central Florida, this 21 mile corridor between Oviedo and Sanford hosts portions of the Florida National Scenic Trail and the Florida Coast to Coast Trail

Official Website

Category: Central Florida, City Parks, Hikes, Nature Trails, TrailsTag: Birding, Dog-friendly, Orlando, Oviedo, Sanford, Wildlife Viewing, Winter Springs

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Our recent park & trail updates in this region

Lengthy boardwalk heading towards mangrove flats

John R. Bonner Nature Park

John R. Bonner Nature Park
Boardwalk framed by live oaks and saw palmetto

George McGough Nature Park

George McGough Nature Park
Leaning sand pines in scrub

Balm Boyette Nature Preserve

Balm Boyette Nature Preserve
Dock edged by mangroves

Maximo Park

Maximo Park

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