• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Florida Hikes logo

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

  • Trails
  • Maps
  • Guidebooks
  • Search
  • Hike
    • Scenic Hikes
    • Loop Trails
    • Dog-friendly Hikes
    • Hikes for Kids
    • National Parks in Florida
    • Florida State Parks
  • Bike
    • Major Bike Trails
    • Paved Bike Trails
    • Off Road Biking
    • Biking Articles
  • Paddle
    • Canoe & Kayak Rentals
    • Paddling Destinations
    • Paddling Articles
  • Camp
    • Cabin Rentals
    • Car Camping
    • Primitive Camping
  • Florida Trail
    • Plan your Hike
    • Best Scenic Hikes
    • Best Backpacking
    • Section Hiking
    • Thru-Hiking
    • Trail Updates
  • Travel
  • Hike
    • Scenic Hikes
    • Loop Trails
    • Dog-friendly Hikes
    • Hikes for Kids
    • National Parks in Florida
    • Florida State Parks
  • Bike
    • Major Bike Trails
    • Paved Bike Trails
    • Off Road Biking
    • Biking Articles
  • Paddle
    • Canoe & Kayak Rentals
    • Paddling Destinations
    • Paddling Articles
  • Camp
    • Cabin Rentals
    • Car Camping
    • Primitive Camping
  • Florida Trail
    • Plan your Hike
    • Best Scenic Hikes
    • Best Backpacking
    • Section Hiking
    • Thru-Hiking
    • Trail Updates
  • Travel
Boardwalk at Big Tree Park

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.

Spring Hammock Preserve  |  Longwood
( 28.720417, -81.331533 )      0.3 miles

650 shares

Lady Liberty towers above Big Tree Park, a forest of ancient trees in this corner of Spring Hammock Preserve.

A short interpretive boardwalk will wow you with the wonders of numerous trees, including one more than a thousand years old.

Located right along the Cross Seminole Trail bike path, which is the Florida Trail route through urban Seminole County, it’s a must-stop for hikers and cyclists, not just for the trees but for restrooms and a picnic area.


Resources

Florida Trail Hikes book cover The Florida Trail Guide book cover Rail-Trails Florida Central Florida Orlando Explorers Guide book cover 50 Hikes in Central Florida 5 Star Trails Orlando Complete Guide to Florida Wildflowers Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State 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: Longwood
Length: 0.3 mile round-trip
Trailhead: 28.720417, -81.331533
Address: 761 General Hutchinson Parkway, Longwood
Fees: None
Restroom: At the trailhead
Land manager: Seminole County
Phone: 407-665-2001

Open 8 AM to sunset. Gates locked at closing time, which is posted.

This small park has restrooms, picnic tables, a playground, and a boardwalk through the floodplain forest to showcase the spectacular trees.

Big Tree Park
Lady Liberty at Big Tree Park

Directions

 
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.

Hike

Leaving the parking area, you pass a clone of The Senator, “the” Big Tree and the reason Big Tree Park exists in the first place.

As old Florida postcards can attest, Big Tree Park has been a major tourist attraction for decades.

Named for Senator M.O. Overstreet, who donated this massive cypress and the land around it to the people of Seminole County, the tree towered more than 129 feet tall.

That is only 2/3 of the height it stood when it was a regional landmark for Indians and settlers passing through the region.

Big Tree Park The Senator The Senator in 2006


Like most big trees, its top came off during a hurricane — the 1925 hurricane that spilled Lake Okeechobee into the towns that surrounded it.

Along the entrance boardwalk, notice the boards beneath your feet showing just how tall The Senator once was.

Big Tree Park Boardwalk
The interpretive boardwalk at Big Tree Park walks you through the history of The Senator

Interpretive signs help explain the age of that grand cypress and the other massive trees in this corner of Spring Hammock.

An observation deck adjoins the historic marker and charred remains of The Senator. Unfortunately, on January 16, 2012, this living icon was destroyed by an arsonist.

The Senator Big Tree Park Charred remains of the Senator today


Continue around the corner to Lady Liberty, a massive cypress in its own right.

Now the queen of the forest, Lady Liberty is tall enough that only a panoramic view can capture its stature. You will crane your neck to see the tops of the trees.

Lady Liberty and photographer
Lady Liberty is behind John in this picture

Passing by the remains of The Senator again, continue back along the boardwalk to the parking area past a clone of The Senator.

The Senator Big Tree clone A clone of The Senator was started many years ago


Notice the ingenuous playground in the center island of the park, which lets kids play inside a faux cypress trunk.

Big Tree Park Playground at Big Tree Park


The park is a part of the larger Spring Hammock Preserve, where there are more ancient cypress hidden in the woods along their trail system.

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

You can walk or bike through Spring Hammock Preserve on the Cross Seminole Trail, which is also a part of the Florida National Scenic Trail in this area.

Cross Seminole Trail map at Big Tree Park
Big Tree Park is one of several trailheads along the Cross Seminole Trail

This is a good place to leave a car while day hiking or biking this segment of the trail through Spring Hammock Preserve.

However, park gates close at dusk, so make sure you return in time or your car will be locked inside.

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


Trail Map

Big Tree Park Trail Map


Related Articles

The Senator, charred

Return to Big Tree Park

While The Senator is a charred stump, thanks to an arsonist, the grandeur of its surroundings at Big Tree Park – including a 2,000-year-old cypress – has reopened to the public.

Explore More!

Video

See our video of Big Tree Park


Slideshow

See our historic photos of Big Tree Park


Or look at our more recent photos of Big Tree Park, minus the Senator, on Flickr


Nearby Adventures

More worth exploring while you’re in this area.

Lake Jesup Wilderness sunflower alley

Lake Jesup Wilderness

In this wilderness area along the shores of Lake Jesup, plunge right in for a hike through a parade of wetland wildflowers in the St. Johns River floodplain

Lake Jesup Marl Bed Flats

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


Official Website

Category: Central Florida, County Parks, Hikes, Nature Trails, TrailsTag: Accessible, Best Family Hikes, Big Trees, Boardwalks, Cross Seminole Trail, Easy Hikes, Family-Friendly, Longwood, Notable Trees, Orlando, Picnic, Playgrounds, Sanford, Winter Springs

Reader Interactions

Have an update? Contact us.

Primary Sidebar

CENTRAL FLORIDA

CENTRAL FLORIDA OVERVIEW
East Coast Greenway. Florida Trail

Brooksville. Coast to Coast Trail. Cocoa Beach. Cross Florida Greenway. Crystal River. Dade City. Daytona Beach. Kissimmee. Lakeland. Leesburg. Ocala. Ocala National Forest. Orlando. Sanford. St. Petersburg. Tampa.

Our Newest Books

The Florida Trail Guide

The Florida Trail GuideOur definitive guidebook to planning backpacking trips on the Florida National Scenic Trail, now in its fourth edition. Full data charts and maps. B&W, 356 pages. $19.95 + tax & shipping.

Order Now


Florida Trail Hikes

Florida Trail Hikes 2nd edition coverFifty of the best day hikes, overnights, and weekend trips on the Florida Trail. Full hike descriptions and maps, full color. 376 pages. $24.95 + tax & shipping.

Order Now


Discovering the Florida Trail

Florida Trail mini coffee table book cover of trail into palm hammock
A visual journey the length of the Florida Trail, covering more than 1,500 miles from the Everglades to Pensacola Beach. Hardcover, 196 pages. $24.95 + tax & shipping.
Order Now


50 Hikes in Central Florida 3rd edition
Five Star Trails Orlando guidebook
Explorer's Guide North Florida & The Panhandle guidebook

Florida Trail Apps

Farout GuidesFarout Guides Comprehensive logistics and offline maps for the
Florida National Scenic Trail (1,500 miles), the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail (108 miles), and the ECT Florida Connector (92 miles).

Explore More

Our recent park & trail updates in this region

Boardwalk looping along lakeshore as seen from above

Bonnet Springs Park

Bonnet Springs Park
Waterway flowing through lush forest with path beyond

Dickson Azalea Park

Dickson Azalea Park
Florida rosemary growing in bright white sand

Shadow Bay Park

Shadow Bay Park
Marker 26 at edge of pine woods

Alafia River North Trails

Alafia River North Trails

Footer

FIND A TRAIL OR PARK

NORTHWEST FLORIDA
Apalachicola. Apalachicola National Forest. Blackwater River State Forest. Blountstown. Bonifay. Bristol. Cape San Blas. Carrabelle. Chattahoochee. Chipley. Crawfordville. Crestview. DeFuniak Springs. Destin. Ebro. Eglin Air Force Base. Fort Walton Beach. Freeport. Gulf Islands National Seashore. Madison. Marianna. Milton. Monticello. Mossy Head. Navarre Beach . Niceville. Panama City Beach. Pensacola. Ponce De Leon. Port St. Joe. Quincy. Sopchoppy. South Walton. St. Marks. St. Marks NWR. Tallahassee. Vernon. Wakulla. Wewahitchka

NORTH FLORIDA
Alachua. Amelia Island. Baldwin. Branford. Bunnell. Cedar Key. Chiefland. Crescent City. Dowling Park. Ellaville. Fernandina Beach. Flagler Beach. Gainesville. Green Cove Springs. High Springs. Jacksonville. Keystone Heights. Lake Butler.Lake City. Live Oak. Mayo. Macclenny. Micanopy. Olustee. Orange Park. Osceola National Forest. Palatka. Palatka-Lake Butler Trail. Palm Coast. Perry. Salt Springs. St. Augustine. Starke. Steinhatchee. Suwannee River Wilderness Trail. Suwannee Springs. Talbot Islands. Timucuan Preserve. Trenton. Welaka. White Springs. Williston

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Vimeo

MULTI-REGION
Big Cypress Swamp. East Coast Greenway. Everglades National Park. Florida National Scenic Trail

CENTRAL FLORIDA
Apopka. Belleview. Brandon. Brooksville. Bushnell. Canaveral National Seashore. Christmas. Chuluota. Clearwater Beach. Clermont. Coast to Coast Trail. Cocoa Beach. Cross Florida Greenway. Crystal River. Dade City. Daytona Beach. De Leon Springs. DeBary. Deland. Deltona. Dunedin. Dunnellon. Frostproof. Geneva. Inverness. Kenansville. Kissimmee. Lake Mary. Lake Wales. Lakeland. Largo. Leesburg. Longwood. Melbourne. Melbourne Beach. Merritt Island. Merritt Island NWR. Mims. Mount Dora. New Port Richey. New Smyrna Beach. Ocala. Ocala National Forest. Ocklawaha. Orlando. Ormond Beach. Osteen. Oviedo. Palm Bay. Ridge Manor. Sanford. Silver Springs. Spring Hill. St. Cloud. St. Petersburg. Tampa. Tarpon Springs. Titusville . Walt Disney World. Weeki Wachee. Winter Springs. Withlacoochee State Forest. Withlacoochee State Trail. Yeehaw Junction

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
Bradenton . Charlotte Harbor. Ding Darling NWR. Englewood. Estero. Fort Myers. Immokalee. Naples. Pine Island. Port Charlotte. Punta Gorda. Sanibel Island. Sarasota. Venice

SOUTH FLORIDA
Arcadia. Basinger. Big Cypress National Preserve. Big Cypress Seminole Reservation. Clewiston. Everglades City. Fisheating Creek. Lake Okeechobee. Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail. Lake Placid. LaBelle. Lakeport. Moore Haven. Okeechobee. Pahokee. Port Mayaca. Sebring. South Bay

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA
Big Pine Key. Biscayne Bay. Biscayne National Park. Boca Raton. Boynton Beach. Coral Gables. Davie. Delray Beach. Northeast Everglades Natural Area. Florida Keys. Fort Lauderdale. Fort Pierce. Hobe Sound. Hollywood. Homestead. Islamorada. Jensen Beach. Jupiter. Juno Beach. Key Biscayne. Key Largo. Key West. Marathon. Miami. Ocean to Lake Greenway. Overseas Heritage Trail. Palm Beach. Port St. Lucie. Redland. Sebastian. Stuart. Vero Beach. West Palm Beach

  • Trails
  • Parks
  • Beaches
  • Gardens
  • Springs
  • Ecotours
  • Attractions
©2006-2023, Sandra Friend & John Keatley | Disclosure | Site Index | Work with Us | Advertise with Us
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy | Florida Hikes PO Box 93 Mims FL 32754| Contact