One of Seminole County’s nicest natural lands, Black Bear Wilderness Area offers some of the best birding and wildlife watching in the region
True to its name, it was a place to find bear scratches on trees, bear prints, bear scat … and Florida black bears themselves.
We saw this mother and cubs on our first visit as we were leaving, and another bear in the woods on our most recent visit. Hunting is not allowed in this preserve.
Read about our bear encounter at Black Bear Wilderness.
There are several options for hiking at Black Bear Wilderness:
1) The original round-trip to an overlook on the St. Johns River (2 miles).
2) The 7.1-mile Black Bear Wilderness Loop Trail. It follows a series of levees out to the St. Johns River and back around to the original route.
The trail is mostly in the shade and perched atop the levees, often high above the marshes, canals, and forests but sometimes right down at their level.
It is not an easy hike by any means: we’d rate it moderate to difficult, given the slippery steep grades in many places. A hiking stick is must.
This route requires a commitment to complete the entire loop. There are no shortcuts, although there is a primitive campsite halfway along the loop.
This is certainly one of Florida’s most beautiful hikes. We strongly suggest you follow the loop clockwise to enjoy the river breezes on your return trip.
3) A round-trip of whatever length you like to enjoy the views along the St. Johns River, best done by following the loop counterclockwise.
The terrain gets rough once you get past the overlook on the St. Johns, turning into a narrow footpath with steep dropoffs, very rooty and muddy in places.
Bring a hiking stick for balance. A good turn-around point is the new primitive campsite near the 3 mile mark, but you can turn around anywhere before that.
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Hiking Options
Black Bear Wilderness Loop Trail
Trot out your sense of adventure for an immersion into one of the wildest trails you’ll find near Orlando, the 7.1-mile loop in the Black Bear Wilderness Area in Sanford.
Black Bear Wilderness Walk
Discover the beauty of the St. Johns River floodplain along this 2 mile round-trip to the rivers edge in wildlife-rich Black Bear Wilderness Area