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Spring basin in eerie green

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

Enterprise      ( 28.8632, -81.2485 )      1.0 miles

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While the main reason to stop here is a glowing spring in an ancient forest, Green Springs Park isn’t just about the springs.

It’s also the meeting point of two major bike trails in Volusia County, where the East Central Regional Rail Trail and the Spring to Spring Trail connect.

It’s a historic site as well. In 1842, a hotel was built here to attract steamboat passengers to stop and soak in this and other nearby springs.

But this land around the springs was also important to ancient peoples well before modern-day settlers.

Rail Trail sign and bike path The bike path behind the park


You’ll see sprays of fossilized snail shells common to the St. Johns River, which flows just across the street as Lake Monroe and is where all these waters trickle towards.

Those shells are what little still remains of the Green Springs Midden, an archaeological site that was mostly hauled away for roadfill over a century ago.

Picnic pavilion Picnic pavilion near the parking area


Resources

Resources for exploring the area

5 Star Trails Orlando Central Florida Orlando Explorers Guide book cover 50 Hikes in Central Florida 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: Enterprise
Length: 1 mile in a loop and round-trip
Trailhead: 28.8632, -81.2485
Address: 994 Enterprise/Osteen Road, Enterprise
Fees: Free
Restroom: At the picnic area near the trailhead
Land manager: Volusia County
Phone: 386-736-5953

Open sunrise to sunset. Leashed pets permitted. No swimming in the spring.

Since the park is densely canopied, bug spray is a must for both mosquitoes and ticks.

Tree reaching out over green spring water


Directions

 
From Interstate 4 exit 108, drive east on DeBary Ave for a half mile. Continue as it turns into Jacob Brock Ave for the next 0.7 mile. Turn right onto Main St and continue through the historic town of Enterprise. Main St jogs south to become Lakeshore Dr, which parallels the shoreline of Lake Monroe. Continue 1.1 miles along Lakeshore Dr to the park entrance on the left, Green Spring Rd. Drive in the main gate and park along the circle.

Hike

Follow the sidewalk into the woods from the far left side of the parking area, beyond the restrooms and picnic pavilion.

Passing interpretive signs about local history, it splits around a playground in the woods. Keep right.

Bright purple morning glory bloom Morning glory in bloom


A sign points towards the spring. The sidewalk intersects with the asphalt bike path. Cross the bike path and turn right.

The trail emerges at the spring overlook. This is the main spring, a gorgeous pool under the live oaks glowing a surreal green.

Green Spring basin A turtle and fish float in the greenish clear water


Turn and walk along it and watch the hues of green change. Fish swim through the green but clear water.

A set of stairs from the hotel days leads down to the outflow. A picnic table adjoins the spring on a deck, a nice destination for a lunch stop.

Outflow of spring with giant ferns Old steps are half-hidden by sand at the outflow


Trails lead in many directions from here. We’ve tried them all on various visits. Some dead end near interesting water features.

Others lead to loops. To stay along the outer edge of the park, retrace your steps to the playground and turn right.

Cabbage palms with tannic creek Tannic water flows past the palm hammock


This accessible path leads through an old growth palm hammock, meeting a short natural surface footpath next to a spring-fed streamlet. Take that path.

Walk beneath massive Southern magnolia and sweetgum trees in this mix of bluff forest and floodplain.

Bridge in the forest Bridge to the trails on the east side of the spring


At the sidewalk, make a left and then a quick right. A spur trail leads right just before the bridge to a place where many spring-fed channels merge.

Return to the bridge and cross it, noticing the citrus growing overhead. This area was once known for its citrus groves and exports.

Dark water under elephant ears and palms One of the burbling spring-fed waterways


Along a fern-lined corridor, the trail comes to a four-way junction. To the right, the path leads back to the spring overlook.

Take a left to walk down another spur trail where a bench overlooks the burbling waterway.

Cascade over tree routes One of the spring-fed cascades in this forest


Return to the junction and make a left. The trail climbs into a hardwood hammock with large hickory and elm trees and scattered cedars.

It’s in this area you’ll see the fossil snail shells from the ancient midden, especially where armadillos have dug into the forest floor.

Beaten path in woods Light in the distance is the St. Johns River basin


Meeting a T intersection, turn left to stay with the outer loop around the park, walking beneath ancient live oaks furry with resurrection fern.

At a half mile, the footpath meets the bike path. If you cross it you can take the sidewalk back out past the restrooms and picnic area to the parking lot.

Paved path towards the main spring The bike path in Green Spring Park


Otherwise, to up your mileage while you’re here, walk the paved path back into the woods.

Since it is just as shaded as the natural surface trails, it’s a pleasant stroll under the dense forest canopy.

Spring basin with tree leaning over The north side of the spring


It passes an overlook on the opposite side of the big spring, providing a different perspective.

Continue along the bike path past the spring overlook you visited earlier and take a side trail just after the bench on a platform.

Bench in lush forest near interpretive sign The bench not far from the main spring


This leads to a series of cascades along a very narrow waterway that flows towards the others.

Back on the main trail, take it to the back gate to meet the main bike path passing the edge of the park on the old railroad line.

Back gate of park Back gate into Green Springs Park from the rail trail


This is the meeting point of the Spring to Spring and East Central Regional Rail Trail.

Together these bike paths form part of both the Florida Coast to Coast Trail and the St. Johns River to Sea Loop.

Bike path with signage and arrows Trail junction just outside the back gate


Signage nearby gives the history of the railroad line that once ran through this region, connecting its communities.

It’s a quarter mile walk back along the bike path to the parking area, making for a full mile hike.

Bike path in Green Springs Park Return along the bike path for the most direct route


Trail Map

Green Springs Park Trail Map


Explore More!

Learn more about the two bike paths that meet at Green Springs Park

East Central Regional Rail Trail

East Central Regional Rail Trail

Spanning 36.2 linear miles across southern Volusia County, the East Central Regional Rail Trail offers a long ride that also makes up a portion of several major Florida bike trails

Curve in paved trail under oaks

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

Video

Our virtual walk in the woods at Green Springs Park


Slideshow

See our photos of Green Springs Park


Nearby Adventures

More worth exploring while you’re in this area.

Clear spring water between palm trees

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

Trail into palm hammock

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

Beach along St Johns River under palms

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

Manatees in clear spring water

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.

Official Website

Category: Central Florida, County Parks, Hikes, Loop Hikes, Nature Trails, Parks, Springs, TrailsTag: Accessible, Archaeological Sites, Best Family Hikes, Big Trees, Birding, Deland, Deltona, East Central Regional Rail Trail, Enterprise, Family-Friendly, Five Star Trails Orlando, Florida Coast to Coast Trail (C2C), Historic Sites, Observation Decks, Picnic, Playgrounds, Sanford, Spring to Spring Trail, Springs, St. Johns River

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