• 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

Lake Beresford Park

Offering gentle trails for family fun and miles of paved bike paths to explore, Lake Beresford Park provides far more than just a peek at its namesake lake

Spring to Spring Trail  |  DeLand
( 28.9909, -81.3380 )      5.1 miles

With 211 largely forested acres between the edge of residential DeLand and Lake Beresford, Lake Beresford Park provides a place to walk in the woods.

Or ride. A paved loop circles the perimeter of the eastern side of the park, as popular with cyclists as it is with power walkers.

A segment of the county’s Spring to Spring Trail terminates west of the railroad line that bisects the park.

And several miles of hiking trails offer perspectives on lush forests in the uplands and marshes along the St. Johns River basin.

Lake Beresford Park sign Lake Beresford Park is a hub for trails


Resources

Resources for exploring the area

Central Florida Orlando Explorers Guide book cover 50 Hikes in Central Florida 5 Star Trails Orlando Complete Guide to Florida Wildflowers

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: DeLand
Length: 5.1 miles in four trails
Trailhead: 28.9909, -81.3380
Address: 2100 Fatio Rd, DeLand
Fees: Free
Restroom: At the main parking area
Land manager: Volusia County Parks
Phone: 386-736-5953

Open sunrise to sunset. Leashed pets welcome. If you are walking the paved trails, stay to the side so cyclists can pass.

Two trails lead to Lake Beresford itself but are simply for viewing the lake or fishing. Since there are swamps along the shoreline expect mosquitoes.

At the lakeshore and marshes, be cautious of alligators and other wildlife. A warning was posted on our last visit that a bear is active in the area.

View of lake through palms and cypress


Directions

 
From Interstate 4 exit 116, Lake Helen / DeLand, follow Orange Camp Rd west for 3.3 miles. When it crosses US 17-92 it becomes McGregor Blvd. Continue due west for 2.1 miles. McGregor makes a 90-degree right turn and becomes Fatio Rd. Look for the park entrance on the left within a half mile. If this parking area is full, exit and follow Fatio Rd north to the secondary parking area on the left.

About the Park

Protected as a greenway since 1991, this ribbon of uplands and wetlands along the eastern shoreline of the St. Johns River is now a major recreation destination in DeLand.

The reason for that? A convergence of trails. As plans moved forward for the Spring to Spring Trail, it allowed expansion beyond the original trailhead and footpaths off Fatio Road.

Slide and stairs in a playground Playground in the woods


Established in 2007, Lake Beresford Park draws families to its gentle walkways and paved bike trails, its picnic grounds and playgrounds. And a chance for kids to see trains.

For those who like their outdoors a bit more wild, the surrounding greenway offers miles of footpaths that loop old-growth trees and lead down to the shores of the lake.

Footpath under tunnel of lush forest
Footpath to Lake Beresford under a tunnel of trees

One of the larger lakes in the St. Johns River of Lakes, Lake Beresford defines the western edge of the greenway, which is bisected by an active rail line.

A pedestrian tunnel beneath the railroad line provides easy access to the Lake Trails and the Spring to Spring Trail.

John leans on bike looking at trail map Looking at a park map showing the Spring to Spring Trail route


Biking

As the current northern terminus of the central section of the Spring to Spring Trail, Lake Beresford Park is one of the better places along the paved bike path from which to start a ride.

The trick is finding parking. On each of our visits, the main lot at the park was nearly full first thing in the morning.

Bikes parked near cars in a gap in a forest The Fatio Rd trailhead


A secondary trailhead, the original one, is just a little north of the main entrance along Fatio Rd. It provides both access to the hiking trails and the paved bike loop through the park.

The Lake Beresford Loop surprised us with its ups and downs. We clocked 2 miles around it, following it counterclockwise after a ride on the Spring to Spring Trail.

John riding uphill in shade of forest Heading uphill through a shady hammock


Passing through sand pine scrub, sandhills, oak scrub, and hardwood hammocks, it offers both cyclists and families an easy way to see wildflowers and wildlife in the park.

Use the loop to access the Spring to Spring Trail by following the paved path through the tunnel under the railroad.

Pedestrian tunnel under train tracks
The pedestrian tunnel under the railroad leads to miles of trails

It’s a mile round-trip to the north end of the Spring to Spring Trail, where it terminates by circling around a banana tree.

Southbound, the trail extends 6.5 miles in a continuous ribbon to DeBary, with a large portion of the ride contained within the Lake Beresford Greenway and Blue Spring State Park.

Cyclist riding uphill on paved trail in scrub forest

Spring to Spring Trail Central

Ride this surprisingly hilly bike path through tunnels of live oaks and Florida scrub-jay habitat while marveling at the beauty of the St. Johns River bluffs near Blue Spring

Hiking

An older kiosk at the Fatio Rd trailhead shows a map with the blue and red blazed trails in the northeast portion of the park.

We followed the perimeter of this system of footpaths to make a 2.1 mile loop through the uplands between the two parking areas.

Trail with pine needles and deep shade Shaded trail in the uplands


The full trail system is signposted as the Lake Beresford Trails. However, the trails on the west side of the railroad tracks are very different in nature.

They aren’t shown on the park map. Immediately across from the pedestrian tunnel, each starts from one end of a split rail fence.

Trail under forest canopy Most of the trail system is nicely canopied


We’ll refer to these as the Lake Trails. Each is physically separate from the other, but both tunnel downhill through the forest to reach the lake within a quarter to a half mile.

They then follow the shoreline. In both cases, we hit spots where the trail vanished into a cove in the lake. It was tough to tell if they went any farther.

We tallied a mile between the two round-trips, but there may be more trail to follow when the lake levels drop.

Shoreline of lake with tall grasses At the Lake Beresford shoreline


Trail Map

Lake Beresford Park Trail Map
Red and blue: hiking. Purple: paved loop. Light blue: Spring to Spring Trail.

Explore More!

Learn more about the Spring to Spring Trail

Cyclist headed along bike path into forest

Spring to Spring Trail

A paved bike path to link Volusia County’s major springs, the Spring to Spring Trail provides a growing network of trail and park connectivity

Rural road with palm trees

Connecting the Spring to Spring Trail

With a goal of connecting all three segments of the Spring to Spring Trail together using roads in between, John rides from Lake Monroe Park to De Leon Springs on a 25.6 mile route

Video

Our virtual walk in the woods at Lake Beresford Park


Slideshow

See our photos from Lake Beresford Park


Nearby Adventures

More worth exploring while you’re in this area.

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.

Bartram Gardens & Trail Stetson

Bartram Gardens & Trail

Along the St. Johns River at Lake Beresford, discover the river anew through William Bartram’s eyes as he recorded his observations of alligators, fish, and flora in 1774

Swamp with cypress knees

Hontoon Island State Park

Criss-crossed by a network of trails, this island in the St. Johns River is worth the short ferryboat trip to explore a landscape with ancient echoes of a past civilization.

Trailhead kiosk with lots of signs

Chuck Lennon Park

A top Florida destination for singletrack riders, Chuck Lennon Park also serves as a trailhead for the northern terminus of Volusia County’s Spring to Spring Trail in De Leon Springs

Official Website

Category: Biking, Central Florida, County Parks, Day Hikes, Hikes, Loop Hikes, Nature Trails, Off Road Biking, Parks, Paved Bike Trails, TrailsTag: Accessible, Birding, Deland, Dog-friendly, Family-Friendly, Orange City, Picnic, Playgrounds, Spring to Spring Trail, Wildflowers

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 Apps 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

Edge of island along blue waters of lake

Inglis Dam & Island Recreation Area

Inglis Dam & Island Recreation Area
Cove with a boat floating in it between rocky walls and palm trees

Felburn Park

Felburn Park
Expanse of water with boat headed into distance

Withlacoochee Bay Trail

Withlacoochee Bay Trail
View of expansive water beyond coastal trees

Fort Island Beach

Fort Island Beach

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 River. 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 Lake Wales Ridge.

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.Lithia. 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. Riverview. Ruskin. Sanford. Silver Springs. Spring Hill. St. Cloud. St. Petersburg. Tampa. Tarpon Springs. Titusville . Walt Disney World. Weeki Wachee. Winter Park. Winter Springs. Withlacoochee State Forest. Withlacoochee State Trail. Yeehaw Junction. Zephyrhills

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. Coconut Creek. Coral Gables. Coral Springs. 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