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

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Lake May near Eustis

Lake May Reserve

With a loop hike of 1.8 miles circling its namesake lake, Lake May Preserve is a success story in habitat restoration, coaxing scrub and sandhills from a former working orange grove

Eustis      ( 28.872393, -81.629878 )      1.8 miles

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At Lake May Reserve, Lake County’s acquisition of 136 acres of former orange groves and the habitats that surround them have blossomed into an easy-to-access place to hike.

We discovered it while making regular drives past it as the trailhead was being established, and finally stopping to take a look after a year’s worth of activity led to a place to park and restrooms.

Lake May View of Lake May from the trail


The kiosk at the trailhead describes the trail as 2.4 miles long, but that includes all the connectors in the middle.

We walked the outer perimeter to make a 1.8 mile loop, hitting the high points of this surprisingly diverse preserve.

John looking at trailhead kiosk Trailhead kiosk near the highway


Resources

Resources for exploring the area

50 Hikes in Central Florida Central Florida Orlando Explorers Guide book cover Florida Trail Hikes 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: Eustis
Length: 1.8 mile loop
Trailhead: 28.872393, -81.629878
Address: 36300 County Road 44A, Eustis
Fees: Free
Restroom: At the trailhead
Land manager: Lake County
Phone: 352-253-4950

Open dawn to dusk. Pets are not permitted.

Sand pine scrub with hiker


Directions

 
From downtown Eustis, follow SR 19 north to CR 44 at the traffic light with Publix and Winn Dixie shopping centers on either side. Turn right. Drive 2.2 miles east, passing the entrance to Trout Lake Nature Center before the road becomes CR44A. Continue another 1.4 miles, passing through the Estes Rd traffic light. Soon after that intersection, the road curves. Watch for the trailhead on the left immediately after the blueberry farm entrance on the right.

Hike

Deciding on a counterclockwise loop around the perimeter, we started out in planted pines that opened up into a scrubby area with prickly pear cactus.

As the preserve had newly opened, the landscape seemed a bit worked over and torn up, probably from the removal of unwanted trees.

John in sandhill forest Hiking through climax sandhill


We followed orange posts with brown arrows on them, which led us into a climax sandhill forest with lots of laurel oaks.

About a half mile in, we came across a Lake County interpretive markers for red blanket lichen, and clusters of deer moss across the forest floor.

Yucca and reindeer lichen Yucca surrounded by reindeer lichen


Florida rosemary entered the picture as the habitat transitioned into a sand pine scrub, with reindeer lichen growing on bright white sand.

Emerging at an old orange grove above Lake May, we had an option for a return trail along the lake at 0.8 mile but stayed on the perimeter trail instead.

Marshes circling a lake The marshy edge of Lake May


It was the right choice. The hillside below the old groves provided nice panoramas of the lake.

The trail continued into a hardwood hammock where older saw palmetto dominated a portion of the understory.

large saw palmetto Saw palmetto in the understory


Where it transitioned into an oak hammock, Spanish moss hung in thick draperies overhead.

Popping out into an open scrub, we were delighted to see one massive Florida rosemary dominating the middle of this sandy spot.

John hidden behind a large rosemary shrub Now this is a nice sized Florida rosemary!


Nudging close to the property line and close to the highway by 1.4 miles, the trail stayed in the shade of the hardwoods above the lake.

Now and then, we could see the blue waters through the oaks and palms. Panoramas opened up again after we crossed a bridge in the woods.

John on a bridge Watching water cascade down the slope


Rounding an old shed from the former grove, the trail provided one more glimpse of the lake before heading uphill.

Returning to the scrubby former citrus grove, we saw where gopher tortoises had burrows in several spots.

Closing the loop, we made a right to exit to the parking area, completing a 1.8 mile hike.

Grassy area with pines in background Grassy area near the trailhead


Trail Map

Lake May Reserve Trail Map


Explore More!

Slideshow

See our photos of Lake May Reserve


Nearby Adventures

More worth exploring while you’re in this area.

Trout Lake Adventure Trail

Trout Lake Nature Center

On 230 forested acres on the northern shore of Trout Lake, Trout Lake Nature Center in Eustis offers a fun network of family-friendly interpretive nature trails.

Stream flowing downhill in a forest

Hidden Waters Preserve

With trails that lead you deep into a very large sinkhole, Hidden Waters Preserve in Eustis offers a fascinating hike with elevation changes and interesting terrain

Florida Trail near Paisley

Florida Trail, Clearwater Lake to Alexander Springs

10.5 miles. Hike the original miles blazed by Florida Trail Association trailblazers in 1966 along one of the most beautiful sections of the Florida Trail in the Ocala National Forest

Hiking at Ellis Acres Reserve

Ellis Acres Reserve

Protecting the western shore of Lake Akron in Paisley, Ellis Acres Reserve offers rolling pastures and woodlands along its 4.3 miles of trails.


Official Website

Category: Central Florida, County Parks, Day Hikes, Hikes, Loop Hikes, Natural Lands, TrailsTag: Eustis, Family-Friendly, Paisley, Umatilla

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