One of the first Florida Trail Association events I attended was a picnic at Lake Mills Park in Chuluota, almost a decade ago. It was a delight to return and wander the lush forest – where Florida rhododendron were in bloom in the uplands, and the fern forest a deep green in the cypress floodplain – and enjoy a stroll along the lakeshore.
This Seminole County park is an off-the-beaten-path favorite of mine because of its eminently appealing campground set in the shade of a scrub forest; I’ve camped here several times, and always enjoy being tucked away in the woods with a good bathhouse nearby. Large picnic shelters, lakeside shelters, and a playground round out the high points of the park.