Resources
Resources for exploring the area
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Exploring Leesburg
Sitting squarely between some of the larger lakes in Lake County, Leesburg has a charming historic downtown dating to 1853.
The heart of Leesburg is on an isthmus between Lake Griffin and Lake Harris, popular destinations for boating and bass fishing.
Paddlers will find access from Lake Griffin State Park and Ski Beach Park adjoining pretty Venetian Gardens.
Once notable for its orange groves, Leesburg is now edged to the west and north by the sprawling retirement community known as The Villages.
Trails and Parks around Leesburg
Bourlay Historic Nature Park Rich with the history of Leesburg’s early settlers, Bourlay Historic Nature Park features quaint century-old buildings and a system of short nature trails. 
Dade Battlefield Historic State Park The Second Seminole War sparked amid the longleaf pines in these woods near Bushnell, where Federal troops and Seminole warriors met on December 28, 1835. 
Flat Island Preserve Established as a botanical preserve for native plants, Flat Island Preserve protects islands in the Okahumpa Marsh, offering hikers and paddlers immersion in a lush wilderness
Lake Griffin Nature Trails In the uplands above the Dead River Marsh, a set of nature trails showcase wild landscapes and one of Florida’s largest live oaks at Lake Griffin State Park.
Lake Griffin State Park Lake Griffin State Park sits along the marshy shore of Lake Griffin, its campground and canoe launch its biggest draws, but its land-based highlights aren't subtle: giant live oaks.
Lake Okahumpa Park Bask in the sun, shelter in the shade, or slide your kayak into the marshy waters of Lake Okahumpa at this easy-to-find Sumter County park along SR 44. 
Ocklawaha Prairie Restoration Area At Ocklawaha Prairie, east of Lake Weir and south of Marshall Swamp, trails lead to some of the best birding in the region from levees along the extensive marshes of the river basin.
PEAR Environmental Park Discover a deeply shaded walk on a nature trail that follows the trickle that is now the Palatlakaha River flowing towards Lake Harris. 
Sarah Maude Mason Nature Preserve Explore a floodplain forest along Little Lake Harris along a 1.4 mile hike on boardwalk to an observation tower and a pathway along its edge.
Sunnyhill Levee Trail A linear path along the channelized Ocklawaha River, the Levee Trail at Sunnyhill Restoration Area stretches 7.5 miles from SR 42 north to Moss Bluff.
Sunnyhill Restoration Area Edging the eastern shore of the Ocklawaha River north of Lake Griffin, Sunnyhill Restoration Area protects the channelized river's historic floodplain.
Venetian Gardens Park Adorning what were once spoil islands in a marshy cove on Lake Harris dredged for dockage for Leesburg boaters, Venetian Gardens dates to 1925.Articles
The new 50 Hikes in Central Florida (10/5/2018) We launched a new full-color edition of 50 Hikes in Central Florida at the National Trails Festival in Deland the first weekend of October. Take a peek inside.
Fly’n R Ranch (10/30/2014) Raise a Slush Puppie to toast one of Florida's newest public lands, 3,100 acre Fly’n R Ranch along the Ocklawaha River, thanks to conservationist Will Radcliff