Resources
Resources for exploring the area
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Exploring Mount Dora
Mount Dora has a well-deserved reputation as a destination for antique shoppers and for visitors looking for a romantic getaway.
It has always had a high concentration of bed and breakfasts compared to any other community in Central Florida.
It has many historic homes, all tucked under a dense canopy of live oaks. It is also home to a vintage Florida railroad hotel, the Lakeside Inn, right on the water.
With a parade of special events focused on the arts, Mount Dora is frequently busy on weekends. There is one quiet park with nature trails right on the lakeshore: Palm Island Park.
Several smaller parks provide playground equipment and places to sit and picnic in the shade.
It’s not far from Mount Dora to a variety of Lake County natural areas, some of them along Lake Dora, so it makes a good base camp for hiking.
The Dora Canal is a must-do for paddlers, as long ago it was dredged through a picturesque cypress strand connecting Lake Dora with Lake Harris.
Tour boats depart Mount Dora for a run through the canal on a regular basis.
Trails and Parks around Mount Dora
Clay Island Trail Expect plenty of birds in the marshes where farms are being restored to wetlands along a segment of the Lake Apopka Loop Trail with its own series of cross trails. 
Ferndale Preserve On Lake Apopka's western shore, Ferndale Preserve offers amazing panoramas of Florida's fourth largest lake, along with serious elevation changes on its four miles of multi-use trails.
Green Mountain Overlook and Trail At Green Mountain Scenic Overlook, take in a sweeping panorama of Lake Apopka from the highest elevations in Central Florida and hike Florida's longest set of trail switchbacks.
Hickory Point Park Threaded through a floodplain forest along Lake Harris, the boardwalk at Hickory Point Park zigzags among an impressive array of towering trees, ancient cypresses among them. 
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
Jones Avenue Stormwater Park With both wetlands and open water that attract birds, Jones Avenue Stormwater Park filters runoff from the neighboring community while providing wildlife habitat.
Lake Apopka Loop Trail Discover the wild heart of Central Florida on a ride along the Lake Apopka Loop Trail, an arc spanning two counties along the lake's north shore.
Lake Apopka North Shore Across two counties and along the entire north rim of Florida's fourth-largest lake, this 20,000 acre conservation area is a sweep of wildlife-rich marshes. 
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 Lucie Conservation Area A shaded loop trail winding through mesic hammocks borders a marsh that was once known as Lake Lucie. 
McDonald Canal Providing paddlers and boaters access to the Apopka-Beauclair Canal, the McDonald Canal Boat Ramp is a quiet spot for a picnic lunch and birding stop.
North Shore Trailhead The northernmost access point to the Lake Apopka Loop Trail, the North Shore Trailhead sits between uplands and wetlands divided by the McDonald Canal.
Palm Island Park Pairing an accessible stroll along the shoreline of Lake Dora with the fascination of following twisty trails beneath ancient trees, Palm Island Park is a Mount Dora must
Sandhill Preserve Surrounded by farmland and expanding housing developments, a climax sandhill habitat northwest of Apopka provides a wooded haven for wildlife.
Tavares Nature Park On a 1.3 mile circuit of this 101-acre natural area edging Lake Dora, walk a puzzle of grassy paths beneath a canopy of tall pines between marshes and a prairie.
Trimble Park A superb family destination for its playground and campground, Trimble Park boasts a showy nature trail looping over a mile between two lakefronts.
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. 
Wekiwa Springs State Park A massive wilderness area on the edge of the Orlando metro, Wekiwa Springs State Park is centered on a first-magnitude spring that pours forth a river lined with jungle-like vegetation.Articles
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A visit to Trout Lake Nature Center (1/24/2013) A quick visit to Trout Lake Nature Center in Eustis opened up a new world of things to do close to home.