An island of natural landscapes largely hemmed in by a press of subdivisions between Sarasota and Venice, Oscar Scherer State Park opened in 1956.
Its original 462 acres were a gift bequeathed by Elsa Scherer Burrows as a park in memory of her father Oscar, who who in 1872 devised a process to dye shoe leather.
South CreekEncompassing almost 1,400 acres straddling South Creek, the park is known for its scrub forests, crucial habitat for the endemic Florida scrub-jay.
But now-urban surroundings and the diversity of habitats inside the park means it is also a haven for more common species displaced by development.
Scrub flanking the park roadResources
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Overview
Location: Osprey
Length: Up to 17.7 miles
Entrance: 27.16929,-82.477477
Address: 1843 S. Tamiami Trail, Osprey
Fees: $5 per vehicle
Restroom: At picnic areas
Land manager: Florida State Parks
Phone: 941-483-5956
Open 8 AM to sunset. Leashed pets welcome. Canoe and kayak rentals available.
Directions
Following Interstate 75 southbound from Sarasota, take exit 200 for Osprey, which empties onto an expressway, SR 681, that curves around the south edge of the park. Turn right onto US 41. Continue 1.7 mile to the prominent park entrance on the right. The park is large with multiple trailheads. Lake Osprey makes a good starting point for most hikes.
About the Park
While the size and location of Oscar Scherer State Park makes it significant in terms of wildlife habitat, it was first and foremost a recreation destination.
Direct access to South Creek allows paddlers to drop in a canoe or kayak and explore the transition between freshwater and saltwater habitats.
Canoeists on South CreekThe original picnic areas for the park are along a well-shaded strip of hardwood forest on the west side of South Creek.
At the north end of the park road, Lake Osprey boasts large picnic pavilions and additional picnic tables near a swimming beach.
Some of the picnic areas have a 60s vibeFed by an artesian well with a slight whiff of sulfur to the cascading waters, Lake Osprey is open and broad.
The small lake is the centerpiece of a recreation area that includes a fishing pier, youth camp, and nature center, as well as access to all the park’s trails.
Lake Osprey swimming area and pierThe park’s popular campground is a short walk from Lake Osprey, with most of its spaces well-shaded inside the hammock that surrounds South Creek.
With 104 spaces, it’s become a major destination for snowbirds. Seven sites are ADA accessible. All sites have electric and water hookups.
Campsite at Oscar SchererFor many of us, the main reason to visit Oscar Scherer State Park is its extensive and well-marked network of trails.
We documented these in full two decades ago in 50 Hikes in South Florida, and have returned several times since to re-explore the changes to the park’s surroundings.
Big Lake is one of the highlights on the trail systemHiking
Nature Trails
From the South Creek Picnic Area not far inside the entrance, the South Creek and Lester Finley Trails follow the creek from hardwood forest into mangroves.
South Creek Nature Trail Delight in scenic views and lush vegetation along this well-worn footpath along the bluffs of South Creek at Oscar Scherer State Park.The South Creek Trail extends a half mile up the creek to the park campground and to the Lake Osprey Picnic Area and nature center.
The barrier-free Lester Finley Trail heads downstream. It has hardened natural surfaces, boardwalks, and pavers, along with many rest stops and “Talking Rangers” that provide interpretation at the push of a button.
Lester Finley Trail A gentle barrier-free nature trail, the Lester Finley Trail along South Creek is an excellent starting point to explore natural habitats within Oscar Scherer State Park. The Lake Osprey Trail is also accessible. Well graded, it loops its namesake, with plenty of benches, interpretation, and a fishing pier extending into the lake.
Lake Osprey Trail Central to trailhead access at Oscar Scherer State Park, the Lake Osprey Trail is an accessible loop around artesian-fed waters behind the nature center.Longer Trails
Four major loop trails radiate from Lake Osprey, so many trail users make use of the large parking areas adjoining the nature center and restrooms.
On the far side of the nature center, a bridge leads to the 2.8 mile Green Trail, accessed through the campground via a forest road.
Colored arrows correspond to trail routes, some of which overlapMost of the hike on the Green Trail is on a loop through pine flatwoods and scrub. Largely in the sun, this trail is superb for birding.
There is an eagles’ nest in a tall pine, which necessitates seasonal closures of a portion of the loop, and the flutter of Florida scrub-jays amid the diminutive trees.
Eagles’ nest in a tall pineBranching off at the Green Trail is the Orange Trail. This connector crosses a creek and winds along the rim of the floodplain of South Creek, following it upstream.
Passing beneath the Legacy Trail trestle, it reaches a junction for a hike on the biggest loop in the park, the 5 mile Yellow Trail.
Orange Trail underpass under the Legacy TrailAt the trailhead parking at Lake Osprey, a big sign points out the other access point for the Yellow Trail, which starts out in scrub, shared with the Blue Trail.
Oscar Scherer Yellow Trail On this 4.8 mile loop through expansive scrub and flatwoods, discover hidden streams, ancient trees, and great birding at Big Lake.Known for Florida scrub-jay sightings, the 1.5 mile Blue Trail turns left where the Yellow Trail crosses the paved Legacy Trail into the northern forests of the park.
The Yellow and Blue Trails start at the Lake Osprey trailheadThe 3 mile Red Trail starts in this vicinity as well. When we hiked it two decades ago for 50 Hikes in South Florida, its location against the park perimeter pushed it against a subdivision.
Rooftops aren’t especially compelling scenery. The portion of the loop through pine flatwoods closer to the park road is a much nicer hike.
The Red Trail crosses an expanse of open pine flatwoodsBiking
Providing direct access to the Legacy Trail, a trailhead lies at the end of a dirt road past Lake Osprey.
Spanning nearly 20 miles from Venice to Sarasota, the Legacy Trail is a popular paved biking route which connects via Venetian Waterway Park to Caspersen Beach on the Gulf of Mexico.
Staying within the park’s boundaries, enjoy an uninterrupted 3.9 mile round-trip ride within natural habitats.
The Legacy Trail Connecting Venice and Sarasota, one of Florida's finest paved trails provides a corridor for biking and hiking along a historic railroad line.With the exception of the nature trails, hiking trails are open to off-road biking. Markers shaped like bike tires point out the best routes.
Soft sand in scrub habitat is challenging to ride through, especially at the start of the Yellow Trail and the Blue Trail, along with the Red Trail.
It’s best to use the Orange Trail to get to a firmer ride east of the Legacy Trail. Near Big Lake, a trail interconnects with neighboring Scherer Thaxton Preserve.
Trail Map
Explore More!
Video
Hiking the Yellow Trail at Oscar Scherer State Park
Slideshow
See our photos of Oscar Scherer State Park
Nearby Adventures
Historic Spanish Point A prominent peninsula in Little Sarasota Bay at Osprey, Historic Spanish Point fascinates with its layer cake of Florida’s past, both human and floral.
Curry Creek Preserve East Amid expanding suburbia in Venice, this 71-acre island of botanical delights circled by a 1.6 mile loop buffers wildflower-rich longleaf pine flatwoods along a mangrove-lined stream.
Red Bug Slough Preserve Walk beneath a mature live oak canopy along the rim of a protected waterway within the heart of residential Sarasota.
Sleeping Turtles Preserve North Named for a feature on old navigational maps, Sleeping Turtles Preserve North provides great views of the Myakka River from its bluffs. 
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- Hal Scott Preserve - October 28, 2026