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

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Florida rosemary growing in bright white sand

Shadow Bay Park

A stones’-throw from Orlando’s famous theme parks, Shadow Bay Park protects one of the last remaining scrub ecosystems on the Mount Dora Ridge.

Orlando      ( 28.491020, -81.475412 )      2.5 miles

Straddling an ancient shoreline in the heart of an urban landscape, Shadow Bay Park is a rare slice of habitat and a refuge for endangered species.

Its network of trails offers multiple ways to explore the unique scrub habitat, including a paved loop and sandy footpaths.

A variety of recreational opportunities are popular at this park including tennis, pickleball, basketball, fishing, and a playground.

Paved path with bench A paved path provides an easy walk through the scrub


Resources

Resources for exploring the area

5 Star Trails Orlando Central Florida Orlando Explorers Guide book cover 50 Hikes in Central Florida Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State 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: Orlando
Length: 2.5 mile loop
Trailhead: 28.490497, -81.480822
Address: 5100 Turkey Lake Rd, Orlando
Fees: Free
Restrooms: Yes
Land manager: Orange County
Phone: 407-254-9175

Open 8 AM – 8 PM summer, 8 AM – 6 PM winter. Leashed dogs permitted.

Footpath into sand pine scrub


Directions

 
From Interstate 4 at S Kirkman Rd in Orlando, head north on S Kirkman Rd for 1.2 miles before turning left onto Conroy Rd. In one mile, make a left onto Turkey Lake Rd, then turn right in 0.2 mile at the park entrance on Oak Knoll Rd. Continue for a quarter mile to the parking area near the trailhead.

Hike

Starting at the parking area, follow a concrete sidewalk paralleling the road for a tenth of a mile towards a covered kiosk.

This signage displays information about the rare habitats and restoration projects taking place on the property.

Kiosk with scrub habitat information Information kiosk


Turn right, where a gently winding pathway leads down a corridor lined with dense shrubs and saw palmettos.

The trail splits at 0.2 mile, providing an option to stay on the sidewalk or follow an unpaved path through a forest of sand pine.

Sidewalk through vegetation Scrubby sidewalk


Leaving the concrete, a sandy, pine-straw strewn trail weaves through surprisingly shaded scrub habitat.

Clusters of fetterbush stand alongside closely related rusty lyonia, both of which sport small bell-shaped flowers in the cooler months.

Drooping pink blooms Fetterbush in bloom


In late summer through winter, goldenrod, blazing stars, and honeycombhead wildflowers attract pollinators with a dazzling mix of vibrant yellow and purple blooms.

Hog plums and silk bay add to the impressive mix of native vegetation as the trail cuts through scrub habitat for 0.4 mile before rejoining the sidewalk loop.

Bright yellow blooms with orange centers Coastalplain Honeycombhead


The paved pathway curves around Shadow Bay Pond, reaching a fishing dock in 0.6 mile where a secondary loop on the north end of the park becomes an option.

To finish the sidewalk loop, continue for 0.1 mile before turning left and crossing a road to the parking area.

Sign with words Shadow Bay Pond and pond beyond Shadow Bay Pond


To access the north loop, make a left at the fishing dock where a sidewalk leads through woods for 0.1 mile to the ranger station.

A sign marks the entrance. A difference in terrain is immediately evident.

The pathway descends quickly before climbing an ancient sand dune covered with Florida rosemary.

Florida rosemary Florida rosemary


Distinctive patches of scrub lupine dot the hilly landscape, easily recognizable by the fuzzy sage-colored leaves and showy pink inflorescence in the spring.

A one-mile loop can be put together from crisscrossed unmarked paths leading through this unique habitat before following the trail back to the fishing dock.

spiky clusters of leaves Scrub lupine


Trail Map

Shadow Bay Park Trail Map


Explore More!

Video

Hiking Shadow Bay Park


Nearby Adventures

More worth exploring while you’re in this area.

Bill Frederick Park

Bill Frederick Park

Inside the city of Orlando, the urban Bill Frederick Park has a wild side, too, with more than 2 miles of trails to meander through scrub forest and along Turkey Lake.

Tibet-Butler Preserve

Tibet-Butler Preserve

A wildlife haven within earshot of Walt Disney World, Tibet-Butler Preserve provides 3.6 miles of well-kept and gentle hiking trails for family fun

Ferns in a marsh

Oakland Nature Preserve

Protecting more than 128 acres along Lake Apopka, Oakland Nature Preserve offers an accessible boardwalk through marshes to the lake and uplands trails to explore

Historic Babb Landing

Historic Babb Landing

Take an easy walk to Shingle Creek at Historic Babb Landing along a family-friendly trail with great opportunities for birding and outdoor play.

Official Website

Category: Central Florida, County Parks, Hikes, Loop Hikes, Nature Trails, TrailsTag: Accessible, Botanical, Dog-friendly, Family-Friendly, Fishing, Ocoee, Orlando, Playgrounds, Walt Disney World, Winter Garden

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Our recent park & trail updates in this region

Line of pines with shrubs and a grassy trail foreground

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Pasture Reserve
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Dickson Azalea Park

Dickson Azalea Park
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