Best Sunflower Hikes near Orlando

One of the great joys of fall in Central Florida is the explosion of native sunflowers (primarily Helianthus angustifolius) along portions of the St. Johns River.

These natural fields of sunflowers rim the marshes of the St. Johns from September through October.

Motorists notice them as they cross Lake Jesup on SR 417 between Oviedo and Sanford. It’s not obvious from the highway that you can hike to these sunflower fields.

Dense blooms are common at Lake Jesup Wilderness

The intensity and density of the blooms vary according to rainfall and river levels during the summer season.

Some years they are eye-popping and head-turning, other years they are just a haze of yellow against the lakeshore.

Here’s where you can walk up close to these fields of blooms (and in some places, into) along existing trails, which may be wet depending on river levels.

Blooms at Kilbee

Sanford

Lake Jesup Wilderness
Very accessible and popular due to its boat ramp, this wilderness area at the end of Sanford Ave has a trail that goes through the floodplain – and masses of sunflowers – before it gets to higher ground on a berm overlooking the flower-filled prairie.

Lake Jesup Wilderness A pair of loop trails across the St. Johns River floodplain create a 4-mile hike amid jungle-like hammocks and expansive prairies that erupt with vibrant sunflowers in the fall.

Blooming sunflowers lining a grassy path

Lake Jesup Wilderness

Lake Jesup Cameron Tract
Easy to get to – just off Lake Mary Blvd by the Sanford International Airport – and a short hike out to the prairie edge of Lake Jesup, with expansive views. The best sunflowers will likely be a bushwhack off trail to get closer to the lake, so bring your GPS.

Lake Jesup Cameron Tract On a mile-long loop in grassy prairies along Lake Jesup, enjoy palm-framed panoramas of the open prairies along the lakeshore.

Geneva

Mullet Lake Park
Tiny Mullet Lake Park bursts with blossoms along the St. Johns River. It’s home to a small walk-in tent camping campground but busy at night with boaters and airboaters.

Mullet Lake Park Set along a remote sweep of vast marshes along the St. Johns River, Mullet Lake Park is home to a stunning array of swamp sunflowers each fall.

Thicket of blooms at Mullet Lake

Lake Harney Wilderness Area
Visit the tall observation tower for an overview of the floodplain to see where the sunflowers are, then take the Lake Loop at its base to get up close. Expect wet feet! The sunflowers don’t tend to be as thick here as along Lake Jesup.

View of a floodplain and path in it from above

Lake Harney Wilderness Area With an outstanding accessible observation tower offering a panorama of the St. Johns River floodplain, Lake Harney Wilderness is a must-see for birders and photographers.

Little Big Econ State Forest
Open to hunting, the Kilbee Tract is along SR 46 on the west side of the bridge over the St. Johns. Park and walk the forest road closest to the floodplain for an expanse of sunflowers.

Little-Big Econ State Forest Spanning from Oviedo to Geneva and Chuluota, Little Big Econ State Forest encompasses more than 10,000 acres of diverse habitats.

Blooms along the Kilbee floodplain

Mims

Seminole Ranch Conservation Area
Take Hatbill Road off SR 46 in Brevard County to reach this conservation area between Puzzle Lake and Lake Loughman. It bursts into bloom spectacularly along the mowed path towards Ellis Lake and the defined Snake Creek Levee trail a little farther south.

Seminole Ranch Snake Creek Levee At the north end of Seminole Ranch Conservation Area, this 1.4-mile round-trip leads to an observation tower with an extensive panorama across Loughman Lake and Salt Lake.