To the surprise of many, the Orlando area is filled with many hiking trails meant to be explored! Even more so, many of these trails have incredible, scenic views.
Additionally, hiking is one of the things you must do if you want to spot wildlife.
Nestled in the greater Orlando area, Seminole and Lake County should definitely be on your bucket list, especially when looking for Orlando hiking trails with a view.
Whether you’ve just begun your hiking journey, or have been a hiker for some time, it’s not too late to create your hiking bucket list.
With so many beautiful hiking trails in Central Florida to explore, we figured it would be easier to break them down.
And since we’re lovers of all the scenic views, why not start with that, right?
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Hiking Trails with the Best Scenic Views in Orlando
Get ready to take notes and prep your hiking gear because we’re going on the best hikes in Orlando!
1. Kolokee Loop Trail, Little Big Econ State Forest
If you’re looking for a slightly easy trail to soak in the views, this is it! The Kolokee Loop Trail can be completed in under 2 hours.
Due to its popularity, it’s best to avoid this trail on weekends, especially in the mornings if you want to avoid crowds.
This is also one of the less challenging hiking trails in the area.
Length: 5 miles | Difficulty: Easy | Approx. time: 1 hr, 30 min | Best time to hike: October – April
2. Lake Lotus Park Loop Trail, Altamonte Springs – one of the best hiking trails for kids!
I consider this to be one of the best trails when hiking with kids.
The Lake Lotus Park Loop is a beautiful boardwalk trail where you can enjoy bird watching and even experience a bit of solitude.
One of the things I love the most about this trail is the Window on the Lake ‘house’.
Length: 1.7 miles | Difficulty: Easy | Approx. time: 30 minutes | Best time to hike: Year-round
3. Wekiva Springs Volksmarch Hiking Trail, Wekiva Springs State Park
This is one of my personal favorites in the area! This orange-blazed trail in Wekiva Springs State Park is an incomparable and beautiful hiking experience!
At one point, part of the trail crosses the Florida Trail and the White Trail Loop. Due to the many trails that intersect along the route, it’s best to take a picture of the trail map located at the trailhead.
Length: 6.3 miles | Difficulty: Easy-moderate | Approx. time: 2 hrs | Best time to hike: September – May
4. Osprey Trail, Spring Hammock Preserve
Spring Hammock Preserve is a perfect hiking spot for the whole family! Nestled near the Sanford area, this is a perfect place for nature lovers with pets and kids.
This is an easy out-and-back hiking trail with pretty views. This Osprey Trail is very popular among locals, so be prepared to make new friends!
Length: 2.2 miles | Difficulty: Easy | Approx. time: 40 minutes | Best time to hike: Year-round
5. Bear Pond Trail, Seminole State Forest
This hiking trail in the Seminole State Forest is maintained by the Florida Trail Association.
This section of the Florida Trail also has one of the very few Shelter Camps which is excellent for those who will be backpacking or thru-hiking. I also like to refer to this hiking trail as challenging yet beautiful.
Length: 7.5 miles | Difficulty: Moderate | Approx. time: 2 hr, 35 min | Best time to hike: September – May
7. Black Bear Wilderness Area, Sanford – one of the most beautiful hiking trails near Orlando
The Black Bear Wilderness loop trail is what I like to call a hidden gem in Sanford!
This one will have you asking yourself: “Is this really in the Orlando area?”.
And by all means, it sure is! It’s also another one of my favorite hikes, mostly because of how challenging it is.
90% of this trail is covered in roots and uneven ground. Nonetheless, it’s one of the most beautiful hiking trails near Orlando.
If you plan to do this hike, keep in mind that this is a popular trail and gets very crowded during the weekends.
Length: 7.3 miles | Difficulty: Moderate-difficult | Approx. time: 2 hr, 45 min | Best time to hike: Year-round
Where will you be hiking next? Share with us in the comments below!
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Yanitza Ninett
Yanitza is an avid adventurer with 15+ years of hiking experience and outdoor travel. As a PADI-certified scuba diver, she's also passionate about ocean conservation. When she's not exploring the great outdoors, Yanitza obsesses over The Vampire Diaries and dreams of traveling to Mallorca, Spain.
So, I don’t typically think of Orlando as a place to go hiking, but these trails look awesome! Thanks for sharing! I especially like the look of the Osprey Trail. Gorgeous!
Oh, yes! There’s plenty of nice hiking trails in Orlando! Osprey Trail is very pretty ❤️
These all look so gorgeous! I like the sound of the Black Bear Wilderness Area! Rooty trails are so gorgeous (even if they can be tough to hike on!) The beautiful waters along the Osprey Trail are really tempting too!!
I agree! I like rooty trails too 😊