The Enchanted Forest Sanctuary is on the east coast of Florida south of Daytona and east of Orlando. I stumbled across this park on Instagram and bookmarked it for my next trip on the east side of Florida. The park isn’t large, but has great hiking trails and different ecosystems you can explore. Since visiting, it’s become one of my favorite parks in Florida.
General Information:
- Closed on Mondays & Holidays
- Open 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Admission is free
- Gift Shop, Exhibits, & Restrooms on site
- You may see a snake, deer, bobcat, lizard, or tortoise on your visit
Hiking Trails:
There’s about 8 trails throughout the park They kind of intertwine and end up crossing over each other. If you have about an hour to spend here, I would recommend starting out on the Enchanted Crossing and then connecting to the Coquina Trail. This trail has a little bridge over a stream that is so pretty. From there, take the Biodiversity loop out to the Tomoka Trail, and then go over to the Turtoise Trail and Ridge Trail. The magnolia loop is a little longer, so if you have more time, you can detour onto that during your walk as well as the Mesic Trail.
Travel Tips:
- Bring water or a snack depending on how long you plan to be there.
- This is a great place to bring kiddos or families since there’s so many different things to see and the trails can be as short or as long as you make them
- Since this area is close to Cape Canaveral, you can make a day of exploring the area including the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, Kennedy Space Center, or Canaveral National Seashore.
- If you’re up for a longer day or weekend trip, check out Highland Hammock State Park, St. Augustine, or Flagler Beach area that are all within a few hours.
