Split Oak Forest Wildlife and Environmental Area

Split Oak Forest Wildlife and Environmental Area is a 1,689-acre preserve straddling the Orange and Osceola county line southeast of Orlando, jointly managed by Orange County and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The forest preserves pine flatwoods, oak scrub and wet prairie, and the trail system includes loops of up to roughly 6.5 miles that are marked by color blazes. The terrain is completely flat, and sandy tread slows walking in dry sections. Entry is free and the area is open from sunrise to sunset. The forest is home to gopher tortoises, sandhill cranes, wild turkeys, and the occasional bobcat; hikers should avoid disturbing tortoise burrows. There is little shade in the scrub, no water on the trail and often no cell signal in the interior. The area has been subject to a long-running dispute over a toll road, so hikers should check news and posted notices for changes before driving out. Ticks and mosquitoes are common in the wet season, and summer heat can be severe.