Hike three of 40 trails on Orange County's Green PLACE preserves by April 22 to earn a sticker; 15 earns a bandana. Here are the 16 preserves and their trails.
Orange County is running its first hiking spree on the natural lands it has bought to protect. Anyone who hikes three or more of 40 trails on its Green PLACE preserves by Earth Day, April 22, 2027, can claim a reward.
The spree began Sept. 26, National Public Lands Day. It is hosted by the county’s Environmental Protection Division, according to the county’s announcement. The county also runs free guided hikes each month from September through April.
How the rewards work
Hikers log the trails they finish, then send in the county’s completion form by May 1, 2027. The county’s Hiking Spree page sets three levels:
| Trails hiked | Title | Reward |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Green PLACE Hiker | Limited-edition vinyl sticker |
| 10 | Green PLACE Trail Leader | Sticker, plus a pin or a hiking stick medallion |
| 15 or more | Green PLACE Trail Warrior | All three, plus a limited-edition bandana |
The announcement does not describe a separate sign-up step for the spree itself. The free guided hikes are booked through the county’s Green PLACE Eventbrite page.
Where the trails are
The county’s Green PLACE Recreation Guide lists 16 properties open for hiking. Most are in east and southeast Orange County. Mileage is the guide’s total trail length for each property.
| Property | Address in the guide | Trail miles |
|---|---|---|
| Charles H. Bronson State Forest (Orange County section) | 3563 Phillips Road, Christmas | 40 |
| Crosby Island Marsh Preserve | 13601 Moss Park Road, Orlando | 1.1 |
| Eagles Roost | 10525 Clapp Simms Duda Road, Orlando | 2.51 |
| Econlockhatchee Sandhills Conservation Area | 15607 Lake Pickett Road, Orlando | 3 |
| Greeneyes Wildlife Preserve | 951 W. Kelly Park Road, Apopka | 0.81 |
| Hal Scott Regional Preserve and Park | 4500 Dallas Blvd., Orlando | 16 |
| Hidden Pond Preserve | 20501 State Road 520, Orlando | 1.67 |
| Isle of Pine Preserve | 14032 Lacebark Pine Road, Orlando | 5.12 |
| Johns Lake Conservation Area | 880 Avalon Road, Winter Garden | 0.4 |
| Ken Bosserman Econlockhatchee River Preserve | 14801 Lake Pickett Road, Orlando | 1.02 |
| Lake Lucie Conservation Area | 43 Rainey Road, Sorrento | 1.63 |
| Long Branch | 710 S. County Road 13, Orlando | 5.65 |
| Pine Lily Preserve | 1401 S. County Road 13, Orlando | 3.92 |
| Sandhill Preserve | 5611 Plymouth Sorrento Road, Apopka | 1.43 |
| Savage/Christmas Creek Preserve | 11046 NW Christmas Road, Christmas | 9.5 |
| Split Oak Forest Wildlife and Environmental Area | 12175 Clapp Simms Duda Road, Orlando | 9 |
Several addresses carry an Orlando mailing address but sit well outside the city, out toward Moss Park and the Econlockhatchee River. The county’s interactive map shows each one.
Some properties have more to offer than trails, the guide says:
- Eagles Roost has a nature center run with the Back to Nature Wildlife Refuge, which rehabilitates animals and releases them.
- Johns Lake Conservation Area and Hal Scott Regional Preserve and Park have kayak launches.
- Pine Lily Preserve carries a stretch of the Florida National Scenic Trail.
- Many properties allow horseback riding on marked trails.
What Green PLACE is
Green PLACE is the county program that buys and manages environmentally sensitive land to protect water, wildlife habitat and native plants. The county has preserved more than 26,800 acres since the mid-1990s, the guide says. Since its funding was renewed in 2021, the program has added more than 54 properties and 3,417 acres, Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings wrote in the guide.
What it means for you
- Go early. The properties are generally open sunrise to sunset, and the county marks some trails as seasonally flooded.
- Know the rules. Stay on marked trails, take your trash out, keep dogs on a leash, and leave plants and animals alone. Motor vehicles and smoking are not allowed, and the county does not provide security.
- Three trails gets you a sticker. The shortest trails in the guide run well under a mile, so the first reward is within reach in a weekend.
- Questions go to the Green PLACE program at 407-836-1400 or GreenPLACE@ocfl.net.
- For more places to walk closer to downtown, see our guides to parks and trails and walking and biking trails, and our weekend things to do list.
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