About Shingle Creek Trail
Shingle Creek Trail offers a unique opportunity for families to experience 'Real Florida sights' and diverse wildlife right in the heart of a tourist town, adjacent to the Headwaters of the Everglades. It provides a well-maintained, multi-purpose green space for exercise, nature observation, and even geo-caching, making it an excellent option for active families and nature enthusiasts seeking an accessible outdoor experience.
What parents should know
Summarized from real visitor reviews.
Best for: Families seeking outdoor exercise (walking, running, biking, skating) in Orlando.Vacationers looking for an accessible and active outdoor option close to their hotel.Families who enjoy interactive activities like geo-caching.Birdwatching enthusiasts and amateur photographers.Infants & Toddlers: Suitable for stroller walks on paved trails.
Why families love it
- Abundant wildlife viewing opportunities: ospreys carrying fish, herons fishing, turtles, and downy woodpeckers.
- Presence of native flora like Beautyberry bushes and a flowing creek.
- Well-maintained, paved trails suitable for walking, running, biking, and skating.
- Clearly marked trail with quarter-mile markers and cool bridges.
- Informative signs along the way and a scenic overlook.
- Opportunities for birdwatching, nature viewing, and photography.
Insider tips
- Bring bikes, skates, or comfortable walking shoes to take full advantage of the paved trails.
- Look out for specific wildlife like ospreys, herons, turtles, and woodpeckers, as mentioned by reviewers.
- Be persistent in finding the trail, as some describe it as a 'hidden gem' that can be hard to locate.
- Park at the Cinemark/behind Dezerland area for easy access to the trail.
- Bring binoculars for enhanced birdwatching and wildlife viewing.
Good to know before you go
- If you are seeking a completely isolated, pure wilderness experience without any signs of civilization (due to proximity to highway and businesses).
- The natural environment is not entirely immersive, with a highway on one side and businesses on the other.
- Some visitors have reported difficulty finding the location, describing it as a 'hidden gem'.
- Accessibility
- Paved trails are suitable for strollers and likely accessible for wheelchairs.
- Safety
- Trails are nicely marked with quarter-mile markers for navigation and distance tracking.
What parents say
"Awesome to have a trail side-by-side to the Headwaters of the Everglades. There was wildlife all around. There were ospreys carrying fish and herons fishing. Beautyberry bushes were there. The creek was flowing and turtles were there. A downy woodpecker was in a palm tree working. Excellent green space in progress🎡 🏞"
8 months ago
"Needed a place to go for a run while on vacation and this park was five minutes away from our hotel. Met all the basic needs. Paved trails, quarter mile markers, map, informative signs along the way, scenic overlook (pictured). Highway on one side and businesses on the other so the environment isn't all nature all the time but it met my needs."
a year ago
"Awesome hiking, biking, birdwatching, nature viewing and photography ops, sparkling waters, and Geo-caching right in the heart of tourist town! Apparently, such a hidden gem, some cannot even find it!? Lol. It's there, I promise."
2 years ago
Reviews sourced from public Google data.
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