Tuscawilla Preserve — Attraction in Florida

This is a hidden gem I’m so happy I found! I’m attaching a photo of what my GPS recorded for distance and what is currently accessible.

South of Tuscawilla Rd is John and Eleanor Thrasher Park. It has a well-maintained 0.5-mile loop trail full of pretty trees and a variety of birds. It then has a wooden overlook of the basin and a trail that leads out into the basin if you’re equipped to go out there. You can see the photos for what this space looked like - it also had picnic tables!

On the northern side of the road is the Micanopy Native American Heritage park. This is the side where you can park (there’s plenty of parking). There’s an old museum that’s locked up and a pavilion. There’s also a small bat house! The trail on this side has several downed trees and once you go near the residential area the trail ends. This side had about 0.75 miles of trail.

Overall I highly recommend. I only saw 2 people while I was there and...

I want to love these trails, they're gorgeous and showcase Florida's amazing natural diversity, but the trails aren't very well maintained. When we reached the Prairie we joked that someone needed to come out with a weed whacker to clean them up--they basically become nonexistent and hard to follow. We ended up turning around out of fear of encountering gators and other less than friendly wildlife. If you visit, make sure to bring bug spray and check for ticks! I found one on my ankle despite my long legging and tall socks. If you love wild, natural, Florida, I definitely recommend this area, just be ready to rough it! And if you bring your furry friends, definitely keep...

2023-04-24, Monday: This is a VERY SHORT trail, but it is a nice, peaceful walk in the woods. When I got to the parking lot across the street, it sounded like a bird sanctuary. I saw Sandhill Cranes, Cardinals, White-tailed Deer, Bobolinks, and a variety of other birds. Unfortunately, I was unable to get any clear photos of the wildlife worthy of posting. I was a little disappointed that there wasn't a pond as shown...