Little Big Econ State Forest — Attraction in Oviedo

The Little Big Econ State Forest, located right near Oviedo, has over 5,000 acres of pristine natural Florida wilderness! This place has hiking, bird and animal-watching, fishing, primitive camping, horseback riding, mountain biking, and so much more! I have been here several times now, and every time I always love it. You’re in for a treat if you venture over here!

I park at the Barr Street Trailhead and head into the forest via one of their many trails, and it’s always so cool to see how much sand is everywhere. Did you know Florida was once under the ocean? When you hit the river (which is only like a 10-minute walk), there are massive sandy banks all along the windy river! It’s murky, brown (with alligators) that I wouldn’t recommend swimming in, but is really neat to see from the bluffs above! This is a very different environment than what you see elsewhere in Central Florida. You frequently see squirrels, skinks, lizards, alligators (saw one today on the riverbank), birds, big bugs, and more. You’re out in the wilderness here, and it’s awesome!

I’ve also parked at the bridge north of the Jones East Trailhead. That bridge is supposedly haunted and you see something called the “Oviedo Lights” - orbs of colored lights that float in the swamp/over the bridge at night. I did an overnight challenge here twice before and never saw anything, so I’m not really convinced. However, sketchy people do sometimes come here at night so I would advise against doing that just to be safe!

Getting back to the forest, this is one of the best and closest places to go on a little walk in the Florida wilderness away from the hustle and bustle of city life. It’s always a great coming here. Bring bug spray, watch out for alligators (meet an eye on your kids and pets), and don’t step off the trail as you might walk into fire ants! If you follow all that, enjoy - you’ll have a...

We stumbled upon Little Econ State Forest and it's a hidden gem! The trail was teeming with wildlife - we spotted deer, birds, and even a few turtles. It was amazing to see so much nature thriving in one place.

One of the best parts? It wasn't crowded at all. We practically had the trail to ourselves, which made for a peaceful and serene hike.

The forest canopy provided plenty of shade, so we didn't have to worry about getting scorched by the sun. The terrain was varied and interesting, with plenty of twists and turns to keep things exciting.

And the cherry on top? Admission is FREE! You can't beat that. We loved that we could explore this beautiful forest without breaking the bank.

Overall, Little Econ State Forest is a must-visit for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. We can't wait to come back and explore more...

Used to love it. Now...

I went walking/running on the Florida Trail today, starting at Brumley Road and going to Snow Hill Road, through the state forest.

The walk starts off lovely, crossing the pasture near Big Oaks Ranch. It gets into the woods and it's beautiful if a little damp. The mud bridges lead down into a wet area. Once I crossed that, I got into an area that used to be pine-palmetto flatwoods.

Now it looks like a damned desert. What the heck?

I sure there's some kind of restoration plan, because that clear-cut looks terrible, like walking into an open wound. If there is a plan I would like to see it. Who would approve such a thing in such a heavily used recreation area?

Very, very disappointed in someone's judgment, that's all I can say. I'll be sending letters to the newspapers and the...