De Leon Springs State Park is known for its always 72°F crystal-clear waters and scrumptious Old Sugar Mill Pancake House pancakes that you make on a griddle right in the middle of your table, but did you know that it is also a great place for hiking?
Hikers can explore the paved nature trail and the boardwalk to “Old Methuselah”, the Wild Persimmon Hiking Trail, or the Monkey Island Trail. This year, De Leon Springs Adventures launched guided paddles. It’s a great option for new hikers or those who just prefer having an expert lead them around the trails and maybe dish out a bit of trivia about the area.
Today, I’m going to share all about these guided hikes, including booking, pricing, routes, and our experience going on a private guided hiking tour at De Leon Springs State Park.
De Leon Springs Adventures sponsored this article. Although it is a sponsored post, my opinions and experience are my own.
Table of Contents
- Our Guided Hike Experience
- Tips for a good guided hike at De Leon Springs State Park
- FAQ
- More About De Leon Springs State Park
- Related Content:
Our Guided Hike Experience
I’ve been coming to De Leon Springs State Park since I was a kid. Nowadays, I’m at the park nearly every week with my kids and their friends.
We have been on the paved nature trail and seen “Old Methuselah” countless times, but we’ve done it on our own and never knew any of the history to be found along the trails. We were very interested in learning about the story of the park, its evolution, and how it came to be.
The day of our hike, my husband and I met our trusted guide, Dundee, at the boathouse and made our way over the spillway, past the swimming pool, and toward the Old Sugar Mill Pancake House. This was not our first tour with Dundee. We also did a guided paddle with him not too long ago.
You probably know De Leon Springs State Park for the spring and the pancake house, but the hiking here deserves attention too. These guided hikes are perfect if you want to learn more about the park without worrying about the details.
At the mill, we learned all about its history, from its first iteration to the present day. We then made our way to the nature trail, walking under impressive live oaks and through carefully maintained shrubs. Because we are regulars to the park, Dundee adapted the tour to help us learn new things instead of telling us things we already knew.
All along the nature trail, often on either side, there is water. I always thought that was naturally occurring, but it is not! Dundee explained why it was there. I’m not going to spoil it for you. You’ll need to go on the guided hike to find out!
We skipped the Wild Persimmon trail. It was too long to do, especially since we were casually hiking and pausing often to learn and examine various things along the way.
We did walk along the brand new boardwalk to see “Old Methuselah” and got to read the various planks personalized with dedications and sayings.
We also took the trail to Monkey Island. That’s one that neither my husband nor I had ever explored. It was a short distance to the island and, once again, we learned all about it. It is so interesting!
Our hike ended by the spring pool. I’m not sure if that’s where all the guided hikes will end, but it was my request. The sun was a bit lower and it made the spring look so gorgeous. I had to take it all in.
My husband and I really enjoyed ourselves. We got to see the park in a completely new way and learned so many new things. Having a guide is really the way to go if you want to dig a little deeper.
Tips for a good guided hike at De Leon Springs State Park
While I think keeping your gear simple is a good strategy, there are still some things I think you should bring or stop in the gift shop/nature center and pick up if you don’t have them already.
Wear sturdy and comfortable shoes
Make sure to wear good shoes for walking that will protect your feet. The paths you will be on during your hike will be fairly smooth, but you don’t want to stub a toe. Sturdy, comfortable shoes will make your guided hike more enjoyable.
Bug spray or protective clothing
The hiking is all along a lot of standing water, a perfect environment for mosquitos. Trust me on this one, the mosquitos can get fierce on the trails. So bring along your favorite bug spray, protective clothing, or both!
A wide-brimmed hat
There is some shade on the trail, but there are also plenty of areas that are exposed to the sun. A wide-brimmed hat will protect your face, eyes, and ears.
Sunscreen or protective clothing
Along with a wide-brimmed hat, I recommend additional sun protection in the form of sunscreen or protective clothing (ex: UPF 50+ sun shirt). The advantage of protective clothing is that you don’t have to worry about reapplying your sunscreen!
FAQ
How to book a guided hike
Reservations are required for guided hikes. You can book yours through De Leon Springs Adventures via their website or by calling 855-980-2665.
How long is a guided hike at De Leon Springs State Park?
Guided hikes are 50 minutes long.
How much do the guided hikes cost?
At the time of publishing this article, guided hikes are:
- adults (ages 12 to 64) $20 each
- seniors (ages 65+) $17 each
- kids (ages 5 to 11) $10 each
- young kids (ages 4 and under) FREE
In addition to the guided hiking fee, there’s a park admission charge (unless you have a yearly pass). At the time this article was published, the rates were:
- $6 per vehicle (two to eight people)
- $4 for a single person in a vehicle or on a motorcycle
- $2 for pedestrians, bicyclists, or additional passengers
How many people are on the tours?
The maximum group size is 15 people.
Where do you hike?
There are a number of trails at De Leon Springs State Park. Hikers meet up at the boathouse. Then your guide takes you over to the Old Sugar Mill Pancake House and you head over to the paved nature trail. All trailheads in the park are along this trail. Your guide will gear the hike to match the interests and abilities of the hikers.
Hiking trails at De Leon Springs:
- There is a paved nature trail with interpretive signs that is about 0.5 miles long. All trailheads are along this trail.
- The “Old Methuselah” boardwalk is very short and ends at an overlook with a view of the massive 500-year-old bald cypress.
- Monkey Island Trail is a short (0.9 mile) unpaved spur that loops out to a forested island area with a quirky backstory.
- Wild Persimmon Trail is an unpaved 4.2 mile loop that is sometimes flooded. You will probably not be able to complete it during a guided hike since it typically takes around 70 minutes to complete and guided hikes are only 50 minutes long.
What will you see on your hike?
- The Old Sugar Mill Pancake House and ruins
- Wildlife
- Plants and trees
- Remnants of various tourist attractions over the years
- Interpretive signs
More About De Leon Springs State Park
De Leon Springs State Park of course has a lot more going on than just hiking! You can definitely spend an entire day at the park swimming, picnicking, paddling, lounging, river cruising, eating at the Sugar Mill (they have lunch and adult beverages), and more. Definitely stop in at the nature center/gift shop to learn more about the history of the park. Find out everything you can do by reading my blog all about the park.
Related Content:
- Guided Paddles Now at De Leon Springs State Park
- 13 Incredible Experiences at De Leon Springs State Park
- Must-Have Gear for Your Florida State Park Spring Visit
- How to Make Your Florida State Park Visits More Memorable
- 7 Things to Do at Florida Springs
- 23 Things to Do at Florida State Parks
- Florida State Park Activity Book
Hi Jessica. Nikki T. here. I just finished looking through your website. It has so much wonderful information. Beautiful pictures and great virtual tour in DeLeon Springs. Thank you for your passion for nature and one of these days Jim and I may come paddleboard under your expert supervision.
Thank you so much Nikki! 🙂