A beautiful expanse of pine flatwoods and floodplain forests in the midst of housing developments in southeast Orange County, Hal Scott Preserve protects over 9,500 acres in the Econlockhatchee River Basin. Named after a former president of the Florida Audubon Society, this St John’s River Water Management property offers miles of interconnected muilt-use trails with a few primitive campsites placed along the way.

The easiest trail to tackle is the White Loop, a 4.3 mile trek through the flatwoods, with an optional 0.4 mile side trip to a historic bridge crossing over the Econlockhatchee River. Known as Curry Ford, this spot is where stagecoaches and horses could cross the river near the Curry Plantation en route from Tampa to Titusville. On the other side of the water, the Yellow Trail loop adds an additional 6.3 miles to the hike, and hike-in access to two primitive campsites.

At the north end of the preserve, the Red Loop connects with the White Loop for an additional 6.1 miles, which in turn links with the trail systems of Pine Lily and Long Branch Preserves, both managed by Orange County. In the future, a linear section of the Florida Trail will cut through the park, once the Central Florida reroute is complete. Camping is free; two hike-in sites are first come, first served, and a drive-in group campsite can be reserved in advance online.