Central Florida is home to some great hiking and walking trails. On our Instagram account, we asked our followers for recommendations on where to go for hiking in Orlando, and one of the prevailing responses was the Black Bear Wilderness Area. With so many recommendations, we knew we had to check out what made this place so special.

Black Bear Wilderness Area

For us, heading to the Black Bear Wilderness Area proved to be a bit of a day trip. The area is located close to Sanford, Florida, and is about a 45-minute drive from us. If you are visiting and staying at Disney or Universal, plan on about an hour drive north from the resorts.

The Trail

The Black Bear Wilderness Area boasts a 7.1-mile loop trail. The nice thing about a loop trail is that it’s a bit easier to follow since there are really only two ways to go. Everyone starts from the same spot from the parking lot. You’ll reach a fork in the boardwalk where you can choose to go either right or left – again, it doesn’t really matter since you’ll traverse the entire trail anyway.

We decided to take a right at the fork, which ended up being a good choice for us since we felt the first mile or two were the hardest of the whole trail. We liked being able to tackle this difficult section first while we were still fresh and not super tired or sore.

There are markers every quarter mile which is great to help keep track of your progress. We took a pretty leisurely approach and stopped to take photos and observe the views and animals. It took us a little under three and a half hours to complete the full trail. 

The Terrain 

Compared to our visit to Tibet-Butler Preserve, this trail was a lot more challenging in terms of terrain. The trail was extremely easy to follow (we never got off-track or had to struggle to find out where to go next) but we constantly had to step over exposed roots, fallen logs, and other bits of nature.

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This trail also had more obvious elevation changes. The changes weren’t anything higher than a common stairstep, but they were frequent and noticeable. We visited on a day after a light rain which made the trail muddier and slipperier than usual. On a more positive note, because the trail is in a more wooded area, there is plenty of coverage from the sun.  

The Animals

Keep an eye and ear out for animals throughout the trail! During our last visit, we encountered a wild boar, some river otters, gators, and birds. There are signs at the entrance that say you may encounter black bears along the trail as well, but we haven’t seen any of those yet. We felt very safe throughout our hike; as long as you stay on the path and don’t disturb the animals, they won’t bother you.

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Tips and Tricks

• Use a walking stick: Whether you use a telescoping one or just a big stick from the forest, having something for a little extra grip and balance never hurts

• Wear sunscreen: Yeah, we know, it’s Florida and we always say this. However, it’s worth mentioning here because it’s easy to see a lot of tree cover and think you’re safe from the sun. While you aren’t getting hit nearly as much, there are still plenty of UV rays sneaking through the leaves.

• Wear old shoes: Other than the boardwalks, there isn’t any part of this trail that isn’t on some form of dirt, mud, or sand.

• Bring a backpack: The trail is long and you’re bound to get thirsty, but there aren’t any places on the trail to refill a water bottle…or throw an empty one away. Bring a light backpack to keep drinks and snacks in.  

Our Rating

To help us compare Orlando’s hiking trails, we’ve come up with a rating system that encompasses the same categories: difficulty, amenities, distance, coverage, and parking.

We give the Black Bear Wilderness Area an overall rating of 3.2 out of 5. Here’s how we broke it down:

Difficulty: 4

This trail had several sections we thought were pretty challenging. There were exposed roots, some narrow spots, and some dips and inclines. Even with this, there were sections of boardwalk, which were easy to walk, as well as a wider section where horses could go. We also went the day after rain, so some sections were really muddy.

Amenities: 2

Other than a trash can at the head of the trail, there are no amenities at the Black Bear Wilderness Area. There are a few benches throughout the trail and there was one area where we saw a small clearing with some picnic tables. The trail was well maintained and the boardwalk sections were great.

Distance: 4

We are pretty avid runners, so we didn’t really bat an eye at seven miles, however, there is a difference between seven miles on pavement and seven miles while traversing exposed roots and uneven terrain. In running terms, the distance is a little longer than a 10k and we finished it in about the time it would take us to complete a half marathon. 

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Coverage: 4

We first visited the Black Bear Wilderness Area on a day where the temperatures were about 90 and there was high humidity. For the most part, we felt great on the trail because there are several long sections of shade. Now, there are areas with no cover at all, but they were never too long.

Parking: 2

There’s a good-sized parking lot at the head of the trail, however, on a busy day we could easily see this filling up quickly. 

There are so many great aspects to living and visiting Orlando. We love getting a chance to explore the natural beauty Central Florida has to offer, which is why we love exploring different hiking trails. Do you have one you enjoy? Leave us a recommendation in the comments!