Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge - De Leon Springs, Florida

Jordan M

I hike here every chance I get when I visit Florida. It’s an absolutely beautiful place where you can always see wildlife. Gators, turtles, rabbits, snakes, lizards, birds, etc. The path is open with no shade, but there’s a few spots where you can take shaded trails. Definitely wear mosquito spray and sunscreen. The hours displayed on google says it closes at 4 PM but you can access the park from sun up to sun down. I highly recommend this place if you’re a photographer or simply love observing wildlife in their natural habitat.

Sarh Max

It was very peaceful, just the sound of wildlife.
Detailed maps and easy-to-follow trails.
Pond for fishing with a small dock.
Outhouse-style bathroom.
No pets allowed.
Part of the road to the entrance is gravel.

Chris

We rode our bikes around the area. It was absolutely peaceful, and gorgeous.
We saw numerous birds, ducks, turtles, and 1 alligator.
The majority of the area is out in full sun, so it did get quite warm. I would definitely go back on a cooler day!
There is one bathroom located at the parking lot. You may want to consider bringing along some wipes, and hand sanitizer. It was not very clean when we went. This is my only negative comment about the Reserve.

Marylea Lueth

Beautiful place to walk, see nature, watch a sunset! There are very well-maintained hiking trails throughout. You can easily do 3-4 miles while looking out over canals and at some points the entire Lake. Birds abound, Gators are frequently visible, and you can sometimes see glimpses of otters. The gate closes at Sunset, but it opens from the inside so you can't get trapped. Awesome place!

Frankie Painter

We come here often to enjoy a quiet walk. So much wildlife, plenty of benches along the path, and a lookout tower. Great for runners looking for a flat, grass path without roots. There is NO shade so plan accordingly! Bathrooms are not bad and definitely better than a port-o-potty. Not a ton of parking but we’ve never had an issue. Bring your camera and binoculars and watch out for gators lurking on the edges!!

Britton Frankel

Such a cool spot to hangout and explore. Marsh and dry land areas with plenty of wildlife to boot.

Fauna and flora alike…

Gators, birds, reptiles, mammals, and more are always hanging out and or ready to surprise you.

A very nice place to explore

Bruce Rinehart

Walked one of the trails. Lots to see, but getting all the way in to the parking areas on a one lane car road is really hard. People were very polite and everyone tried to take turns but it is just too long and too narrow. I hope to go back but will prepare for a longer hike. Would like to see Lake Woodruff.

Andrea Sparks

Lake Woodruff is a beautiful park. The refuge is a little of the beaten path but that is just what makes it special. If you are driving or cycling on the Spring to Spring Trail, which is part of the Volusia County Coast to coast trail, turn off Grant into Mud Lake Road. The road will not be paved all the way and a section of it is almost one lane don't panic. The first parking area that you will come to is the Mayaca Trail System where there are 2 loop trails an American Eagle lookout point where you can view the nest. There is also a trail that will take you under a canopy of trees to the main refuge walking by Spring Garden Lake. There is great signage along the way telling you about different plants and wildlife. If you drive past the first parking area the road leads to the main entrance area. The park has lots of levee systems that you walk along, there are 2 trails off to the left side that takes you through lots of palms and one trail all the way in the back that takes you to Spring Garden Creek. The Creek is beautiful and a great place to eat lunch. Fishing is allowed, there are several observation areas for wildlife. The levees are flat and easy to walk. You will see lots of wildlife from Cranes, herons, ducks, eagles and other birds. There are lots of alligators, tortoises, turtles, rabbits, butterflies, wildflowers and more. Definitely recommend this park