Split Oak Forest Wildlife and Environmental Area

Portions of the forest once supported turpentine and cattle operations, but the land across Orange and Osceola counties is managed today for habitat diversity. A recognized Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail site, it draws visitors along a network of unpaved roads and hiking trails, where footing can alternate between wet stretches and soft sand. The terrain provides habitat for numerous species associated with gopher tortoise burrows, making for steady wildlife viewing roughly sixteen miles south of Orlando.