Although often crowded, Black Bear Wilderness Area is a spectacular place to see wildlife

Even though Black Bear Wilderness Area near Sanford is among the most popular places in Central Florida to hike, I’ve hesitated to post about it before now because of my reluctance to rain on those who love it. Truth be told, I was not particularly smitten with Black Bear when I first hiked there almost two years ago. But my wife loved it when she discovered it last month, as do many other outdoor enthusiasts whose opinions I value, and upon reflection, it’s easy for me to understand why it’s so popular. And while some outdoor purists like me may question the hype it receives, it’s hard to deny Black Bear’s appeal, especially if you want to see wildlife outside a zoo for free without having to trek too far from civilization.

Black Bear Wilderness Area and its 7.1-mile loop trail sit on just 1,650 acres lying tantalizingly close to Sanford and not far northeast of Orlando. Assembled since the 1990s from lands acquired by Seminole County as part of its Natural Lands Plan, Black Bear straddles the southern shore of the Wekiva River near its outflow into Lake Monroe. The trail rides along raised roads and now-overgrown berms built long ago to manage water levels in the swamps it surrounds, portions of which are connected by recently built boardwalks.

The attributes that draw locals and more than a few tourists to Black Bear are undeniable. Although the trail technically lies on man-made structures, hiking there feels like walking through a riverside jungle, and the views across the Wekiva from the boardwalks are spectacular. More than half the trail winds along the southern riverbank hopping from berm to berm across the boardwalks, beneath a tunnel of live oaks, cabbage palms, and cypress that jostle the narrow trail from side to side. The setting is like ice cream for anyone with a childlike imagination.

For being so close to a metropolitan area and so easily reached from I-4, Black Bear is also an excellent place to see wildlife, including its namesake bears and wild hogs and a wide variety of waterfowl. Because of its proximity to the river, alligators also frequently sun themselves beside the trail—including the one pictured below that my wife had fun trying to navigate around.

With all of that said, Black Bear’s popularity and proximity do come with some baggage. It can be crowded on weekends, particularly along its boardwalks. And because of how many partying pleasure boaters enjoy the river and nearby Lake Monroe, the visual beauty of the trail is often interrupted by noise. You’re also never far from the buzz of speeding cars on I-4. Despite what you see in its pretty pictures, Black Bear is usually not a place to go to find solitude or peace and quiet.

It is also far from an easy trail. Although the boardwalks are wide and well-designed and the road portions are flat, the sections on the berms are heavily rooted and often mucky, and the trail frequently rises and dips over the berms. So expect to have sore feet and ankles if you choose to do the entire loop. The wet terrain also brings plenty of mosquitoes except during colder, drier months when the nearby water level is low. The trail is also surrounded by swamps with no options for shortening the hike other than to turn around and squeeze by oncoming traffic through crowded choke points. Although I know many who disagree, I would not recommend Black Bear for weekend trail runners or time-conscious hikers unless they are early risers.

But even despite all of that, it’s easy to understand why people rave about Black Bear. In a region where millions of people flock each year to spend hundreds of dollars to float down pretend rivers past painted fiberglass trees and animatronic wildlife, Black Bear provides an immersive, authentic place to see animals that don’t sing and dance in the places where they live, in an ecosystem bursting with the trees and swamps that most people only get to see in movies or on postcards. Particularly if you can get there on a less busy weekday, Black Bear is a great place to hike.