Located within five miles of the Walt Disney World Theme Parks, the Tibet-Butler Nature Preserve provides a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of the theme parks. Although the trails are only about three and a half miles long, they go through different parts of woodlands and swamp areas. The trails are well kept and not difficult to hike. There are boardwalks over the more swampy areas and an overlook provides a view over the marsh along the shore of Lake Tibet. Unfortunately, recent torrential rains have close some areas due to flooding, but there is still enough trails for about a couple of hours of leisurely hiking.
Not a lot of animals to see, but you can hear them in the bushes. This is a great birding trail and you can hear and see several birds along the trail. We saw some alligators and turtles sunning themselves on the water shore. There is an Osprey’s nest visible in the distance from the overlook and the Ospreys can be seen circling in the sky.
There is a small environmental center at the entrance to the trails where you can see live baby alligators and some information about the park and nature in general. There are clean restrooms there and a picnic area if you packed a lunch. There is also a butterfly garden and a small playground for kids.
A great place for a short hike a short distance from downtown Disney, this is a hidden gem. There is plenty of parking spaces and it is not too crowded. Best of all, it is free! This trail can be used as a great introduction to hiking and nature for kids and beginner hikers looking to get some dirt on their walking shoes but are not quite ready for an all day hike.
Watch my YOUTUBE video of our hike: https://youtu.be/yWSmoGgSpfo
If you know other great hiking trails in Central Florida, let me know in the comment below. Thanks for reading!
Looks beautiful!