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Palm Island Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 476 Google reviews · Running trail in Mt Dora, Florida · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Boardwalk
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Palm Island Park's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Dog-friendly 8-acre nature preserve with picnic shelters & trails, plus a boardwalk & fishing pier.
What runners say about Palm Island Park
“Boardwalk well maintained and trails are easy to navigate.”
“We stumbled upon this park while crossing through the beautiful little town of Mount Dora.”
“Dogs seemed to be welcome but we were not comfortable with that either as we observed the wildlife throughout!”
Beautiful old Florida, swampy with thousands of wild palms. Boardwalk well maintained and trails are easy to navigate. We saw many birds, a baby alligator, snakes and turtles. Palm Island Park has sidewalk right to lighthouse with plenty of park benches. Gilbert Park across the street.
Palm Island Park is a spectacular place to take a walk on the boardwalk. You can usually expect to see some gators and some pretty Florida birds. My wife and I saw a huge gator on a recent visit and it was an amazing site. It’s an old Florida experience that you do not want to miss.
Wow! This is a hidden gem!! To say it feels like a bayou jungle adventure at a Disney park is to on one hand show how little of true old natural Florida we have experienced and also to allude to the magical discovery of every step of this charming boardwalk path!
We stumbled upon this park while crossing through the beautiful little town of Mount Dora. The park has a really cool trail for a small hike. Half of the trail is on a boardwalk along the lake, and you can see lots of wildlife. The other half is through some native trees.
Trail conditions & character
“We saw a lot of wildlife on the boardwalk portion of this including alligators, bumble bees, butterfly, great blue heron, anhinga and turtles.”
“We stumbled upon this park while crossing through the beautiful little town of Mount Dora.”
“The only issue was parking was not easy to find, especially since we have to drive a large pickup that can tow heavier trailers.”
“Dogs seemed to be welcome but we were not comfortable with that either as we observed the wildlife throughout!”
“The path was excellent for a mobility walker or stroller.”
Plan your run at Palm Island Park
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceBoardwalk — flat and scenic, and slick when wet, so watch your footing
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Stroller / wheelchairReported as smooth and step-free enough for a running stroller or a chair.
- Websiteci.mount-dora.fl.us
- Phone(352) 735-7183
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | 7:30 AM–8 PM |
| Tuesday | 7:30 AM–8 PM |
| Wednesday | 7:30 AM–8 PM |
| Thursday | 7:30 AM–8 PM |
| Friday | 7:30 AM–8 PM |
| Saturday | 7:30 AM–8 PM |
| Sunday | 7:30 AM–8 PM |
Running trails near Mt Dora
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Grantham Pointe (Light House)
4.8 ★★★★★ 474 reviews
Beautiful park at the edge of a lake with paths and benches plus a playground.
Gilbert Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,092 reviews
Lakefront park housing a playground, picnic pavilions & BBQs, plus a shelter area, benches & trails.
Mt Dora Dog Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 124 reviews
Public park offering separate areas for large, medium, and small dogs, plus water and toys.
Mount Dora Trail
4.8 ★★★★★ 616 reviews
Mountain-biking park featuring jumps, obstacles and a skills area.