Outdoors
Split Oak Forest keeps Orlando's growth edge sandy and wild
Split Oak Forest Wildlife and Environmental Area protects scrub, flatwoods, hammocks, marshes, and wildlife habitat near the Orange-Osceola growth edge.
Split Oak Forest is a good place to remember that Central Florida growth did not erase all the old ground.
Split Oak Forest is managed to protect and improve habitat for the gopher tortoise and other wildlife and plants. The area includes upland habitats, pine flatwoods, hammocks, marshes, swamps, and scrubby places that feel very different from the nearby roads and subdivisions. It also gives visitors a mix of habitats and wildlife viewing close to the metro edge.
That mix gives the Orlando edge some needed texture. The south side of the metro area can feel like new roads, new roofs, and long plans for the next thing. Split Oak asks for a slower look at what was already there: sand, oaks, flatwoods, burrows, shade, and open patches that still matter.
Check FWC and county pages before going. Trail access, maps, habitat rules, and closures can change. Stay on marked routes and give wildlife plenty of room. Split Oak is close to the city, but it is not city land in the usual sense.
Where to see it
Split Oak Forest Wildlife and Environmental Area in Orange and Osceola counties, south of Orlando. Check FWC and county pages for access, trails, maps, closures, habitat rules, and current visitor guidance before going.
Connected places
These place pages create the local paths back to this note.
Official sources
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission - Split Oak Forest
- Osceola County - Split Oak Forest Wildlife and Environmental Area
Last checked against these sources: July 7, 2026.
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