Best Dog Friendly Parks & Walking Trails in Lake Nona
As the weather cools down, many Lake Nona residents look for new and exciting dog friendly parks and walking trails to participate in with their pets. Lake Nona offers many small community parks as well as fenced in dog parks, yet sometimes you want to see more nature or explore a new place. Lake Nona offers trails and parks that are dog friendly where you can enjoy the sunshine and fresh air with the whole family, your dog included!
Before heading out, always make sure you check out each park and trail’s hours and rules to make sure you and your family have a great time. Most parks require dogs to be a leash and you should bring necessities such as water and waste bags for your dog as well!
Dog Walking Trails in Lake Nona
These dog walking trails are at the heart of Lake Nona: Laureate Park! You may have passed a few on your drive through the large community and you would be surprised at the sights you could see when you walk the trails yourself. These are all called Laureate Park Nature Trail, but there are different trailhead sections around the large community that make up the "Miles of Trails" within Laureate Park.
It is important to always prepare your dog for long walks such as these. Many trails have wildlife around, so dogs should be leashed at all times. Bring pet water bowls and waste bags so that you and your dog can have a great time exploring. Some pets may have more sensitive paws and may need doggy shoes to walk the shell paths.
Laureate Park Main Nature Trail
The main trail is a gravel path that runs north to south along the east side of the Laureate Park neighborhood. It starts at the southern trailhead at 9291 Laureate Blvd, east of a large pond. There is a gravel path that takes you up Nemours Parkway to the northeastern corner of Laureate Park. This is about a 1.5 mile walk and it is one way, not a loop, so you will need to go back the way you came. This could be a fun and easy path for you and your pet to get some steps in and get some fresh air!
Bovet Trailhead
This shorter trailhead is located around the Laureate park neighborhood that runs through a patch of woods between a small park and the neighborhood. Because it is not a long path, it can be a perfect trail for kids and dogs who prefer shorter routes. It does pass a playground and it is around a 2-5 minute walk around. Many local residents have left reviews that call it peaceful and a short walk if you are looking for a change of scenery. This is a nice
short path if you and your pet want a quick adventure or a mid day potty break. The exact starting location of this path is at the intersection of Bovet Ave and Salk Way.
Adventure Park Trailhead
This path starts near Heros Community park by Lake Nona’s Adventure Park and takes you the scenic route along Laureate Park. It has a shell gravel path and takes you up the east side and around a big loop through the neighborhood. The full route is 6 miles long, but since it connects to the neighborhoods, it can be cut short to your preference. This path is much longer with different terrains, so definitely plan ahead for you and your dog if you choose to take the path on.
Split Oak Forest
Just south east of Laureate Park, off of Clapp Simms Duda Road there is a long trail surrounded by nature and wildlife called Split Oak Forest. This trail is an environmental trail, so you will see lots of wildlife, therefore dogs must be on a leash at all times. Official sites for Split Oak also state your dog should be under “Physical restraint” so make sure you can keep your pup by your side and secure.
This forest has 2 different loops and 2 different trials and all are different lengths. The longest is Split Oak loop at 5.4 miles while the shortest is the Center Trail at 0.8 miles. Since the trails are in the forest, you will want to wear appropriate shoes and make sure your pups paws are protected as well. This is a great trail if you want a more scenic view to your day. There will be lots of great smells for your pup and beautiful sights to see.
Dog Parks in Lake Nona
Lake Nona also offers a good amount of pet friendly parks for family fun. While there are traditional dog parks in most of the Lake Nona communities, there are also some hidden gems in Lake Nona! Here are some of our favorites!
Lake Nona Sculpture Garden
This park is located next to the Lake Nona Wave Hotel, but it is open to the public. It is part of Lake Nona’s vibrant community art program that is home to many art pieces and murals.
This park is covered in many palm trees and beautiful greenery and beyond that are the famous sculptures. This park is home to one of the most recognized sculptures in the world: the iconic Charging Bull by Arturo di Modica. It also has many other world renowned sculptures.
This park is pet friendly, but dogs must remain on a leash. This would be a great place where your dog could pose by sculptures for fun photos. This is also shaded areas to escape the heat.
Barxi at Boxi Park
Inside Boxi Park on Lake Nona Boulevard there is a fenced in, off leash dog park called Barxi Park. This fenced in park allows pets to be off leash as long as they remain inside. It is open to small and large dogs for some off leash fun and they even have a fun agility course for your pup to try out! Outside of the dog park we have Boxi Park, which is filled with restaurants, live music, kid play grounds, and many events which are dog friendly as long as your friendly pup remains on a leash.
As fall and the cooler weather begins to fill the air, we hope that you are able to explore one of these Lake Nona dog friendly trails or parks. Your dog will be sure to give you their paw of approval.
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