Osprey Trail, Spring Hammock Preserve, Longwood

If you need some shade on a hot day, come to Osprey Trail in Spring Hammock Preserve. This is a wide, white sand hiking trail, under thick shade of jungle. It is very beautiful. We didn't go the whole way because we got spooked by wild boar markings in the mud. A local also told us we might see bears here. And no one was around.

The trail is a 1.2 mile path which leads directly east from the parking at Osprey Trail Rd (the trail is not marked on google maps, only the trailhead). Near the end, the trail heads south, connecting with Limpkin Trail, a parallel trail, and then heading east to the lake. Some say the boardwalk to the lake is currently not useable.
The trail can get muddy towards the end, apparently, and there can be snakes.
Nearby, to the east, check out Central Winds Park, an eleven minute drive or 17 minute bike ride along the Florida Trail. Even nicer is Overlook Park, an eleven minute drive away- it is past Central Winds Park. Both are on Lake Jesup, with piers on the water, and Overlook Park has tall trees strung with Spanish moss.

Directions

Spring Hammock Preserve is located at 2985 Osprey Trail. Longwood, FL. There is non-shady parking at the trailhead, at the end of Osprey Trail Rd. 
The trail is not marked on google maps. The green trail marked on google maps, going south, is actually a bike path (Florida Trail) under power lines with no shade. The hiking trail goes directly east from the end of Osprey Trail Rd and ends at the lake. Limpkin Trail runs parallel to it, to the south, and connects with it before it reaches the lake. See the simple map below, in the photos area. Here is a detailed county map.

Click on map for interactive view