lyonia preserve

My husband enjoyed this guided walk. Only when they returned to the starting point did he finally see a scrub jay. For my part, I was glad that there was a library right next to it where I happily spent my time.

Buitiful park, being this is in the city. Nice walking trails for bird watching. The trails are well maintained, and marked well.

Very nice trail to get some exercise on...peaceful, quiet, tranquil. They have 3 different trails to walk...each one a little longer depending on how far you want to walk. It gets hot out there..so definitely bring a bottle of water...or two.

Nice big preserve near the library beautiful landscaping .Easy access to park ,to walk the blue jays are beautiful and follow you to the trail.

Stopped by and was very impressed. We did the short walk and had a great time. Touched and tried everything inside. Really want to bring the Grandkids to play and learn.

First the staff is awesome! Be sure you say hi to them! They obviously like their jobs and people and the nature they represent. Take an early or late hike in hot weather if you want to see a Florida Scrub Jay. You're not allowed to feed them. It throws off their breaking cycle. TAKE A CAMERA! You may also see Gopher Tortoise and I've even photographed bear tracks there once but that's very rare! This is an easy walk/hike. You can choose from 3 different trail lengths. Take your kids...the birds will be unforgettable to them or visiting family!

This wonderful preserve is great for a morning or afternoon hike. Multiple loops out to 2.5miles long . The Lyonia preserve center provides a great insight to the animals that live there. Photographers will enjoy the terrain and wildlife .

This is a really fun place to take kids. They have a nice walking trail and an indoor information center that the kids will really enjoy. They usually have activities going for the weekends. This is a great free attraction in Deltona and the library is on the property so you can combine your stop with that.

My wife and I are in Daytona from NH for a month and today we visited Lyonia Preserve. Price of admission is a donation and please do contribute to the upkeep of this lovely preserve. The hope of our visit was to encounter the scrub jay and as we were completing our hike of the preserve we were greeted by a pair of scrub jays. These birds are truly people friendly birds. A pair of jays landed on our arms, hands and even my wife's head (lol). Fabulous photo opportunities !!!!!

I went specifically looking for the endemic Florida Scrub Jay & was not disappointed. In addition to the jays I saw male & female Eastern Towhees & White Eyed Vireos. The preserve is located in Deltona, part of the Great Florida Bird Trail, & is adjacent to the Deltona Public library, sharing the same parking lot. The preserve is free and the lady in the souvenir shop provided a map & ideas for spotting the jays. They don't mind people talking & supposedly are attracted to shiny, unusual objects. They are curious. We were there about noon and I thought it might not be the best time to spot the birds, but we were fine. Part way around the blue trail ( there are 3: orange, which is short, red which is medium in length & the blue which is just over 2 miles), the jays swooped in. There were a few, one of which landed on my husband's hat. Another on my camera & then my head. My husband's hat was a black baseball cap & one jay was pecking at the black 'button' on the top.The trails are completely sand, so wear appropriate shoes. Do not take seeds etc to feed the birds: that is not allowed. Restrooms are clean. There are guided walks on Mon & Wed. & as a courtesy, you should call ahead to let the guide know you are attending (386) 736-5062. If I were taking guests, I would combine the preserve with Blue Springs State Park, since the preserve & state park are in the same general vicinity, about a 20 minute drive apart. Add in lunch & there's a great day out with guests.

Lyonia Preserve is a great experience for learning about Florida native plants and animals. I was priviledged to have my very own guide because no one else showed up for the morning stroll. It was absolutely great! A very knowledge guide (Stephen Kintner). I learned a lot about the area and even experienced a friendly visit from a family of Scrub Jays (birds) sitting on my hand and head. Would recommend this stroll for a family outing. Does require walking on sandy trails. Not difficult! Thank you! mayan

The preserve offers 3 different walking paths to see Florida native flora and fauna. In an unusual partnership, the Lyonia Preserve is part of the Deltona Regional Library. That means the hours are the same as the library's hours making it a little less convenient on Sundays. In the mid-afternoon heat the walk was interesting but the birds were not out. Fortunately I did see the famed Florida scrub jay and a shrike as I was leaving the preserve, making the visit worthwhile. Additionally there is a environmental center with exhibits and hands-on activities for the kids. Free so definitely worth it. Water and other snacks are available in the center or bring your own water and sunscreen. Actually the small cafe was quite good and reasonably priced.

Lyonia Preserve is a great place for couples and families. It has a really nice hands-on museum area and really gives you a great overview of the ecosystem of Florida and it's animal/plant inhabitations. Don't forget to go down the hallway and check-out the photography collection. The walking trail is wonderful. The playful antics of the Florida Scrub Jays is the highlight of the whole Preserve; just be sure that you take the hike early in the day. It is a scrub environment and does get pretty steamy out there in the sun and sand. After a hike or before your morning hike, stop by the café that is adjacent to the museum. They have breakfast and lunch choices that are reasonable priced. There is also a gift shop with some great book titles.

If you want a better understanding of why water in any amount is important to the ecosystems of Florida, Lyonia Preserve is a place where you can see all of this. Experience temperature, plant, and animal life representative of all this.

The ease of access to visit this location is ideal for hikers or nature observers looking to plan an excursion into some of Florida's natural habitat. Go early morning or late afternoon in summers and mid-afternoon in winter.