A tall observation tower stands on the eastern shore of Buck Lake, roughly one mile from the western entrance parking area. Follow signed routes toward Buck Lake Camp and you will see the tower above the tree line long before you reach the stairs.
A tall observation tower stands on the eastern shore of Buck Lake, roughly one mile from the western entrance parking area. Follow signed routes toward Buck Lake Camp and you will see the tower above the tree line long before you reach the stairs.
The conservation area straddles southern Volusia County and northern Brevard County near Mims, Florida.
From I-95 exit 81 near Mims, go west on State Road 46 for about 0.75 miles. Blake Lee Trail, the access road for the eastern entrance, is on the right. If you continue west on State Road 46 for about six miles, the western entrance access is also on the right.
Pick your entrance based on the loop you want. The western lot is the natural start for the red-blazed route out to the tower, while the eastern lot lines up with the white-blazed loop and the osprey activity along the power line corridor. Neither trailhead offers restrooms or drinking water, so fill bottles before you leave pavement and plan a bathroom stop in Mims or along I-95.
Summer sun on old roadbeds can feel hotter than shaded forest trails, so start early, wear a hat, and keep the topo map from this page folded in your pack. After heavy rain, low sections of the white trail can hold deep water, so check the Trail Conditions notes below and the FWC recreation page if you dislike wet boots.
When hunting seasons are open, read the current MyFWC brochure for Buck Lake, note any quota or check-in rules, and wear blaze orange where the regulations require it even if you are only hiking for photos. Give gopher tortoises and nesting ospreys plenty of space, stay on marked routes, and carry out all trash so the next group finds the same quiet campsites you did.
Buck Lake has four primitive campsites: Old Timer's Camp, Freshwater Camp, Owen's Crossing Camp, and Buck Lake Camp. Each site has a fire ring and grill. Buck Lake and Old Timer's include pitcher pumps. Treat or filter pump water before you drink it.
Note: Each campsite is limited to six people on a first-come, first-served basis. No reservation or fee is required.
For lakeside views, visit Buck Lake Camp, Freshwater Camp, and Owen's Crossing Camp. Bring insect repellent, especially when the wind is calm.
Only Old Timer's campsite includes a dedicated sitting area with a picnic table and a simple food-prep space.
Buck Lake offers roughly fifteen miles of marked trails that follow older dirt roads through open pine flatlands and marsh edges. Except for a few soft spots and mud holes after rain, the roadbeds are generally in good condition. You can start from either the western or eastern entrance. Both lots have room for several vehicles, but neither provides restrooms or drinking water.
From the western entrance, follow the red-blazed trail toward the observation tower for about one mile of easy walking with wide views over the lake. Continuing on the same trail system forms a loop that eventually meets the white-blazed trail coming from the east.
The red route measures about 6.4 miles including the side path to Buck Lake. A round trip from the western trailhead is about 8.6 miles. The white-blazed trail is about 6.7 miles long with an 8.2-mile round trip from the eastern trailhead. Hiking straight between the two trailheads is about 7.2 miles if you stage a car at each end.
A yellow-blazed foot loop branches off the white trail a short distance from the eastern parking area. It runs about 1.3 miles toward the far eastern side of the property and is meant for hikers only.
Ospreys often call from nests on tall power structures when you hike in from the eastern trailhead. Gopher tortoises use the sunny road shoulders, so give them space and avoid blocking burrow mouths as you pass.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission manages hunting at Buck Lake. Use MyFWC.com for current regulations, season dates, and maps before you carry a firearm or archery tackle on the area.
The table below is an archival snapshot from the 2012–2013 brochure cycle. Dates and permit rules change every year, so treat the grid as history only and confirm everything against the live brochure link above.
Archival hunting schedule (2012–2013) Archery Sep. 22 - 30, Oct. 6 - 12 Muzzle Gun Oct. 26 - 28 General Gun Nov. 10 - 18 Small Game Dec. 1 - 16 Wild Hog - Still Jan. 3 - 6, 17 - 20 Spring Turkey Mar. 16 - 19, 20 - 24
File Formats Downloads Garmin MapSource trails.mps TopoGraphix ExpertGPS trails.gpx Google Earth trails.kmz
Tarflower, Day Flower and Blueheart
Ground Cherry, Coral Honeysuckle and Powderpuff
While visiting the Buck Lake observation tower, a group of students practiced a canoe rescue out on the lake. The photo below shows the recovered boat coming back to shore.
Content last reviewed April 2026. Original page stamp: 13-Sep-2012.
