As a nature-loving Floridian, I’m always looking for lesser-known places to get out and hike. Where I live in central Florida may be best known worldwide for its theme parks, but I can attest that there are some really cool places to get out and explore some natural settings here, too — including a unique, easy hiking trail near Orlando that’s located within the Greeneyes Wildlife Preserve. This area isn’t well-known yet because it just opened in 2025. To me, that is part of the allure. The chocolate-scented flowers don’t hurt, either.
This hiking area is located in Apopka, Florida’s under-the-radar city outside of Orlando that is called the “Indoor Foliage Capital of the World.” While the town does have notoriety for producing an abundance of indoor foliage, its wildflowers are just as impressive — especially the ones at Greeneyes Wildlife Preserve. There’s a variety of flora that can be found there, such as the beautiful purple passionflowers. However, the star of the show is definitely the yellow Florida greeneyes — a wildflower that smells like chocolate.
Of course, I planned a visit when I first heard about this because I wanted to know if there was any truth to this claim of dessert-scented plants. As soon as I set foot on the trail and saw the pretty yellow flowers with the greenish center, I lay on the ground to give them a sniff. That’s when the sweet aroma hit me. It was true. The smell actually made me crave chocolate, and after the hike, I could be found treating myself at my favorite Apopka ice cream shop, Topper’s Creamery.
Hiking among the chocolate-scented flowers
The trail at the Greeneyes Wildlife Preserve is less than a mile long, and it’s an easy hike. It doesn’t have much terrain, which makes it a suitable trail for children or even your four-legged, furry babies who want to get out and explore nature with you. Pets are required to be on leashes, though. I also love that the path is wide and the trail is clearly marked, making it pretty impossible to get lost. If you want to pack a picnic lunch, you can do that as well. There is a table where you can stop and have a bite to eat along the trail, and another at the trailhead. Just be a good steward and make sure you properly dispose of any rubbish in the onsite bins…