Florida's Pretty Park Just Outside Orlando Is Home To One Of The Oldest Cypress Trees In The World

Seminole County has long been a hub for outdoor recreation within Central Florida. It wears this reputation proudly, as its nickname is "Florida's Natural Choice." Right in the heart of the county, in the city of Longwood, is a big, lush reason why the county is able to make such a bold claim. The Spring Hammock Preserve is a 1,500-acre preserve made up of mixed hardwoods and pine flatwoods. Within the preserve sits one of Florida's prettiest parks, Big Tree Park, which is home to one of the nation's oldest cypress trees, Lady Liberty. Situated 16 miles north of Orlando, Big Tree Park is a cornerstone of the preserve, acting as a haven for the huge cypress trees that give the park its name.

Big Tree Park has long been a magnet for tourists. In 1927, a Florida state senator, Moses O. Overstreet, donated 6 acres of land to the county, which included a huge tree. The county's residents named the tree "The Senator" in honor of Overstreet, and soon after, Big Tree Park was established by the county. While the original tree is, sadly, no longer standing, its sister tree, Lady Liberty, is now the tallest and oldest living tree within the park. 

Just like Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve in Cape Coral, the main feature of Big Tree Park is a scenic boardwalk trail. It offers guests a chance to see the remains of the tree that once stood mighty within the subtropical forest, as well as its sibling. Lady Liberty is still standing proudly at the end of the trail at nearly 90 feet tall. The huge tree is 2,000 years old, which makes it more than a millennium younger than The Senator. However, despite its "youthful" age, that still makes the massive tree one of the oldest bald cypresses in the country. 

Originally named The Companion, Lady Liberty got its name from two fifth graders at a Seminole County elementary school in 2005. According to the Orlando Sentinel, they chose this name because one of its branches resembles the Statue of Liberty's arm holding a torch over Liberty Island. When The Senator was tragically burned down, Lady Liberty became the primary attraction within the park. It's located at the end of the boardwalk trail and surrounded by a black metal fence, with a historical marker at the base of the tree. 

The Senator was a huge cypress tree, standing 126 feet tall with a circumference of 47 feet. Before its death, The Senator was estimated to be 3,500 years old. In addition to being the oldest bald cypress trees in the country, the tree was also the sixth oldest in the world. The Senator stood until January 16, 2012, when an arsonist burned down the tree. You can see the remains of the beloved Senator on the boardwalk that takes visitors deep into the woods. The huge tree stump where The Senator once stood is now ringed within a black fence, and visitors can look at it from an observation deck, with interpretive signage detailing the history of the tree.

While the original "big tree" that gave birth to the park is an emotional memory, a clone is growing not far from it. Named "The Phoenix," the tree was 40 feet tall when it came to the park, and it is meant to carry on the genetic legacy of The Senator. Visitors can see The Phoenix at the front of the park near the playground before embarking on the boardwalk. 

If you have your bike in tow, Big Tree Park serves as the trailhead for the Cross Seminole Trail, a 23-mile paved trail that winds its way through the Spring Hammock Preserve on the way to its southern terminus at the Cady Way Trail in Orange County. If you're looking for another scenic escape from Orlando's crowded tourist expanse, you can drive 11 miles to the charming little town of Winter Park, which is full of lakeside parks and boutiques.