Heritage Nature Conservancy - Ocala (FL)

5 /5 Joel Hancock: This quiet little park is easy to miss if you’re just driving by, but it’s a hidden gem. I bring my kid here a few times a month in the evenings to get some fresh air, stretch our legs, and enjoy the wildlife. The park features a small variety of exercise stations and kid-friendly obstacles. Our favorites are the rope pyramid for climbing and the merry-go-round. Though small, the park has a concrete trail that loops around and lets you see everything. Toward the back, there’s a large bat house that’s home to several species of bats. A few times, we’ve been lucky enough to spot owls perched in the trees, likely waiting for the bats to emerge at dusk. Be prepared for some strange smells near the bat house during the summer, but it’s a unique feature you won’t find in most parks. On the opposite side, there’s a beautifully designed man-made creek made of natural stone—it’s definitely worth checking out. The park is always clean, with minimal litter, and there’s usually a park employee around keeping an eye on things. It’s a peaceful, well-kept spot for a casual evening outing with a bit of nature and fun for the kids.

4 /5 Brandon C: Nice place. Usually clean & quiet. It would be nicer if areas of fences werent being held together w/ zip ties & black tape. Theyve been this way for 8+ months. Does Parks & Rec not get city funding for repairs?

5 /5 Kalese Cody: What a beautiful little place. I was there all by myself through my whole walk. This would be a wonderful place for a picnic. The only thing is the bats smell horrible, the urine smell is almost overwhelming. Regardless its well taken care of, and a little hidden gem.

5 /5 Jennifer Davis: This is a great little park to take a child if you want them to see nature and be able to play. Also, it has some good education for them too. They have a huge bat house, swings, and other things for your child to play on. My daughter enjoyed herself.

5 /5 Donna Foika: Wants get away in the middle of Ocala ? This is a very nice quiet park in the middle of a neighborhood right off Silver Springs Blvd back behind Ace Hardware, 2 streets over. All kinds of cute things to see and climb, they have swings , a jungle gym, ponds, as I mentioned before things to climb on, beautiful plants with butterflies and bees buzzing around them ( be careful with the little ones) Nice little walking trail past all of these attractions lol, they even have a BAT HOUSE!!! Like in Gainesville, you can here the bats making noise in the daytime and if you are there at dusk you can see them fly out to hunt for bugs but be careful as when they come out a lot of them do # 1 ( pee pee) and if you are under them ? Well, you will get peed on and smell like pee ! Bring an UMBRELLA ☔. ENJOY. Maybe even bring a blanket and have a picnic !