I’ve visited Wekiwa Springs State Park many times since moving to Orlando, but I’d never managed to get past the park’s most appealing feature, which is, no surprise, the springs. When temperatures reach the mid-90s—and let’s face it, they do for about half the year in Central Florida—how do you resist a dip into clear spring water bubbling up at a constant, skin-chilling 68 degrees? The answer: you don’t. Not easily at least.

But since my hike through Bulow Creek State Park turned out so well (minus the rumors of wild hogs) I decided to check out hikes closer to home, and since it’s just a half hour’s drive north of downtown Orlando, Wekiwa Springs fit the bill. Initially a friend and I wanted to tackle the entire main trail loop, a distance of 13.5 miles. We scaled this goal back a bit when it turned out to be a warm 85 degrees on the  day we chose for our hike. As our new goal we picked a spot enticingly labeled Camp Cozy on our trail map, about a 4-mile trip one way.

Parking at the main lot near the entrance, my friend and I began our journey at the trail head a few yards beyond the springs. Although the loop trail, blazed white, technically begins here, I probably won’t start out from this spot next time around. This segment is a spur trail leading to the main loop, and it follows a park road part of the way. I always feel cheated hiking on a trail so close to a road. You can’t really pretend to be in the middle of the wilderness with an RV whooshing by, can you?

In the future I’m going to start at the Sand Lake parking lot; it’s pavement-free once you pass the horse corral. Speaking of which, in addition to hiking, Wekiwa Springs also has horse trails (blazed green) and biking trails (blazed red), and sometimes the trails overlap, meaning don’t be surprised if you have to make way for non-pedestrians.

Beyond Sand Lake, the trail passes through about a mile of scrubby land dotted with the occasional pine tree or sabal palm but mostly exposed to the sun. After several weeks without rain, the soil was like dry beach sand and hiking turned into a bit of a slog. Near a spot the map called Big Buck Camp (we didn’t actually see the campsite) the trail entered the welcome shade of a pine forest near the banks of Rock Springs Run. This was the best part of our hike. We heard kayakers talking and laughing on the other side of a scrim of palmetto fronds, which every now and then parted to reveal the river. Benches were installed at intervals at the river’s edge, and it was at one of these that we stopped for lunch. Very nice.

Just past where the trail diverges from the river, we reached it: Camp Cozy.How do I describe my disappointment?

I had a mental image of Camp Cozy as a huddle of picturesque, tree-shaded cabins with porches and rocking chairs. What we found was a desolate clearing with a couple of fire rings and a few weathered benches. A spigot nearby dribbled foul-smelling, sulfurous water, the exact odor of my crushed expectations. I wouldn’t have believed we had reached the place were it not for a sign that mockingly (or so it seemed to me) read “Camp Cozy.”  Cozy. Get it? Ha, ha.

To be fair, the park doesn’t misrepresent its offerings. The official website describes Camp Cozy as a primitive campsite and even provides a link to a full-screen, warts-and-all photo. (I only saw this after the fact). Florida’s Division of Recreation and Parks never promised me a rose garden. My hiking buddy said I was overreacting. But still. Camp Cozy? Really?

Yet my disappointment with the poorly named campsite was nothing compared to how annoyed I was with myself for not having thought to pack a bathing suit. Who comes to Wekiwa Springs without a bathing suit? Completing our 8-mile hike, we emerged from the woods to find the gently sloping lawn leading down to the springs packed with sunbathers and laughing children. We were hot and tired, and the water looked so inviting that I considered jumping in fully clothed even if it meant driving home sopping wet. But neither of us had brought a towel, so we just shrugged and drove home.

Here’s what I’ll keep in mind when preparing for my next hike in Wekiwa Springs:
• Set aside a whole day for the 13.5-mile loop trail.
• Park at Sand Lake to avoid hiking alongside a road—although the springs area is the best starting point if you want to swim afterward.
• Bring a bathing suit!
• Come early in summer because the park closes when it reaches capacity.
• Oh yeah, and Camp Cozy may be a camp, but it is not cozy.

It turns out that without intending to, I’ve more or less embarked on a survey of this country’s state parks. Three of my favorites so far: Camden Hills State Park  (beautiful views of Penobscot Bay from Mount Battie) near Camden, Maine; Devil’s Lake State Park (high bluffs with interesting rock formations overlooking a lake) near Baraboo, Wis.; and Patrick’s Point State Park (spectacular ocean cliffs) near Trinidad, Calif.

Anybody have a particularly scenic state park you’d recommend?