Doris Leeper Spruce Creek Preserve offers several places where you can hike. One is off Martin Dairy Road in Port Orange. that's a longer hiking (and mountain biking) opportunity, and another is off Ridgewood in Port Orange. But if you are looking for a short walk to do with the kids, check out the entrance of Doris Leeper Spruce Creek Preserve that is located at 2317 Creek Shore Drive in New Smyrna Beach. Along with having a Frisbee golf range there and plenty of room to roam, they offer a short hike.

The Ford Trail, as it is called, is located at this entrance of Doris Leeper Spruce Creek Preserve. Their kiosk shows that the trail is 1 mile long, but my GPS during the hike put us at 1.25 miles by the end of it. This short hike is nice, the trail is open and clean, and it's well marked. There is one spot where you come to where you have to go right or left, and the sign for "Ford Trail" is on the side of the post, but if you look around the post you will see it. The rest of the trail is well marked with arrows.

This trail is almost all canopy covered, making it a nice short hike on a sunny day. We enjoyed the scenery and the many birds we heard. Dogs are allowed on the trail, as long as they are kept on a leash and you clean up after them.

It took us only 40 minutes to hike this short trail, but it was a nice quick start to our morning. If you want a quick hike to get the kids out into the woods on, check this one out!

Here are pictures from the Ford Trail at Doris Leeper Spruce Creek Preserve in New Smyrna Beach: