Parks and Recreation
The mission of Orange County's Parks and Recreation Division’s staff of 300 full-time employees is to maintain beautiful parks, preserve the environment and provide exceptional recreation for the well-being of our communities. Our Vision is As a team, we will take pride fulfilling the needs of our community and guests by providing the best parks, trails and recreation.
- From 1924 to 1962 seven local families donated 430 acres of land to preserve public spaces for parks that led to creating the Parks Department in 1973 and the Parks and Recreation Department in 1985 – now called the Orange County Parks and Recreation Division.
- Today, Parks and Recreation maintains 114 parks, trails and facilities across nearly 15,000 acres of land, providing beautiful green spaces on which residents and visitors can enjoy the outdoors and recreational activities.
- On February 16, 2026, Phase 1A of the 215-acre Horizon West Regional Park opened. Construction of Phase 1B will begin soon.
- On February 28, 2026, the 4.46-mile Lake Apopka Connector Trail opened. This phase provides the connection from the West Orange Trail to the Lake Apopka Loop Trail, connecting the Clarcona Horse Park in Ocoee to Magnolia Park in Apopka; it completes the overall Lake Apopka Loop network of trails. The overall Lake Apopka Loop network of trails is 48 miles: the Lake Apopka Loop Trail, parts of the West Orange Trail, the South Lake/Hancock Trail and the Green Mountain Scenic Overlook in Lake County.
- As of April 2026 there are four neighborhood parks in various stages of development.
- On September 19, 2026, Trimble Park will celebrate 100 years of service to Orange County residents.