Camping and hiking in O'Leno State Park: Photos and information

Hiking bridge over the Santa Fe River at O'Leno State Park, Florida - Photo: Stillgravity.
The hiking bridge over the Santa Fe River - License our images here.        

One of the oldest state parks in Florida, O'Leno is on the shores of the Santa Fe River, a waterway that goes underground at a sinkhole to reemerge some miles to the south at the River Rise Preserve.

This park is on the place of a town from the 1860s named Keno after a popular game of those times. Later the name "evolved" and became Leno - a typo? Because "L" comes right after the "K" on a keyboard. The town died in 1896 after the railroad bypassed the area in favor of Fort White some miles to the west. 

Gone were the people, and with them, the mills, the general store, the hotel, and the doctor’s office - remains of the mill survive in the river. The locals came often to the spot of the abandoned town for recreation and began to call the place "Old Leno". With the pass of time, the name was shortened to "O'Leno". And then we got the state park. 

Trails were good. The suspension bridge over the Santa Fe River connects to the trails on the eastern shores. They go through hardwood hammocks, sand hills, and swamplands. 

There are many sinkholes in O'Leno State Park. We saw a deer in one. The River Sink is another interesting spot. It's a big hole of green stagnant water with many turtles resting on fallen trees. After this point, the river runs underground. First time hiking over an underground river.

More photos from our stay at O'Leno State Park. 

Sandy campsite in the campground of O'Leno State Park, Florida - Photo: Stillgravity.
Our sandy campsite in the O'Leno campground.

Collage of images of the O'Leno bridge, trails, the sinkhole, and old marker of the town - Photos: Stillgravity.
O'Leno bridge, trail, sinkhole, and historic marker of the town. 

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