Gladys E. Douglas Preserve

May 25, 2026 Monday, Mom and I walked at the Preserve, did a few laps around.

It's a small public park with fairly short trails

Beautiful hidden nature preserve in the heart of pinellas county. It's nice to see something like this as a contrast to western Florida's rapid overdevelopment. The park is well kept and currently undergoing some environmental restoration efforts. It's home to rare species of flora such as reindeer-moss and hog plums and is a Hotspot for wild animals.

Was under construction. Nice little zig zag trails that are lined with protective fence to maintain the habitat . Not very shaded though so is best to come at dawn or near dusk. One large porta potty for a bathroom area at the parking lot... It's kept clean though. Would have been nice if the trails lead over to the nearby pond but unfortunately the fence blocks Anyone from going to that area. Other than the trees , there's no real good views of anything but the trees. A few benches scattered around. Overall , is great for a runner or to get your daily step count goal in especially for a beginner who isnt ready to commit to a longer trail trail is gravel so be prepared to get white dust all over your shoes (I took my brand new running shoes there, I regret that decision). Also be prepared to have the dust follow you onto the floorboard of your vehicle....I would recommend taking your shoes off and placing them in a plastic bag if you are worried about the carpet in your car. Not a bad location. Off the beaten path (entrance is hard to find), could use improvements but I'll def visit again.

It's a triumph that this land was saved from development. Florida rosemary scrub is rare generally and otherwise nonexistent in Pinellas after decades of overdevelopment. This preserve has a good amount of walking paths, although the scrub has been fenced off to protect it, but even so you'll be able to see a great deal of rare and unique life that you'll likely see no where else for miles and miles. The SW portion of the property is abandoned citrus groves, so there are quite a lot of invasives, but clearly the city has plans to restore this portion as well as expand their trail system.