Ormond Scenic Loop Fall Events near Plantation Bay: 2026 Guide

Plantation Bay sits off C.R. 4011, less than a quarter mile west of I-95 Exit 278. That road is a designated Florida Scenic Byway and part of the Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail. This fall, Volusia County's ReGrow the Loop series has put two of its four guided nature walks in Bulow Creek State Park, at 3351 Old Dixie Highway and on Walter Boardman Lane. The season's best free outdoor programs start on the road you already drive to the interstate.

The Ormond Beach Observer announced the 2026 fall lineup on September 15. It has six indoor programs and four nature walks, with the walks spread across Tomoka, Bulow Creek and North Peninsula State Parks. The first program was a library talk on October 3, so that one has passed. The rest of the calendar runs into mid-December.

The Two Walks On Your Side Of The Loop

Cross the I-95 bridge heading east and you're on the eastern stretch of C.R. 4011, where the Loop begins. Two of the walks happen on this end of the Loop.

Saturday, October 17, 8 to 10 a.m. Joan Tague, president of Halifax River Audubon, leads a bird walk from the B-12 Bulow Creek Trailhead on Walter Boardman Lane.

Sunday, November 8, 10 a.m. to noon. A Tree ID walk at Bulow Creek State Park, 3351 Old Dixie Highway. It's led by Laura Ureta, an arborist with the City of Ormond Beach, and Bryce Merritt, an inspector with the Florida Department of Agriculture.

The tree walk is in a fitting place. Bulow Creek protects nearly 5,600 acres, and the state park calls it one of the largest remaining stands of southern live oak forest on Florida's east coast. The best-known tree there is the Fairchild Oak, one of the largest live oaks in the South and more than 400 years old. You can picnic at a table on the lawn within view of the oak or in a shaded pavilion. Pavilions rent for $40 a day plus tax.

Bulow Creek is easy to make a habit of because it's open 8 a.m. to sunset, 365 days a year, with no entrance fee. That's more open than most of the other stops on this calendar.

Check This Before You Lace Up

The state park's page currently posts a warning for the Bulow Woods Trail. Parts of the trail are closed because of storm impacts, cleanup is still going on, and visitors are asked to stay out of closed areas. The notice has no date and no reopening estimate.

That matters most for the trail's best-known route. The Bulow Woods Trail runs nearly seven miles from Bulow Creek to Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park. The ruins park repeats the same closure warning. It also keeps a different schedule: open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday and Thursday through Sunday, closed Tuesday and Wednesday, with a $4 per vehicle fee. If you want to hike end to end, call Bulow Creek at 386-676-4050 first. The guided walks above have set meeting points, so they're the easier way to go while the closure stands.

Where The Walks Go Once They Leave Bulow Creek

The other two walks follow the Loop south and east, toward the river and the barrier island.

Saturday, October 10, 8 to 10 a.m. Joan Tague leads a walk at Mound Road Park, 2099 N. Beach Street, across from Tomoka State Park's main entrance. Tomoka's own listing describes a boat ramp, campsites and canoe rentals through the park store.

Thursday, December 10, 10 to 11:30 a.m. "Wild Edibles Hike: Forage & Explore Nature's Bounty" meets at Smith Creek Landing in North Peninsula State Park, 40 Highbridge Road. It's led by Missy Clauson, a Florida Master Naturalist and Gamble Rogers State Park volunteer. This is the only event in the series with a cap. It's limited to 15 people, and you have to register by calling 386-517-2086. The other walks list no registration, but the foraging hike is the one to book now.

Highbridge Road has other reasons to stop. North Peninsula State Park's listing includes Smith Creek Landing, a Coastal Strand Trail and beach access. Volusia County's Highbridge Park at 39 Highbridge Road is open around the clock, with a canoe launch, boat ramp and fishing pier under the bridge.

The Indoor Half Of The Series Is About Your Own Yard

The walks get you out on the Loop. The talks in town cover what to plant at home. All five remaining talks are about native plants and wildlife, and they meet at two places in Ormond Beach.

The schedule pairs up well. October 10 has the Mound Road walk from 8 to 10 a.m. and the fall planting talk at the Environmental Discovery Center from 10 to 11 a.m., so you can do both in one morning. The November talks lead into the November 8 tree walk at Bulow Creek, and the woodpecker program on November 28 covers birds you may have already spotted on the October 17 walk.

The county also says what the series is for. ReGrow the Loop aims to add plants and trees along the Loop using a "right plant, right place" approach, provide one tree per household, remove invasive species through volunteer events, and help residents landscape for wildlife and pollinators.

Biketoberfest Weekend Lands On The Same Calendar

The 34th annual Biketoberfest runs October 15 to 18, 2026. That means the October 17 bird walk on Walter Boardman Lane falls during the rally. The Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail group plans to have an information tent at Highbridge Park from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on October 18. The group's listing calls that date a Saturday, but October 18, 2026 is a Sunday, so confirm the day with the group before you go.

The other road news nearby is at Exit 273, south of Plantation Bay's Exit 278, where FDOT is rebuilding the I-95 interchange at U.S. 1. The project broke ground April 30, 2026. Completion is expected in 2029. FDOT says it limits lane closures to nighttime hours and skips work during select holidays and special events. None of this fall's walks or talks run at night, and the routes above don't go through that interchange.

Riverfest, a free festival at Rockefeller Gardens and Fortunato Park, closes out the fall on November 21 and 22, 2026, according to Ormond Beach MainStreet.

Where This Fits With Life Inside The Gate

Plantation Bay's own amenities are covered in our Plantation Bay amenities guide. The ReGrow the Loop calendar adds to that by spreading the season along the road outside the gate. The club's location page has long pointed out that C.R. 4011 is a scenic byway. This fall, a county series has put dates, guides and meeting points on that road.

A quick checklist for the season:

• Register for the December 10 wild-edibles hike at 386-517-2086 before its 15 spots fill.
• Call Bulow Creek State Park at 386-676-4050 to check on the Bulow Woods Trail before planning a long hike.
• Visit Bulow Plantation Ruins on a Monday or between Thursday and Sunday, since it's closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
• Confirm the day of the Highbridge Park tent with the Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail group.

For more on the surrounding area, see our Plantation Bay neighborhood page and our Ormond Beach guide.

At Karla Goodman, we think the live oaks on Old Dixie Highway and the walks a few minutes past Exit 278 are part of what a Plantation Bay address means. If you're curious how that location shows up in your home's value this season, Get Your Instant Home Valuation and we'll go over the numbers with you personally.