Walking, Jogging, and Biking Trails Inside MetroWest
A candid look at what's actually paved, where it goes, and what's worth the short drive south
MetroWest is a master-planned community in west Orlando built around an 18-hole Robert Trent Jones Sr. golf course that opened in 1987. The community's primary trail asset is the Lake Fran Loop Trail at Eagle Nest Park, located at 5165 MetroWest Boulevard, which offers approximately 2 miles of paved trail around Lake Fran plus another mile of paths through the park. Eagle Nest Park is free and serves as a trailhead for the Shingle Creek Regional Trail, which heads south toward Kissimmee. Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake, located just south of MetroWest at 3401 South Hiawassee Road, adds another 2 miles of paved bike loop and a natural-surface nature trail for a small entry fee.
Let's be honest up front: MetroWest was master-planned in the late 1980s around a golf course, not a trail system. There's no West Orange Trail running through your backyard. But there is a legitimately good paved loop tucked inside the community, a regional trail connection most residents don't know about, and a 183-acre park just south of the boundary. Here's what's actually here.
The Main Event: Lake Fran Loop Trail at Eagle Nest Park
If you live in MetroWest and want a paved trail you can reach without getting in the car, this is it. Eagle Nest Park sits at 5165 MetroWest Boulevard, inside the community, and the Lake Fran Loop Trail is a roughly 2-mile paved asphalt loop around Lake Fran, plus about another mile of multi-use trails winding through the park.
Three things make this a real asset rather than a token amenity. It's free. The trail is genuinely flat and paved (good for jogging strollers, road bikes, and rollerblades). And the western leg cuts through an urban wetland where you'll see herons, ibis, the occasional alligator, and the park's namesake eagles working the treeline.
The park has ball fields, picnic pavilions, restrooms, and parking, with trail access from inside the park or from two points along MetroWest Boulevard. Locals run it as a 2-mile out-and-back, a loop, or stitch the park's internal mile onto the lake loop for a 3-mile workout.
What it's not
It's not shaded. The wetland section runs under a powerline corridor with almost no canopy. Plan early-morning or evening runs in summer, bring water, and don't expect the tree cover you'd get on the West Orange Trail.
The Shingle Creek Trail Connection (The Best-Kept Secret)
Here's the part most MetroWest residents don't realize: Eagle Nest Park is a trailhead for the Shingle Creek Regional Trail. The Lake Fran loop exits onto MetroWest Boulevard at President Barack Obama Parkway, and from there you can pick up the Orange County section of Shingle Creek and head south.
Shingle Creek is a multi-use regional trail extended over the past decade, ultimately connecting Orange County to Osceola County and Kissimmee. The headwaters of the Everglades start in the Shingle Creek corridor — sounds made-up but isn't. For longer rides than the Lake Fran loop, this is your route.
For dedicated trail enthusiasts, the bigger systems are a drive away. The West Orange Trail — the 22-mile crown jewel of the area — runs through Winter Garden, Ocoee, and Gotha, about 15 minutes from MetroWest to the Killarney Station trailhead in Oakland.
Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake (Just South of MetroWest)
This is the asterisk on the headline. Bill Frederick Park isn't inside MetroWest — it's south of the community at 3401 South Hiawassee Road. But it's close enough that most MetroWest trail users end up there regularly.
The park covers 183 acres along Turkey Lake with a 2-mile paved bike loop and a separate natural-surface nature trail along the western edge. Combined, you can put together a 2.4-mile walk through scrub forest and along the lakefront — quiet you don't expect three miles from Universal Studios.
The trade-off: Bill Frederick is a paid park. Entry is $2 per individual or $5 per vehicle, and hours run 8 a.m.–5 p.m. November through March, 8 a.m.–7 p.m. April through October. For a weekend long walk it's worth the few dollars; for a quick lunch-break jog, the free Lake Fran loop is the smarter choice.
Sidewalk Routes Inside MetroWest Itself
This is where I have to level with you. MetroWest's street network has sidewalks, but no dedicated trail system the way Horizon West or Baldwin Park have. What it does have:
- MetroWest Boulevard sidewalks — the main loop road has continuous sidewalks on both sides, making it a workable walking and jogging route with natural 1–2 mile out-and-back options.
- Hiawassee Road and Raleigh Street — wider arterials with sidewalks, more traffic noise; better for utility walks than recreation.
- The MetroWest Golf Club perimeter — public roads circle the course, and the rolling terrain (up to 100 feet of elevation change, unusual for Florida) makes for a more interesting walk than table-flat sidewalks elsewhere.
- Internal subdivision streets — most gated and non-gated neighborhoods have sidewalks and low traffic, fine for kid-friendly walks and slow jogs.
None of this is a "trail" in the sense most people mean — it's good urban sidewalk infrastructure. If that's enough for your daily routine, MetroWest works. If you need a dedicated paved trail every day, use Eagle Nest Park as home base.
The Honest Pros and Cons
The Pros:
- Lake Fran Loop is a real, free, paved trail inside the community
- Direct trailhead access to the Shingle Creek Regional Trail system
- Bill Frederick Park's 183 acres just south of the boundary
- 15-minute drive to the West Orange Trail's Killarney Station trailhead
- Rolling terrain around the golf course makes walking less monotonous
The Cons:
- No interconnected trail system inside the community itself
- Lake Fran loop has almost no shade — summer mornings and evenings only
- Bill Frederick Park requires a fee and has restricted hours
- If you compare MetroWest to Winter Garden or Horizon West for trail access, MetroWest loses
Our Take:
MetroWest has more trail access than first-time visitors notice and less than trail-obsessed buyers will want. The Lake Fran Loop alone justifies a daily walking or running habit. Pair it with occasional Bill Frederick visits and weekend drives to the West Orange Trail, and the lifestyle works. If trail access is a top-three priority in your home search, look at Winter Garden and Horizon West first — those communities were planned around trails. If trails are a nice-to-have and you care more about Dr. Phillips-adjacent location, schools, and value, MetroWest's setup is honestly fine.
What the Locals Know
Lake Fran early in the morning is the move. Get there by 7 a.m. and you'll have the wetland section largely to yourself, the heron count is highest before the sun gets aggressive, and you can stitch the park's internal loop onto the lake loop for a clean 3 miles. Park at Eagle Nest, not on the boulevard pull-offs — the park lot has restrooms.
For longer rides, treat MetroWest Boulevard as a connector. Ride east along the shared path, pick up the Shingle Creek Trail at the Obama Parkway crossing, and a 2-mile loop becomes a 10-plus-mile day.
And one more local detail: the eagles. Eagle Nest Park is named for a reason. Ospreys, herons, and occasionally bald eagles work the trees around Lake Fran. Bring a camera if that's your thing — it's the kind of small daily wildlife encounter that makes the difference between "I exercise here" and "I actually like it here."
For current park hours and trail conditions, visit the official Eagle Nest Park and Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake pages on the City of Orlando website.
Thinking about MetroWest or comparing it to other west Orlando communities? Browse MetroWest homes for sale or contact us for a candid take on which neighborhood actually fits your lifestyle.
