Murals on the Trail – Minneola, FL | The Wandering Art Historian

As a huge fan of public art, I am excited to share with you some wonderful murals I discovered in Minneola, FL! For context, my husband and I frequently ride our scooters on the beautiful trails throughout the Central Florida area because we love nature and because we are big dorks who ride scooters. Needless to say, while scooting we were pleasantly surprised to find a series of murals in an unlikely location.

The Lake Minneola Scenic Trail passes underneath US Highway 27 in Minneola, FL. The result is a rather bland tunnel of sorts that is the sometimes recipient of generic graffiti and random tagging. However, in recent years, a local arts group formed – Minneola Artworx – with the intent of beautifying the space. This organization acts as a liaison between the Minneola city government, members of the community and local artists to produce public murals that are a cheerful celebration of the region’s outdoor activities (cycling, hiking, birdwatching), history (orange groves, the Citrus Tower) and wildlife (alligators, birds, butterflies). What was once a dark, utilitarian tunnel is now a bright and colorful public art gallery that anyone can visit free of charge!

Whether you are biking, walking, rollerblading, onewheeling, skateboarding or scooting down the trail, here are a few examples of what you will see when you pass under the Highway 27 overpass in Minneola, FL…