Buck Lake Conservation Area East – Florida Hikes

Notable for its Florida scrub-jay households, the jap aspect of Buck Lake Conservation Space offers two hiker-sized routes to sort out.

One is a marked route round a scrub island not removed from the trailhead. The opposite delves a lot deeper into the protect to achieve an island with a primitive campsite.

Puffed up juvenile scrub jay perched on a stem

Younger scrub-jay

The shorter route has shifted over time, with relocations because of adjustments within the drainage throughout the panorama because of rising growth close by.

It’s roughly a 1.5 mile loop which could be prolonged utilizing overwhelmed paths on the north fringe of the island.

Perched marsh alongside the Yellow Loop

The two-mile loop on the northern nook of the protect takes a 2.8 mile round-trip through the sunny raised powerline highway to achieve.

Nonetheless, it has a first-come, first-served campsite and a larger chance of seeing extra wildlife, together with deer, coyotes, and foxes.

Gopher tortoise on a grassy forest highway

Interconnecting forest roads off this loop are on an equestrian scale, resulting in the doorway highway of Buck Lake West and North Buck Lake Conservation Space

Pair the 2 East Loops collectively for a 5.7 mile circuit of the jap aspect of protect, largely on excessive floor.

Power lines with a white road and an eagle nest

A powerline highway connects the 2 loops

Assets

Overview

Location: MimsLength: 5.7 milesTrailhead: 28.670766, -80.890360Address: 5060 SR 46, MimsFees: FreeRestroom: Portalet offered on occasionLand Supervisor: St. Johns Water Administration District

Leashed pets welcome. Trails shared with equestrians and bicyclists. Each have a tendency to stay to the hard-packed powerline highway. Anticipate tender sandy and grassy surfaces on the loops off it.

Seasonal searching permitted. Test hunt dates prematurely. When you plan to hike throughout searching season, put on vivid orange. The campsite will possible be occupied throughout hunts.

Instructions

From Interstate 95 exit 223, Mims, drive 1.1 miles west alongside SR 46. The trailhead entrance is on the north aspect of the freeway. A dust highway leads 0.4 mile again to the trailhead parking space adjoining the ability strains.

Hike

Slip previous the gate and begin up the powerline highway previous the kiosk. Within the timber adjoining the parking space and alongside this quick curve, look ahead to wildlife.

Gopher tortoise and rabbit sightings are commonplace, and each bald eagles and osprey cruise overhead, each having their respective nests close by.

Place to begin

Flip proper after the canal to start out the yellow-blazed East Loop. If the wilder internal path has been maintained, it forks to the left at a small signal.

If not, proceed alongside the berm above the canal. The internal path offers extra of an immersion within the scrub but additionally has rougher footing.

Flip proper after the ditch

A perched marsh and bayhead drain into it, so it has one soggy low spot to navigate round.

Nonetheless, it has much more botanical variety that the stroll above the deep ditch. A subdivision has sprouted behind the ditch.

Yellow diamond along shrubby trail corridor

Alongside the internal path

If on the berm, search for a yellow arrow pointing left to a path headed north away from the canal. The internal path meets that very same path at a T.

Stroll north via on a broad hall carved via scrub ultimate for Florida scrub-jays.

Man kneeling to look along sandy strip in front of small trees

Checking the sting of the expanded hall

By a half mile, meet a junction. It, too, has been widened considerably since first established.Flip left to remain on the yellow-blazed route heading west.

As proven on the map, the path to the correct loops round to the sting of the floodplain however will not be all the time stored clear; it’s used as a firebreak as wanted.

Oak scrub alongside the loop

Strolling the tender white sands, this stretch of scrub is the place we’ve seen essentially the most scrub-jays, as many as a half dozen at a time. Gopher tortoises, too.

There are patches of open, sandy prairie hidden behind the taller grasses and smaller timber. Attain the powerline highway at 1.3 miles.

Strolling north on the powerline highway

Both flip left to exit to finish a 1.5 mile loop on the trailhead, or flip proper to start the connector to the North Loop. White diamonds mark the path.

Go by the eagles’ nest and curve via a wetland space with a pond which drains via a culvert underneath the highway.

Marshy pond

The highway wavers a bit from true north but it surely’s basically an extended straightaway within the solar.

Reaching a T junction underneath the powerlines simply previous the Highway 1 signal at 2.5 miles. Flip proper.

Trail junction under powerlines with a Road 1 sign

South finish of the North Loop

Curve via a hammock with oaks and palms, rising into scrubby flatwoods. Bear left at a Y junction of grassy forest roads.

In summer time, tarflower blooms profusely among the many trailside shrubs underneath the pines. Wetter areas are swarmed with ferns and topped with loblolly bay.

Loblolly bay (sweetbay) blooms

At 2.7 miles, bear left on the subsequent Y of grassy roads at a Highway 1 signal. It forks slowly left earlier than making a powerful left curve.

Look ahead to white diamonds and at an indication pointing in direction of the campsite, make a pointy left to stroll via it.

Campsite sign on a pine with a white diamond

Flip for the campsite

Set amongst a cluster of sand dwell oaks at 3.2 miles, it has a pitcher pump, a picket platform for prepare dinner stoves, picnic tables, and benches round a fireplace ring.

A water administration district signal marks the spot. Except it’s been mowed lately discovering a flat spot to pitch a tent could also be tough.

Buck Lake East campsite

Observe the pathway north out of it to merge again into the principle forest highway. Curve west 0.2 miles later underneath the powerlines to cross a cattail marsh.

Though the highway is constructed up throughout it, it’s more likely to need to wade the outflow via a everlasting puddle within the rocks.

Marsh outflow

Rise into pine flatwoods to a junction with a double-blazed publish. The paths to the correct interconnect to Buck Lake West and North Buck Lake Scrub Sanctuary.

For our route, bear left to start out heading south via the pine flatwoods, following a delicate curve right into a straightaway. Look ahead to diamond markers. Wildflowers dot the panorama.

Pine flatwoods

At 3.8 miles, flip off the straightaway to the left, heading southeast via the flatwoods. Bear left quickly after to remain on the principle route.

Gaining a bit elevation, enter one other low oak scrub. It components briefly to disclose the cattail marsh underneath the powerlines.

Scrub stroll

Strolling via a quick patch of oak hammock with welcome shade, seal the North Loop by reaching the powerline highway at 4.5 miles.

Flip proper and observe it south alongside the acquainted straightaway, crossing the marsh causeway earlier than passing the East Loop. Finish on the trailhead after 5.7 miles.