It’s a relict of the traditional previous, a gather of grand timber, some centuries previous, in folds within the panorama beneath a ridge above Brooksville.
Fickett Hammock virtually turned a subdivision. As a substitute, it’s a celebration of botanical wonders.
Among the many ancientsMarvel at huge swamp chestnut oaks, usually discovered a lot farther north in Florida, on terrain deeply lower by an ephemeral stream.
In a forest additionally dense with magnolias and Florida maples, the texture of strolling this path is like being among the many ravines of Tallahassee.
Fickett Hammock marks the southernmost extent of rain lily, an early season flower mostly seen alongside the Suwannee River basin.
Florida maple in winterAssets
Overview
Size: 2.3 milesTrailhead: 28.613875, -82.468750Address: 15482 Centralia Rd, BrooksvilleFees: FreeRestroom: NoneLand supervisor: Hernando CountyPhone: 352-754-4031
Open dawn to sundown. Leashed canine welcome; decide up after your pet.
Instructions
Hike
Behind the trailhead kiosk, open the pedestrian gate. A purple hiker medallion and arrow factors to the rightmost path hall.Begin the loop counterclockwise, passing by a bald spot within the hammock the place storm-damaged timber have been cleared.
Trailhead kioskStroll beneath a cabbage palm, rounding a slight bend. The forest closes in, the footpath leaf-strewn. Oaks of great dimension tower above.
A tenth of a mile in, cross a forest street the place arrows level straight forward. Whereas the arrows are typically useful, the pathway is apparent.
Worn footpathAt a curve, a gash within the aspect of a large oak reveals its trunk’s inside after a portion of the tree peeled away within the wind.
After a cluster of magnolias, arrows level straight forward previous one other forest street. Past a magnificant reside oak, the hardwood hammock turns into extra lush.
Base of an infinite reside oakAttain the path junction for the highest of this loop at a bench at 0.4 mile. Flip proper to cross the bridge spanning an often-dry drainage.
Magnolias grow to be extra prevalent, conserving the hammock brilliant inexperienced when the oaks lose their leaves.
Junction at benchCurving by the dense forest, ascend by a stand of palms over a small rise and descend in direction of the stream basin.
In its deeply eroded however slender channel, the tannic waterway curls previous younger magnolias and beneath the following bridge.
Tannic waterwayThe higher loop begins simply previous the bridge at 0.6 mile. Bear left to start this loop clockwise.
The huge leaves on the forest ground are from a preponderance of swamp chestnut oaks. Just like the Florida maples, they lose their leaves in winter.
Lush hammockCabbage palms faucet into hidden water sources beneath the forest ground. The understory gradiates from open to extraordinarily tangled on the development across the loop.
The hammock turns into extra dense, the contrasting shapes of fronds and leaves and thick oak trunks fascinating even when moist.
Among the many palmsClimb a slight rise at a mile, the footpath revealing white sand beneath its blanket of leaves. Winding by a palm hammock, descend previous sizable swamp chestnut oaks.
Wild espresso makes a stunning look, extra generally present in South Florida and near the heat of the coasts.
Wanting extra like mossy limestone than wooden, a gnarled base of an oak is all that continues to be of a as soon as grand large of the forest.
Uncommon eroded oak baseAfter a number of extra twists and turns by palm fronds, emerge on the finish of the loop at 1.4 mile.
Cross the bridge, having fun with a greater perspective of the adjoining tannic waterway on the tenth of a mile stroll again to the decrease loop.
Bridge to decrease loopCross a 1-1/2 mile marker earlier than reaching the bridge. Bear proper, passing the bench.
The path curves to parallel the waterway flowing by the protect, providing glimpses of the folded panorama beneath.
Paralleling the waterwayOaks predominate, their saplings filling within the gaps between noticed palmetto. Magnolias, cedars, and sparkleberry add their textures.
Properly worn to sand by use, the footpath curves between partitions of greenery.
Habitat transitionBy 1.9 miles, a tender carpet of pine needles alerts a shift in habitat in direction of the sandhills extra frequent to this area.
Because the path ascends, the cover thins. The combination of oak species expands to water oak and bluejack oak.
Relict sandhillsAttain a bench at 2.1 mile with a path marker providing two choices. Each return to the trailhead, straight forward extra straight utilizing an previous street.
Take the precise flip for the scenic route. This a lot narrower path descends into the hammock.
Ultimate junctionIn a stunning distinction, sprays of untamed espresso peep from the leaf litter of swamp chestnut oaks.
Curve previous cabbage palms and bluestem palms, coming out of the forest going through the kiosk at 2.3 miles.
Wild espresso and swamp chestnut oak leavesPath Map
Discover Extra!
Video
Mountain climbing Fickett Hammock Protect
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Path Map (PDF) Official Web site
Creator of over 40 books, Sandra Pal established FloridaHikes.com in 2006 to broaden on the sphere analysis she’d accomplished for her first six mountain climbing guides. She has been honored with lifetime achievement awards from the Florida Path Affiliation and the Florida Out of doors Writers Affiliation.
