Defending an enormous expanse of prairies and pine flatwoods east of Interstate 75 and the Myakka River, Carlton Reserve is the place Sarasota County will get its ingesting water.
Established in 1984, the protect covers greater than 25,000 acres east of the populated areas of the county, within the lowlands of the Myakka River basin.
Blended pine flatwoodsMaintained by a devoted group of volunteers, the Buddies of Carlton Reserve, it is a very nice mountain climbing vacation spot.
Beginning on the picnic space, three nested color-coded loops – Pink, Inexperienced, and Orange – allow circuits of as much as 3 miles.
The Orange Path loops a moist prairie adjoining the picnic spaceAll are in open landscapes the place a wildfire swept away the older pines. The Yellow Path, nevertheless, makes a separate circuit by a shady hammock.
The two mile hike beneath focuses on the Orange and Yellow Trails. Broaden on it by together with both the Inexperienced or Pink Trails in your circuit.
Coloration-coded arrows on posts assist in loop navigationAssets
Overview
Location: VeniceLength: 2 mile loopTrailhead: 27.128010, -82.333341Address: 1800 Mabry Carlton Pkwy, VeniceFees: FreeRestroom: On the picnic areaLand supervisor: Sarasota CountyPhone: 941-861-5000
Open 6 AM to sundown. The gates shut at 6 PM Nov-Mar, 8 PM Apr-Oct. No canines permitted.
Equestrians and cyclists are welcome on all trails besides the place posted.
A picnic space with pavilions is close to the customer middle. Reserve primitive and group campsites upfront by calling 941-861-7275.
Instructions
Hike
Marking the beginning of all hikes, the kiosk closest to the paver path has a satellite tv for pc map with the paths superimposed on it.
Begin alongside the pavers earlier than turning left onto a graded path by the pine-palm flatwoods surrounding the picnic space.
Picnic space pathwayEmerge from the palms to the restrooms (composting bogs) and comply with the trail by the picnic space, reaching a two-track street at a T.
Flip left to stroll up previous the log cabin, a chunk of native historical past moved right here from Sarasota.
It’s now an interpretive middle and workplace for the Buddies of Carlton Reserve. It’s solely open when a volunteer is current.
Picnic space and first path markerThe kiosk past the cabin marks the south finish of the Myakka Island Wilderness Path.
Additionally it is the entry level for a clockwise hike on the Pink and Inexperienced Trails. Posts with coloured arrows mark every route.
Kiosk close to cabinThe Orange Path begins straight throughout from the cabin, 0.4 mile from the trailhead kiosk on the parking space. Broad and grassy, it begins its circle round a big moist prairie.
An interpretive signal in regards to the pine flatwoods brings the jarring realization that there are fewer pine bushes in view than charred, snapped trunks.
What’s left of the pine flatwoodsA lightning strike triggered an enormous wildfire in June 2021, destroying mature bushes and the forest cover throughout greater than 650 acres.
It crept uncomfortably near the log cabin and picnic space. The understory grew again, however the panorama is now virtually as open because the prairie it circles.
Alongside the prairie’s edgeClusters of cabbage palms rustle their fronds within the breeze, framing the prairie views.
Concentric circles of different-height grasses reveal the ever-deepening prairie, the place there’s typically water on the center.
The darker space within the prairie signifies waterHerons and egrets search for the wetter areas, whereas sandhill cranes are additionally comfy looking the sides.
The grassy path has just a few low drainage spots the place it could actually get soggy within the wet season.
Largely edged by noticed palmetto, the trail approaches a stand of scraggly-looking oaks. A handful of longleaf pines sprout in puddles of shade
Among the many pines and oaksThree quarters of the way in which across the prairie, attain a path junction marked with a submit with the entire coloured arrows on it.
At a mile, proceed straight forward to start the Yellow Path.
Crossover to the Yellow PathA dramatic shift happens, the encompassing wholesome pine-palm flatwoods having survived the wildfire.
Interspersed by cabbage palms and dwell oaks, skinny South Florida slash pines attain for the sky.
Slash pinesStroll previous a rocky drainage, ascending previous a patch of scrub oaks right into a hammock with bigger dwell oaks and palms. The taller oaks have hurricane-stripped crowns.
Crest into extra pine flatwoods, the place paw-paw blooms in early spring amid the wiregrass, earlier than dropping into the hammock once more.
Palm hammockA boggy spot sports activities blue flag iris in bloom. Return to a nice stroll by the pine flatwoods.
At a signposted junction at 1.3 miles, a “Yellow Path” signal factors again the way in which you got here. Veer proper to discover a bench within the shade.
Shady benchThis junction marks a loop round a swamp. The shorter aspect of the loop is to the precise, so deal with the longer one by making a left.
More and more boggy past the oaks, this wetland serves up a bonanza of enormous purple blossoms in late March because of its many blue flag iris.
Blue flag irisCircle the west aspect of the marsh inside a hall shaded by oaks and cabbage palms, with wild espresso rising within the richer soil on the precise.
Passing below a pair of arches created by the trunks of dwell oaks, attain an interpretive signal on swamps as forested wetlands.
Fringe of the marshWhereas boggy close to the opposite junction, this a part of the swamp has patches of darkish water below the palms.
The decrease junction of the loop has a “Again to Parking” signal at 1.5 miles. Earlier than turning right here, take into account ending the loop.
Again to Parking signalIt’s a extra rugged traverse by the palm hammock on this aspect, with many extra iris blooming alongside the sting of the swamp.
A round-trip between this junction and the bench on the different one provides 0.2 mile to this hike.
Palm hammock between junction and benchLeaving the loop at its jap junction, stroll by extra of the hardwood hammock previous an interpretive signal that explains its botanical complexity.
Emerge into the pine-palm flatwoods, which turn out to be scrubbier on a slight ascent. Meet the white streak of the Orange Path at 1.7 miles.
Junction with the Orange PathWith its many coloured arrows, the signpost exhibits the Yellow Path turning proper to finish its loop.
Flip left to renew the Orange Path across the prairie, now following a limerock street. Views are vast open throughout this grassland.
Prairie viewCurving between stands of cabbage palms, come to the junction with the paver path from the parking space.
Both exit right here, reducing a tenth of a mile off your route, or proceed ahead to the picnic space for a cease on the restrooms earlier than departing.
Comply with the slim path by the picnic space to the car parking zone to finish a 2 mile hike.
Exit through the paver path for the quickest path to the trailheadPath Map
Discover Extra!
Slideshow
See our pictures from mountain climbing Carlton Reserve
Video
Mountain climbing Carlton Reserve
Close by Adventures
Day Use Map (PDF) Full Path Map (PDF) Official Web site
Writer of over 40 books, Sandra Pal established FloridaHikes.com in 2006 to develop 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 Outside Writers Affiliation.
