Long Branch Preserve – Florida Hikes

Tucked away within the rural woodlands south of Colonial Drive east of Orlando, Lengthy Department Protect protects a big swath of land within the Econlockhatchee River floodplain.

Aptly named, Lengthy Department is likely one of the longest tributaries to the Econ. It is likely one of the few forks of this river not crowded with homes.

Shady hammock on the Pink Path

A community of color-coded trails spans the property, the longest of which enters neighboring Hal Sctott Protect, offering a connection to its huge path system.

This hike stays throughout the boundaries of this 164 acre protect, which encompasses former ranch lands south of SR 50 in Bithlo.

Floodplain forest at Lengthy Department (Sandra Buddy)

Sources

Overview

Location: BithloLength: 6.6 milesTrailhead: 28.532194, -81.098278Address: 710 S. CR 13, BithloFees: FreeRestrooms: NoneLand supervisor: Orange CountyPhone: 407-836-1400

Open dawn to sundown. Leashed canines welcome. Parking for one automobile out there on the trailhead.

Further parking is accessible at Pine Lily Protect, 0.3 miles south on the finish of CR 13. Close by Pace World racetrack will be very noisy on weekends.

Instructions

Hike

Beginning on the small roadside trailhead, take a minute to take a look at an informative signal in regards to the property and snap an image of the path map.

That lets you have probably the most up-to-date model readily available. The hike begins alongside a sandy entry highway lined with sweetgum and water oak.

Trailhead signage

In a tenth of a mile, flip proper onto the Mild Blue Path to start out a counterclockwise circuit of the protect.

Observe a shady pathway weaving throughout a forest of combined hardwood and pine, passing a bench and crossing a small bridge to succeed in the Inexperienced Path loop.

Bridge on the Mild Blue Path

Flip proper to make a circle on the Inexperienced Path, following a large pathway alongside the fenceline and thru a stand of enormous dwell oaks.

The Inexperienced Path ends at an intersection with the Darkish Blue Path in a half mile, subsequent to an impressive cut up oak coated in resurrection ferns and some native orchids.

Break up oak

Head west from this path junction, passing a shaded picnic desk.

To the south, a former pine flatwoods surroundings seems to be rewilding, having been transformed to a pasture at one level.

Picnic desk

At 1.3 miles, a stretch of stark white sand crosses scrubby pine savannas carpeted with noticed palmettos, lyonia, and gopher apple.

Climbing onto a berm in a tenth of a mile, flip proper to stay on the Darkish Blue Path.

Scrubby flatwoods

In 100 toes, the trail follows a pointy bend the place a tall wood archway looms over the path.

On the middle of the archway, ominous cattle bones connected to a wire sway within the wind.

Picket archway

The Pink Path branches off in one other tenth of a mile, following a crooked pathway in direction of the floodplain of Lengthy Department.

Alongside the best way, a trailside bench gives a chance to relaxation alongside a tiny seasonal creek.

Bench alongside the Pink Path

Reaching the Darkish Blue Path once more in a half mile, flip proper to enterprise deeper into the protect, circumnavigating a former residence that has since been demolished.

The far finish of the loop nears the swampy confluence of the Econlockhatchee River and Lengthy Department.

The waterway is out of view, hidden inside these cypress-filled primordial wetlands.

Econlockhatchee River floodplain

On the finish of the loop, head again on the Darkish Blue Path, staying straight at an intersection with a white-blazed cross path.

In 0.2 miles, diamond formed markers point out a junction with the Hal Scott Protect Yellow Path.

Diamond markers for Hal Scott (Sandra Buddy)

From this level, keep straight to observe a yellow-blazed loop in adjoining Hal Scott Protect on a 2-mile journey by a wholesome pine flatwoods neighborhood.

At first of that loop, a connector path dives south parallel to a powerline and a canal on a 4-mile loop connecting to the bigger path system at Hal Scott.

To remain inside Lengthy Department Protect, flip left to observe a sandy highway eastward, returning to the trailhead in 0.9 miles.

Wildflowers on the Yellow Loop

Path Map

Discover Extra!

Video

Mountaineering Lengthy Department Protect

Slideshow

See our photographs from Lengthy Department Protect

Close by Adventures

Pine Lily Protect In each season, wildflowers are the spotlight alongside greater than 4 miles of trails at Pine Lily Protect, the place its namesake lilies bloom in late summer time.

Hal Scott Protect At Hal Scott Protect, get pleasure from huge prairies and seepage bogs, the Econ River, and tenting beneath a dwell oak cover—all inside minutes of the Orlando Worldwide Airport.

Econlockhatchee Sandhills CA Within the floodplain of the Econlockhatchee River, Econlockhatchee Sandhills Conservation Space is a 706-acre showcase of upland habitat variety with a 3.2 mile loop path.

Hidden Pond Protect Placing collectively a number of loops offering views on pine flatwoods, prairie, swamp, and a showy pond, Hidden Pond Protect provides a really gratifying 1.9 mile hike.

Official Web site

Alongside along with his spouse Chelsey, Chris Stevens shares outside adventures on Instagram and Fb as @sunshinestateseekers and is a co-host of a podcast about Florida’s open air, The Florida Madcaps. An avid hiker and camper, Chris serves as a Trailmaster and a board member for the Florida Path Affiliation.

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