Defending an enormous wilderness surrounding the Wekiva River and its tributaries, Seminole State Forest spans over 2,500 acres between the river and the Ocala Nationwide Forest.
Bear Pond is its hottest trailhead, offering direct entry to the Florida Path, a nationally designated scenic path connecting the Everglades with Pensacola Seaside.
Bear Pond TrailheadThe Decrease Wekiva Loop is the bigger of two trails which might be a part of the Florida State Forest Trailwalker program.
Maintained by the Florida Path Affiliation, the path explores distinctly completely different ecosystems, providing just a few in a single day backpacking locations alongside the best way.
Named after a devoted volunteer, Rachel’s Blueberry Crosstrail supplies an choice to skip doubtlessly flooded sections of the Decrease Wekiva Loop.
Strolling this loop clockwise will increase the probabilities of seeing Florida scrub-jays within the morning and will get by way of the restricted shade within the flatwoods first, saving the canopied floodplain for final.
Pathway by way of palms and pinesSources
Overview
Location: SanfordLength: 10.5 milesTrailhead: 28.819278, -81.428056Address: SR 46, Sorrento, FL 32776Fees: $2 per personRestrooms: Vault bathroom close to the trailheadLand supervisor: Florida Forest ServicePhone: 352-589-1762
Open dawn to sundown. Leashed canine welcome. Seasonal searching happens all through this forest. Examine forward earlier than you make plans for outside recreation.
Backpackers should pay an extra nightly charge and reserve prematurely to make use of the Shelter or Blackwater primitive campsites.
Though Wekiva Camp is free, an in a single day allow is required to depart a car on the trailhead. Name the ranger station to acquire a allow.
Bears are steadily seen on this space. We strongly urge you to bear bag or use a bear canister in case you camp right here.
Instructions
Hike
Beginning on the Bear Pond Trailhead signal, comply with orange blazes of the Florida Path as they lead right into a scrubby flatwoods surroundings.
Clusters of noticed palmettos and blueberry bushes line the trail, shaded below an archway of sand dwell oaks because the path winds throughout inexperienced landscapes.
It dips in elevation earlier than crossing a small tannic creek.
Arched sand dwell oaksReaching Shelter Camp at 0.8 mile, comply with markers across the nook to an intersection with a path register in a mailbox.
Take a second to signal the log, then head north alongside Florida Path, following orange blazes into an open scrub neighborhood.
Shelter CampFortunate guests might hear or see a Florida scrub jay on this expansive xeric forest that’s being maintained as the very best recognized habitat for these endangered birds.
Most of the massive bushes have been eliminated or burned, leaving a low shrubby cowl of scrub oaks and sand pine saplings.
Florida rosemary within the scrubScrub slowly transitions to mesic flatwoods because the path snakes northward by way of pine savannas coated with gallberry and lyonia.
Brief sections of path might be inundated at sure occasions of the 12 months right here, the place a puncheon constructed as an Eagle Scout challenge spans one of many soggiest spots.
Flatwoods puncheonThe path crosses a dust highway close to the three mile mark, slicing by way of a pine forest earlier than curving again to the highway the place the Florida Path continues north.
The Decrease Wekiva Loop heads east. Comply with white blazes as they lead down a large sandy pathway utilized by hikers and equestrians.
The path narrows once more at 5.2 miles, the place Rachel’s Blueberry Crosstrail winds southward to the opposite facet of the white loop.
Blueberry Path junctionTaking the Blueberry Path right here cuts over a mile and a half off the full distance, nevertheless it largely skips the scenic floodplain forest.
Persevering with to comply with white blazes to the east, large dwell oaks rise above a jungle of cabbage palms punctuated by stands of tall loblolly pines.
Palm and oak hammockAt 6.7 miles, the path passes Wekiva Camp, a quaint backpacking web site providing benches, a picnic desk and fireplace ring.
It’s surrounded by columns of tall palms and oaks carpeted with numerous air plaints.
The path turns into extra rugged whereas heading deeper into the Wekiva River floodplain, crossing small sloughs and streams on a collection of wood walkways
Emerge on the fringe of the pine flatwoods close to the southern terminus of the Blueberry Path.
Wekiva CampWhite blazes lead southwest because the path traces an ecotone between scrubby flatwoods and floodplain forest for the rest of the loop, reaching the Florida Path once more at 9.6 miles.
From this level, head previous the shelter, following orange blazes again to the trailhead in one other 0.9 miles for a ten.5 mile loop.
Fringe of the scrubby flatwoodsPath Map
Discover Extra!
Video
Mountaineering the Decrease Wekiva Loop
Slideshow
See previous images from this hike
Close by Adventures
Path Map (PDF) Hunt Dates Official Web site
