Opened late 2025, an extension of the Ross Allen Island Boardwalk now hyperlinks the springside and riverside trails of Silver Springs State Park in a showy method.
You can accomplish that earlier than through the kayak launch utilizing the Springs Path, however the distance made it extra interesting for cyclists.
New part of the boardwalkNow there’s a vacation spot for hikers to purpose for: the Mesic Loop. Off the brand new park-wide Silver Path, it additionally interconnects with the Sandhill Path.
We tackled it through this route from the springs finish to have the ability to get pleasure from that portion of the park on a sunny winter’s day.
The Mesic LoopSources
Overview
Location: Silver SpringsLength: 3.9 milesTrailhead: 29.214842 -82.055365Address: 5656 E Silver Springs Blvd, Silver SpringsFees: $5-8 per vehicleRestroom: Adjoining the doorway stationLand Supervisor: Florida State ParksPhone: 352-236-7148
Open 8 AM to sundown. Leashed canines welcome. Cyclists share the Silver and Mesic Trails.
The Ross Allen Island Boardwalk Path is totally accessible. The rest of this hike is pure floor.
Instructions
Hike
Enter by means of the archway of the Seventies classic Silver Springs attraction entrance. A broad boardwalk underneath towering timber leads by means of a shallow cypress strand.
Passing a fountain and mid-century trendy buildings as soon as a part of the unique Ross Allen Reptile Institute, pay on the entrance station.
Archway entranceMake a direct proper onto a sidewalk to the Ross Allen Island Boardwalk Path. Skim previous a picnic space and the turnoff to the launch.
Cross the arching bridge the place paddlers move beneath on the Fort King Waterway. Deep and crystalline, the spring-fed waters maintain a bustle of aquatic life.
Wanting into clear waters from the bridgeDescend gently in a wrap of floodplain forest to a T intersection within the boardwalk. Flip proper to start out a counterclockwise circuit.
This island hosted the ultimate location of the Ross Allen Reptile Institute for the Silver Springs attraction.
Begin of the loop across the islandThe boardwalk squiggles round a curve to the Fort King Pavilion. Paddlers ply this spring-fed channel previous what served as a ship dock for the park’s Jungle Cruise.
Ascending from water stage, attain a turnoff 1 / 4 mile into your stroll onto a broad new boardwalk headed to the island’s edge.
View upstream from the brand new boardwalk bridgeReaching the Fort King Waterway, make a pointy left, climbing to the tree cover. A pointy proper results in a bridge with fabulous views of the cypress-lined channel beneath.
Descend to a graded path, the ultimate portion of this route that’s accessible. At a half mile, meet the Silver Path at a T intersection in entrance of a giant kiosk. Make a left.
Descent from the bridgeSignposted with silver-tipped posts alongside an outdated connector street paralleling the Fort King Waterway, the Silver Path enters disturbed habitats to start out.
Foundations of former buildings adjoin the broad grassy path. Some are remnants of constructions for the animals that after roamed waterfront enclosures.
BasisAfter a curve, meet an incoming two-track and make the left as directed by the arrow. Acquire slightly elevation by means of a patch of tall grasses.
Curve previous the nook of a fence marking a former animal enclosure. Spherical a curve underneath overhanging dwell oaks draped in Spanish moss.
Silver PathA straightaway alongside a grassy prairie leads in the direction of towering pines. Make the sharp proper off this path famous by an arrow on the path publish.
Be part of a two-track winding previous culverts. The following arrow factors left into the pines.
Turnoff previous culvertAt 1.1 miles, meet a T intersection at a sheltered bench. The Silver Path turns to the left on its route in the direction of the Silver River Museum.
Make a proper onto a two-track blazed with posts tipped silver and purple. This sandy connector leads by means of mesic flatwoods.
Connector between Silver Path and Mesic LoopMake a proper on the subsequent marked junction. Rising from the pines into open prairie, meet the Mesic Loop at a Y junction at 1.3 miles.
Bear left to start out a clockwise circuit. On a gentle downhill alongside the sandy street, depart the prairie behind for sandhills.
Begin of the Mesic LoopTurkey oaks rattle their leaves within the breeze. Younger longleaf pines rise like bottlebrushes from a forest ground of wiregrass and leaf litter.
Reaching a four-way intersection, flip proper. The leafy path shifts to smooth pine duff. Noticed palmettos and scrub oaks take over the understory.
4-way junctionAt a marked T intersection, flip left. This sandy path burrows into strains of pines with a thicket of noticed palmetto beneath them.
Maintain alert for a sudden to the fitting, marked with a publish and arrow. At 2 miles, meet a junction with the Sandhill Path with a bench and a kiosk.
Sandhill Path junctionThe yellow-blazed loop begins by the park’s campground entrance off Baseline Rd. Flip proper to remain on the Mesic Loop.
Following a straightaway underneath the pines, emerge into an open grassy space. Curving, return to the duvet of the taller timber.
Northward leg of the Mesic LoopOn the subsequent junction of those forest roads, make a proper. This remaining stretch of sandy two-track arcs alongside the pine forest.
The sand deepens approaching an unmarked junction. Rising into the prairie, full the Mesic Loop at 2.7 miles. Bear left to exit.
Returning to the Silver Path junction benchReturn to the bench on the junction and dump the sand out of your sneakers. Make a left to return alongside the Silver Path to the bridge over the Fort King Waterway.
After the up and over, descend to the Ross Allen Island Boardwalk. Assembly it at 3.6 miles, flip proper to complete its circuit.
View down the waterway on the brand new bridgeCurving across the far finish of the island, move a big roofed construction, the previous Wildlife Theater. It was utilized by the state park till current years for interpretive applications.
Proceed alongside the boardwalk because it retains up its curve by means of the timber, assembly the preliminary junction. Flip proper to exit throughout the bridge.
Late within the day, the glass-bottomed boats move beneath this bridgeWhen the Ross Allen Boardwalk Path Island ends, bear proper onto the sidewalk and stroll by means of the picnic space.
The following left leads straight by means of the exit on the entrance gate to the parking zone for a 3.9 mile hike.
Path in the direction of the exit and the springsWhen you haven’t but seen Silver Springs, or if it’s a fairly day, put one other tenth of a mile in by following the trail on the fitting to the riverfront.
Ending at what was previously a swimming seashore, it overlooks each the spring and the river, an unparalleled magnificence spot.
Overlook on the outdated swimming spacePath Map
Discover Extra!
Be taught extra about Silver Springs State Park
Silver Springs State Park One of many world’s largest and deepest springs, Silver Springs pours out greater than 550 million gallons of water each day, forming the Silver River.Video
Mountain climbing this path to the Mesic Loop
Slideshow
See our images from this hike
Close by Adventures
Path Map (PDF) Reserve Campsite Official Web site
Creator of 45 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.
