Trimble Park – Florida Hikes - Primal Outdoor Members Portal

On a slender isthmus between Lake Beauclair and Lake Carlton south of Mount Dora, this Orange County park is a delight.

Previous-growth reside oaks shade the excessive floor above a marshy lake rim traversed by boardwalks.

Trail junction arrow signs with boardwalk at end of footpath

Footpaths and boardwalks make up the loop

A campground beneath the oak cover anchors one finish of the park, with each conventional tent and small camper websites and a bunch campsite.

The day use space has shaded picnic grounds, a playground, and entry for fishing and boating.

Playground

The park’s nature path community laces via the pure habitats in-between, with an in depth collection of boardwalks throughout lakefront marshes.

Marked by a map, its official trailhead is alongside the unpaved loop within the picnic space. Our hike begins at a showier entry level on the finish of the park street.

Day use space alongside Lake Beauclair

Assets

Overview

Location: TangerineLength: 1.1 milesTrailhead: 28.768945, -81.656828Address: 5802 Trimble Park Rd, Mount DoraFees: FreeRestroom: On the picnic space and campgroundLand supervisor: Orange CountyPhone: 407-254-1982

Open day by day 8-8 summer season, 8-6 winter. Leashed canine welcome; choose up after your pet. Carry insect repellent.

Be alert for alligators and snakes. A lot of the path is at water degree. Don’t hike this path if it’s flooded.

Reservations have to be made upfront on-line for campsites.

Instructions

From Apopka, comply with US 441 north to Tangerine. Flip left on Lake Ola Drive and proceed not fairly a mile to Earlwood Ave. Flip left onto Earlwood Ave. After 0.7 mile, make a proper onto Trimble Park Rd. Observe the park street to the circle at its very finish, parking close to the restrooms.

Hike

On the fringe of the parking circle nearest the lake, flip left and comply with the crushed path beside the marshy fringe of Lake Beauclair.

A line of mature reside oaks shades the hall, whereas columns of cabbage palms outline it.

Footpath beneath the palms

Go a boardwalk to a big picnic pavilion earlier than the path absolutely immerses within the palm hammock. Narrowing, it’s sprinkled in pine duff as slash pines tower above.

Merge into the incoming nature path hall at a garbage can and bear proper. A ribbon of open water hugs the marshy shoreline close to a bench.

Picnic pavilion

Quickly, marshes lap at each side of the path. At 0.2 miles, directional arrows level to the boardwalk and The Level.

Keep proper and the trail broadens, edged by ferns and wild espresso. The subsequent bench faces Lake Beauclair, an open water pool shimmering beneath the limbs of a reside oak.

Marshy rim of Lake Beauclair

Go one other set of directional arrows, persevering with to The Level. The path turns into a slender alley amid palm fronds.

Spanish moss sways within the breeze within the excessive cover of reside oaks above. The marsh creeps into the path earlier than it positive aspects somewhat elevation.

Palm passageway

It ends at a clearing at 0.3 miles going through a canal. Way back, this was carved via the isthmus to permit boaters passage between these two lakes.

These lakes connect with the larger Harris chain of lakes round Mount Dora. A bench overlooks the open water expanse of Lake Carlton.

Canal via the isthmus

Backtrack somewhat and switch proper on the primary pathway edging Lake Carlton. The place the path can get mucky, glimpse its waters on the base of trailside cypresses.

A gap within the timber reveals a broader view, adopted by a panorama at a marshside curve.

Expanse of lake with marsh foreground and stormy skies

Lake Carlton

Climbing between the palms to increased floor, bear proper. Emerge at a path junction with directional arrows and two boardwalks.

Take the far one, nearer to the lake. It instantly curves to parallel the shoreline inside a floodplain forest.

Begin of lakeside marsh boardwalk

A bench is mounted above the swamp on a platform, a pure blind for birding. Each this marsh and the timber alongside the lake appeal to quite a few birds.

Common roosts are apparent from the splatter beneath them. Go beneath regal moss-draped cypresses earlier than the boardwalk curves in direction of open water.

Junction with bench and open water beyond boardwalk

Bench on the lake

By itself little spit of boardwalk, a bench faces Lake Carlton. Pause for the view.

Proceed throughout the lakefront marsh, the boardwalk edging a herbaceous marsh behind a small ridge of towering cypress.

Boardwalk junction

At a half mile, a boardwalk branches left. Go it by to remain alongside the lakeshore, marveling on the measurement of the cypress timber.

The subsequent spur on the best has two benches going through Lake Carlton. Adjoining it’s a cypress favored by an often-noisy colony of cormorants.

Lakefront benches

Again on the major boardwalk, one other boardwalk branches left. Skip previous it, winding by a line of towering cypresses amid an array of ferns.

The boardwalk ends at a picnic spot for alongside a ship basin into Lake Carlton. Exit this fenced space into the bigger group tenting space.

Boardwalk ends

Throughout the basin is the park’s campground, its areas amply sheltered by the oak cover.

Observe the sting of the basin to the street to the campground and bear left into the oak hammock.

Boat basin

Preserve left on the turns within the path so that you emerge into the group tenting space, making a decent loop. An arrow signal factors to a distinct boardwalk than the one you exited.

Bear proper beneath the pines within the clearing, passing a picnic shelter on the best way to that boardwalk.

Picnic shelter

Beginning amid a clump of ferns, this boardwalk curves away from dry land to bridge the marsh to the lakefront boardwalk.

At 0.8 miles, flip proper and go by the pair of benches on Lake Carlton. Backtracking beneath the stately cypresses, arrive on the subsequent boardwalk spur and switch proper.