Florida Hikes and Other Outdoor Information : Hiking Areas

Showing posts with label Hiking Areas. Show all posts

Salt Lake Wildlife Management Area (WMA) - Hiking

The Salt Lake Wildlife Management Area (WMA) encompasses more than 7,800 acres in Brevard County. It borders three lakes—South Lake, Salt Lake, and Loughman Lake. A former cattle ranch, Salt Lake WMA is now managed by the FWC. I have hiked it a number of times, spotting a variety of wildlife. Being a former cattle ranch, an inquisitive observer may encounter remnants from the old cattle days in Florida. This is a WMA area, frequented by hunting enthusiasts throughout the year. Fair portions of the trails are actually roads that crisscross the area. You will encounter a variety of ecosystem as you venture around, from wide-open scrub to dense oak hammocks. Down by the river there are pilings from an old dock, quite possibly used to ship out fruit that was grown in the nearby grove. A few orange trees are still flourishing in the area. There also is a documented Indian mound near the river.

I know of at least 4 ways to access the area, none requiring an entrance fee –

Main entrance: N28 38.401 W80 53.397 This entrance provides you with plenty of parking, as well as an information station
Dairy road entrance: N28 38.317 W80 52.480 This entrance provides you with a small parking area right off Dairy Road. It is a good spot to enter if you want to visit South Lake
Hatbill Road entrance: N28 37.853 W80 56.851 This spot off Hatbill Road will take you out to the observation tower/creek crossover. Be aware that you will have to cross another creek that can be quite wide (never very deep). I have found at times I could just jump it, while at other times it was up to my knees and I had to wade it (I did use large/heavy duty trash bags to keep me somewhat dry).
St Johns River: N28 35.923 W80 56.915 You can come in by kayak or motorboat. How far you can get in will depend on how high the river is

There are additional ways to get into Salt Lake; I have listed those I have experienced

As I mentioned, I have hiked and done some GEOCaching and Terracaching there. I have by no means seen anywhere near the complete area. I would suggest that maybe if you wanted to get deep into the bowels of Salt Lake WMA that you consider a bike. At certain times of the year, normally just before a hunt opens up, they let you drive the area; that could be interesting – of course this is just for off road vehicles. This is a WMA and hunters maybe present, so pay attention to the hunting seasons and I suggest always wearing bright colors.

From what I have explored, my favorite sections are the areas over by the St Johns River and the South Lake area. This does not mean I don’t like them all, but due to the area's vastness you really have to select a section and enter at the closest point to allow exploration time..

A large percentage of Salt Lake is open to the sun; so warm weather hiking can be pretty difficult. Most all the trails are roads and some of those are “sugar” sand. At different times of the year you might run into water in the lower sections.

As always, please leave nothing but footprints and take nothing but photos. Please consider carrying a small plastic bag to use to pickup any trash that might have been dropped by someone else.

Some hikes can be viewed/downloaded at - WIKILOC Hikes

Map and pictures - click on them to enlarge
Area map

Powerlines

Road/trail to South Lake

Road/trail view

Road/Trail View

Small pond in middle of WMA

Road/trail out by indian mound

Oak tree on Indian mound

Pilings from old dock on the river

Moccasin Island Tract/River Lakes Conservation Area Hiking

Moccasin Island Tract is a wonderful place hike and explore. It is very close to Melbourne and other surrounding cities. Over the last couple of years I have been to just about every section open to the public. It is amazing where you can go if you have a general idea of the area and a good handheld GPS. I always have my GPS handy so I know where I am and where my car is parked. First you must get to the parking area, just go West on Wickham Road until the pavement ends, them follow the dirt road (right side - N28 13.813 W080 45.356) West for another few miles until you come to the above sign, continue on a short distance to the parking area (N28 13.796 W80 48.679). Make sure you observe the gate closing time (it closes 7 pm sharp), if you are not out at closing time you will be left in there! After parking the car and getting ready you will now have to decide where you want to go - South to St Johns River, a beautiful Oak Hammock. You can also continue out to the Persimmon Campsite (may have historical value, but not sure of it) and then loop into the conservation area (no hunting in this area). You could go North to the Lake Winder observation area or detour to the namesake of the area, Moccasin Island. You can wind your way West along the canal next to the parking lot - use the North side to get to the Moccasin Island Area or use the South Side to take you into the conservation area. No matter where you go you will have two options, use the roads and trails or venture off into some pretty interesting areas to do some exploring. Always be aware when exploring that at different times of the year, different areas take on different personalities. If it is wet season, there is water and muck in many, many areas. If it is dry season, you will have much more access, but the grass can be so dense that you just can not get into it. The most access I've had is when it is very dry and there has been a recent burn in the area. During one of those perfect conditions I was able to walk through the conservation area, out to Persimmon Mound, then down along the St Johns River up to Lake Winder and then back to the parking lot along the canal which runs next to the parking area, That trip was over 11 miles, but it was very, very pretty. Always be aware that alligators can be in any body of water (just because you don't see them doesn't mean they are not there) and snakes which can bite you (I have come across a couple of water moccasins during all my travels). Look at "My Hikes" in the "links" section to see some of my suggested hikes. Those are just the some of the hikes I have done.

If you would like some more information, send me an email with a question. As of 2/2011 I have hiked over 312 miles throughout the area, visiting it 34 times. You can see my average hike is around 9.17 miles. Some hikes with friends, others totally alone (cellphone coverage of the whole area makes me feel that much more comfortable). I have looked for and placed GEOCaches throughout the area, as well as looking for survey benchmarks. I have never encountered anything that I felt put me in danger, in all cases things avoided me! I prefer the south section below the parking area, actually the conservation area to the west of the barbwired cow pastures. The cow pastures on the west side of the road actually belong to the SJRWMD and are leased to the Duda cattle ranch. I met the SJRWMD land manager one day during my travels and asked him about crossing the pastures. He said as far as he was concerned I could do that, just respect the gates and cows. It is about .8 miles over to the conservation area which you can explore to your hearts content!

Some of the Points of Interest - GPS coords are provided for finding in Google Earth (Fly To) or any other mapping software

Moccasin Island Itself - Very nice spot to look around - N28 14.763 W80 50.487
Lake Winder Observation Platform - Just a spot to stop and look out over the area - N28 15.169 W80 49.905
Airboat Picnic Area - Great place to stop and have lunch - N28 12.451 W80 49.937
Persimmon Campsite - SJRWMD campsite - maybe be occupied - N28 13.138 W80 51.092
Conservation Areas - A very big, hunter free area - here is the one location in it - N28 13.444 W80 50.451
Canal Crossover - Only safe way to cross the canal in the conservation area - N28 13.508 W80 50.362
Oak Hammock Trails - Blazed trails for hiking - N28 12.508 W80 49.754
Gators Galore - Very high concentration of gators - tough to get to, be careful - N28 13.865 W80 51.500
Bald Eagles Nest - View from road - eaglets have been seen on the nest - N28 13.166 W80 48.614
St Johns River - The river borders the area so access is anywhere you might be able to get to it

Most of the "tract" is out in the open, so I feel it is mainly a winter hiking area. When hiking out there, always prepare yourself for a "sun filled day"! The surrounding pastures are still part of an active cattle ranch, so cattle are always present. At times they break through the fence and make it into the "tract" land. In almost all cases, they are as scared of you as you might be of them. In all my encounters, I just moved in on them and they moved out of the way. I think there are some bulls out there, but not really sure. If you encounter one who doesn't seem to have any fear in its eyes, avoid it at all costs. One thing you must always be aware of, the St Johns River area has the most open hunting season of any area around. There is an open season on something just about all winter long. I have found that early winter is the most active time. I always suggest that you wear something bright while anywhere in the area. Hunters are not a problem, just be aware of them and you will be ok. It seems they are there very early in the day and later in the day. If when you get to the parking area and observe a lot of vehicles in it, they may be all hunters. This area is part of the River Lakes Conservation Area, controlled by the SJRWMD. I highly suggest that you also use the WIKILOC layer in Google Earth to see some of the hikes suggested there. Use the search box to find Google Earth suggestions if you want some help.

I suggest that you review my hunting calendar (Hunting Schedule) to see if any hunting is scheduled in the area.

This picture will give you an idea where I have been and where you can go - click on it to see larger image -

I have seen a variety of wildlife while hiking around this area - deer, hogs, river otters, bobcat, coyote, armadillos, opossums, bald eagles, split tailed kites, caracaras, turkeys, snakes, gators, vultures, hawks, meadow larks, raccoons, white pelicans, sandhill cranes, all kinds of wading birds, all kinds of songbirds and what I believed to be the tail of a cougar. You can not consider them wildlife, but the cattle out there can be very impressive in their own rite.

Some pictures (click to enlarge)
Flowers along road back to parking area

My hiking supplies

Cattle/game trail through conservation area

One of the roads in the southern section

Area namesake - water moccasin

Bald eagles nest along road

Persimmon mound picnic table

Mud lake shelter in northern section (Lake Winder)

One of the frequent meadowlarks you will see

Oaks shelter down on St Johns River

South Lake Conservation Area - Hiking

This is a small area (155 acres) located in Mims. It is made up of scrub, scrubby flatwoods, depression marsh, cleared trails and sandy roads. The sanctuary was donated to Brevard County as mitigation land and is managed by the EEL Group http://www.eelbrevard.com/. There are approximately 2 miles of hiking trails/roads. There are a number of scrub jay families living in the sanctuary, some relocated from the Melbourne Area. All trails are marked with arrows to assist you in finding your way around when hiking there. It is just about impossible to get lost in the sanctuary because roads and private property border it. There is only one access point with parking and that is located off Ford Road at N28 38.434 W80 52.583. There is an information kiosk there, with a layout of the sanctuary, along with trail maps.

Trails (click on it to enlarge)

As you walk around the trails you will encounter small sand hills and pass some depression marshes. The main area is just scrub, with a scattering of pine trees here and there. Along the edges you will encounter other types of trees. I am told that there is a nice variety of plants and wildlife in the sanctuary. The day I walked around I encountered a few families of scrub jays. Like most scrub jays I have encountered, they were very friendly, trying to land on my hat and camera. They are a lovely bird so please respect and protect them. Be forewarned it is against the law to feed scrub jays, you could be fined up to $200 if caught. The main trails are just sandy roads, but the EEL group has cleared some trails through the scrub that are very nice. There is no hunting in the area, so that is nice. There are many prescribed burns scheduled for this area, that could block access at any particular time. All in all I recommend that you take some time and visit this sanctuary. It is mostly very open so a cloudy day might be the best time to plan a visit. I walked every trail, discovering some very nice sites as I stopped and looked around. As always, please leave nothing but footprints and take nothing but photos. Please consider carrying a small plastic bag to use to pickup any trash that might have been dropped by someone else.

Some pictures - click on a picture to enlarge
Information Area -

Trail out from information area -

Scrub Jay watching me -

Sand Trail -

Another trail view -

One of the hills to climb -

View my trails map - WIKILOC South Lake Conservation Area Hiking Trails> To learn more about using WIKILOC downloads, other areas, GPS’s etc, use search box in this blog for keywords like Wikiloc, Google Earth, GPS or an area name.

Favorite Spots - Hiking Areas

Many people have asked me where my favorite spots to go are. My number one area is the St Johns River where ever I can get to it. I have been to many parts of it from RT46 to down below RT192. I have hiked in from Canaveral Marshes up off RT50, Tosohatchee WMA (many spots) and River Lakes Conservation Area in Viera. When the water is low, the views are just beautiful. I also have been lucky enough to be taken on boat trips with friends. There are a lot of gators in the river, so kayaking just isn't that appealing. The Cypress trees which are found along the river are beautiful in their own right.

As far as other areas to hike, I really enjoy these; hiking a pretty fair portion of each -
Tosohatchee WMA - loads of trails and areas to explore
Tosohatchee South - Nice blazed trails, plus much areas to explore
Moccasin Island Tract/River Lakes Conservation Area - right near Melbourne and again loads of areas to explore
Canaveral Marshes - Some very pretty areas to explore, some marked trails
Charles H. Bronson State Forest - Massive amount of areas to hike
Seminole Ranch - Nice blazed trails in woods

You can find many of my hikes (trail hikes, not exploring) at WIKILOC Hiking Etc

Some other places I have hiked and enjoyed -
Bull Creek WMA
Three Lakes WMA
Buck Lake WMA
Salt Lake WMA Seminole Ranch WMA
Prairie Lakes Unit
Triple-N Ranch
Forever Ranch
South Lakes Conservation Area
Hal Scott Preserve
Seminole Ranch Consevation Area
Mills Creek Woodland
Beachside Sanctuaries
Grant Flatwoods Sanctuary
Chuluota Winderness Area
Orlando Wetlands

Details on any of these places can be found using Google.

Bull Creek (Herky Huffman) WMA - Hiking

The Bull Creek/Herky Huffman Wildlife Management Area, with its vast array of trails, will appeal to both the serious hiker and friends out for a casual walk in the woods. Those with a sense for genealogy might find themselves lingering in a very old cemetery. If you want see more of the area, there is the option of driving along a picturesque loop road that takes you down near a beautiful small lake. I have frequented this area, hiking many of its trails (though not all of them) and driven around the area to experience a variety of views. The only drawback for hikers and wildlife viewers are the times of the year that this area dedicates to hunting. It tends to be a popular sport so I suggest that you make yourself aware of the hunting schedule, and at all times be extra cautious.

Trails From RT192
From the parking area on RT192, pass through a gate and head out on the orange blazed Florida Trail, beginning on the right side of the berm just as you reach the bottom. As you follow the blazed trail through the woods, passing a small pond along the way, you arrive at the Jane Green Campsite established by the Florida Trail Association. At that site you will find a primitive camp area with a picnic table and a fire pit. There also is a hand water pump, but it is not recommended for use. From here you can head further south or elect to follow the Florida Trail. I normally follow the orange blazed trail to the west. On this trail you will come across three footbridges crossing Bull Creek. I have seen a variety of wildlife in that area - from limpkins, to owls, to a large alligator, to river otters frolicking in a creek. Eventually the orange blazed trail swings to the southwest. You can continue on that trail, looping back when you like (it does go all the way to Key West) or branch off and go to the very old "Crab Grass Cemetery". If you wish to do some more exploring, there are some white blazed trails that will take you out and around the area below where the cemetery is located.

Crab Grass Cemetery (Crabgrass Cemetery)
This is a very old cemetery located in the Bull Creek WMA. You can get to it by hiking in from RT192 or if you wish and have a hardy vehicle, drive in from the loop road. There is a sign on the loop road that will direct you to the cemetery. This cemetery has been referred to as the "Bull Creek Cemetery", but that is incorrect. The Bull Creek Cemetery is located down below Billy Lake, on the other side of Bull Creek. The only way I know of to get to that cemetery is from RT441. That area is private property so it is not available to the public. As of this writing there where 22 graves in Crab Grass Cemetery - oldest being 1883 to newest being 2000. A fence surrounds the cemetery; please display proper respect the dead and those that mourn them when visiting.

Loop Road
There is a road that loops around the center of Bull Creek WMA. You get to the road by entering Crabgrass Road off RT192. Just follow Crabgrass Road until you come to the entrance to the WMA. You must sign in and out at the main entrance. If it is hunting season you will notice much activity in the area. There are restrooms located in the area for your use. I’m not sure, but I assume anyone can camp there. Should you find out otherwise please post a comment. Park in the designated area and begin hiking the trails from there, either heading north or south. If you head south and follow the orange blazes you will come to the "Forever Ranch" (http://www.foreverflorida.com/) - that is another nice place to visit - it is not part of this WMA. The loop road itself is a dirt road, usually in pretty good condition. It does flood during the wet season, leaving many ruts and sink holes during the dry season that are rough on your vehicle. The whole area is open to the public, so if you wish to stop and explore, feel free to do so at anytime. The Florida orange blazed trail is near the road at times, giving you the option to stop and hike for a spell. Down in the southern section there is a road off the main loop road that leads to "Billy Lake" - see write-up below. The road loops as stated, and eventually you will get back to the entrance to the WMA.

Billy Lake
Billy Lake is actually a section of Bull Creek where you can stop and enjoy a very pretty Florida scene. You can launch a kayak there if you wish. I have been there a number of times, at times having the whole place to ourselves, while at other times sharing it with some "locals"! The only drawback that I find with the place is that I find myself picking up some of the litter left by people who just don’t respect the wilderness. I have explored the area, seeing a large variety of wildlife - birds, gators etc, as well as some beautiful cypress trees. Like any place near a creek, in the wet season you might not get that close.

Palmetto Scrub
There is any number of ways to explore Bull Creek, from the spots I mentioned to a parking area on Crabgrass Road. The parking area on Crabgrass road will give you access to the palmetto scrub, if you wish to explore that. You can also explore Crabgrass Creek from that parking area. Across Bull Creek There is a whole area of Bull Creek WMA which is hard to get to, but well worth visiting. The section I'm referring to is actually on the east/southeast side of Bull Creek. You can get to this section by crossing Bull Creek on the road found at N28 0.799 W80 55.668 (this road is normally closed so you have walk or bike it - it also can be underwater). If the water in Bull Creek is high, you will actually need a boat to get across it. You also can get into it from the dike out of RT192, again a bike might be the way to go because of the distance. Once into this area, you will find plenty of old roads to explore, as well as a variety of ecosystems. To the south you will hit barbed wire fences, do not cross them as the property is private owned by Deseret Ranch. The coords for the center of the section I have been in are N28 0.361 W80 55.446.

GPS Locations Note: can use in Google Earth "Fly to" box - just "copy & paste the coords to Google Earth to zoom to the spot

RT 192 Parking Area - N28 07.000 W80 55.957
Crabgrass Road Entrance - N28 04.977 W80 57.724
Crabgrass Road Parking Area - N28 06.951 W81 00.480
Crab Grass Cemetery - N28 06.090 W80 56.792
Billy Lake - N28 00.029 W80 56.470
Jane Green Campsite - N28 06.399 W80 55.640
Old Road Crossing Bull Creek - N28 0.799 W80 55.668
South Edge of Bull Creek WMA - N27 59.880 W80 55.659

A few of hikes that can be viewed/downloaded -
WIKILOC Bull Creek / Florida Trail from RT192
WIKILOC Bull Creek WMA / Florida Trail
WIKILOC Bull Creek / Crabgrass Cemetery Hike

Pictures from Bull Creek Area (Click on picture to enlarge)
River Otter in Bull Creek

Butterfly on ButtonBrush Flower Next to Bull Creek

Billy Lake

Small Pond Next to Florida Trail

Crab Grass Cemetery

Jane Green Campsite

Foundation of Old FIT Observatory

Oak Hammock Next to Loop Road

Loop Road

Crabgrass Road Entrance

Orlando Wetlands Hiking

Please Note: Orlando Wetlands current closed dates are from November to February 1st - don't even go out there during that time period as they won't let you in! ===============================++++========================

The Orlando Wetlands is a unique area to visit. It is made up of multiple Eco-Systems, which make each visit new and interesting. The original area was purchased in 1986 by the City of Orlando to be used as the final processing of Orlando wastewater. Natural plants are used in deep marshes to perform the filtering. There are many websites that explain the actual process of how the wastewater is processed, so this posting will not delve into the topic. The total area is 1,650 acres with approximately 20 miles of scenic trails. Please, remember the Wetlands are closed during the winter months - check before going out there. The City entered into an agreement with the original landowners at the time of the purchase of the land. This agreement gave the family exclusive rights to use the property on those dates until the year 2038. This closer covers all trails, including the Florida Trail that passes through the park. During that time frame the Florida Trail is detoured down Wheeler Road, where it connects back to the main trail. I will just cover the hiking/walking aspect of the Wetlands. I have hiked the area many times, covering around 60 miles (according to my GPS records). The trails are made up of roads around the filtering ponds, as well as blazed trails through the wooded section. As you walk around the ponds you will see a variety of wildlife - the variety changes for each season of the year.

Parking and Main Entrance Area
The Wetlands provides plenty of parking. They have also setup a very informative section complete with pictures, right near the parking area. So whether you are a wildlife, or plant life enthusiast, the information is available to fill you with expectations of what you will encounter while out and about the area. You will also find a clean restroom area and a large covered picnic area. There are different events held in the field near the parking area during the year. As I noted above, the area is closed during a section of the winter. If the gate to the parking area is closed, don’t try and get in.

Map showing some of my hikes around the area (yellow lines - multiple hikes)

Filter Ponds and Berms Area
This area of the wetlands is located mainly to the left of the parking area. You can enter it from any of the roads you will see as you leave the parking area. It is here that you will see most of the wildlife. I have seen a lot of alligators, a large variety of wading birds and songbirds. The amount of birds and animals you will see depends on the time of the year of your visit. You can walk all around the berms, it seems for miles and miles. No motorized vehicles are allowed on the berms, so that is not a problem. I have run across horse riders, but that is it. You will also be exposed to a large variety of wildflowers that grow around the filtering ponds. The berms run all around the filtering ponds, you can walk around all the filtering ponds without getting lost.

Woods and Blazed Trails
There are some nice blazed trails that start in the woods to the right of the parking area. I enjoyed the variety of woods, streams, wildlife and wildflowers found along these trails. The first trail you encounter will be the "South Woods Branch Trail". This trail starts just a short ways from the parking area and winds through the woods until you reach a berm and one of the filtering ponds. They estimate that it is a 15-minute hike - it takes me longer because I like to "stop and smell the flowers". There is a nice primitive campsite located along this trail, keep an eye open for the sign. Walk awhile down the road and around the tip of the filtering pond until you come to the "North Woods Branch Trail" on your right side. This trail ends up at the Florida Trail. They estimate that it is a 35-minute hike. You will encounter the Florida Trail (orange blazes) after crossing a small stream, which actually is the filtered water on its way to the St Johns River. Follow the trail to the east and than back to the west where you will hit a road taking you back to the parking area. You will know you are leaving the Wetlands area because you will hit a fence with a hiker’s crossover. Once you cross the fence you are into the Seminole Ranch WMA. If you elect to explore, you can take the roads in the area all over. As I mentioned a fair portion of the area is the Seminole Ranch WMA, but as you get closer to the river it is SJRWMD property. Both these areas are open to the public year round. The one thing you want to be aware of when you explore those areas is that hunting is permitted, so be watchful. I have hiked all the trails in the Wetlands Area, as well as most of the roads in the areas to the north and east of the Wetlands. I can tell you that it is a great place to visit and explore.

GPS Locations Note: can use in Google Earth "Fly to" box - just "copy & paste the coords to Google Earth to zoom to the spot

Parking area - N28 34.180 W80 59.781
South Woods Trail Start - N28 34.213 W80 59.740
South Woods Trail End - N28 34.224 W80 59.385
North Woods Trail Start - N28 34.451 W80 59.034
North Woods Trail End/Florida Trail - N28 35.023 W80 59.173
FT Fence Crossover - N28 35.015 W80 58.800 Orange
Mound Campsite - N28 34.900 W80 59.028
Seminole Campsite - N28 34.251 W80 59.550

A couple of hikes that can be viewed/downloaded -
WIKILOC Orlando Wetlands to Florida Trail Hike
WIKILOC Orlando Wetlands / Berms and Trails

Some Pictures of the area (click to enlarge) -
Picnic area at parking area -