Florida Hikes and Other Outdoor Information

Econ River Wilderness Area - Hiking

The Econ River Wilderness Area is comprised of 240 acres owned by Seminole County. The only entrance or access point is located on Old Lockwood Road in Oviedo. Ample parking is available, as well as a trashcan and recycle bin. So please, consider practicing the motto of “Hiking in and Trashing Out”. Visitors are welcomed by a kiosk located at the trailhead that is loaded with environmental information. A guest book is provided and visitors are encouraged to log what sort of wildlife they encountered. Pocket trail maps are also available.

The trail entrance itself is well marked. The hiking trail is blazed with red metallic circles embossed with silver arrows; much thought and consideration went into planning this trail. Hikers are intermittently offered shade and solitude within hammocks of oak and then sunshine and sand amongst tall narrow pine trees. At times the trail causes you to walk in single fill and other areas allow for side by side companionship and conversation. As you enter the area, look to your left and enjoy a very pretty pond. The day we visited, there were some beautiful water lilies floating on top of the deep blue water. At the beginning of the trail you will encounter the first of many ecosystems found throughout the area. This section of the park consists of mostly saw palmettos. As you proceed down the well-marked trail you will find a small boardwalk provided for convenience during the rainy season. I’m told that during wet times, hikers can expect some of the trail to be quite wet. From here the trail now winds into a beautiful oak hammock. Benches have been strategically placed to satisfy your feet and your five senses. The first of three benches is in this area so take advantage of it; listen to the sounds, watch for wildlife, smell the fresh air and enjoy the taste of your favorite drink. As you meander you will encounter some very pretty wildflowers, as well as some of the local wildlife. Look up from time to time and catch sight of our fine feathered friends, various bird houses and an occasional bat house are visible in many trees. The trail will now wind down to the Econlockhatchee River providing you with pretty views and ample photo opportunities. Once again, the county has provided benches for you to relax and enjoy the cypress trees and their artistic knees. I find cypress trees to be one of the prettiest trees in Florida. Nature also provides you with a variety of flora and fauna. Sit back, watch the water flow past and enjoy the peaceful sway of wispy tall grasses in the breeze. I highly recommend spending some quality time down here.

At this point you can elect to double back using one of the available trails or if the conditions are favorable, venture down the river to see more of the river area. We ventured down the river to observe the glorious cypress and other trees along the river. As I stated, you only want to try this during the dry season, as this area can get quite muddy and wet at times. This part of the river is controlled by the SJRWMD and as far as I know you can visit that area.
The brochure provided by the county states that this 240-acre area is made up of oak hammocks, pine flatwoods and sandhill habitats. The blazed trail system is approximately 3 miles long. They do allow horses in the area, but there is no parking available for horse trailers. The main loop trail is blazed red (about 2.2 miles) with a secondary flatwoods loop blazed in yellow (.5). We hiked 6.4 miles around the area and river the day we visited. There are a couple of GEOCaches in the area if you’re into that.

Some GPS Coordinates -
- Parking Area – N28 36.828 W81 10.444
- Trail Head – N28 36.828 W81 10.449
- Bench in Oaks – N28 36.949 W81 09.748
- Bench on River – N28 36.765 W81 09.514
- Bench Overlooking River - N28 36.865 W81 09.545
- Entrance to SJRWMD Property – N28 36.716 W81 09.426
- Power Lines - N28 36.733 W81 09.735

You can see other pictures of the area at - Econ River Wilderness Pictures

My hike can be viewed/downloaded at - WIKILOC Hike

Maps and Pictures (click to enlarge) -

County Trail Map

My GPS Tracks

Information Area

Trail Pictures

Econ River View

Indian River Lagoon Preserve State Park - Hiking

Please Note - as of October 2010 this state park was not officially open as of yet, so entering and visiting it is restricted. Enter at your own risk and if you do, please respect it as you would any state park - take nothing but photos and leave nothing but footprints!

This new state park has been created from land that was an old orange grove and land supervised by the St Johns River Water Management group. It is a very nice park to visit. The day I visited it I walked mainly the old roads that wind through the area. The total distance I covered was a little over 9 miles. As you wander the area you will come to areas of protected grass, as well as a few ponds and canals. I was lucky enough to see a variety of wildlife and wildflowers along the roads. A fair portion of the park borders the Indian River Lagoon so expect to have some scenic views of the lagoon. I’m sure you could bring a fishing pole if you so desire.

Honest Johns Fish Camp borders the park on the south - be aware that they don’t want anyone to enter their property from the state park. They have a barbed wire gates and some interesting, threatening signs to discourage all intruders. Don’t go on their land, but remember that you are on state property and they have no control over that. Maritime Hammock Sanctuary borders the park on the north. You can enter the state park from this EEL sanctuary. The Indian River Lagoon borders the park on the west. You might be able to find a spot to access the park from boat if you so wish. A housing development borders the park on the east.

As I walked the land I noticed a number of items that were remnants of the history of the area. Some small bridges going over manmade canals - no idea where they go, as I didn’t have time to explore them all. There is an historic marker on A1A that talks about the “Smith Family Homestead”; I would suspect that some of this area made up that homestead. Then there were telephone poles, maybe just osprey nesting poles, but not sure. I would suspect that the pond was manmade. Someone had roped off are area of what was posted as a "protected species". Some signs still refer to the SJRWMD, but I have been told that the land is now controlled by the Sebastian Inlet State Park management group, so don’t worry about those signs.

My walk registered on my GPS as 9.3 miles; this entailed almost all the roads that wind through the state park. I did some doubling back at times, but a fair portion of the walk was on different roads and trails. I parked at the South Beach Community Park, as there weren’t any other places that I could see - this may change in the future. I walked down the road towards Honest Johns Fish Camp, cutting into the area around the main sign. From there I headed out to Snagg Point and around that area. You will have some nice views of the Indian River Lagoon from this area. I ran into fences put up by Honest Johns Fish Camp at two places on the road. As I worked my way back I found what seems to be a bike trial being cut through the wooded area - no idea what it actually was. I then proceeded up to the Maritime Hammock Sanctuary, wandering around the edge of that for a while. I then worked my way back to the park entrance and back to my car.

I did see quite a few interesting items along the road, as I mentioned some interesting historical items as well as a variety of wading birds and songbirds. I also came across some very pretty wildflowers, as well as some pretty trees and bushes. There are mangrove trees all over the place, protecting the salt marshes and lagoon shoreline. You will also come across many aspects of the natural mosquito control practiced here. There were signs of some big gators in the area, but I didn’t see any. I’m sure that each time you go out here you will see something different.

As I mentioned the South Beach Community Park is right nearby. Here you will find picnic tables and grills, as well as a beautiful area to visit. The center itself is a full size community center, so stop and enjoy that if you have time.

Some GPS coordinates -
• Parking - South Beach Community Park: N27 56.173 W80 29.741
• Protected Grass: N27 56.561 W80 30.107
• Snagg Point: N27 56.771 W80 30.670
• Honest Johns Fish Camp Gates: N27 56.013 W80 30.342 - N27 56.243 W80 30.296
• Maritime Hammock Sanctuary Border: N27 57.022 W80 30.389
• Smith Family Homestead Historic Marker: N27 56.311 W80 29.668

My hike can be viewed/downloaded at -
WIKILOC Hike

Here are some pictures from my visit (click to enlarge) -

My Tracks Through The Area

Welcome Sign

Indian River Lagoon View

Mangrove "Island"

Trail/Road View

Pond View

SJRWMD Sign and Gate

Micco Scrub Sanctuary - Hiking

This small sanctuary (1322 acres) is a nice place to just take a hike in. The trails are marked; so finding your way around is not real problem. It is a scrub sanctuary, being a perfect place to get a feel for Florida "scrub". The marked trails (red and white) take you not only through scrub, but also along a power line and into a scrub oak area. There is at least 8 miles of marked trails. Horses are allowed on the trails, there even is a watering station setup for them. Parking is free and readily available on Micco Road (N27 52.464 W80 36.841). There is an information kiosk at the trailhead, providing trail and wildlife information. While hiking I saw a number of songbirds and some small mammals. As you walk the trails you should find a variety of wildflowers to view and photograph. A large rat snake did appear for a short time along the trail one of the times I visited the area. I have hiked the trails as few times, as well as doing some GEOCaching. If you are looking for a well-blazed trail wandering through a few Florida ecosystems, this is a nice place to visit. It is open year round, but I know from experience that it can get pretty hot in the summer time. No hunting is allowed in this sanctuary, so it is a great place to go to if your looking for a spot without hunters.

Again, a parking area is provided on Micco Road at - N27 52.464 W80 36.841

You can download a GPS GPX file of the trails at (Red and White Trails) and (Powerline Trails).

Trail Map

Information Kiosk

Trail View

Trail View With Marker Post

Trail Through Powerlines

Sandy Trail

One Of The Large Oaks In The Area

Horse Water Area - Don't Recommend It For You..

Trail View

Bridge Over Old Canal

Econlockhatchee Sandhill Conservation Area - Hiking

At Econlockhatchee Sandhill Conservation Area 700 acres lay awaiting exploration. There is a red blazed trail leading out of the parking area on Lake Pickett Road that eventually leads to a yellow blazed loop trail. I not only hiked the trails during my visit, but also ventured out and around, exploring many of the old roads that crisscross the area. Venturing down along the Econlockhatchee River allowed for many photo opportunities.

Expect to encounter sandhills, mesic flatwoods, and scrubby flatwoods on the Eastern half of the property, floodplain swamp on the Western half along the Econlockhatchee River, and some patches of mesic flatwoods on the Western border. You also will come across a variety of plants, trees and wildflowers in the area. The wildlife you encounter will depend both on the time of the day, and the day of the year you elect to visit. The day I was there, my encounters included hawks, songbirds, some mammals and what I didn’t like, a 5ft diamond backed rattlesnake.

The blazed trails are about 3.5 miles in length. It is about .8 miles to the yellow loop trail from the parking area. Keep a careful eye out for the red blazes when around the powerlines, as that area is quite open and they can be hard to spot. Though it is always possible to become disoriented, getting lost on the trails in ESCA isn’t possible, as it is completely fenced in on most sides and the river is on another side. I used my GPS to track my movements throughout the area and it recorded that I explored over 7 miles. Most of my time was spent looking around scrub area I hope to get back and explore the river area further in the future. The part of the river area that I did venture into was just beautiful, as it seems are all sections of the Econlockhatchee River. Cypress trees, various vegetation, as well as wildlife are always abundant in river areas. A river otter frolicking in a small tributary provided a great deal of entertainment.

During my April visit I came across walkers, bikers and a couple on horsebacks. If GEOCaching is one of your fortes, there are a few of those in the area - some caches call for a little more of a hike than others. The blazed trails make this a very family friendly area.

As I mentioned earlier, I encountered a 5 ft+ diamond backed rattlesnake (off on one of the old roads, not on a blazed trail) - the sound of that rattle really startled me! I froze until I could determine where it was. Once the rattler determined that I wasn’t a real threat, it slithered away - I did get a picture of it before it left. So be keen to their existence and should you come across one, just respect their presence and everything should be ok. Some horses had gone by him just a few minutes before I arrived in its spot; I believe that is what really disturbed it.

In conclusion, when in the Orlando area consider this a great spot to visit. It is part of what is hoped to be connected areas along the Econlockhatchee River. It is pretty open and sandy in spots, so bring water and snacks and make sure you use sunscreen. Parking is free and there is an information kiosk at the start of the trails. No entrance fee required. Just remember to please, take nothing but photos and leave nothing but footprints!

Some GPS Locations

Parking area - N28 35.262 W81 09.347
Red Trail Off Powerline - N28 35.595 W81 09.304
Yellow Trail Start - N28 35.705 W81 09.329
Spotted Rattle Snake - N28 36.127 W81 09.059
Fence Line - N28 36.039 W81 08.956

Some hikes can be viewed/downloaded at -
WIKILOC Hikes

Map and pictures - click on them to enlarge

Area Sign

Information Kiosk

Colorful Trail

Oaks View From Trail

Fence Line

Trail View

River Area

Boundry Aerial View

My Tracks

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