Acquired by Southwest Florida Water Management District, Annutteliga Hammock Conservation Area is an important connector for the region’s public lands.
This 570 acre tract of sandhill, scrub, and prairie is a link in a wildlife corridor spanning from the Withlacoochee River to the Gulf of Mexico.
Facing Chassahowitzka WMA across US 19 at Centralia, a former logging town north of Brooksville, it provides habitat for gopher tortoises and fox squirrels.
The 8 mile trail system was built for equestrian use, so not all surfaces are optimal for hiking. There are some sections of deep soft sand and several wetland crossings.
Since most of trails follow fenceline, we focused on the prairie ponds at the heart of the preserve, following a route for a 1.5 mile loop.
Prairie with pond in its middleResources
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Overview
Location: Weeki Wachee
Length: 1.5 miles
Trailhead: 28.6148, -82.5437
Address: 11019 Centralia Rd, Weeki Wachee
Fees: Free
Restroom: None
Land manager: Southwest Florida WMD
Phone: 352-796-7211 ext 4470
Open daily from dawn to dusk. No dogs or bicycles. In summer and after recent rains, plan for wet feet when crossing the prairies.
Directions
From SR 50 in Weeki Wachee, follow US 19 north 6.7 miles to Centralia Rd. Turn right. The trailhead is a half mile on the left.
Hike
From the trailhead, follow the white diamond markers north along a property boundary fence through the sandhills.
The trail turns west and comes to a junction along the fenceline. Turn right.
Trailhead kioskFollow a low ridge of scrubby flatwoods with a mix of pines, including young longleaf rising like bottlebrushes from the grass.
Strewn with pine straw, the sandy path guides you into an oak hammock canopied by sand live oaks with relaxed branches.
Scrubby flatwoodsContinue along the west edge of a large wetland to reach the central prairie in the sandhills in the middle of the loop.
Prairies with ephemeral wetlands dominate the south end of the preserve, so this is where you decide how wet you want to get on your hike.
Oak hammockWe turned around when the water crept all the way across the trail, completing a 1 mile hike. The prairie complex and oak hammock were the highlights for our hike.
According to the preserve map, you can loop back to the parking area along the fenceline on the east side of the property to the trailhead.
The pathway vanished into the wet prairieWhen the prairies are drier, keep following the loop around the ponds for better views and birding, netting a 1.5 mile hike.
An unmarked cross path also spans the south side of the prairie. To cut your mileage to a mile, use it to loop the oak hammocks and the ponds at the south corner of the preserve.
Pathway through tall grassTrail Map
Explore More!
Slideshow
See our photos from this hike
Nearby Adventures
Wild Turkey Trace Along an upland trail in Chassahowitzka WMA, Wild Turkey Trace immerses you in the turkey oaks and pines of the sandhill forest, with the surprise of a boggy marsh along the way.
Cypress Circle Showcasing one small corner of Chassahowitzka WMA, Cypress Circle introduces you to both upland and lowland habitats as it circles around a cypress dome. 
Fickett Hammock Preserve Delving deep into a hardwood hammock with towering trees, discover a wonderland of botanical beauty at Fickett Hammock, a cradle of unusual species north of Brooksville.
Annutteliga Hammock Trail Explore fascinating karst topography with exposed limestone under a shady canopy in the Withlacoochee State Forest, passing a primitive camping area along this 4.8 mile loop.
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