• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Florida Hikes logo

Hike Bike Paddle Camp Florida with authors Sandra Friend and John Keatley as your guides

  • Trails
  • Maps
  • Guidebooks
  • Search
  • Hike
    • Scenic Hikes
    • Loop Trails
    • Dog-friendly Hikes
    • Hikes for Kids
    • National Parks in Florida
    • Florida State Parks
  • Bike
    • Major Bike Trails
    • Paved Bike Trails
    • Off Road Biking
    • Biking Articles
  • Paddle
    • Canoe & Kayak Rentals
    • Paddling Destinations
    • Paddling Articles
  • Camp
    • Cabin Rentals
    • Car Camping
    • Primitive Camping
  • Florida Trail
    • Plan your Hike
    • Best Scenic Hikes
    • Best Backpacking
    • Section Hiking
    • Thru-Hiking
    • Trail Updates
  • Travel
  • Hike
    • Scenic Hikes
    • Loop Trails
    • Dog-friendly Hikes
    • Hikes for Kids
    • National Parks in Florida
    • Florida State Parks
  • Bike
    • Major Bike Trails
    • Paved Bike Trails
    • Off Road Biking
    • Biking Articles
  • Paddle
    • Canoe & Kayak Rentals
    • Paddling Destinations
    • Paddling Articles
  • Camp
    • Cabin Rentals
    • Car Camping
    • Primitive Camping
  • Florida Trail
    • Plan your Hike
    • Best Scenic Hikes
    • Best Backpacking
    • Section Hiking
    • Thru-Hiking
    • Trail Updates
  • Travel
FT Bronson

Florida Trail, Chuluota Wilderness to Joshua Creek

3.9 miles. Enjoy the natural beauty of habitat diversity along a scenic segment of the Florida Trail connecting Chuluota Wilderness and Bronson State Forest

Florida Trail, Orlando  |  Chuluota
( 28.623217, -81.063275 )      3.9 miles

444 shares

With a surprising amount of habitat diversity for such a short stretch of trail, the hike between Chuluota Wilderness and the Joshua Creek trailhead of Bronson State Forest is a very scenic one.

Hiking this section southbound gives the distinct feeling of going downhill, as habitats transition from the high, dry scrub down through pine forests and into the floodplains of two creeks.

Well-designed and well maintained, this is a very pleasant section of the Florida Trail that’ll have you smiling over the natural beauty you’ll find around every bend.


Resources

Florida Trail Hikes book cover The Florida Trail Guide book cover Central Florida Orlando Explorers Guide book cover Complete Guide to Florida Wildflowers

Disclosure: As authors and affiliates, we receive earnings when you buy these through our links. This helps us provide public information on this website.


Overview

Location: Chuluota
Length: 3.9 miles linear
Trailhead: 28.623217, -81.063275
Fees / Permits: $2 per person parking fee at Joshua Creek
Restroom: None. Closest one is at Lake Mills Park in Chuluota
Land Managers: Seminole County Natural Lands, 407-665-2211 and Bronson State Forest, 407-971-3500

Open dawn to dusk. Leashed pets welcome. Hunting is permitted in Bronson State Forest, so check on hunting dates and wear bright orange.

Hunting is not permitted in this wilderness area, so if you’d rather avoid walking through a hunting area, do a round-trip hike to the park boundary from the Chuluota Wilderness trailhead, returning on the East Loop or West Loop.


Directions

 
From CR 419 (Chuluota Road) at the south end of Chuluota, turn onto Lake Mills Rd. Drive 0.8 miles to Fort Christmas Rd. To drop a car at the end of the hike, follow Fort Christmas Rd south for 5.8 miles. Turn left on Philips Rd to the sign for Bronson State Forest. Take the jeep track to the left of the sign. It ends up at the trailhead. Pay the day use fee and leave the receipt on your dashboard.
 
To get to the start of this hike, return to Fort Christmas Rd and follow it back up to Lake Mills Rd. Turn right. Continue 1 mile to Curryville Rd. Turn right. Follow it 2.5 miles to the trailhead on the right, just before the road ends.

Hike

Starting at the Chuluota Wilderness Area trailhead, which has a picnic table in the shade by the trailhead, the footpath starts off in a oak hammock yielding quickly to sand pines.

After you cross a forest road – which is used as an equestrian loop through the preserve – the trail enters a forest of young sand pine scrub.

Within a quarter mile, the pines are much taller, with mosses and lichens growing riotously on tree limbs and across the forest floor.

You start to see large rounded shrubs. These are Florida rosemary, and there are enough of them to refer to this spot as a rosemary scrub beneath the sand pines.

Chuluota Wilderness rosemary scrub
A rosemary scrub along the Florida Trail in Chuluota Wilderness

Crossing a forest road sometimes used as a firebreak, you enter a younger scrub forest, and beyond it, more rosemary scrub.

The trail twists and winds between the shrubs as it loses elevation. You head towards a wall of pines. A gopher tortoise burrow is off to the right.

The habitat transitions from scrub into hardwood hammock with saw palmetto, cabbage palms, and oaks, with intrusions of sand pine scrub.

Chuluota Wilderness
Saw palmetto tunnel in Chuluota Wilderness

The trail crosses a another forest road used as part of the equestrian trail. Off to the left you can see a round red marker with an arrow. Stay with the orange blazes that mark the Florida Trail.

Descending through hickory and water oaks, southern magnolia and a smattering of sweetgum, you can see a bayhead off to the left as you walk through the shade. Watch for the double blazes at the sharp turns along this section.

Fall color in Bronson State Forest
Fall color in Chuluota Wilderness

After a mile, the trail makes a sharp left and heads into a tunnel of scrub oaks, narrow and twisting, with a canopy close overhead. The trail seems to double back, snaking through the thickness of the vegetation.

As you see another bayhead swamp in the distance, the trail descends from the scrub and a mixed hardwood forest dense with hickories, rich in texture and color.

The trail crosses a long boardwalk as it draws close to a boundary fence along a ranch. Cross a footbridge over a small tributary before the footpath edges up right again the barbed wire to avoid a paralleling forest road that’s become a swamp.

As the trail leaves the fence, it turns to meet the property boundary between Chuluota Wilderness Area and Bronson State Forest at a nice rest stop, a covered bench at 1.7 miles.

Pass through the fence on the right to enter Bronson State Forest.The trail parallels an old forest road that has also turned into a swamp. Stick with the beaten path in the trees to avoid the mucky spots in the floodplain, with frequent twists and turns.

Reaching a trail junction with signage at 2 miles, the blue-blazed trail to the left – the County Line Connector – leads to the white-blazed River Trail that crosses the entire forest at a diagonal.

County Line Trail
Junction of the blue connector trail (County Line Trail) and the FT

For this hike, you’re staying with the orange blazed Florida Trail, so continue straight ahead. Crossing a forest road, the trail rises up into an upland area where tall skinny pond pines dominate.

Curving above the floodplain, the trail enters a hardwood hammock before dropping into a mushy bayhead area with a boardwalk. The aroma of fallen leaves rises from the forest floor, which is full of roots to trip over.

At the base of a Southern magnolia, a lengthy boardwalk lifts the trail slightly above the floodplain of Bunscombe Creek, which is quite marshy. Plants poke right up through the boardwalk, making footing a bit tricky.

A touch of fall along the Florida Trail in Bronson State Forest
Boardwalk through the Joshua Creek floodplain

After the boardwalk ends, footing is a little difficult through the hardwood forest. This bit of forest sits between two creek basins that sometimes overflow.

Crossing an old sand road that is part of the equestrian trail system, the trail reaches a sign that says “Joshua Creek Campsite.” At 3.1 miles, the campsite is down a short side trail to the right, and not far from its water source.

The boardwalk begins, and it is slippery in places. It ends briefly at an island in the middle of the Joshua Creek floodplain and resumes, ending soon after you cross the tannic, sand-bottomed creek.

Climb up a slope through a saw palmetto thicket into a pine savanna, where scattered longleaf pines shoot up through the dense saw palmetto and prairie grasses.

Bronson State Forest
Pond pines and saw palmetto in Bronson

Dropping through a small drainage, the trail rises up into an old pasture dotted with colorful wildflowers, including paw-paw and wild bachelor’s button.

As the trail gains a little elevation, the habitat shifts to sandhills. You reach the intersection with the blue blaze to the Joshua Creek trailhead at 3.7 miles. Turn right.

The blue-blazed trail zigzags between the stands of oak trees, attempting to optimize the shady spots between the turkey oaks. Once pasture, this is sandhill reclaiming its own.

You complete your hike as you emerge from the forest to the gap in the fence at the Joshua Creek trailhead at 3.9 miles.

Signs and signs and signs at trailhead Joshua Creek trailhead


NORTHBOUND: Curryville Road Roadwalk
SOUTHBOUND: Florida Trail, Wheeler Road to Joshua Creek

Trail Map

Florida Trail Bronson State Forest Map
Florida Trail in orange, connectors in blue

Explore More

Slideshow

Our slides from hiking this segment of the Florida Trail


Nearby Adventures

More worth exploring while you’re in this area.

Trail adjoining river on bluff

Culpepper Bend

One of the lesser-known trails of Little Big Econ State Forest, Culpepper Bend leads you to an outstanding panorama where the Econlockhatchee River meets the St. Johns River.

Trail corridor amid saw palmetto

Florida Trail, Bronson State Forest

Threading together ancient riverfront hammocks with uplands, the Florida Trail traverse of Bronson State Forest provides an immersion in botanical beauty.

Trail through palm hammock

Florida Trail, Little Big Econ State Forest

One of the most beautiful hikes near Orlando is rugged, too: the Florida Trail atop bluffs above the Econlockhatchee River through Little-Big Econ State Forest.

Trail between ancient palms and oaks

Florida Trail, Wheeler Road to Joshua Creek

Along this 8.6-mile route spanning the eastern side of Bronson State Forest, experience the majesty of ancient oak and palm hammocks near the St. Johns River.


Trail Map (PDF) Hunt Dates Reserve Campsite Official Website

Category: Backpacking, Central Florida, County Parks, Day Hikes, Florida Trail, Hikes, Natural Lands, TrailsTag: Best Dog Hikes, Birding, Botanical, Bronson State Forest, Christmas, Chuluota, Dog-friendly, Favorites, Five Star Trails Orlando, Florida State Forests, Florida Trail, FT Orlando, Geneva, Historic Sites, Orlando, Primitive Camping, Sanford, Scenic Hikes, Wildlife Viewing

Reader Interactions

Have an update? Contact us.

Primary Sidebar

Our Florida Trail Books

The Florida Trail Guide

The Florida Trail GuideThe comprehensive mile-by-mile guidebook to planning section and thru-hikes along the entire length of the Florida Trail. 356 pages, $19.95 + tax and shipping.

Order Now


Florida Trail Hikes

Florida Trail HikesFifty of the best day hikes, overnights, and weekend trips on the Florida Trail, plus nine of the best section hikes. Full hike descriptions and maps, full color. 376 pages. $24.95 + tax and shipping.

Order Now
 


Discovering the Florida Trail

Florida Trail mini coffee table book cover of trail into palm hammock
Our virtual walk along the length of the Florida Trail, covering more than 1,500 miles from the Everglades to Pensacola Beach. Hardcover, 196 pages. $24.95 + tax and shipping.

Order Now


The Florida Trail

Florida Trail large coffee table book cover of trail down swamp causeway under ancient pines

Our history of the first 50 years of the Florida Trail, from its founding in 1966 to becoming a National Scenic Trail to volunteer efforts today.

Learn More

The Florida Trail App

Comprehensive logistics and offline maps all in one: The Florida Trail Guide is now also an interactive map-based mile-by-mile app by Guthook Guides.

Get the App!

Florida Trail Updates


Get periodic recaps of changes to the Florida Trail, which we accumulate between editions of our guidebook. Find all official Trail Closures & Notices here.

Hiking the Florida Trail

  • Florida Trail Overview
  • Plan your Hike
  • Choose the Right Gear
  • Best Scenic Hikes
  • Best Backpacking Trips
  • Section Hiking
  • Thru-Hiking
  • Eastern Continental Trail
  • Florida Trail in South Florida
  • Florida Trail in Central Florida
  • Florida Trail in North Florida
  • Florida Trail in Northwest Florida
  • Florida Trail for Scouting
  • Florida Trail Adventures
  • Florida Trail Updates

Florida Trail by Section

Porter Lake, Apalachicola National Forest

Florida Trail, Apalachicola

Florida Trail, Apalachicola
Florida Trail Big Bend view

Florida Trail, Big Bend

Florida Trail, Big Bend
Florida Trail Big Cypress

Florida Trail, Big Cypress

Florida Trail, Big Cypress

Florida Trail, Blackwater

Florida Trail, Blackwater
Florida Trail Nokuse

Florida Trail, Central Panhandle

Florida Trail, Central Panhandle
Eglin Weaver Creek

Florida Trail, Eglin

Florida Trail, Eglin
Florida Trail Kissimmee

Florida Trail, Kissimmee

Florida Trail, Kissimmee
Florida Trail at Rice Creek

Florida Trail, Northeast Florida

Florida Trail, Northeast Florida
Juniper Prairie Wilderness

Florida Trail, Ocala

Florida Trail, Ocala
Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail

Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail

Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail
Florida Trail, Okeechobee

Florida Trail, Okeechobee

Florida Trail, Okeechobee
Florida Trail at Forever Florida

Florida Trail, Orlando

Florida Trail, Orlando
Florida Trail Seashore Dunes

Florida Trail, Seashore

Florida Trail, Seashore
Florida Trail along a canal south of Clewiston

Florida Trail, Seminole

Florida Trail, Seminole
No Name Creek

Florida Trail, Suwannee

Florida Trail, Suwannee
Cypress Lakes Preserve

Florida Trail, Western Corridor

Florida Trail, Western Corridor

Footer

FIND A TRAIL OR PARK

NORTHWEST FLORIDA
Apalachicola. Apalachicola National Forest. Blackwater River State Forest. Blountstown. Bonifay. Bristol. Cape San Blas. Carrabelle. Chattahoochee. Chipley. Crawfordville. Crestview. DeFuniak Springs. Destin. Ebro. Eglin Air Force Base. Fort Walton Beach. Freeport. Gulf Islands National Seashore. Madison. Marianna. Milton. Monticello. Mossy Head. Navarre Beach . Niceville. Panama City Beach. Pensacola. Ponce De Leon. Port St. Joe. Quincy. Sopchoppy. South Walton. St. Marks. St. Marks NWR. Tallahassee. Vernon. Wakulla. Wewahitchka

NORTH FLORIDA
Alachua. Amelia Island. Baldwin. Branford. Bunnell. Cedar Key. Chiefland. Crescent City. Dowling Park. Ellaville. Fernandina Beach. Flagler Beach. Gainesville. Green Cove Springs. High Springs. Jacksonville. Keystone Heights. Lake Butler.Lake City. Live Oak. Mayo. Macclenny. Micanopy. Olustee. Orange Park. Osceola National Forest. Palatka. Palatka-Lake Butler Trail. Palm Coast. Perry. Salt Springs. St. Augustine. Starke. Steinhatchee. Suwannee River Wilderness Trail. Suwannee Springs. Talbot Islands. Timucuan Preserve. Trenton. Welaka. White Springs. Williston

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Vimeo

MULTI-REGION
Big Cypress Swamp. East Coast Greenway. Everglades National Park. Florida National Scenic Trail

CENTRAL FLORIDA
Apopka. Belleview. Brandon. Brooksville. Bushnell. Canaveral National Seashore. Christmas. Chuluota. Clearwater Beach. Clermont. Coast to Coast Trail. Cocoa Beach. Cross Florida Greenway. Crystal River. Dade City. Daytona Beach. De Leon Springs. DeBary. Deland. Deltona. Dunedin. Dunnellon. Frostproof. Geneva. Inverness. Kenansville. Kissimmee. Lake Mary. Lake Wales. Lakeland. Largo. Leesburg. Longwood. Melbourne. Melbourne Beach. Merritt Island. Merritt Island NWR. Mims. Mount Dora. New Port Richey. New Smyrna Beach. Ocala. Ocala National Forest. Ocklawaha. Orlando. Ormond Beach. Osteen. Oviedo. Palm Bay. Ridge Manor. Sanford. Silver Springs. Spring Hill. St. Cloud. St. Petersburg. Tampa. Tarpon Springs. Titusville . Walt Disney World. Weeki Wachee. Winter Springs. Withlacoochee State Forest. Withlacoochee State Trail. Yeehaw Junction

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
Bradenton . Charlotte Harbor. Ding Darling NWR. Englewood. Estero. Fort Myers. Immokalee. Naples. Pine Island. Port Charlotte. Punta Gorda. Sanibel Island. Sarasota. Venice

SOUTH FLORIDA
Arcadia. Basinger. Big Cypress National Preserve. Big Cypress Seminole Reservation. Clewiston. Everglades City. Fisheating Creek. Lake Okeechobee. Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail. Lake Placid. LaBelle. Lakeport. Moore Haven. Okeechobee. Pahokee. Port Mayaca. Sebring. South Bay

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA
Big Pine Key. Biscayne Bay. Biscayne National Park. Boca Raton. Boynton Beach. Coral Gables. Davie. Delray Beach. Northeast Everglades Natural Area. Florida Keys. Fort Lauderdale. Fort Pierce. Hobe Sound. Hollywood. Homestead. Islamorada. Jensen Beach. Jupiter. Juno Beach. Key Biscayne. Key Largo. Key West. Marathon. Miami. Ocean to Lake Greenway. Overseas Heritage Trail. Palm Beach. Port St. Lucie. Redland. Sebastian. Stuart. Vero Beach. West Palm Beach

  • Trails
  • Parks
  • Beaches
  • Gardens
  • Springs
  • Ecotours
  • Attractions
©2006-2023, Sandra Friend & John Keatley | Disclosure | Site Index | Work with Us | Advertise with Us
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy | Florida Hikes PO Box 93 Mims FL 32754| Contact