Protecting a vast expanse of prairies and pine flatwoods east of Interstate 75 and the Myakka River, Carlton Reserve is where Sarasota County gets its drinking water.
Established in 1984, the preserve covers more than 25,000 acres east of the populated areas of the county, in the lowlands of the Myakka River basin.
Mixed pine flatwoodsMaintained by a dedicated group of volunteers, the Friends of Carlton Reserve, this is a very pleasant hiking destination.
Starting at the picnic area, three nested color-coded loops – Red, Green, and Orange – enable circuits of up to 3 miles.
The Orange Trail loops a wet prairie adjoining the picnic areaAll are in open landscapes where a wildfire swept away the older pines. The Yellow Trail, however, makes a separate circuit through a shady hammock.
The 2 mile hike below focuses on the Orange and Yellow Trails. Expand on it by including either the Green or Red Trails in your circuit.
Color-coded arrows on posts help in loop navigationResources
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Overview
Location: Venice
Length: 2 mile loop
Trailhead: 27.128010, -82.333341
Address: 1800 Mabry Carlton Pkwy, Venice
Fees: Free
Restroom: At the picnic area
Land manager: Sarasota County
Phone: 941-861-5000
Open 6 AM to sunset. The gates close at 6 PM Nov-Mar, 8 PM Apr-Oct. No dogs permitted.
Equestrians and cyclists are welcome on all trails except where posted.
A picnic area with pavilions is near the visitor center. Reserve primitive and group campsites in advance by calling 941-861-7275.
Directions
From Interstate 75 exit 193, Jacaranda Blvd, drive north 0.6 miles to Border Rd. Turn right. After turnoffs for Sleeping Turtles Preserve North and Deer Prairie Preserve, watch for the sign pointing left 2.5 miles east of Jacaranda Blvd. Make a left on Mabry Carlton Pkwy and continue to the park entrance on the right. Follow the long graded road around to the parking area.
Hike
Marking the start of all hikes, the kiosk closest to the paver path has a satellite map with the trails superimposed on it.
Start along the pavers before turning left onto a graded path through the pine-palm flatwoods surrounding the picnic area.
Picnic area pathwayEmerge from the palms to the restrooms (composting toilets) and follow the path through the picnic area, reaching a two-track road at a T.
Turn left to walk up past the log cabin, a piece of local history moved here from Sarasota.
It is now an interpretive center and office for the Friends of Carlton Reserve. It’s only open when a volunteer is present.
Picnic area and first trail markerThe kiosk beyond the cabin marks the south end of the Myakka Island Wilderness Trail.
It is also the access point for a clockwise hike on the Red and Green Trails. Posts with colored arrows mark each route.
Kiosk near cabinThe Orange Trail begins directly across from the cabin, 0.4 mile from the trailhead kiosk at the parking area. Broad and grassy, it starts its circle around a large wet prairie.
An interpretive sign about the pine flatwoods brings the jarring realization that there are fewer pine trees in view than charred, snapped trunks.
What’s left of the pine flatwoodsA lightning strike triggered a massive wildfire in June 2021, destroying mature trees and the forest canopy across more than 650 acres.
It crept uncomfortably close to the log cabin and picnic area. The understory grew back, but the landscape is now almost as open as the prairie it circles.
Along the prairie’s edgeClusters of cabbage palms rustle their fronds in the breeze, framing the prairie views.
Concentric circles of different-height grasses reveal the ever-deepening prairie, where there is often water at the middle.
The darker area in the prairie indicates waterHerons and egrets look for the wetter areas, while sandhill cranes are also comfortable browsing the edges.
The grassy trail has a few low drainage spots where it can get soggy in the rainy season.
Largely edged by saw palmetto, the path approaches a stand of scraggly-looking oaks. A handful of longleaf pines sprout in puddles of shade
Among the pines and oaksThree quarters of the way around the prairie, reach a trail junction marked with a post with all of the colored arrows on it.
At a mile, continue straight ahead to begin the Yellow Trail.
Crossover to the Yellow TrailA dramatic shift occurs, the surrounding healthy pine-palm flatwoods having survived the wildfire.
Interspersed by cabbage palms and live oaks, skinny South Florida slash pines reach for the sky.
Slash pinesWalk past a rocky drainage, ascending past a patch of scrub oaks into a hammock with larger live oaks and palms. The taller oaks have hurricane-stripped crowns.
Crest into more pine flatwoods, where paw-paw blooms in early spring amid the wiregrass, before dropping into the hammock again.
Palm hammockA boggy spot sports blue flag iris in bloom. Return to a pleasant walk through the pine flatwoods.
At a signposted junction at 1.3 miles, a “Yellow Trail” sign points back the way you came. Veer right to find a bench in the shade.
Shady benchThis junction marks a loop around a swamp. The shorter side of the loop is to the right, so tackle the longer one by making a left.
Increasingly boggy beyond the oaks, this wetland serves up a bonanza of large purple blossoms in late March thanks to its many blue flag iris.
Blue flag irisCircle the west side of the marsh within a corridor shaded by oaks and cabbage palms, with wild coffee growing in the richer soil on the right.
Passing under a pair of arches created by the trunks of live oaks, reach an interpretive sign on swamps as forested wetlands.
Edge of the marshWhile boggy near the other junction, this part of the swamp has patches of dark water under the palms.
The lower junction of the loop has a “Back to Parking” sign at 1.5 miles. Before turning here, consider finishing the loop.
Back to Parking signIt’s a more rugged traverse through the palm hammock on this side, with many more iris blooming along the edge of the swamp.
A round-trip between this junction and the bench at the other one adds 0.2 mile to this hike.
Palm hammock between junction and benchLeaving the loop at its eastern junction, walk through more of the hardwood hammock past an interpretive sign that explains its botanical complexity.
Emerge into the pine-palm flatwoods, which become scrubbier on a slight ascent. Meet the white streak of the Orange Trail at 1.7 miles.
Junction with the Orange TrailWith its many colored arrows, the signpost shows the Yellow Trail turning right to complete its loop.
Turn left to resume the Orange Trail around the prairie, now following a limerock road. Views are wide open across this grassland.
Prairie viewCurving between stands of cabbage palms, come to the junction with the paver path from the parking area.
Either exit here, cutting a tenth of a mile off your route, or continue forward to the picnic area for a stop at the restrooms before departing.
Follow the narrow path through the picnic area to the parking lot to complete a 2 mile hike.
Exit via the paver path for the quickest route to the trailheadTrail Map
Explore More!
Slideshow
See our photos from hiking Carlton Reserve
Video
Hiking Carlton Reserve
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