On the northeastern side of the expansive Flatwoods Trail loop, dense cypress swamps proliferate in the low areas, surrounded by lush pine savannas.
The western side winds through areas returning to nature after years of previous agriculture use and lime rock mining.
A network of blue blazed cross and spur trails provides multiple options for exploring this wild section of the Green Swamp, with two primitive campsites along the route.
Prairie at the start of this hikeResources
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Overview
Location: Lakeland
Length: 10 miles
Trailhead: 28.302200, -82.043207
Address: 16000 State Road 471, Lakeland
Fees: $4 per vehicle
Restrooms: No
Land manager: Florida State Parks
Phone: 863-815-6761
Open 8 AM until sunset daily. Leashed dogs welcome. Except where posted otherwise, trails may be walked, bicycled, or ridden on horseback.
Equestrians must have proof of a negative Coggins test before bringing horses into the park.
Directions
From the exit for US 98 in Lakeland off Interstate 4, head north on US 98 N for 13 miles before turning right onto SR 471. In 3.9 miles, turn right at the entrance to the park. Continue on the main park drive for one mile to a small parking area next to the trailhead on the left.
Hike
Starting at the trailhead kiosk, follow a mowed pathway as it leads towards a tree line in the distance.
A lone cabbage palm and several oaks line the corridor for a quarter mile before the trail takes a sharp turn into mesic flatwoods habitat.
Park Drive trailheadUnder a scattering of pines, the grass-carpeted path weaves through a sea of lyonia, saw palmettos, gallberry, and tall grasses.
Cypress swamps flank the trail, obscured slightly as columns of pine trunks fill the horizon at a distance.
At 0.7 mile, a blue blazed cross trail leads to the right, one of many opportunities along the route to explore more than the main loop.
Blue-blazed cross trailPine flatwoods that experience regular fires are typically covered in a dazzling array of wildflowers in the late summer and fall.
Colt Creek is managed well with prescribed burns.
Sunflowers, goldenrods, chaffheads, and blazing stars splash an abundance of yellow and purple hues onto a backdrop of emerald green vegetation.
Fall flatwoods flowers in bloomReaching one mile, a side trail leads to the primitive Boots or Saddle Campsite.
This cozy spot nestled at the edge of a clearing offers a place to stay the night under dark, star-filled skies.
Nearby, a second blue blazed cross trail cuts off to the east.
Boots or Saddles CampsiteA short side trail begins at 1.5 miles, leading to Metalmark Pond, a water filled excavation surrounded by red maples and a picnic table.
Following a wide curve, the main loop reaches a significant spur trail around the two-mile mark.
Metalmark PondThe blue blazed side spur winds towards northeastern sections of the park, showcasing a large U-shaped cypress dome.
Staying straight on the main trail, the path turns southward, crossing a floodplain swamp on a bridge before reaching an access trail for the primitive Tired Tree Campsite.
Tired Tree CampsiteAt the south end of the loop, the trail leaves shaded forest, tracing along an edge of a wide pasture once used for agriculture.
Cross over the paved main park drive. Numbered markers lead through a mixed hammock and swamp.
Emerge at a large trailhead near a set of ponds created from past mining operations.
Hay bales in the pastureOne of the first recreation areas set up when the park opened to the public, Mac Lake is accessible by a dirt road leading from the ranger station.
Benches and tables provide spots to sit and reflect alongside the water before the trail concludes nearby at the main park drive.
Mac LakeTrail Map
Explore More!
Learn more about Colt Creek State Park
Colt Creek State Park For a getaway from the busy bustle of the Interstate 4 corridor between Lakeland and Tampa, wander an extensive trail system and camp beneath the twinkling stars at Colt Creek State Park.Video
A walk through the Flatwoods Trail
Nearby Adventures
Mac Lake Nature Trail An easy excursion into a dense hardwood forest along a natural floodplain, the Mac Lake Nature Trail at Colt Creek State Park is an interpretive walk in the woods
Florida Trail, Green Swamp West Traversing scenic oak hammock, sandhills, and pine flatwood habitats, the southernmost six miles of the Florida Trail in Green Swamp West offers spectacular day hike and backpacking experiences. 
Gator Creek Reserve A dip into a corner of the Green Swamp, Gator Creek Preserve north of Lakeland offers over 3 miles of easy loop trails for the whole family to explore.
Upper Hillsborough River Hiking Trail Following the north side of a blackwater river toward its headwaters, the Upper Hillsborough River Hiking Trail meanders though pine flatwoods, shady hammocks, and forested wetlands. 
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