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

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Blue blaze to Marshall Swamp

Florida Trail, Baseline to Marshall Swamp

2.7 miles. A walk in an urban forest, the Baseline section of the Florida Trail showcases restored sandhill habitat

Florida Trail, Western Corridor  |  Cross Florida Greenway
( 29.142205, -82.052940 )      2.7 miles

More than twenty years ago, we watched as volunteers planted longleaf pine seedlings across rolling hills covered in mounds of blackberry brambles.

What is now the Baseline section of the Cross Florida Greenway was a ranch. But before that, it had been sandhills topped with longleaf pine and wiregrass.

Florida Trail Baseline section
Walking through young longleaf pines

It takes a while to bring a forest back to life, but it can be done. And as the trees grew, the Baseline section has become a pleasant place to hike.

Paralleling and crossing several paved bicycle loops on its way to the southern edge of Marshall Swamp, the Florida Trail makes its own way through this restored forest, luxuriating in the shade of the maturing pines.


Resources

Orlando & Central Florida: An Explorer's Guide

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

 
Guthook GuidesGuthook Guides GPS-driven map-based guide to the Florida National Scenic Trail with thousands of waypoints from The Florida Trail Guide. Works offline. For iPhone and Android.


Overview

Location: Silver Springs
Length: 2.7 miles linear
Trailhead: 29.142204, -82.052940
Fees / Permits: Free
Restroom: Restrooms at south end, portable toilet at north end
Land Manager: Cross Florida Greenway
Phone: 352-236-7143
 
Open 8 AM until sunset daily. Leashed pets welcome.
 
The footpath along the Baseline section was developed for hiking. Cyclists have many paved loops to choose from between these two trailheads. No camping facilities are provided along this section.

Directions

 
At the south end of this hike, the Baseline trailhead is 5.7 miles north of Belleview via SR 35 (Baseline Rd) just north of the intersection of SR 464 (Maricamp Road) in Silver Springs Shores.
 
From the intersection of CR 464 (Maricamp Rd) and CR 35 (Baseline Rd), drive east on CR 464 for a half mile and turn left onto SE 64th Ave Rd. Follow it for 2.1 miles. The SE 64th Ave Rd trailhead is on the left just before the road dead-ends.

Hike

Follow the orange blazes from the Baseline trailhead through the picnic pavilion and past the restrooms and playground to a sign at a junction with the paved bike trail. The Florida Trail crosses it and heads into the young forest.

Among the trees, it stays close to the south boundary of the Greenway. The footpath crosses the paved trail after a few minutes.

Florida Trail Baseline
An island of younger forest between paved bike path crossings

In this next section of restored forest, watch for blazes. The trail emerges into an area where wild cherry trees grow, and a sea of blackberry bushes stretches around you. Be here in May to sample their delights!

In an older longleaf pine forest, there is shade and a haze of blackberry bushes and wiregrass beneath the pines.

Baseline bike path
Florida Trail crossing the Baseline bike path

After a downhill, the footpath is well-worn through a younger forest with maturing longleaf pines amid sandhill plants.

The footpath crosses the paved trail and dives down a steep embankment past the Ocala Disc Golf Course. You’ll see at least one of the “holes” along the course as the trail curves left and uphill.

Sandhills Florida Trail Baseline
Hiking through the sandhills

The landscape undulates rather severely and then gently through a mature forest, obviously terraced, but not so deeply as other canal diggings.

Ambling up and down the hills through sandhill habitat – which is dominated by turkey oaks with leaves that turn brilliant hues in late fall – you can see the bike trail to your left through the woods. You’ve walked 2 miles.

Making a steady descent, the trail reaches an old farm fence. Posts embedded with barbed wire draw your attention. You spy a blue blaze off to the right near the fence line. It leads due east to the SE 64th Ave Rd trailhead, 0.2 miles east of this point.

However, you haven’t reached the edge of Marshall Swamp yet. Continue in an arc through the sandhills.

As the trail draws closer to the edge of the hardwood forest, it comes to another blue blazed trail. Since the Marshall Swamp sign is just around the corner, this is the one to take to the trailhead.

Blue blaze to Marshall Swamp
Where the blue-blazed trail and bike path meet

Follow it through the sandhills to meet the bike path at a set of benches and a kiosk. Make a left on the bike path to follow it out along its shaded corridor to the SE 64th Ave Rd trailhead, wrapping a 2.7-mile hike.

NORTHBOUND: Marshall Swamp
SOUTHBOUND: Santos to Baseline


Explore More

Slideshow

Our slides from hiking the Baseline section of the Florida Trail


Nearby Adventures

More worth exploring while you’re in this area

Marshall Swamp Trail

Florida Trail, Marshall Swamp

3 miles. Marvel at towering trees in an ancient forest along this Florida Trail segment on the Cross Florida Greenway

Indian Lake

Indian Lake State Forest

Purchased to protect an uplands recharge area for one of Florida’s largest springs, Indian Lake State Forest centers around a deep sinkhole lake called Indian Lake

Silver River Connector

Silver River Connector

Built to showcase the Cross Florida Greenway, the Silver River Connector is a 3-mile round-trip from the Ocklawaha Visitor Center to Ray Wayside Park.

Silver Springs Conservation Area

Silver Springs Conservation Area

Silver Springs Conservation Area protects upland habitats crucial to recharge of Silver Springs. Two stacked loop trails (with a cross-trail on the upper loop) provide several options for hiking.

Glass-bottomed boats at Silver Springs

Silver Springs State Park

One of the world’s largest and deepest springs, Silver Springs pours out more than 550 million gallons of water daily, forming the Silver River



Official Map (PDF) Official Website

Category: Backpacking, Central Florida, Day Hikes, Florida Trail, Hikes, TrailsTag: Accessible, Birding, Cross Florida Greenway, Dog-friendly, Florida State Parks, Florida Trail, FT Cross Florida Greenway, FT Western Corridor, Ocala, Picnic, Playgrounds, Silver Springs, Wildflowers

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Our Florida Trail Books

Florida Trail Guidebook cover The comprehensive mile-by-mile guidebook to planning section and thru-hikes along the entire length of the Florida Trail. 356 pages, $18.95 + tax and shipping.

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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.

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

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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
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  • 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

Florida Trail, Ocean to Lake

Florida Trail, Ocean to Lake
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

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