• 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
Crooked boardwalk through swamp

Florida Trail, CR 314 to Eaton Creek

11.4 miles. In the damp southwest corner of the Ocala National Forest, the Florida Trail navigates boardwalks across a swampy subtropical jungle.

Florida Trail, Western Corridor  |  Ocala National Forest
( 29.203035, -81.977989 )      11.4 miles

282 shares

The southerly portion of the Western Corridor of the Florida Trail in the Ocala National Forest offers a hike that is starkly different then the half north of Eaton Creek.

Although this section is challenging, it is a rewarding venture into a typically hidden Floridian landscape.

Access to this environment is made possible by the diligent efforts of trail volunteers who have constructed miles of wooden walkways over the soggy terrain.

Pine flatwoods Among wet pine flatwoods near Hulls Creek


Resources

Resources for exploring the area

The Florida Trail Guide book cover Florida Trail Hikes book cover Florida Trail small coffee table book The Hiking Trails of Floridas National Forests Parks Preserves book cover

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: Silver Springs
Length: 11.4 miles linear
Trailhead: 29.203035, -81.977989
Address: CR 314, Silver Springs, FL 34488
Fees: Free
Restrooms: No
Land manager: US Forest Service
Phone: 352-625-2520 – Lake George Ranger District

Leashed dogs welcome. Bicycles not permitted.

Be aware of hunting seasons and wear blaze orange during hunts.

No camping is permitted along this section during fall general gun (deer hunting) season except at a private campground near the south end, Ben’s Hitching Post (fee).

Bear bagging is required when you are random camping. Bears are active in the Ocala National Forest.

Boardwalk through wet forest


Directions

 
CR 314 access: From the intersection of SR40 and SR314, head south on CR314 for 0.8 mile. On the east side of the road, the Florida Trail enters the forest. Parking is possible on the grass alongside the road. Cars should not be left overnight.
 
Eaton Creek trailhead: From the intersection of SR 40 and CR 314 at Nuby’s Corner, drive north on CR 314 for 8.4 miles to NE 172nd Ave, just north of CR 314A. Turn right. The trailhead is a half mile up the road on the right.

Hike

Leaving the roadwalk from Silver Springs State Park along Sharpes Ferry Rd, enter the Ocala National Forest at a Florida Trail sign next to a seasonally flooded roadside swale.

Crossing a small boardwalk, the trail enters thickly vegetated mesic pine flatwoods.

Orange blaze on slim pine surrounded by shrubs Mesic flatwoods


A mixture of loblolly bay and pond pines rise from a shrubby understory of saw palmetto and grapevine-covered wax myrtles.

As this habitat is notorious for wet conditions, the trail corridor is equipped with multiple small bridges and boardwalks.

Bridge over small creek Bridge deck topped with pine straw


At 1.5 miles, the trail crosses a dirt road leading towards Ben’s Hitching Post Campground. Although the campground is mostly developed for RV’s, they are very accommodating to hikers.

They offer overnight parking and reasonably priced tent camping. Continuing eastward for 0.7 mile, the trail crosses SR 40 before delving deeper into the forest.

Be cautious of high-speed traffic at the highway crossing.

FNST sign and small bridges Bridge at SR40


Orange blazes mark the path as it winds down a combination of narrowly cut trails and unmarked forest roads, some of which can be under water depending on recent rains.

In 1.2 miles, the first of several long boardwalks crosses particularly swampy terrain.

Crooked boardwalk in swampy forest Long boardwalk over the swamp


Oak trees sporadically dot the trail, situated on islands of drier soil in an otherwise wet prairie landscape.

Trees become taller as the wide pathway continues eastward to Hulls Creek Swamp.

Live oak breaks lines of pines beyond Live oak alongside trail


A welcoming boardwalk weaves through columns of bay trees, providing passage over a slow current of dark tannic waters underfoot.

At the eastern edge of the swamp, the trail turns northward, reaching NE 145 Ave Rd in a quarter mile. Pulloffs enable space for a car or two for day hiking.

Boardwalk over black water in forest Hulls Creek Swamp boardwalk


North of NE 145th Ave Rd, after the trail crosses Hulls Creek on a long boardwalk, the surrounding area gradually becomes drier.

Tall ferns carpet the forest floor as the trail enters a particularly majestic stand of pines. The ferns are so thick in this section, they need to be pushed aside at some points to continue down the pathway.

Tall ferns and palms in front of bayhead Sea of ferns


Continuing northward, sweet scents reminiscent of vanilla fill the air. Vanillaleaf grows in clusters alongside the trail, displaying showy tufts of purple flowers in the early fall.

These plants are commonly found in scrub habitats, another indication that the trail is entering a drier ecosystem.

Close up of purple flowers Vanillaleaf


Crossing a forest road with deep mud holes after a mile, the trail works its way through dense saw palmetto under the tall pines before dropping through a bayhead swamp.

Well placed boardwalks traverse marshes and cypress swamps. A line of cypress to the east delineates another creek. The trail leaves the forest and joins a forest road, 1.5 miles north of Hulls Creek.

Boardwalk between cypresses Cypress swamp


In another half mile, the trail reaches the next long boardwalk. It connects islands in the creek’s floodplain, with lots of cinnamon fern growing between them.

Returning to pine forest, the trail reaches pavement at NE 52nd Pl Rd, a surprisingly busy road for its location deep within the forest.

Tall skinny pines like toothpicks Pines north of NE 52nd Pl Rd


The trail follows this road for about 500 feet, then turns off to the northwest. Staying near to another creek floodplain, the trail traverses a young pond pine forest.

Watch for blazing as the trail crosses Jeep trails and forest roads in a very wet area.

Giant dark puddle in forest road Boardwalks skirt forest road puddles


The trail briefly joins a forest road. Keep alert for a sharp right turn off the forest road into the woods.

Along a boardwalk, the trail passes a tall, ancient pine with catfaces cut into the trunk, a remnant of the turpentine industries that were prominent in Florida over a hundred years ago.

Metal v shaped strips embedded in pine tree trunk Catfaced pine


A quarter mile beyond the catfaced pine, the trail crosses CR 314A and a small ditch.

It follows Jeep trails through a scrubby hammock populated by sand pines, rusty lyonia, cabbage palms and scrub oak.

Forest road with oaks and palms Scrubby hammock


While the trail makes its way through planted pines, it eventually exits into the scrub forest. Cross a Jeep road. At the next junction of forest roads, keep alert for blazes.

Passing a large pond on the right, the trail continues past a massive hickory tree with a very large base before the blazes lead you through another forest road junction.

Orange blaze on bridge with steps to it Eaton Creek Bridge


Surrounded by tall, ancient trees, the trail reaches a substantial bridge over Eaton Creek, 1.2 miles north of CR 314A. It is a dark, wide waterway that cuts through the otherwise remarkably dry scrub.

On the other side of the creek, continue another 200 feet to a junction with a short, blue-blazed trail leading to the Eaton Creek trailhead.

NORTHBOUND: Eaton Creek to CR 316
SOUTHBOUND: CR 314 / Silver Springs

Spider in foreground of forest with tall trees Towering trees and golden orb spider near Eaton Creek


Trail Map

 Florida Trail Eaton Creek Hulls Creek Map


Explore More!

Learn more about the Western Corridor of the Florida Trail

Cypress Lakes Preserve

Florida Trail, Western Corridor

241 miles. With segments linking Withlacoochee State Forest and the Cross Florida Greenway, the Western Corridor provides access to wild spaces between Tampa and Ocala


Slideshow

See our photos of the Florida Trail, Eaton Creek South


Nearby Adventures

More worth exploring while you’re in this area.

Scrub forest Lake Eaton Sinkhole

Lake Eaton Sinkhole Trail

Go deep into the Ocala National Forest on a staircase leading into a massive sinkhole along the Lake Eaton Sinkhole Trail, a 1.8 mile loop in the Big Scrub

Lake Eaton

Lake Eaton Trail

Gently descending from ancient dunes down to the forested shores of its namesake lake, the 2.3-mile Lake Eaton Trail provides a great deal of habitat diversity in a short hike

Florida rosemary and sandpine

Florida Trail, Eaton Creek to CR 316

11.9 miles. North of Eaton Creek, the Florida Trail showcases spectacular sand pine forests and unique species adapted to this arid environment within the Big Scrub.

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

Hunt Dates Official Website

Category: Backpacking, Day Hikes, Florida Trail, Hikes, North Florida, TrailsTag: Big Trees, Birding, Dog-friendly, Florida Trail, FT Ocala West, FT Western Corridor, National Forests, Ocala National Forest

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
©2006-2022, 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