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Sandhill forest of pines and open savanna understory

Florida Trail, Ocala

Spanning 72.3 from the birthplace of the Florida Trail into the world’s largest sand pine scrub forest, the Ocala section is Florida’s top backpacking destination.

Paisley to Palatka (28.976709, -81.550201)   72.3 miles   Florida National Scenic Trail
770 shares
 

72.2 miles. If there is one place that is the heart of the Florida Trail, it is the Ocala section, where the trail first began.

In October 1966, Florida Trail Association founder Jim Kern and a handful of hikers with a dream painted the trail’s first blaze at the beginning of this segment at Clearwater Lake.

They developed the state’s first 26 mile trail, suitable for backpacking. From that grew 72 miles of unbroken backcountry hiking through sandhills, prairies, pine flatwoods, and the beautiful Big Scrub.

The Ocala section is now a prime destination for backpackers who want to spend a week on the Florida Trail. The footpath is well maintained and well worn, and signage at road crossings helps you figure out exactly where you are.

Hopkins Prairie, Ocala National Forest
Hopkins Prairie, Ocala National Forest

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Trip Planning

Camping

A bear bag or bear canister is required for backpackers in the Ocala National Forest. Be absolutely sure to properly protect your food from bears when camping here. There have been many bear incidents centered around Hidden Pond.

The Florida Trail Association has partnered with the US Forest Service and Buck N’ Bass Sports Center in Salt Springs to offer free loaner bear canisters: a 10 liter Backpackers Cache 812 model. Deposit required. Reserve at 352-685-0200.

Random camping is permitted along the Florida Trail in the Ocala National Forest except during deer hunting season in the fall. Then, it’s necessary to pay for a spot in one of the campgrounds.

You can also use the Grassy Pond designated campsite, or random camp anywhere within Juniper Prairie Wilderness since hunting is not allowed there.

Dogs

This is an excellent section of the Florida Trail for hiking and backpacking with dogs, since the trail is largely dry.

Dogs are not allowed in the recreation areas at the springs, but they are permitted to be in the campgrounds at those recreation areas.

Wildlife

Bears are frequently seen along this portion of the trail. Keep a safe distance away if you spot one. Deer and wild turkey are also common, as well as sandhill cranes in the open prairies.

We’ve seen otters in prairie ponds. A colony of endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers are near the trail close to Salt Springs.

Water

When other parts of the Florida Trail are under water, the Ocala is not. This is a high and dry section of trail, which also means that water sources are very limited in certain areas, particularly north of The 88 Store.

Hunting Season

Wear a bright orange shirt or vest during hunting seasons in the Ocala National Forest. Check the FWC website for hunting season dates.

During general gun (deer) season, backpackers must use designated campsites and recreation areas (fee camping). Random camping is permitted at all other times.

Resupply

Resupply for long distance hikers isn’t easy through this section, so be sure to stock up in Paisley if northbound, or in Palatka if southbound.

The 88 Store has some basic munchies and ice cream, but not enough for a resupply, so the only viable resupply is at Salt Springs, 2.5 miles off the main trail via a blue blaze.’

Parking and Shuttle

Vandalism has been reported at trailheads to vehicles left overnight. Leave your car behind the gates of a recreation area or campground than at a roadside crossing or trailhead. They will charge a fee. Call ahead to confirm costs.

If you need assistance with a shuttle, join the Florida Trail Hikers Facebook group and ask for assistance. There are a number of volunteers in the area who can help. Be sure to compensate them for their gas and time.

Safety

During the winter months, the “Rainbow People” migrate into the forest and set up primitive camps, often along the Florida Trail. These folks live a nomadic lifestyle much like followers of the Grateful Dead used to do.

Use your smarts when you meet non-hikers. If the situation is uncomfortable, keep moving.

The muffled thunder you sometimes hear are when bombs are being dropped on the Pinecastle Bombing Range south of Juniper Springs.

This has been going on since World War II to train military pilots. Low-flying bombers may also startle you on weekdays near Farles Prairie and Juniper Springs.


Trail Map

Florida Trail Ocala section map


Mileages

Important landmarks starting with mile 0 at Clearwater Lake trailhead and ending at mile 72.2 at St. Johns South adjoining Buckman Lock.

0.0 – Clearwater Lake trailhead (campground+ $ 0.2E)
10.1 – Alexander Springs Recreation Area+ $ 0.5W
13.6 – SR 19 trailhead
18.2 – Farles Prairie trailhead $
27.9 – Juniper Springs Recreation Area+ $ 0.5E
36.7 – Pat’s Island trailhead
38.5 – Hopkins Prairie trailhead (campground+ $ 0.1W)
45.2 – Salt Springs trailhead 2.9E
52.7 – 88 Store
53.2 – CR 316 parking
59.1 – Lake Delancy West trailhead and campground+ $ 0.2E
65.9 – Rodman trailhead
66.6 – Rodman Recreation Area
67.7 – Rodman Campground+ $ 0.2W
72.1 – St. Johns South campground+

$ fee charged. + designated campsite. * permit needed.


Trail Segments

Details about all segments of the Florida Trail in this section are in The Florida Trail Guide and app. Each of these are described from the perspective of a day hiker, noting landmarks, water, and campsites along the way. Not all are oriented from south to north, but this is the order they are in northbound.

FNST sign behind tall grasses Florida Trail, Clearwater Lake to Alexander Springs 10.5 miles. Hike the original miles blazed by Florida Trail Association trailblazers in 1966 along one of the most beautiful sections of the Florida Trail in the Ocala National Forest.
Sand live oaks with blazes above trail Florida Trail, Alexander Springs to Farles Prairie 8.6 miles. Dive deep into the world's largest sand pine scrub forest on this hike through the Big Scrub.
Double blaze on pine tree on edge of prairie Florida Trail, Farles Prairie to Juniper Springs 9.7 miles. Follow a ribbon of tall grasses and lily-dotted ponds along Farles Prairie before trekking miles through classic sand pine scrub to the Juniper Prairie Wilderness.
Lone pines rising against short pines along a pond Florida Trail, Juniper Springs to Hopkins Prairie 10.6 miles. Marvel at a mosaic of ancient scrub forest, vast prairies, and pine islands while crossing the Juniper Prairie Wilderness north of Juniper Springs.
Hopkins Prairie, Ocala National Forest Florida Trail, Hopkins Prairie to Salt Springs 9.6 miles. Sweeping along the shoreline of one of the largest prairies in the Ocala National Forest, this section of the Florida Trail lingers on prairie panoramas.
Sandhill forest of pines and open savanna understory Florida Trail, Salt Springs to Kerr Island 10.4 miles. Crossing a patchwork of scrub ridges and longleaf pine islands, the Florida Trail makes its way southwest of Salt Springs around Lake Kerr to The 88 Store.
Hikers amid longleaf pines and turkey oaks Florida Trail, Kerr Island to Lake Delancy 6.4 miles. Across a mosaic of sandhills and scrub, expect black bear and scrub-jay sightings on this Florida Trail segment north of Salt Springs.
Longleaf pine savanna with open understory Florida Trail, Lake Delancy to Rodman 6.7 miles. Experience a sense of perspective on a piece of the Florida Trail traversing rolling hills topped with a majestic forest of longleaf pines.
Broad grassy path under tunnel of trees Florida Trail, Rodman to Buckman Lock 6.5 miles. Providing views across the Cross Florida Barge Canal from a high levee, the Florida Trail between Rodman and Buckman Lock mainly follows the Cross Florida Greenway.

Public Lands

The public lands this section of the Florida Trail crosses.

Hikers on an orange blazed footpath amid pines and palmetto Ocala National Forest Established in 1908 as the first National Forest east of the Mississippi, the Ocala National Forest is a mecca for hikers and campers, and the birthplace of the Florida Trail.
Withlacoochee Bay Cross Florida Greenway Spanning 110 miles between the St. Johns River near Palatka and the Gulf of Mexico, the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway is a mile-wide recreational corridor with trails, campground, and boating access.

Side Trails

Trails that interconnect with and sometimes share a portion of the Florida Trail route.

Yearling Trail The Yearling Trail On Pat's Island, discover the landscape and the history that inspired Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings to write her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Yearling in 1938.
View of broad spring run Salt Springs Loop Savor the beauty of the Big Scrub and habitats along crystalline Salt Springs Run on this easy loop on the outskirts of Salt Springs.

Recreation Areas

Blue blazed connectors lead to both campgrounds and day use areas at beautiful first-magnitude springs for swimming.

Alexander Springs Alexander Springs Surrounding one of Florida's most picturesque first magnitude springs, Alexander Springs is a prime destination for a summer swim or snorkel.
Lake framed by pines Clearwater Lake Recreation Area With a campground and lakeside day use area at the southeast corner of the Ocala National Forest, Clearwater Lake Recreation Area offers an easy loop hike and access to the Florida Trail.
Silver Glen Springs main spring vent Silver Glen Springs With a strong aquamarine hue accented by refracted rainbows as sunlight plays across the ripples on its sandy bottom, Silver Glen Springs is a first-magnitude spring in the Ocala National Forest.
Springs in open spring basin Juniper Springs Experience crystalline waters emerging from the midst of the world’s largest scrub forest in a subtropical forest at Juniper Springs in the Ocala National Forest.
Salt Springs Salt Springs Recreation Area See the beauty of William Bartram's "amazing crystal fountain" as you gaze into the depths of this rocky spring in the Ocala National Forest

Connections

These sections of the Florida Trail adjoin the Ocala section to its north, south, and west.

Text Florida Trail Northeast Florida overlaid on a rainbow swamp, where water under cypress trees glistens in pastel rainbow hues. Florida Trail, Northeast Florida Connecting public lands on this 123 mile stretch, the Florida Trail walks into the past through farms and timberlands between Palatka and Osceola National Forest.
Words Florida Trail Orlando overlaid on blazed trail leading into cypress swamp edged with cabbage palms. Florida Trail, Orlando Between the prairies of Osceola County and the Ocala National Forest, this 150 mile section of the Florida Trail slips through suburbs of the Orlando metro.
Words Florida Trail Western Corridor overlaid on trail in woods beneath a low branch with a blaze Florida Trail, Western Corridor Linking Withlacoochee State Forest and the Cross Florida Greenway, the 241 mile Western Corridor of the Florida Trail accesses wild spaces between Tampa and Ocala.

Recent Articles

Ocean Pond Olustee National Forests in Florida Implement New Fees (7/24/2019) Effective July 26, 2019, fees go up at many National Forest campgrounds, boat ramps, and recreation areas
Trail junction with bike Mountain Biking and the Florida Trail (3/3/2016) It's Florida Biking Month! Which makes it a good time to talk about bikes and the Florida Trail, and how to ride your bike to, but not on, our statewide National Scenic Trail when it's in the woods.

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Articles jointly researched, written, and photographed by Sandra Friend & John Keatley, Florida authors and publishers of FloridaHikes.com.
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Category: Backpacking, Central Florida, Day Hikes, Florida Trail, Hikes, North Florida, TrailsTag: Best Florida Trail Backpacking, Florida Trail, Juniper Springs, Locations, National Forests, Ocala, Ocala National Forest, Paisley, Palatka, Salt Springs, Silver Springs

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Florida Trail Sections South > North

Big Cypress >> Seminole >> Okeechobee >> << Ocean to Lake OR Kissimmee >> < Western Corridor > Orlando >> Ocala >> NE Florida >> Suwannee >> Big Bend >> Apalachicola >> Central Panhandle >> Eglin >> Blackwater OR Seashore

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METROS: Bradenton. Clearwater. Crestview. Daytona Beach. Destin. Fort Lauderdale. Fort Myers. Fort Walton Beach. Gainesville. Jacksonville. Kissimmee. Lakeland. Melbourne. Miami. Naples. Ocala. Orlando. Panama City Beach. Pensacola. Port St. Lucie. Punta Gorda. St. Petersburg. Sanford. Sarasota. Sebring. Stuart. Tallahassee. Tampa. Vero Beach. West Palm Beach.

MULTI-REGION: Atlantic Coastal Ridge. Atlantic Coast. Bartram Trail. Big Bend. East Coast Greenway. Everglades National Park. Florida National Scenic Trail. Gulf Coast. Lake Wales Ridge. WATERWAYS: Indian River Lagoon. Intracoastal Waterway. Kissimmee River. St. Johns River. Withlacoochee River.

NORTHWEST FLORIDA: Altha. Apalachicola. Apalachicola National Forest. Big Bend Scenic Byway. Blackwater River State Forest. Blountstown. Bonifay. Bristol. Bruce. Cantonment. Cape San Blas. Carrabelle. Chattahoochee. Chipley. Crawfordville. DeFuniak Springs. Eastpoint. Ebro. Eglin Air Force Base. Freeport. Fountain. Gulf Breeze. Gulf Islands National Seashore. Holt. Madison. Marianna. Milton. Monticello. Mossy Head. Munson. Navarre. Navarre Beach. Newport. Niceville. Panacea. Panama City . Perdido Key. Ponce De Leon. Port St. Joe. Quincy. Santa Rosa Beach. Sopchoppy. South Walton. St. George Island. St. Marks. St. Marks NWR. Sumatra. Vernon. Wakulla. Wewahitchka. Woodville. WATERWAYS: Apalachicola River. Blackwater Bay. Blackwater River. Chipola River. Choctawhatchee Bay. Choctawhatchee River. Coastal Dune Lakes. Ochlockonee Bay. Perdido River. St. Marks River. Wacissa River. Wakulla River. Yellow River.

NORTH FLORIDA: Alachua. Amelia Island. Archer. Baldwin. Branford. Bronson. Bunnell. Callahan. Cedar Key. Chiefland. Crescent City. Cross City. Cross Creek. Dowling Park. Ellaville. Fanning Springs. Fernandina Beach. Flagler Beach. Fort White. Glen St. Mary. Green Cove Springs. Hawthorne. High Springs. Inglis. Jacksonville Beaches. Jacksonville Northshore. Jasper. Jennings. Keystone Heights. Lake Butler. Lake City. Live Oak.Macclenny. Mandarin. Mayo. Mayport. Micanopy. Middleburg. Old Town. Olustee. Orange Park. Osceola National Forest. Palatka. Palatka-Lake Butler Trail. Palm Coast. Palm Valley. Perry. Ponte Vedra. Rodman. Salt Springs. St. Augustine. Starke. Steinhatchee. Suwannee. Suwannee River Wilderness Trail. Suwannee Springs. Talbot Islands. Timucuan Preserve. Trenton. Waldo. Welaka. White Springs. Williston. Worthington Springs. Yankeetown. WATERWAYS: Santa Fe River. St. Marys River. Suwannee River. Tolomato River. Upper Withlacoochee River.

CENTRAL FLORIDA: Altamonte Springs. Apollo Beach. Apopka. Astatula. Astor. Auburndale. Bartow. Babson Park. Bayport. Belleview. Bithlo. Brandon. Brooksville. Bushnell. Canaveral National Seashore. Cassadaga. Christmas. Chuluota. Citrus Springs. Clearwater Beach. Clermont. Coast to Coast Trail. Cocoa. Cocoa Beach. Cross Florida Greenway. Crystal River. Dade City. De Leon Springs. DeBary. Deland. Deltona. Dunedin. Dunnellon. Edgewater. Enterprise. Eustis. Ferndale. Fort Meade. Frostproof. Geneva. Gibsonton. Hernando. Hernando Beach. Holopaw. Homosassa. Inverness. Kenansville. Kissimmee. Lake Mary. Lake Wales. Largo. Leesburg. Lithia. Longwood. Lutz. Maitland. Malabar. McIntosh. Melbourne Beach. Merritt Island. Merritt Island NWR. Mims. Mount Dora. Narcoossee/Lake Nona. New Port Richey. New Smyrna Beach. Nobleton. Oak Hill. Oakland. Ocala National Forest. Ocklawaha. Ocoee. Oldsmar. Orange City. Ormond Beach. Osteen. Oviedo. Paisley. Palm Bay. Plant City. Poinciana. Polk City. Ponce Inlet. Port Orange. Ridge Manor. Riverview. Ruskin. Safety Harbor. Silver Springs. Sorrento. Spring Hill. St. Cloud. Tarpon Springs. Titusville . Umatilla. Viera. Walt Disney World. Weeki Wachee. Weirsdale. Wimauma. Windermere. Winter Garden. Winter Haven. Winter Park. Winter Springs. Withlacoochee State Forest. Withlacoochee State Trail. Yeehaw Junction. Zephyrhills. WATERWAYS: Alafia River. Halifax River. Hillsborough River. Lake Apopka. Little Manatee River. Ochlawaha River. Rainbow River. Tampa Bay. Wekiva River. Wekiva River Basin.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA: Alva. Boca Grande. Cape Coral. Charlotte Harbor. Ding Darling NWR. Ellenton. Englewood. Estero. Immokalee. Marco Island. North Port. Osprey. Palma Sola. Palmetto. Pine Island. Port Charlotte. Sanibel Island. Venice. WATERWAYS: Caloosahatchee River. Manatee River. Myakka River. Pine Island Sound.

SOUTH FLORIDA: Arcadia. Basinger. Big Cypress National Preserve. Big Cypress Seminole Reservation. Big Cypress Swamp. Bowling Green. Clewiston. Everglades City. Indiantown. LaBelle. Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail. Lake Placid. Lakeport. Moore Haven. Okeechobee. Ortona. Pahokee. Palmdale. Port Mayaca. South Bay. Wauchula. Zolfo Springs. WATERWAYS: Fisheating Creek. Lake Okeechobee. Peace River.

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA: Biscayne Bay. Biscayne National Park. Boca Raton. Boynton Beach. Coconut Creek. Coral Gables. Coral Springs. Davie. Delray Beach. Fellsmere. Flamingo. Fort Pierce. Hobe Sound. Hollywood. Homestead. Indrio. Jensen Beach. Juno Beach. Jupiter. Jupiter Farms. Key Biscayne. North Hutchison Island. Ocean to Lake Greenway. Palm Beach. Palm Beach Gardens. Pompano Beach. Redland. Sebastian. South Hutchinson Island. WATERWAYS: Florida Bay. St. Lucie River.

FLORIDA KEYS: Big Pine Key. Islamorada. Key Largo. Key West. Marathon. Overseas Heritage Trail.


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