Making two loops around two ponds within the floodplain of Graham Swamp, the Red Trail existed well before the Graham Swamp Trail came into being.
Now Graham Swamp West serves as a trailhead for both. The hardpacked bike path loops the north end of the swamp to connect to a network of paved paths.
Trailhead observation deckThe Red Trail delves into the swamp itself, dropping through a gradient of sand pine scrub through hardwoods to the floodplain.
Old-growth trees tower over the basin of a stream dividing the pair of loops in a jungle-like habitat.
Hiking in the floodplainResources
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Overview
Location: Palm Coast
Length: 1 mile loop
Trailhead: 29.53766, -81.20580
Address: 1125 Old Kings Hwy, Palm Coast
Fees: Free
Restroom: None
Land manager: Flagler County
Phone: 386-313-4020
Open daylight hours. Leashed pets permitted. Expect mosquitoes.
Venomous snakes have been spotted here. If either alligators or snakes are on or near the trail, turn back if possible rather than bushwhack around them.
Directions
From Interstate 95 exit 289, Palm Coast, drive east on Palm Coast Pkwy and turn right on Old Kings Rd. Continue south 1.4 miles to the Graham Swamp West trailhead on the left.
Hike
Starting in front of the trailhead observation deck, turn to the right of the kiosk adjoining the overlook to find the entry point for the Red Trail.
Begin by following the south edge of a large blackwater pond. Beautiful sand bluffs on the far shore host a forest of sand pines.
View from second deckPause to take in the view from a second observation deck, this one giving a better look at open water and the habitats surrounding the pond.
Descend from sand pine scrub into dark hammock of sweetgum and loblolly bay, meeting a trail junction at 0.2 mile at a bed of netted chain fern. Bear right.
Trail junctionDropping into a floodplain forest, rise onto a small ridge under the shade of southern magnolias.
Parallel a tannic creek from which cypress knees protrude. Squishy dark soil is a reminder the trail can flood.
Wooden bridgeLook for an ancient cypress with a massive double-width trunk. Near a large cypress stump, a wooden bridge that’s seen better days spans a creek in a low floodplain.
Continue through a mucky swale, gaining elevation by leaving the creek behind. Yaupon holly crowds the understory.
Ascending from the floodplainEmerge into an oak hammock with clusters of saw palmetto. The forest floor is dotted with coontie, a native cycad with bright red seeds.
Transition into sand pine scrub, with silk bay along the needle-strewn footpath. The sky opens up ahead over the second pond.
The second pondAt 0.3 mile turn left to follow a loop clockwise around the pond. Under cedars and oaks draped in Spanish moss, parallel the pond’s rim.
Within a scrim of young red maples and wax myrtle, the water laps uncomfortably close to the footpath.
Nearness of the edgeAbout a third of the way around the pond, the corridor shifts a little further into the coastal hammock.
There appears to be a junction at a clearing, but it is unmarked. For lack of blazing, pass it by and stay with the path along the pond.
Sand pine shorelineTransition into sand pine scrub around the two-thirds mark of this loop, with more open views across the water.
The sky opens to the left, revealing another pond beyond the pines. At a curve a half mile into the hike, a worn side path leads left for a quick look at it.
The third pondTheir shape and lack of a rim of marsh make us think this trio of ponds were quarries dug into the limestone bedrock of Graham Swamp.
The Portland Cement company had a plant nearby in the 1950s and 1960s, so it’s highly probable.
West side of the pondBeneath the sand pines, continue around the rim of the pond to complete the loop around it. Returning to the junction, turn left to retrace the connector.
A gradual descent through dry habitats leads to the damp soil of the hammock. The large, showy oaks, magnolias, and palms are more obvious from this direction.
Massive trees in the floodplainCross the wooden bridge and continue between the cypress and bay trees to ascend to the initial junction at the first pond at 0.7 mile. Turn right.
Squeeze through a corridor of saw palmetto adjoining a baygall where sweetbay tower overhead. Framed by oaks, the first of several panoramas open up.
Pond viewTreading close to the water’s edge, cross a bridge over the outflow of the pond. Bridged by a plank in the past, it was a trio of logs on our visit.
Hemmed in by dense vegetation, the footpath narrows substantially. Royal and cinnamon ferns line a shaded opening onto the lake beneath the bay trees.
Log bridgeCrossing uneven terrain, climb out of this bayhead into a sand pine scrub above the north end of the pond.
Curving left, follow a straightaway under tall sand pines with a dense understory of scrub oaks. From this high bluff, catch a couple glimpses of the pond.
Sand pine scrubAt 0.9 mile, meet the well-trammeled surface of the Graham Swamp Trail. Turn left.
Skirt mud puddles on the hard-packed pathway under the pines. Sand pine scrub frames one final look at the pond from the trail.
Graham Swamp TrailJust past the Bike Route sign, the Graham Swamp Trail emerges at the Graham Swamp East trailhead, completing this mile hike.
If you didn’t take the time to walk out on the observation deck at the trailhead before the hike, do so now for its sweeping perspective on the pond from its west side.
Observation deck at trailheadTrail Map
Explore More!
Learn more about Graham Swamp Preserve
Graham Swamp Preserve A freshwater swamp forest less than two miles from the Atlantic Ocean, Graham Swamp Preserve is where Bulow Creek rises to flow south.Video
Hiking Graham Swamp West
Slideshow
See our photos from Graham Swamp West
Nearby Adventures
Palm Coast Linear Park A city park, Linear Park is centrally located yet hidden within an ancient hardwood hammock bounded by the eastbound and westbound sides of Palm Coast Parkway.
Graham Swamp East Hiking Trail A surprisingly rugged hike along a ridgetop threads between two sides of a mountain bike loop on the eastern side of Graham Swamp Preserve.
Palm Coast Waterfront Park On bluffs along the west shore of the Intracoastal Waterway, a sunny ribbon of paved path provides scenic views on a 1.9-mile round trip connected to a larger loop of 3.7 miles.
Lehigh Trail A dedicated corridor insulates most of the 6.7 mile linear route of the paved Lehigh Trail within the surrounding expanse of Palm Coast, allowing up to a 13.4 mile trip.
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