Linked into a series of loops through upland habitats perfect for gopher tortoises, the Blue Trail is the main access point for hiking and horseback riding at Isle of Pine Preserve.
This 550 acre preserve lies beyond the southeast edge of the Isle of Pine subdivision, where pines, scrub forest, and cypress domes dominate the open landscape.
Showy flatwoodsBetween prairies, pine flatwoods, and open skies, it’s great for birding. Watch for bald eagles circling overhead and osprey winging their way between the nearby lakes.
Our route follows the Blue Trail, White Trail, and a portion of the Red Trail. There is also an Orange Trail, but given how that corner of the preserve floods, we didn’t try to follow it.
Trailhead at Isle of Pine PreserveThis is a two-part preserve, with a separate trail system to the west with a different trailhead for a hike along Lake Mary Jane.
We attempted to connect the two along the property boundary fence but found it difficult going, so we suggest a drive to the Green Trail after completing this hike.
Lake Mary Jane is the focal point of the Green TrailResources
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Overview
Location: Narcoossee
Length: 2.1 miles
Trailhead: 28.362015, -81.163210
Address: 14032 Lacebark Pine Rd, Orlando
Fees: Free
Restroom: None
Land manager: Orange County
Phone: 407-836-1400
The preserve is open sunrise to sunset. Leashed dogs permitted. Bicycles are not allowed, but equestrians are welcome.
Directions
From Orlando, follow SR 528 (Beachline Expressway) east past the Orlando International Airport. Take the exit for Narcoossee Rd (CR 15). Drive south 2.8 miles to Moss Park Road. Turn left, and follow Moss Park Road 4.5 miles to where you can see the park entrance. Turn left and follow Lake Mary Jane Road for 2.6 miles to Capri Road. Turn left and follow Capri Road onto Lacebark Pine Road. The trailhead is just past Canary Pine Court, and is roomy enough for horse trailers.
Hike
Step through the gap in the trailhead fence and take the forest road behind the gate. A blue marker soon confirms you’re on the Blue Trail, the primary loop in the preserve.
Carved through a scrubby flatwoods landscape, it aims towards a cypress dome and then curves south, meeting a Y junction at the top of the loop. Bear right.
Start of the Blue TrailAn expansive low understory characterizes these flatwoods, with scattered pines rising from dense gallberry and lyonia.
The pathway makes a languid curve towards treeline, where the next cypress dome pokes up behind a line of longleaf pines.
Heading towards treelineAs the trail draws closer to the pines, the habitat shifts to pine flatwoods with clumps of saw palmetto and young pines beneath them.
Reach a trail junction at 0.3 mile with a picnic table beneath pines and oaks. We took the side trail out of curiosity, but it ended at the firebreak at the preserve fence.
Picnic spot at trail junctionContinue past the turnoff at the picnic table, the Blue Trail staying along the ecotone between pine flatwoods and scrubby flatwoods.
In another tenth of a mile, meet the first junction with the Red Trail, an interior loop that largely stays on drier ground amid scrub and scrubby flatwoods.
Red Trail junctionContinue on the Blue Trail along the edge of a prairie thick with waving orange sheafs of bushy bluestem grass.
A nearby cypress dome sometimes overflows water onto the trail. At the White Trail marker, make a sharp right.
Prairie grassesA jug handle half-circle off the Blue Trail, the White Trail enters a wetter flatwoods environment with places where the trail may be muddy or flooded.
Boggy spots under the pines hold delicate sundews and bladderworts. Slightly higher islands within this wet habitat have stands of sand live oak.
Wet flatwoodsReturn to the Blue Trail at a T intersection after this 0.3 mile diversion off it and turn right. Continue along the edge of the wet flatwoods ecotone.
At 0.9 mile, meet the second junction with the interior Red Trail. We attempted to go further along the Blue Trail but hit flooding, so we backtracked here.
Junction of White Trail returning to Blue TrailAlthough making for a 0.4 mile shorter loop than if you take the Blue Trail, it has the distinct advantage of not following a fenceline.
It heads straight into the heart of the vast pine savanna ecosystem at the center of the preserve.
Flatwoods on the Red TrailIt’s a a scenic and immersive traverse. Both grassy prairies and palmetto prairie make up the understory of this very open landscape.
At 1.2 miles, meet the junction with the incoming red-blazed crossover trail on the left. Bear right to continue along the Red Trail, which now turns eastward.
Palmetto prairieWhite sand becomes more prevalent as the pathway enters scrub habitat, with candyroot and other colorful flowers emerging trailside.
Meet a trail junction with a signposted short side trail to a clearing with a picnic table, a nice place to stop for a water break.
Scrub habitatA tenth of a mile past it, the Red Trail ends at a T intersection with the Blue Trail along the preserve property boundary.
Turn left and continue along the sand path under the powerline, watching for the turn left off of it into the scrub again. Quickly enter higher ground with sand live oak hammocks.
Oak hammockThe white soft sand becomes prevalent again with a slight increase in elevation. Soon, a cypress dome is obvious in the distance.
Pass an unmarked forest road coming in from the left before another swing through scrubby flatwoods, reaching the trail junction at the top of the loop at 2 miles.
Continue curving right to follow this familiar part of the trail back to the trailhead, finishing your hike after 2.1 miles.
Scrub shifting to scrubby flatwoodsTrail Map
Explore More!
Visit the nearby Green Trail at Isle of Pine Preserve. It has a separate entrance and trailhead to the west inside the subdivision along Lake Mary Jane.
Isle of Pine Preserve Green Trail Discover panoramic views of Lake Mary Jane from its forested eastern shore on the Green Trail, a round-trip ending at a carnivorous plant bog.Slideshow
Our photos from the Isle of Pine Preserve Blue Trail
Nearby Adventures
Moss Park On a breezy isthmus between Lake Hart and Lake Mary Jane, Moss Park offers superb campsites and picnic pavilions under moss-draped live oaks.
Swamp Trail, Moss Park Traversing the marshes that exchange waters between Lake Hart and Lake Mary Jane, the Swamp Trail is an easy hike between Moss Park and Split Oak Forest.
Crosby Island Marsh Preserve On an isthmus between floodplain marshes in eastern Orange County, Crosby Island Marsh Preserve provides an easy walk through a ribbon of sandhill habitat.
Split Oak Forest WEA A live oak tree more than 200 years old is the centerpiece of Split Oak Forest, a 2,000-acre prairie and scrub preserve near Orlando, home to families of sandhill cranes
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