Named after a sinkhole at its southern end, Little Awesome Preserve is an astounding location to take a hike along the Santa Fe River.
Owned and managed by the Alachua Conservation Trust, this property amazes with fantastic forests and sublime springs.
The well-marked trail system has a 0.3 mile walk to a scenic spot along the river. The hike can be expanded to a 1.8 or 1.2 mile trip on a loop across rocky terrain.
Bank of the Santa Fe RiverResources
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Overview
Location: Fort White
Length: 1.8 miles
Trailhead: 29.860444, -82.727361
Address: 5682 SW CR 138, Fort White
Fees: Free
Restrooms: None
Land manager: Alachua Conservation Trust
Phone: 352-373-1078
Open sunrise to sunset. Leashed dogs welcome.
Directions
From the intersection of US 27 and Main Street in High Springs, head west on US 27 for 3.3 miles before turning left onto SW CR 138. In 5.6 miles, the parking area will be marked with a sign on the left side of the road.
Hike
Walking through a gap in the parking area fence, follow a sandy pathway to the trailhead kiosk and pick up a paper map.
Blue diamond shaped markers indicate the trail as it leads away from an open powerline easement to enter the forest.
Trailhead kioskThe trail begins within a climax sandhill community, where tall longleaf pines reach above a canopy of sand live oaks.
Within a tenth of a mile, a slight drop in elevation presents dramatic changes as the forest transitions to a hardwood hammock with an impressive variety of trees, including devil’s walking stick, bluff oak, and southern sugar maple.
Shady hardwood hammockReaching a junction with the Beaver Trail in a quarter mile, stay to the left as the path descends into the floodplain.
Passing a second trail intersection in a tenth of a mile, Camp Spring appears at the edge of a grassy clearing.
A picnic table and bench sit atop small bluffs overlooking the spring and Santa Fe River.
Bench at Camp SpringFrom this point, walk up the slope to the Beaver Trail, following its green trail markers.
As the path meanders westward, limestone rocks scatter across the open forest floor, varying in size from pebbles to small boulders.
Exposed limestoneGlimpses of the Santa Fe appear through the trees. It is common to see paddlers drifting down this popular waterway.
At a half mile, deep cracks appear in the earth, part of a spring system known as Myrtle’s Fissure.
Where the crevice stretches towards the river, a cross trail branches off northward, offering a shorter overall hike.
Myrtle’s FissureContinue westward along the Beaver Trail, reaching the far end of the loop at an inviting bench overlooking the water.
The route takes a sharp turn to the right, climbing away from the river along a seasonally flooded valley filled with cypress knees.
Bench along the Santa FeNearing one mile, the path weaves past a majestic live oak that easily dwarfs all the surrounding trees as its enormous trunk extends high into the overstory.
From here, the trail begins a gentle curve eastward, crossing undulating terrain as it leaves the basin and returns to the hammock.
Huge live oakPassing the other end of Myrtle’s Fissure cross trail, the path starts a slight ascent before closing the loop at 1.7 miles.
Turn left onto the Camp Spring Trail, following blue trail markers for a quarter mile back to the trailhead.
Trail junctionTrail Map
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Video
Hiking Little Awesome Preserve
Nearby Adventures
Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park Cradling a collection of spectacular springs in a forested glen along the Santa Fe River, Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park is one of the finest places to experience springs up close
J.H. Anderson Jr Memorial Park On a 1.5 mile double loop at J.H. Anderson Memorial Park, hike amid karst features in a mature bluff forest above Rock Bluff Spring on the Suwannee River. 
Ichetucknee Springs State Park A swimming hole as a work of natural art, the deep gash in the earth that is Ichetucknee Spring glows an unearthly robin's-egg blue, cradled in a limestone bowl within a leafy glen.
O’Leno Sink to Rise Trail Starting where the waters of the Santa Fe River dive underground at O'Leno State Park, this scenic hike roughly follows the river's subterranean flow to its emergence at River Rise Preserve.
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