Winding northward from Lake Griffin, the Ocklawaha River was once a meandering river through vast marshes, cypress swamps, and floodplain forests as it worked its way towards the St. Johns River near Palatka.
But channelization by the Army Corps of Engineers radically altered its flow in many places, including around Moss Bluff. There are two large restoration areas flanking this small community, protecting the river’s original basin.
At Ocklawaha Prairie, east of Lake Weir and south of Marshall Swamp, trails lead to some of the best birding in the region along the levees.
** UPDATE ** St. Johns Water Management District has removed the boardwalk mentioned in our book Five Star Trails Gainesville & Ocala and has not replaced it. We are truly disappointed, as the boardwalk was not in bad shape on our last visit.
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Overview
Location: Moss Bluff
Length: 1.6 mile round-trip
Trailhead: 29.106041, -81.906031
Fees: Free
Restroom: Sometimes a portable toilet at trailhead
Land manager: St. Johns Water Management District
Open dawn to dusk. Bicycles and equestrians welcome. Leashed pets permitted.
Directions
From Silver Springs, follow SR 40 east into the Ocala National Forest. At Forest Corners, turn right on CR 314A at the traffic light. Follow this road south for 6.6 miles to where you come to a sweeping bend in the road. Turn right onto SE 137 Avenue Road, which is next to a sign that says “The Refuge at Ocklawaha.” Follow this limerock road for 0.8 mile to the preserve entrance on the left.
Hike
Your hike starts at the entrance gate. Since this is a multi-use trail system, the parking area is especially large to accommodate horse trailers.
A small building which looks suspiciously like a hunt check station and a permanent portable toilet are located between the entrance gate and a massive southern magnolia tree which is currently in bloom.
The trail kiosk sits well off to the side of the tree, near the former gap through the fence. Check it out and pick up a map if one is available.
Diamond-shaped markers lead the way. They’re a little worn, but still provide good guidance. The trail slips past a small clump of woods and out to an old jeep road.
Turn right. The forest on your left is planted longleaf pines, growing into a nice forest, and sport some large pinecones.
You pass sweetgum and oak trees as the trail rises up to a large open space with side trails – and diamond markers – going off in all directions. There used to be a barn here, but no more.
This conservation area is stitched together from ranches and homesteads along the river, where the forests are reclaiming the land for their own.
Still, in this spot, you’re in the midst of an open meadow. Take a sharp left.
You follow the jeep track briefly, but keep watching for the next trail marker, off along the treeline to your right. The trail veers away from the jeep track and downhill into a tunnel of sweetgum trees.
A large fallen tree blocks the path; work your way around it through gaps in the line of sweetgum on your right. There is an intersection with a horse trail, noted by the beaten-down track and the plops of horse manure.
Continue past it to emerge in a more open area with patches of white sand and scrub plants. Turn right. Watch for the next marker, which guides you in the direction of the Ocklawaha River.
As you leave the scrub and enter a canopied hardwood forest, the oaks overhead are laden with Spanish moss. The trail ascends a small bluff and meets a road at a T. To the left is private property, The Refuge at Ocklawaha. Turn right.
At 0.7 mile, a wooden bridge, complete with weight limit signs, crosses the C-212 canal, which carries the bulk of the Ocklawaha River’s flow.
An earthen levee divides this canal from the river’s historic floodplain, the Ocklawaha Prairie. These are vast marshes where thousands of migratory birds spend their winters.
Even on a summer day, the birding here is fabulous. Watch for bluebirds near the bridge. As you emerge on the levee, you can see the sweep of marsh.
The observation deck off to the left is the only place to sit and watch the birds, a pleasant, shady place to watch the activity in the marsh from a porch swing under a canopy.
Sadly, the boardwalk that made this a compelling hike has been removed.
Birding, particularly in the winter months, is still an important reason to come here. The red-winged blackbirds appreciate the immense amount of cattails, and you’ll hear hundreds of them.
Purple pickerelweed pokes through sunny patches in the marsh. The far line of trees are Virginia willows.
Sandhill cranes are a common sight no matter what time of year you visit, and they’re obvious from their large size.
Spotting smaller wading birds, such as little blue herons, green herons, and ibis, may take more time and some help from your zoom lens or binoculars.
Large green and blue dragonflies and more delicate damselflies chase each other. Look for limpkins near the edges.
You’ll hear the moorhens well before you see them in clusters on the water. Keep an eye on the sky, as there’s always another bird landing in the shallows.
Walking the levee is best left to an early morning or a cool day. There are nearly six miles of levee along the marsh, and yes, you’re allowed to bicycle it.
To leave the levee, head towards the obvious roofed observation deck – the bridge is near it.
Follow the bridge back across to the other side of the canal, and be sure to scramble back down the bluff to the left before you reach the “No Trespassing” signs.
From here, it’s retracing your steps along the entrance trail, following the diamond-blaze signs.
Keep alert at the multi-way intersection where the foundation of the old barn sits in the meadow and be sure to make a right, walking down along the plantings of longleaf pines to the final jog to the left, to exit.
Explore More!
Slideshow
See our photos of Ocklawaha Prairie
Nearby Adventures
Florida Trail, Marshall Swamp 3 miles. Marvel at towering trees in an ancient forest along this Florida Trail segment on the Cross Florida Greenway.
Sunnyhill Levee Trail A linear path along the channelized Ocklawaha River, the Levee Trail at Sunnyhill Restoration Area stretches 7.5 miles from SR 42 north to Moss Bluff.
Carney Island Conservation Area As a peninsula in Lake Weir, parts of Carney Island Conservation Area are naturally air-conditioned. Walk 4 miles beneath ancient oaks and expect to see wildlife.
Lake May Reserve A scenic 2.4 mile loop explores restored sandhill and scrub habitats coaxed from a landscape of former orange groves alongside Lake May in Eustis. 
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