• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Florida Hikes logo

Hike Bike Paddle Camp Florida with authors Sandra Friend and John Keatley as your guides

  • Trails
  • Maps
  • Guidebooks
  • Search
  • Hike
    • Scenic Hikes
    • Loop Trails
    • Dog-friendly Hikes
    • Hikes for Kids
    • National Parks in Florida
    • Florida State Parks
  • Bike
    • Major Bike Trails
    • Paved Bike Trails
    • Off Road Biking
    • Biking Articles
  • Paddle
    • Canoe & Kayak Rentals
    • Paddling Destinations
    • Paddling Articles
  • Camp
    • Cabin Rentals
    • Car Camping
    • Primitive Camping
  • Florida Trail
    • Plan your Hike
    • Best Scenic Hikes
    • Best Backpacking
    • Section Hiking
    • Thru-Hiking
    • Trail Updates
  • Travel
  • Hike
    • Scenic Hikes
    • Loop Trails
    • Dog-friendly Hikes
    • Hikes for Kids
    • National Parks in Florida
    • Florida State Parks
  • Bike
    • Major Bike Trails
    • Paved Bike Trails
    • Off Road Biking
    • Biking Articles
  • Paddle
    • Canoe & Kayak Rentals
    • Paddling Destinations
    • Paddling Articles
  • Camp
    • Cabin Rentals
    • Car Camping
    • Primitive Camping
  • Florida Trail
    • Plan your Hike
    • Best Scenic Hikes
    • Best Backpacking
    • Section Hiking
    • Thru-Hiking
    • Trail Updates
  • Travel
Bridge edged by alligator flag

Okaloacoochee Slough Tram Loop

Slightly elevated from surrounding swamplands, the Tram Loop at Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest travels through iconic South Florida prairies and pine forests that are home to the elusive Florida Panther.

Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest  |  LaBelle
( 26.589552, -81.378903 )      5.6 miles

Referred to as OK Slough by locals, Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest protects over 32,000 acres.

Historically part of a large watershed feeding the Big Cypress Swamp and Fakahatchee Strand, the land was heavily timbered and became surrounded by farmland.

Despite these disturbances, you’ll find many natural landscapes inside this lesser-traveled state forest.

Miles of trails offer opportunities for hiking, cycling and horseback riding, and a couple of primitive campgrounds invite campers for a quiet night under the stars.

Two-track forest road with trio of palms Forest road on the Tram Loop


Resources

Resources for exploring the area

50 Hikes in South Florida book cover South Florida Explorers Guide book cover Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State book cover Florida Trail Hikes book cover

Disclosure: As authors and affiliates, we receive earnings when you buy these through our links. This helps us provide public information on this website.


Overview

Location: Felda
Length: 5.6-mile loop
Trailhead: 26.589552, -81.378903
Address: 6265 Keri Rd, Felda, FL 33930
Fees: $2 per person, payable at the beginning of the forest toad to the trailhead.
Restrooms: No
Land manager: Florida Forest Service
Phone: 863-612-0776

Open Sunrise – Sunset. Dogs are allowed on a leash. Expect wet feet on this hike.

Seasonal hunting occurs throughout this forest. Check ahead before you make plans for outdoor recreation.

Old railroad bridge


Directions

 
From SR 80 in LaBelle, head south on SR 29 for 11.3 miles, then turn left onto CR 832 (Keri Rd). Continue for 3.9 miles and turn right onto a forest road named Sic Island Rd. Parking for the boardwalk is about 0.2 mile on the left, and the parking area for the Tram Loop is at the end of the road, a little under a mile.

Hike

Starting at the south end of the parking lot, head to the left to begin a clockwise hike around the loop.

Large oaks, slash pines, and cabbage palms line the trail as it follows an access road into the slough.

Picnic pavilion and grill Picnic pavilion at trailhead


Orange blazed posts lead the way southward along a wide sandy pathway.

Thick vegetation flanks the trail, covered with countless spiderwebs that become heavy with dew in early in the day.

White dew-soaked spiderwebs on a small pine tree Spiderweb-covered pine


In a quarter mile, the trail opens to a panoramic vista of wet prairie, accented by distant cypress domes rising from the otherwise level expanse.

Great egrets parallel the horizon, gracefully flapping their stark white wings over a grassy landscape dotted with Carolina willow and alligator flag.

Cypress dome and fog Cypress dome


The trail leaves the wetlands at one mile, climbing slightly onto higher ground covered by a forest of slash pines.

Saw palmettos increase in number, sharing the understory with wax myrtles and tall golden grasses.

Pines and fog Slash pines


Grapevines climb over shrubs and up tree trunks alongside blooms of bright yellow coreopsis that flourish in the wetter conditions adjoining the forest road.

As the trail turns westward at 2.5 miles small oaks become more prevalent, their branches covered in tufts of Spanish moss.

Spiders on coreopsis Spiders on coreopsis


Although mostly unseen from the trail, the loop circles nearly a dozen ponds, and the calls of multiple wading birds and waterfowl can be heard through the dense trailside bushes.

Several mammals inhabit the swampy landscapes, including otters, black bears, and Florida panthers.

A quiet hiker might catch a glimpse of this timid wildlife, though evidence is more likely to be seen in tracks along the trail.

Bench along grassy trail Trailside bench


At mile four, the trail passes a bench while leaving the road to join an old railroad tram.

The raised, straight bed heading northward was once part of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, primarily used to deliver goods from farms to the south.

Deep swamps border the path on both sides, covered in water-adapted willows and lilies.

Closeup of swamp lily Swamp lily


Halfway along the tram, the trail crosses over a ditch on an old bridge. This structure is a remnant of the railway, along with sporadic ties laying along the elevated edges of the trail.

Cows bellow in the distance as they graze on private ranchlands to the west. The trail continues in a straight line for a mile before reaching the trailhead.

Bridge flanked by alligator flag Old bridge


Trail Map

OK Slough Tram Loop Trail Map
OK Boardwalk upper parking. Tram Loop lower parking.

Explore More!

Learn more about Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest

Cypress dome in fog

Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest

Protecting the headwaters of the Big Cypress Swamp south of the Caloosahatchee River, expansive Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest preserves the heart of wild South Florida.

Video

A virtual walk in the woods on the 5.6 mile Tram Loop

Nearby Adventures

More worth exploring while you’re in this area.

Blaze post on prairie trail

CREW Marsh Trails

At CREW Marsh, a network of well-marked paths crisscrosses the northwestern tip of the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed, providing loops of up to 3.1 miles along a vast marsh.

LaBelle Nature Park bench

LaBelle Nature Park

Along a mile of interconnected footpaths at LaBelle Nature Park, walk a gentle half-mile loop with views of the Caloosahatchee River from a lush hammock

Cypress dome

CREW Cypress Dome Trails

On this 4.4 mile loop, experience an impressive array of habitats in Florida panther habitat – from sandy flatwoods to flooded cypress swamps – in the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed.

boardwalk to big cypresses in Corkscrew

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

Weaving beneath a canopy knit by old-growth cypress trees in a majestic swamp forest, the boardwalk at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is one of Florida’s best hikes


Trail Map (PDF) Hunt Dates Reserve Campsite Official Website

Category: Day Hikes, Hikes, Loop Hikes, South Florida, TrailsTag: Big Cypress Swamp, Botanical, Florida State Forests, Historic Sites, Immokalee, LaBelle, Wildflowers, Wildlife Viewing

Have an update? Contact us.

Primary Sidebar

SOUTH FLORIDA

SOUTH FLORIDA OVERVIEW.
Big Cypress Swamp. Everglades National Park. Florida Trail

Arcadia. Basinger. Big Cypress National Preserve. Big Cypress Seminole Reservation. Clewiston. Everglades City. Fisheating Creek. Lake Okeechobee. Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail. Lake Placid. LaBelle. Lakeport. Moore Haven. Okeechobee. Pahokee. Port Mayaca. Sebring. South Bay

Our Newest Books

The Florida Trail Guide

The Florida Trail GuideOur definitive guidebook to planning backpacking trips on the Florida National Scenic Trail, now in its fourth edition. Full data charts and maps. B&W, 356 pages. $19.95 + tax & shipping.

Order Now


Florida Trail Hikes

Florida Trail Hikes 2nd edition coverFifty of the best day hikes, overnights, and weekend trips on the Florida Trail. Full hike descriptions and maps, full color. 376 pages. $24.95 + tax & shipping.

Order Now


Discovering the Florida Trail

Florida Trail mini coffee table book cover of trail into palm hammock
A visual journey the length of the Florida Trail, covering more than 1,500 miles from the Everglades to Pensacola Beach. Hardcover, 196 pages. $24.95 + tax & shipping.

Order Now
 


50 Hikes in Central Florida 3rd edition
Five Star Trails Orlando guidebook
Explorer's Guide North Florida & The Panhandle guidebook

Florida Trail Apps

Farout GuidesFarout Guides Comprehensive logistics and offline maps for the
Florida National Scenic Trail (1,500 miles), the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail (108 miles), and the ECT Florida Connector (92 miles).

Explore More

Our recent park & trail updates in this region

Well worn path through a wet pine flatwoods landscape

DuPuis Loop Trail

DuPuis Loop Trail
Cypress dome in fog

Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest

Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest
Collier Seminole Hiking Trail

Collier-Seminole Hiking Trail

Collier-Seminole Hiking Trail
Collier Memorial at Collier-Seminole State Park

Collier-Seminole State Park

Collier-Seminole State Park

Footer

FIND A TRAIL OR PARK

NORTHWEST FLORIDA
Apalachicola. Apalachicola National Forest. Blackwater River State Forest. Blountstown. Bonifay. Bristol. Cape San Blas. Carrabelle. Chattahoochee. Chipley. Crawfordville. Crestview. DeFuniak Springs. Destin. Ebro. Eglin Air Force Base. Fort Walton Beach. Freeport. Gulf Islands National Seashore. Madison. Marianna. Milton. Monticello. Mossy Head. Navarre Beach . Niceville. Panama City Beach. Pensacola. Ponce De Leon. Port St. Joe. Quincy. Sopchoppy. South Walton. St. Marks. St. Marks NWR. Tallahassee. Vernon. Wakulla. Wewahitchka

NORTH FLORIDA
Alachua. Amelia Island. Baldwin. Branford. Bunnell. Cedar Key. Chiefland. Crescent City. Dowling Park. Ellaville. Fernandina Beach. Flagler Beach. Gainesville. Green Cove Springs. High Springs. Jacksonville. Keystone Heights. Lake Butler.Lake City. Live Oak. Mayo. Macclenny. Micanopy. Olustee. Orange Park. Osceola National Forest. Palatka. Palatka-Lake Butler Trail. Palm Coast. Perry. Salt Springs. St. Augustine. Starke. Steinhatchee. Suwannee River Wilderness Trail. Suwannee Springs. Talbot Islands. Timucuan Preserve. Trenton. Welaka. White Springs. Williston

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Vimeo

MULTI-REGION
Big Cypress Swamp. East Coast Greenway. Everglades National Park. Florida National Scenic Trail

CENTRAL FLORIDA
Apopka. Belleview. Brandon. Brooksville. Bushnell. Canaveral National Seashore. Christmas. Chuluota. Clearwater Beach. Clermont. Coast to Coast Trail. Cocoa Beach. Cross Florida Greenway. Crystal River. Dade City. Daytona Beach. De Leon Springs. DeBary. Deland. Deltona. Dunedin. Dunnellon. Frostproof. Geneva. Inverness. Kenansville. Kissimmee. Lake Mary. Lake Wales. Lakeland. Largo. Leesburg. Longwood. Melbourne. Melbourne Beach. Merritt Island. Merritt Island NWR. Mims. Mount Dora. New Port Richey. New Smyrna Beach. Ocala. Ocala National Forest. Ocklawaha. Orlando. Ormond Beach. Osteen. Oviedo. Palm Bay. Ridge Manor. Sanford. Silver Springs. Spring Hill. St. Cloud. St. Petersburg. Tampa. Tarpon Springs. Titusville . Walt Disney World. Weeki Wachee. Winter Springs. Withlacoochee State Forest. Withlacoochee State Trail. Yeehaw Junction

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
Bradenton . Charlotte Harbor. Ding Darling NWR. Englewood. Estero. Fort Myers. Immokalee. Naples. Pine Island. Port Charlotte. Punta Gorda. Sanibel Island. Sarasota. Venice

SOUTH FLORIDA
Arcadia. Basinger. Big Cypress National Preserve. Big Cypress Seminole Reservation. Clewiston. Everglades City. Fisheating Creek. Lake Okeechobee. Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail. Lake Placid. LaBelle. Lakeport. Moore Haven. Okeechobee. Pahokee. Port Mayaca. Sebring. South Bay

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA
Big Pine Key. Biscayne Bay. Biscayne National Park. Boca Raton. Boynton Beach. Coral Gables. Davie. Delray Beach. Northeast Everglades Natural Area. Florida Keys. Fort Lauderdale. Fort Pierce. Hobe Sound. Hollywood. Homestead. Islamorada. Jensen Beach. Jupiter. Juno Beach. Key Biscayne. Key Largo. Key West. Marathon. Miami. Ocean to Lake Greenway. Overseas Heritage Trail. Palm Beach. Port St. Lucie. Redland. Sebastian. Stuart. Vero Beach. West Palm Beach

  • Trails
  • Parks
  • Beaches
  • Gardens
  • Springs
  • Ecotours
  • Attractions
©2006-2023, Sandra Friend & John Keatley | Disclosure | Site Index | Work with Us | Advertise with Us
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy | Florida Hikes PO Box 93 Mims FL 32754| Contact