Sabal Point Sanctuary

Essential to the nationally-designated Wekiva Wild and Scenic River System, Wekiva River Buffer Preserve and the Charles Lee Sabal Point Sanctuary protect over 2,500 acres.

Along an old logging tramway, a 1.7 mile linear trail tunnels into an iconic floodplain forest where the Wekiva River and Little Wekiva River meet.

Palm fronds edging a curving path in forest

Well-beaten path along the old tramway

Resources

Resources for exploring the area

Central Florida Orlando Explorers Guide book cover

Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State book cover

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Overview

Location: Longwood
Length: 3.4 mile round-trip
Trailhead: 28.711818, -81.410133
Address: 404 Wilderness Dr, Longwood, FL 32779
Fees: Free
Restrooms: No
Land managers: Audubon Society, St. Johns Water Management District
Phone: 407-539-5700

Open dawn to dusk. Leashed dogs permitted. Bicycles allowed.

Bug protection is highly recommended, due to high numbers of biting flies and mosquitos.

Directions

From Interstate 4 in Altamonte Springs, head west on SR 434 for 0.8 mile, then turn right onto Wekiva Springs Rd. In 0.9 mile, make a right at Sabal Palm Dr S. Take an immediate left onto W Sabal Palm Dr, and continue for 1.2 miles before turning left at Wilderness Dr. The entrance is at the end of the road in 0.2 mile.

Hike

Starting at the trailhead, a small dirt pathway leads behind a concrete wall to an information kiosk. This covered display provides details about the property, and a basic map.

Sign on old gate leading into lush swamp forest

Trailhead

The lush jungle-like nature of this landscape is immediately apparent while following a leaf-strewn pathway under a canopy of cabbage palms, hickory, and tall sweetgum trees.

Huge palm fronds extend towards the trail in gentle bends, hovering over a dense border of ferns.

Fern-lined path

Showy blossoms of lyreleaf sage, ironweed, and violets sprinkle the forest floor with splashes of purple against a vibrant green backdrop.

The trail bends to the right for a short jog before following a straight line at 0.2 mile.

Lyreleaf sage

In this subtropical environment, a keen eye can spot epiphytic orchids in certain trees, several feet in the air.

Growing among branches carpeted with ball moss and resurrection ferns, these orchids produce striking blooms in the warmer months.

Draping orchid leaves and roots on tree trunk

Butterfly orchids

A cacophony of birds call to each other from the overstory.

The high-pitched tweets of cardinals accent laughter-like chirps of red-bellied woodpeckers and the “peter-peter-peter” songs of the tufted titmouse.

Continuing northward, pine trees become more prevalent as the trail crosses Hog Island, an island of mesic flatwoods.

Mesic flatwoods

Descending slightly from the pine island, the surrounding terrain quickly becomes soggier as the trail passes a bench alongside a small pond.

Slow moving tannic waters and thick mud surround the elevated tram road as it extends further into the floodplain forest.

Pondside bench

Reaching one mile, the trail leaves Audubon property, entering the adjacent Wekiva River Buffer Preserve.

Cabbage palms of all sizes inch closer to the path as cypress join the diverse mix of trees, with distinctive knees protruding from soft soils alongside the berm.