Hiking Timucuan Trail

NOTE: As of June 2022, this trail is closed for renovations.

In less than a mile, the Timucuan Trail covers all of the major habitats of the Ocala National Forest.

From spring-side hydric hammocks and floodplain forest to sand pine scrub, this short hike has it all.

Hiking the Timucuan Trail

It’s an integral part of the Alexander Springs Recreation Area, which offers swimming, camping, canoe and kayak rentals and shuttles, and access to the Florida Trail as well.

Paddlers on Alexander Run as seen from the Timucuan Trail

Resources

Resources for exploring the area

Central Florida Orlando Explorers Guide book cover

Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State book cover

The Hiking Trails of Floridas National Forests Parks Preserves 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: Alexander Springs Recreation Area
Length: 0.9 mile loop
Trailhead: 29.080850,-81.576317
Address: 49525 CR 445, Altoona
Fees: $8 weekday/$11 weekend per person day use fee
Restroom: At the day use area
Land manager: National Forests in Florida
Phone: 352-625-3147

Alexander Springs Recreation Area is operated as a concession by Adventure Ocala. Recreation area open 8-8.

Dogs are not permitted in the day use area, so you cannot take your dog on this hike.

Directions

From SR 40 east of Astor, turn south on CR 445A and follow the signs. After 0.4 mile, turn left on CR 445 and continue south into the Ocala National Forest for 5.7 miles to the recreation area entrance on the right, just after the bridge over Alexander Run.

Hike

From the large Timucuan Trail sign, a boardwalk leads into a lush hydric hammock, deeply shaded by cabbage palms.

Clusters of cinnamon ferns rise from patches of land between clear, sand-bottomed rivulets.

Hiking through the hydric hammock

You feel as if you’ve walked into a lush jungle, and so it was for the Timucua who once lived along the banks of this spring.

Interpretive signs relate information about the habitat and its inhabitants.

Interpretive stop along the boardwalk

At the junction with a rough sand footpath, follow the footpath, which climbs into an upland forest.

Hikers preferring an accessible surface should skip the footpath and continue along the boardwalk, which is a beautiful out-and-back hike in its own right.

Hiker browsing interpretive sign in forest

Natural surface footpath

Dogwood, oaks, and magnolia grow on a high bluff along a flowing creek.

The trail drops and turns to boardwalk to cross the creek. At the end of the boardwalk, roots invade the footpath and the soil may be squishy.

Spring-fed creek

Up you go, through an upland forest and into the Big Scrub. Can you smell the the sweet aroma of silk bay?

Gnarled sand live oaks provide shade beneath the tall sand pines.

Hickory leaves in the uplands

The trail soon enters another cabbage palm grove, where dark-green needle palms fill the understory. At 0.4 mile is another boardwalk and a stand of ancient cypress.
A side trail leads off to the right to a small sinkhole-like depression.