January 13, 2025.
16.3 mi. | 301′ ele. gain | 6:40 hr. | Florida Trail from Little Big Econ State Forest > Phillips Rd/ Joshua Creek TH
When I found out that there’s a 1,500 mile hiking trail spanning the state of Florida, I knew I needed to get on it. I’m no thru-hiker, but I thought a night or two on the trail would be fun. Once I started doing some research, it became clear that not knowing the area at all put me at a big disadvantage. I struggled to understand all the re-routes and where to camp and what the current conditions might be. So instead, I settled on a one-day shuttle hike where Aaron would drop me off at one end and pick me up at another. I gave him 3 possible pick-up locations based on how my day was going.
I had been in the Orlando area visiting a friend. She mentioned that there was a trailhead for the Florida Trail just a few minutes from her house. I checked the map to plot a course from there. I had two goals: minimize road walking and avoid any potentially flooded sections. It looked like I had a good stretch of trail that mostly passed through parks and protected areas, with just a few parts where I’d hike along a road. I packed for a full day and set off into the unknown.
Little Big Econ State Forest
My hike began in a quiet park near a busy metropolitan area: the Little Big Econ State Forest. The sandy trail follows the edge of the wildly meandering and hard to say Econlockhatchee River (hence the nickname Econ). I loved how the beautifully dark and mysterious tannic water reflected the moody, gray clouds above. I knew that I wanted to cover a lot of ground over the course of the day, but I kept stopping to look at each little crook and bend in the river. The plants and birds offered frequent distractions, too. Florida is so lush and alive. I was not expecting all of this nature here.
The trail pulled away from the water’s edge, only to return again. I walked on crispy leaves on the trail, then returned to sandy shoreline. The trees in the forest were decked out with air plants. I looked closely to find blooms, but all the stalks were shriveled up from a previous season. I observed the colorful Christmas lichen, also growing profusely on the woodland trees.
Along this pristine section of trail, I was dismayed to see orange peels on the trail in front of me. Despite what some hikers think, it’s not cool to toss your orange peels on the ground after a snack. So imagine my surprise when I look up and see…can you guess? An orange tree. Duh, I’m in Florida. I smiled and laughed at myself as I re-examined the ground. Oranges, everywhere. It was a great reminder to consider where you are when deciding how to interact with the environment: yes, citrus trees grow here!
I crossed some very wet areas on sturdy boardwalks, which really made me feel like I was one with the dense vegetation. Shortly, that gave way to a pine/ palmetto forest that hosted some flowers and cactus that thrive in drier conditions.
Not sure if I was still on state forest land or not, I crossed a road and continued on the orange-blazed trail that passed behind a neighborhood. Here, the wildflower show continued to amaze me. I found purple tasselflower, climbing ferns, orchids and many things I needed to look up on my Florida wildflower app. The birds really seemed to appreciate the easy access to tree cover, food and water. I pulled out Merlin several times to record the overlapping melodies of birdsong.
Mills Creek Woodlands
At some point, I entered the Mills Creek Woodlands. Still aware that I could probably throw a rock and hit a house (not that I would do that), I felt like I was in the middle of nowhere. I was surrounded by greenery, flowers, water, birds and fresh air. Walking across one boardwalk after another, with huge ferns lining the path, was like being in a fairytale. I savored it while it lasted because I knew I’d end up at the road walk soon enough.
On the Road
As is the case with many long trails, there is a fair amount of road walking. The Florida Trail is no exception. I pulled out my headphones and called my dad as a distraction from the 2 miles of straight walking along a back road. There was no sidewalk and no shoulder, but at least there wasn’t much traffic either. I alternated between walking on the pavement and walking on the grass beside it. At least the state of Florida is flat as a pancake.
Chuluota Wilderness Area
I was delighted to make it back to a section of trail as I reached the turn to the Chuluota Wilderness Area. The parking area was empty. I sat at the picnic table, pulled out some snacks and looked at the map. My first possible exit point didn’t look very far, but the trail was quite meandering and it was difficult to estimate just how many more miles it might be.
This section was dry and sandy. I walked beneath oak trees that were draped with Spanish moss. This organism, as I’d come to know well, is not a moss at all. Spanish “moss” is a species of Tillandsia, an air plant! I enjoyed the palmetto understory in this section of the trail. Its large, fan-shaped leaves have been ever-present throughout our travels down the southeast coast. They’re unlike anything I’ve ever seen in a forest before, so they really capture my attention.
Charles H. Bronson State Forest
With weary legs, I stepped foot into the final section of my hike in the Charles H. Bronson State Forest. An armadillo, along with a slew of trail signs, welcomed me. Within minutes, the character of the forest changed dramatically. This area had recently burned. Not being tuned in to local happenings, I didn’t know if this was the result of a prescribed burn or a wildfire. Either way, the result was eerily visible. Many of the smaller pine trees were topped with dead, yellow needles. The bark of the larger trees were charred. The palmettos were blackened. Some had small, green fans regrowing from their scorched trunks.
At first, I was taken aback by the contrast to all the greenery I had just spent the day walking through. But then I began to see the beauty of this scene. Just as I re-acclimated to the environment, it shifted again. The fullness of the lush forest returned and I saw all my old friends again: air plants, ferns, grasses, healthy trees and colorful wildflowers. I know that fire is essential to the health of the forest, but sometimes it takes a reminder!
After what felt like a full day (but was less than 7 hours!) I made it to the Phillip’s Road/Joshua Creek Trailhead. I had messaged Aaron an hour or so earlier that I expected to turn up there. Before he arrived, I sat at the edge of the empty parking lot and tore off my shoes and socks to give my sore feet a rest.. It was a fulfilling day and I took a moment to process all I had seen and learned.
Despite warnings about the trail getting flooded and impassible, or teeming with bugs or any other number of hazards, I have zero complaints about the walk I took today. In 16 miles and a full day of hiking, I only ran into two other people, too. What an absolute treat to have this experience in Florida. I would absolutely come back and hike another section, and I’d love to do an overnight on this trail.