The
trail runs from the Loop Road (County Road 94), south of
the Tamiami Trail (U.S. 41), for 38 miles in a south to
north direction. The most popular part of the route is
the portion just west and north of the Oasis Visitor
Center. The part least affected by off-road vehicle use
is the most southerly stretch, between the Loop Road and
U.S. 41. Off-road uses are prohibited in the area south
of the Tamiami Trail. The best time to hike on the trail
(the driest time) is March, although the preferred hiking
season extends from early January through April. We cover
the trail in three sections, to provide information for
making choices as to how long you wish to spend hiking,
and on loop and other routes offering the best day hikes
or backcountry experiences.
South
Section
If
you're concerned about parking in unprotected and remote
areas (and you should be), it's a good idea to arrange
for a shuttle to the south trailhead, and to park your
car at the Oasis Ranger Station, at the main visitor
center on U.S. 41. This caution holds true for parking at
the north end of the trail, beside I-75.
The
south section of the trail is accessed from the trailhead
beside the Loop Road, 15 miles from the eastern junction
of this road with the Tamiami Trail. The eastern eight
miles of the Loop Road are paved, with an additional
seven miles of fairly rough gravel surface, often pitted
with potholes. You'll find the trailhead with an orange
blaze (the color for this section) plus a standard
trailhead sign. This section of the hike, from the Loop
Road to U.S. 41, covers a distance of 8.3 miles. The
first three miles follow the track of what used to be
Sawmill Road, with much exposed limestone surface.
Leaving the old road, the trail leads north for two miles
to Roberts Lake Strand. The route turns left and shortly
turns right (north), coming out to meet U.S. 41 after
another 2.5 miles.
This
part of the Florida Trail is devoid of vehicle tracks,
but offers wildlife tracks instead. You'll see many signs
of wildlife that have crossed the trail, along with
spring wildflowers, willows, bayberry, and the unusual
glade lobelia along this part of the trail.
Central
Section
As
mentioned above, the most-used portion of the trail
within the preserve is that part leading north from the
visitor center and U.S. 41. That's because parking is
available, and this part of the trail offers two handy
loops via the main trail and an alternate trail. The
longest of the loops covers a distance of 26.4 miles,
with the shorter loop reducing the round-trip to 15.9
miles.
The
trail picks up, heading north from the west corner of the
parking lot of the Oasis ranger station, leading through
a fairly open swamp area for a half-mile. But the path
soon enters the forest, with cypress and saw palmettos.
After 2.9 miles, a trail blazed with blue leads to the
left. This is the alternate trail which makes the loop
route. Continue to the right on the main trail (orange
blaze) for another four miles, until reaching Seven-Mile
Campsite. This is one of two campgrounds on the trail
with tenting sites and well pumps. Drinking water should
be boiled.
So
far, the trail has passed through mostly swamp with few
raised areas, but offering lots of opportunities for
seeing swamp life, including many water insects, turtles,
spiders, and large bugs with gossamer wings
(damselflies). There are deer in this section of the
preserve, along with foxes, frogs, raccoons, and turkeys.
You may see or hear the pileated woodpecker (looking like
Woody). Although Florida panthers have occupied the
central part of the swamp, you will probably not see one.
They are very endangered and those who are in the swamp
tend to be in the non-hunting areas, to the west, where
their primary prey (deer) are more plentiful. Here too
are alligators, wallowing in depressions during dry
seasons. Hikers should be aware of snakes, particularly
the cottonmouth, and the pigmy rattlesnake, both
poisonous and seen along the route. They are rarely
interested in biting humans, but one should be aware of
their presence.
Just
north of Seven-Mile Camp, a 2.3-mile trail (blue blaze)
leads west, connecting the main trail with the alternate
route. Turning here to reach the alternate trail provides
the shortest of the two loop hikes, and a return to the
Oasis visitor center and ranger station. The walk north,
along the main trail to the north end of the alternate
trail, covers an additional 7.1 miles. If you're turning
south to return to the visitor center, you have 12.4
miles of hiking before reaching U.S. 41.
North
Section
After
passing the alternate (blue) trail, the main trail leads
north for 2.7 miles to the second campsite, with well.
Interstate 75 is another 13 miles past the campsite. The
terrain changes on this final section, entering an area
of hardwood hammocks, and areas with cabbage palms. The
trail passes through the Bamboo Strand, one of the
dampest sections along the entire route. This is an area
with much off-road vehicle usage, and the closer you get
to I-75, the more disturbance of the trailside you'll
see. The trail exits the preserve between mileposts 38
and 39.
To
continue our tour of Southwest Florida attractions
click on the hand, or go to the individual
chapters.
Florida
National Scenic Trail
