Last Saturday I made my first long-overdue trip to the Ocala National Forest, the birthplace of the Florida National Scenic Trail. Although my original intent was to do a one-night backpacking trip, I changed my mind when I looked at the weather forecast which promised post-sunset temperatures in the high 40s dropping to the 30s by morning and I knew, with most backcountry camping in the Ocala National Forest done randomly along the trail rather than at established campsites, I couldn’t count on the warmth of a campfire. So I settled, if one could call it that, for an out-and-back 12 1/2-mile day hike through the Riverside Island lying between Lakes Kerr and Delancy, just north of where the western and eastern legs of the Florida Trail reunite near Fort McCoy, about 1 1/2 hours north of Orlando.
Oh my, did this hike exceed expectations. Riverside Island is classic Central Florida longleaf pine savannah, those glorious vistas described by 18th century author William Bartram when he explored our region before the American Revolution. Like most sections of the Florida Trail I’ve had the pleasure of hiking, the Florida Trail was well-blazed and well maintained without the faintest hint of tracks by anything other than deer, hiking boots, and the occasional bear, while still winding through the forest like a fairy tale footpath.
I began my hike at the 88 Store, a smokey dive bar/convenience store with outdoor seating located conveniently beside the Florida Trail just south of County Road 316, known by backpackers and hikers to be a safe place to leave a vehicle. Their friendly staff charged me $5.00 to park (for the day or overnight), and also had me write my contact information in their log book. From there, I joined the Florida Trail from the rear of the 88 Store, then began the trek north to Lake Delancy, crossing CR 316 less than half a mile later, then hiking through the forest first to Grassy Pond about 2 miles later, then reaching Lake Delancy approximately 4 miles after that. Having left at 1:30 and knowing I had limited daylight, I stopped to have lunch for 15 minutes near some picnic tables beside Lake Delancy, then retraced my steps back to the 88 Store.
Despite the cold temperatures, this hike was magical. The two miles between CR 316 and Grassy Pond are spent in a dense woodland of sand pines, myrtle oaks, and sand live oak, with mosses and fallen pine boughs crowding the trail, comprised mostly of densely packed sand covered by fallen leaves. Parts of that stretch felt like a deciduous jungle with the Florida Trail tunneling through head high undergrowth, though not too close for comfort. Upon reaching the edge of pretty Grassy Pond, the terrain started to open a bit as the trail ascended comfortably through more palmetto and open spaces.
Less than a mile after Grassy Pond came the payoff: the broad rolling hills and longleaf pine savannah of Riverside Island. This was the open forest of tall longleaf pines I reveled in most, with the sandy trail winding through the majestic longleaf pines spread among fields of wiregrass and occasional palmetto. Far away longleaf pines on distant low hills rose and fell as I rolled over the savannah. I passed small pockets of pom-pom pines, as my wife calls them, the newly sprouted baby longleaf pines growing from the forest floor with their fluffy heads of green needles that will stay with the pines as they grow. Many trees were painted with white horizontal bands, indicating they are home to red-cockaded woodpeckers that only nest in longleaf pines older than 100 years. This terrain seemed to stretch for miles, and time seemed to stand still.
As I approached my 3:30 deadline for turning back to avoid hiking through the dark in unfamiliar forest, I reached my goal of a lakeside lunch at Lake Delancy, popping out of the savannah after crossing several dirt roads used by occasional dirt bikers and rolling back into a thicker forest, now with more densely packed pine, palmetto, and cabbage palm. After climbing and descending the steepest stretches of my trip around the rim of a sinkhole, I finally reached the edge of Lake Delancy and its lakeside campground at 3:15—just in time to have a 15-minute sandwich, water, and trail mix break while resting on my campstool. As the photo here indicates, Lake Delancy was a pretty place to rest my legs.
The hike back was every bit as wonderful, especially since the overcast high cloud cover from the approaching cold front was more frequently broken with cloud breaks and light sunshine. Of course, that didn’t allow me to take off my gloves in the chilly breezes. And with 12 miles being near the upper limit of what I can typically hike in a day even without a fully loaded backpack, the lingering reminder of future hamstring cramping made me fret about the drive home (I was fortunately spared). But this is definitely a hike worth taking, even if you can only make it to the crest above Grassy Pond to enjoy the longleaf pine savannah vistas.
Much of the information from this post was borrowed from the chapter titled “Riverside Island” in Florida Trail Hikes: Top Scenic Destinations on Florida’s National Scenic Trail (3rd Edition) by Sandra Friend and John Keatley, as well as their entry about this hike on their excellent website, FloridaHikes.com.
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