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Florida Trail

Central Florida Section Trails

FT Green Swamp East

Length: 25.4 miles (linear) plus 9.7 mile loop

Unlike most of the swamps along the Florida Trail, the Green Swamp is more dry than wet. Encompassing 870 square miles across five counties, it’s a vast watershed of pine forests and cypress swamps where four of the state’s major rivers (Ocklawaha, Peace, Hillsborough, Withlacoochee) are born, each flowing away in a different direction.

Overview

Lush hardwood forest, Green Swamp East (Deb Blick) This segment of trail leads you down a rural roadwalk on Deen Still Road past cattle ranches and orange groves; look for unusual sandstone formations along the road. The trail follows the Van Fleet State Trail for several miles before returning to rural roads up to the entrance to the Green Swamp East WMA.

Re-entering the forest, you parallel the northwesterly course of the Withlacoochee River. After periods of heavy rain, you’ll wade through some of the cypress floodplains. In several places, the trail briefly shares forest roads with limited vehicular traffic and equestrians. However, this is a wild and beautiful section of trail with a lot of wildlife. Look for Sherman’s fox squirrels in the sandhills, and deer in the open flatwoods understory. The white-blazed loop trail at the Rock Ridge Road trailhead provides a long day hike or a short overnight backpacking trip.

Map

30 Green Swamp East The Green Swamp area is located 20 miles north of Lakeland in the Southwest Florida Water Management District's Green Swamp Flood Detention Area. The south end is on US 27, 2 miles north of the I-4 interchange. The north end is at the trail intersection with Ellis Grace within the Green Swamp.

Disclaimer: While FTA strives to maintain accurate information and is constantly updating its geodatabase, the trail and development along the trail corridor is constantly changing. The data has been collected from a variety of sources and accuracy varies. FTA provides this data for recreational purposes only and does not intend the data as a survey.

Centerline data Florida Trail System (c) 2007 Florida Trail Association, Inc.

Trailheads

Park at the Rock Ridge gate at Data Point 6 at your own risk. Parking is also available on the Van Fleet State Trail 1 mile north of where the FT turns at Poyner Oaks Rd. Ask permission from local businesses to park near US 27/Deen Still Rd intersection.

Features

Campsites

Mott Hammock

Conditions

Hikers may use the Green Swamp loop trail for both overnight and day hiking. The trail wanders through pine flatwoods, tree farms, hardwood forests, and the floodplain of the Withlacoochee River. Hiking east of the Green Swamp is on country roads and along the General Van Fleet State Trail (paved bicycle route).

Precautions

Hiking is not recommended during general gun hunting season (generally mid-November to mid-January). Caution is advised during archery, small game, and spring turkey seasons. Hikers should be aware of hunting dates (see WMA website).

Restrictions

Camping is permitted only in designated sites and with a permit from SWFWMD. Fires are permitted only in fire rings. Fires are not permitted during fire bans and during obviously dry conditions. Hikers must wear 500 square inches of orange clothing above the waist during hunting seasons.