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Florida Trail

North Florida Section Trails

FT Osceola

Length: 38.8 miles (linear)

Osceola National Forest is Florida’s smallest national forest, but it encompasses prime habitat for the Florida black bear and the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker, which thrives only in old-growth longleaf pine forests. Established in the 1930s, it remains a patchwork of inaccessible swamps, pine plantations, and natural forests of longleaf pine.

Overview

You start your hike at Florida’s most significant Civil War historic site, the Olustee Battlefield. From here, the first mile of trail – dubbed the Nice Wander Trail – provides a surface suitable for the disabled to enjoy the outdoors, passing through a red-cockaded woodpecker colony. Then it’s into the forests, miles and miles of immersion in the pines broken up by boardwalks over bayheads and along seepage slopes where hooded pitcher plants thrive. Old forest roads are utilized in some places to connect segments of footpath. Watch blazing carefully. An open-sided shelter provides a peaceful campsite for backpackers. Expect a lot of wading after a heavy rain, as the footpath tends to collect water.

Leaving the protection of the Osceola National Forest, the Florida Trail becomes a roadwalk on quiet back roads, broken up by short stretches of private lands as it makes its way to the Suwannee River. Once along the Suwannee, you’ll enjoy the heavy shade of the hardwood hammocks as the trail traverses extremely rugged terrain, dropping in and out of many deep ravines along the river bluffs. Stream crossings range from walking across planks and logs to hopping over narrows. Marvel at the beauty of Big Shoals and Little Shoals, Florida’s roughest whitewater.

After passing under US 41, the trail continues into White Springs, a historic and popular trail town and resupply stop and our first Florida Trail Gateway Community. If you are doing a long distance hike, stop in at American Canoe Adventures on Bridge Street to get your photo taken for the thru-hiker wall!

Map

15 Osceola The east end of this section is 15 miles east of Lake City on US 90 at the Olustee Battlefield State Historic Site. The west end is at the south entrance to the Stephen Foster State Folk Culture Center in White Springs.

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.

Trailheads

Park at the Olustee Battlefield at the east end, at the Turkey Run trailhead on SR 250, or at the Deep Creek trailhead parking area on Drew Grade. At the west end, park at the Nature & Heritage Tourism Center in White Springs or at Stephen Foster State Folk Culture Center State Park (fee charged).

Features

Botanical

Pitcher Plants

Bridges

Robinson Branch
Walking Man

Campsites

Ocean Pond
West Tower

Gateway Communities

White Springs

Geologic

Big Shoals
Robinson Branch Falls
Little Shoals

Shelters

Osceola Shelter
Madison Shelter

Conditions

This is a flat to rolling trail that passes through pine and hardwood forest and across many streams. Some wading may be necessary in the rainy season. Between the Osceola National Forest and Big Shoals State Park the trail is on rural roads until it can be moved to more scenic surroundings.

Precautions

The Osceola suffered a severe fire in 2007, blazes may be missing and infrastructure damage may be evident. Carry a map and compass. The Olustee Battlefield Museum opens at 9:00 a.m. but is closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Hikers may camp anywhere within the National Forest except during fall hunting season when camping is limited to designated campgrounds, hunt camps or the trail shelter. Hikers should wear blaze orange during hunt dates. DO NOT try to hitch-hike into Lake City on US 90, there are 3 prisons along the route.

Restrictions

Part of the trail goes through private property. Carry your FTA membership card. FTA MEMBERS ONLY are allowed passage thru Randy Madison's property and use of his cabin shelter. All others must use the road walk bypass.