Continuing through the rolling sandhills of Florida’s Central Highlands, the Florida Trail traverses longleaf pine forests (some natural, most planted for harvesting) owned by timber companies. Dropping down along Rice Creek, the trail follows a floodplain where ancient cypresses stand sentinel over the remains of a Revolutionary War-era indigo and rice plantation. Using unpaved roads to connect protected sections, the trail swings west into Etoniah Creek State Forest, where it parallels a ravine more than forty feet deep.
Watch for the trees of Appalachia to make their first appearance along this segment—tulip poplars, dogwoods, and sassafras, as well as fragrant azaleas in spring. West of the ravine, you encounter a pleasant camping shelter at Iron Bridge, and look down from another bluff across a winding creek before working your way through dense oak forests to reach the Holloway Road trailhead. To minimize your impact to the feeder streams and marshes through this area, here are many bridges and boardwalks, and they can become slippery when wet.
A road walk presently connects the Tinsley Road trailhead at Etoniah Creek State Forest with the south gate of Gold Head Branch State Park. Inside the park, enjoy more than three miles of scenic hiking. After you pass through the cabins and picnic area along Little Lake Johnson, the trail follows Gold Head Branch upstream along the shady ravine, and emerges in a sandhill area to circle around the eerie Devil’s Washbasin before exiting the park.
The northern end of this section is at the entrance to Gold Head Branch State Park on SR 21 east of Keystone Heights. The southern end is at Buckman Lock east of SR 19.
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.
At the northern end, park at Gold Head Branch State Park for shorter hikes. At the southern end day parking is available at Buckman Lock. Trailhead s are also available for Etoniah Creek State Forest on Holloway Road, 2.6 miles north of SR 100 and on Tinsley Rd just east of Coral Farms Rd.
Boardwalks
Hoffman's Crossing, Big Cypress
Bridges
Iron Bridge
Campsites
Oak Hammock
Shelters
Iron Bridge
History
Rice Creek Conservation Area
The trail includes streams, hills, ridges, deep ravines, suburban paved or graded roads, and pine plantations. It passes through Gold Head Branch State Park, Etoniah Creek State Forest, Rice Creek Sanctuary, Caravelle Ranch WMA and private timberland.
The primitive campsite in Gold Head Branch State Park must be reserved. Call 352-473-4701 or write Gold Head Branch State Park, Rt. 1, Box 545, Keystone Heights, FL 32656. Hikers entering Goldhead from the east and wishing to stay in the campground may call the office from the picnic area and pay on the way out in the morning.
Gold Head Branch State Park: There is a limit of 12 overnight backpackers in the primitive campsite. Additional camping is available in the park's developed campground and cabins. Campfires are permitted only in fire rings.
Private: Between Etoniah Creek SF and Buckman Lock private landowners require hikers to carry their FTA membership card. Do not climb banks of Etoniah Ravine. Erosion will cause damage.
Buckman Lock: Combination lock number available for FTA members who are thru-hiking. All others must cross during lock operation hours. Open 7 am to 3 pm, 6 days a week - closed Wednesdays. Southbound hikers should check in at Visitor Center. Northbound hikers may call the lock attendant 386-329-3575 or the Visitor Center 386-312-2273 to assure availability for passage. DO NOT cross the lock when personnel are not on duty.
Caravelle Ranch WMA: Hunting is allowed. Wear blaze orange during hunt seasons.
Hiking 
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Grab and Go Hike: Etoniah Creek
Florida Trail Map Brochure