www.floridatrail.org | Lake Arbuckle Trail | Trail, Park, Pine, Through, Range

Florida Trail Activities in Your Area

Check out our chapter websites and Meetup groups for activities in your area. Visit the Chapters page, scroll down to the bottom and look for your county. Click on the chapter for a county to go to its web page. Florida Trail Association activities include day hikes, backpacking trips, canoeing and kayaking, bicycling, picnics, and campouts. Day hikes may focus on birding, plant identification, geocaching or historic sites. Most activities are held locally, but some chapters travel to other parts of the state or out of state for extended trips. However you like to enjoy the great outdoors, there's a Florida Trail activity for you!


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Trail

Loop and Side Trails

South Florida Side Trails

Lake Arbuckle Trail

Length: 15 mile loop

Located off SR 64 about ten miles east of the US 27 intersection in Avon Park. Enter only through the gate on SR 64 at the south end of Lake Arbuckle. Hike through pine palmetto flatlands, oak and hardwood forests and sand pine scrub.

Overview

Snowy Egret (Judd Goodlin) The Lake Arbuckle Trail in the Avon Park Air Force Range provides a weekend backpacking loop through typical Central Florida terrain, a mixture of pine palmetto flatland, oak and hardwood hammock, commercial pine plantations and sand pine scrub. Wildlife, especially waterfowl, is abundant. You may see osprey, sandhill cranes, eagles and the distinctively marked Audubon's caracara. The trail passes Fort Arbuckle, an historic site. Since the land is leased to ranchers, you will encounter cattle along the hike.

Avon Park is an active military range. This trail is near an active bombing area. Do not leave the trail. The U.S. Government assumes no liability for injuries to persons hiking this trail! You must check in and out at the Natural Resources Recreation Office. Call them in advance to ensure that the trail is open, as it does close during military practice maneuvers. THERE ARE CLOSURES FOR AT LEAST A FEW HOURS ALMOST EVERY WEEKDAY.

Map

S1 Arbuckle, Avon Park The trail is in the Avon Park Air Force Range, off SR 64 about ten miles east of the US 27 intersection in Avon Park. Enter only through the gate on SR 64 at the south end of Lake Arbuckle.

Purchase map South 1

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 Willingham Campground (as shown on map).

Conditions

Both overnight and day hikes may be made through pine palmetto flatlands, oak and hardwood forests and sand pine scrub. The trail is mostly dry.

Precautions

Call Outdoor Recreation Office at 863-452-4254. If no answer, call Natural Resources Office at 863-452-4119 for information about current restrictions and hunting seasons. Take Option 5 to get a recording of whether the Range is open.

Restrictions

Do not touch any devices resembling munitions. The trail is closed to hikers during general hunting season and may be closed for military operations. Check in and out at the Natural Resources Office. Build campfires only at designated campsites, and leave no trace of fire.