Resurrection fern swarms over the oak limbs, lush and green after the evening’s rain. A loblolly pine with a split trunk towers over the trail. Spaghnum moss covers the banks of a narrow point in the creek. Reaching a T intersection above the creek, turn left to follow it, passing another sandy beach on an elbow in the creek. There are more enormous Southern magnolias in this part of the woods, which will fill the air with sweet fragrance when they bloom in early June. This broad path tunnels through the forest, with enormous Southern magnolias overhead, before reaching the first interpretive marker along this trek, on the layers of the forest.Īnother gateway on the right tempts. Keep uphill at the fork, with the side channel of the creek to the left, and left again at the junction of the yellow and blue trails, scrambling over a mass of roots.Įmerging at the stream after 0.4 mile, cross it again–it’s easier to do from this direction, using the limestone and roots as steps of a sort–and return to the Hogtown Greenway. The trail reaches a peninsula where you can peer out into the residential and commercial district intersection of University and 34th Street.įollow the trail as it curves to the right and heads up the other waterway, merging into the blue triangle blazed trail.
It’s obvious that when it rains, floodwaters tear through this floodplain, reshaping the creek and its banks. Walk onto the horseshoe and see the meander of the creek around it. The trail follows another bend in the creek, deeply carved from water rushing through a narrows around a horseshoe bend. Small rapids burble in the creek adjoining the trail, smooth Solomon’s seal emerging from shady spots on the forest floor. On the left is a sweeping sand bluff created by floodwaters depositing sand on a curve. This is definitionally an urban forest, because in every direction you’re surrounded by residential and commercial lots. The trail passes a massive Southern magnolia with a split trunk. Sizable loblolly pines tower overhead you have to crane your head towards the canopy to see them. At the top of the far bluff, keep left at the fork to follow the yellow blazes, simple dots on the trail. Turn right and work your way down to the water’s edge to cross the creek. The trail to the left was marked closed during our visit. There are lots of roots underfoot.Īt a T intersection in the trail, a bluff overlooks the fast-moving water you see the ripple effect in the sand bottom of the basin.
The trail approaches a small sinkhole in this dense bluff forest, where dogwoods bloom in late winter.
Where you see the fencing off to the right that looks like a little gateway ushering you down a side trail, turn right.
This broad path is the Hogtown Greenway, a linear connector that gets a lot of use. Leaving the parking area, walk up the path past the old environmental center and a picnic bench at the entrance to the park. Parking is also available at another entrance to the park off 8th Avenue on NW 31st Drive. Alternate parking is possible farther up NW 34th Street at a city park on the right, connecting to this entrance via a sidewalk. The right turn onto 5th Avenue comes up very quickly, with a tiny sign hidden between residences. From Interstate 75 exit 387, Newberry Road, drive east 2.8 miles past the Oaks Mall and continue towards the University of Florida.
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