Florida Trail, Rice Creek Conservation Area

Hikers amid the giant slash pines

In the 1780s, British loyalists Thomas Forbes and William Panton fled from the American Revolution in Georgia to Florida, then a British colony. Applying for a land grant, they received acreage west of modern-day Palatka. Using servants to ditch dikes and build drainage canals, they established fields of rice and indigo, a native plant from which dyes are extracted, and tapped pine trees for naval stores such as turpentine. Eventually, the area was abandoned and returned to forest. Preserved in 2002 by St. Johns Water Management District, for many years it was known of and set aside as “Rice Creek Sanctuary” amid the timber holdings of Georgia Pacific.

Just 3 miles west of Palatka, this segment of the Florida Trail is incredibly lush. Bromeliads dangle from overhanging limbs. Wild azalea blooms. Cypress trees grow to incredible sizes. I was along for the hike when one of the largest, just off the trail, was officially measured by retired forester and “big tree” expert Robert Simon. By his measurements, it’s the 8th largest cypress in Florida—and you can see it from the trail.

When I hiked this area to write about it in Along the Florida Trail, you could drive right up to the trailhead for the loop where the big trees are. As of 2007, you have to hike in. But that’s a good thing. It used to be that folks loitered around the old concrete picnic tables; no more. From the parking area off SR 100, round the gate and follow the entrance road in until you see blue blazes off to the right. The blue blazed trail leads to the main section of the Florida Trail. Turn left to head into the heart of the swamp. You’ll reach the loop trail after 1.5 miles. Built and maintained by the Florida Trail Association's Putnam Crew, it’s an excellent piece of trail.