Enjoy the splendor of a walk along the bluffs of one of Florida’s most beautiful rivers.

Not far from the sprawl of new homes swallowing pastures and orange groves surrounding Oviedo and Chuluota, a ribbon of wilderness remains. It is the Little-Big Econ State Forest, more than 5,000 acres of uplands and cypress swamps flanking the Econlockhatchee River, a true Central Florida treasure. Along its 1,400-mile route across the Sunshine State, the Florida Trail makes its way around the suburbs east of Orlando by paralleling the sinuous course of the “Econ,” as locals call it, for several miles. It is a superb footpath, deeply shaded by grand old oaks and magnolias high atop the river bluffs, meandering through stands of tall, slender cabbage palms while offering scenic views every few footfalls. It is one of my favorite trails in Florida, and after you hike it, it’ll be one of yours, too.

There are several options for hikes along this 7.3 mile stretch of the Florida Trail. With one car, the best bet is an out-and-back walk southbound from the Barr Street trailhead along Geneva Road down to the Flagler Trail at the bridge over the river, for a 5-mile round-trip. You also have the option of a northbound hike from Barr Street to Lockwood Road, a 5.4-mile round-trip. With two cars, you can complete all or part of the section between Oviedo and Chuluota.