Withlacoochee River Park

Hikers along the Withlacoochee River Trail

Most folks who hear about the Green Swamp imagine a giant watery wilderness like the Okeefenokee or the Everglades, but this swamp is very different. It is the headwaters of four Florida rivers—the north-flowing Withlacoochee and Ocklawaha, and the south-flowing Peace and Hillsborough. But rather than from a vast open swamp, these rivers are born in a mosaic of uplands and lowlands ranging from high, dry sandhills and upland pine forests to dark cypress floodplains and wet flatwoods. There are oak hammocks and prairies, sinkholes and caves. It’s a microcosm of Central Florida habitats and a crucial recharge area for Florida’s water supply.

There are two different trails in this park, suited for different audiences. The Withlacoochee River Trail (a.k.a. the Florida Trail, but not part of the 1,400-mile National Scenic Trail found on the other side of the river) parallels the river floodplain and leaves the park to loop 5.4 miles through cypress swamps and oak hammocks within the lushness of the Green Swamp, with two primitive campsites. The Nature Trail stays within the park and provides a 2.5 mile natural footpath connecting the picnic areas, observation tower, wetlands boardwalks, and cultural features—and offers a family-friendly primitive campsite not too far from the restrooms. Both start at the first parking lot on the left when you enter the park.