The Enchanted Forest

Once upon a time, sixteen hikers gathered together in a clearing surrounded by a true Florida oddity—rocks. Not just any rocks, mind you, but rocks that could dwarf a Chevy Nova. Not just any large rocks, mind you, but huge slabs of coquina, a sedimentary rock formed by the compression of tiny shards of broken seashells. And not just any huge slabs of coquina, but ones where natural processes drilled perfectly round holes through the rock—solution holes, a type of sinkhole.

We knew right then we were in a magical place.

Enchanted Forest Nature Sanctuary is a small preserve of incredible diversity, scarcely a mile west of the Indian River, south of Titusville. Purchased through Brevard County’s Environmentally Endangered Lands program, the area used to be a favored spot for dirt bikers and ATVs. Now fully fenced and staffed with volunteer docents, the deep forest, scrub, and coquina ridge are off limits to all but hikers.

This morning we are not the only large group hiking the forest. We slip by a crowd on an interpretive plant walk. This park is an excellent place to brush up on botany, as many signs mark specific plants.