Florida Trail, Little Big Econ
Written by Sandra Friend
Enjoy the splendor of a walk along the bluffs of one of Florida’s most beautiful rivers on a spectacular section of the Florida Trail near Orlando. 
Surrounded by the sprawl of new homes now crowding Oviedo and Chuluota, a sprawl swallowing pastures and orange groves, 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. It’s been renamed for a politico just recently, but the traditional name just isn’t going to go away. It is a legendary place.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.
Guidebooks
The Florida Trail: The Official Hiking Guide
Along the Florida Trail
Hiker's Guide to the Sunshine State
Orlando & Central Florida: An Explorer's Guide
Locator
Directions & LocationTo find the Barr Street trailhead, follow SR 426 east from Oviedo towards Geneva. It’s only a mile or so past Lockwood Rd in Little-Big Econ State Forest. There is a per person usage fee.
The multi-use Flagler Trail runs from the Geneva Wilderness Area (farther down SR 426 towards Geneva) to Snow Hill Road at Chuluota, and the Florida Trail uses the Flagler Trail to cross the Econlockhatchee River and continues along it to a prominent trailhead on Snow Hill Road. There is no fee to access the trail from this trailhead.
Unless you work with a friend to place cars at both ends, it’s an out-and-back hike from either trailhead, but the hike is far better experienced from Barr Street. You can also add to this hike by exploring the white-blazed Kolokee Loop, part of the Florida State Forests Trailwalker Program, or by following the Flagler Trail northeast to the Geneva Wilderness.
The Florida Trail now heads south from the Flagler Trail through more of the state forest, so another option is to park at the trail crossing at Snow Hill Road, or in the residential area where the trail emerges near Lake Mills.
Overview
OverviewLocation: Oviedo
Length: 7.3 miles with connectors to other trails
Lat-Long: 28.687403, -81.159278
Type: linear
Fees / Permits: fee for parking at Barr Street trailhead
Good for: primitive camping, scenic beauty
Difficulty: 2 of 5
Bug factor: 2 of 5
Restroom: No
CAUTION: If the river is high, the trail will flood in many places, including the side channels. Do not attempt this hike if water is flowing across the trail at any point.
Map
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Details
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