At Geneva Wilderness, follow an easy trail around a series of flatwoods ponds to discover a pleasant campsite and a chapel in the woods.

My first visit to Geneva Wilderness was also my first Florida Trail activity. I’d driven two hours to meet up with the group and got there as the heavens opened. So we packed it in and went out to dinner at a great fish camp. Luckily, the hike leader – now a dear friend – invited me to stay with her, so a group of us went out the next morning to experience the trail in the calm after the storm. I’ve seen these ponds overflowing with water (right across the trail) and dry as a bone. They’re a testament to how rainfall shapes Florida habitats.

There are two trails in this Seminole County wilderness area. Red diamonds mark the Loop Trail, which runs along the edges of the park’s many ponds and through a stand of pine forest that once was part of a turpentine camp. Yellow diamonds lead you to the Flagler Trail, a north-south multiuse trail connecting this park with Little Big Econ State Forest. The primitive campsites here are perfect for introducing young children or newbies to backpacking, as they have restrooms nearby and are an easy walk from the trailhead.

Guidebooks
50 Hikes in Central Florida
Hiker's Guide to the Sunshine State
Orlando & Central Florida: An Explorer's Guide