Riverbanks Adventure Forum

Withlacoochee River Park – A cultural and natural gem in the heart of the Green Swamp

// November 10th, 2009 // Adventures, Camping, Canoeing, Fishing, Florida, Florida Canoe Trail, Hiking, Kayaking

Hollowed Tree by Riverbanksoutdoorstore

Withlacoochee River Park is a great place for family gatherings or just a nice place to unwind and spend the day!
The Withlacoochee River Park is part of the Green Swamp and sits on the banks of the Withlacoochee River South. There is a canoe launch for paddling and fishing, several picnic areas, primitive campsites through the park, group campsites, a 2.5 mile nature trail that connects with a 5.5 mile Florida Trail hiking spur just outside of the park. The park also provides cultural learning opportunities with an original native American ceremonial hut in a small replica Indian Village complete with archery range. There is also a small replica Florida Cracker village near to group campsite for scouts to play. Be alert for the displays of chainsaw art carved in tree stumps in the forms of statues and chairs that add whimsy to this vast forest.
The park is also handicapped friendly as it provides a paved path throughout the park the parallels the nature trail in several spots. Families also frequent this trail on bicycles for a nice ride through the forest.

Saturday I met my friend Sandra Friend to hike the Withlacoochee River Park for her new edition of 50 Hikes in Central Florida. We began our journey along the West bank of the River where the Florida Trail Association maintains a 5.5 mile spur trail just outside of the park. Although it is not part of the main National Scenic Florida Trail, it is a nice jaunt that leads you along the west flood plain of the river laden with Cypress knees. It drifts slightly west into the sand-hills with resurrection fern covered live oaks and an occasional greenfly orchid. Plants that only thrive in the most humid of conditions! The trail leads you to a primitive campsite and loops back with the option to either enter the park or retrace your steps back along the river. Saturday we felt adventurous and veered into the park to follow 2.2 mile nature trail. This trail was a pleasant trek as it leads you through a diversity of natural Florida habitats. We trekked through an oak hammock boasting mature live oaks with winding twisting arms blanketed underneath with contrasting lime green saw palmettos. The trail then leads you on a boardwalk over a wet prairie currently covered with mustard yellow button flowers and amber colored fall grasses back into a sand-hill habitat with spots of  purple blazing star and puffs of grey deer moss. A sturdy viewing tower sits at the north end of the loop and worth the five storey climb for breathtaking views of the Green Swamp. You can see Cypress domes line the Withlacoochee River shores in the distance. As we continued through the sand-hills the trail crosses the vast wet prairie again over another boardwalk. We came upon a replica Florida cracker village next to a large group campsite with families and young scouting boys full of energy and delight as they played in these historic landmarks. We continued through the village and back on the trail to come upon a native American ceremonial hut with a practice archery range behind it. We revelled in the Indian Village a few moments imagining the lifestyles our predecessors had lived on these lands before us. From here we followed the nature trail back to the picnic area in which we parked our cars.
Withlacoochee River Park is truly an enjoyable place to hike!

Guide Books: 50 Hikes in Central Florida

View more photos of the Withlacoochee River Park