Split Oak Forest
The highlight to visiting Split Oak Forest is seeing
the Split Oak that the park was named after. Incredible as it might seem this
200 year-old oak tree split itself in half about 50 years ago due to the weight
of its own branches and yet it's still growing. There are a number of ways of
getting to this spot. The most direct route would be to follow the green loop
trail clockwise for about 1.5 miles.
After visiting the Split Oak itself, make sure to
checkout the boardwalk going out to Bonnet Pond. Lots of birds including the
large Sandhill Cranes come in to feed in this area. To get here from the
Split Oak, just follow the blue Lake Loop trail for about 0.25 miles. There's a
short spur trail that takes you out to the boardwalk.
Another interpretive boardwalk to checkout is the
one for Saw Grass Marsh. Located about 2 miles from the trailhead. You can get
there by following the yellow trail south of the parking lot.
Location
Located in south Orange County, Florida about 10
miles southeast of Orlando International Airport.
Directions
For South Entrance: from the Central
Florida Greenway (SR 417), take exit 22 and head south on Narcoossee Road (CR
15) for about 3.6 miles. Turn left on Clapp Simms Duda Road and follow road
until it makes a sharp left turn (about 1.5 miles). The parking area will be on your right.
For North Entrance: from SR 417, take
exit 22 and head north on Narcoossee Road for about 1 mile. Turn right on Moss
Park Road and follow road until it ends (about 5 miles).
Hours
Park is open daily from sunrise to sundown.
Fees
No fee required as long as you enter the park from
Clapp Simms Duda Road. A one dollar fee is collect at the Moss Park
entrance.
Hiking
Split Oak Forest has over 8 miles of hiking
trails. The trails are divided into 3 loops: the 1 mile Lake Loop
(blazed blue), the 3.2 mile North Loop (blazed green) and the 4.5 mile South
Loop (blazed yellow). Also, there are two small spur trails: the Lake
Hart Spur and the Bonnet Pond Spur. Each are accessible from the Lake Loop. A
0.6 mile long connector trail, known as the Swamp Trail, provides access to
the neighboring Moss Park.
Make sure to bring plenty of water and some sun
protection. Very little shade is offered on these exposed sandy trails.
Camping
Camping is not permitted at Split Oak Forest, but
camp sites are available at nearby Moss Park.
Hunting
Hunting or possession of firearms is prohibited in
Split Oak Forest.
Maps
Infrared
aerial map showing hiking trails at Split Oak Forest.
Interactive
aerial map of Split Oak Forest from Terraserver.
Interactive
topographical map of Split Oak Forest from Topozone.
GPS Data
Flowers
Netted
Pawpaw and Skyblue
Lupine
Pink
Sundew and Rose
Rush
Local Weather
Trail Notes
- 21-Apr-2002: Entrance to park is getting a
new facelift. A new wooden fence is being constructed around the parking
area. Also the main entrance sign is being replaced. Hiked about 3.5 miles
to the split oak and back. Trails as usual were very sandy. Discovered a
couple of ponds that I never knew existed. On a hot day like this, they were quite refreshing.
- 10-Mar-2002: This was my first visit
to the park, so I spent most of the day mapping out the trails with a GPS
receiver. One of the things I noticed along the way were a lot of different
kinds of trail markings.
Links
Last updated on 13-Jan-2007 at 9:12 P.M.
