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 60 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 until you reach marker #8 (about 1.5 miles).
Split Oak
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 a short distance until
you see marker #9.
There's a
short spur trail that takes you out to the
boardwalk.
Bonnet Pond
Another interpretive boardwalk to checkout is the one for
Saw Grass Marsh. It's located about 2 miles from the parking lot.
Follow the green trail marks (backwards) until you reach marker
#23.
Saw Grass
Marsh
One of the spectacular features of Split
Oak
Forest are the
huge man made ponds that were created during the early 1980s.
Piles of fill dirt from these colossal projects can still be
found along the banks in the form of stand dunes. The most
popular and often visited man-made pond is the one located near trail
marker #3 just off the Center Trail. Another deep water pond is located
on the north side of the green trail near marker #8.
Man-made Pond
Location
Located in south Orange County, Florida about 10
miles
southeast of Orlando International Airport.
Directions
Main
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. GPS coordinates: N28°
21.202 W81° 12.667.
Moss
Park Trailhead:
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). GPS
coordinates: N28°
22.198 W81° 11.375
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 about 7.5 miles of hiking
trails. The trails are divided into 3 loops: the
1.3 mile Lake Loop, the 3 mile North Loop and the 4 mile South
Loop. 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.
Tail Signs
Restrictions
No camping, hunting or bike riding allowed in Split
Oak Forest.
Pet Policy
No dogs are allowed in Split Oak Forest.
Maps
These are some of the maps for the Split Oak
Forest. You can enlarge them by clicking on the thumbnail
image. Printer versions of these maps can also be downloaded and
printed using Adobe
Reader.
-
A topographical maps
showing hiking trails, roads
and points of interests within the Split Oak Forest.
- 2004 aerial map showing hiking trails in Split Oak Forest.
GPS Data
Flowers
Local Weather
Trail Notes
- 18-Mar-2012: Most of the trails have been remarked
using
numbered signs with different colors depending on which section you're
hiking. Blue signs mark the Lake Trail, yellow signs
mark the Center Trail, and green signs are use to mark the
North/South Loop Trail. For more details, see new forest
trail map.
- Old
Trail Notes
Links
Last
updated on 19-Mar-2012
