Ocala Forest - Forest Rd 11 to Hopkins Prairie

Ocala Forest Hike
Forest Road 11 to Hopkins Prairie
Hiking northwest to southeast.
Total mileage: 10.2 miles
January 2011
Started Friday evening where the trail crosses FR-11.  Forest Road 11 runs due south below Lake Kerr near Salt Springs.  The trail is marked with a Florida Trail sign.  Park on the east side of FR-88 to unload.  The first mile of the trail goes through Longleaf Pine prairie.  It is very open under the tall pines with knee high grass.  Hike about a half mile (20 minutes) along the trail and find a good spot off of the trail to camp.

We use Hopkins Prairie campsite as our base camp for our hike.  We drive all of the vehicles to the campground and the base campers drive the adult hikers back to the trail head.  In 2011 campsites at Hopkins are $10.00 per night.  The base campers have potable water available for the hikers, but the backpackers carry everything else needed for the weekend.

If you hike in late fall, winter or early spring you will wake up to golden grass bathed in sunlight.  The trail crosses a small dirt road and transitions into scrub about a mile from the trail head.  Most of the trail to the north end of the prairie traverses scrub and small pond prairies.  There is a good rest stop where the trail from Salt Springs intersects the Florida Trail.  There is a bench and a small sign pointing back to Salt Springs.

Continue on past a couple of small ponds to the north end of Hopkins Prairie.  There are several good spots to stop and eat lunch along the trail on the north end of the prairie.  The trail follows the edge of the prairie with views across the flats.  When the water is low it is a large grassy prairie.  When the water is high the trail runs along the shoreline.

You will know that you are at the Hopkins Prairie Campground when you get to the bat house.  There is a large sign next to it describing the bats.  Hikers may want to camp along the edge of the prairie or in one of several clearings just north of the campground.

For our Sunday morning hike we meet at the bat house and hike on out to FR-86.  The trail follows the campground road to the east and south and then skirts a small, deep sinkhole.  You can end your hike at FR-86 or hike about a mile further to Pat's Island on FR-51.  The Hopkins Prairie walke is a good weekend hike or training hike.