Florida Trail, Little Big Econ State Forest (Econlockhatchee River)

Little Big Econ State Forest, Florida Forest Service (Oviedo, Chuluota, and Geneva, east of Orlando)

“The Florida Trail through palms and oaks along the Econlockhatchee River” by B A Bowen Photography , CC BY 2.0 · Source · Resized for the web

The Little Big Econ State Forest protects the winding Econlockhatchee River east of Orlando, and the Florida Trail follows its banks through palm hammocks and pines on bluffs above the blackwater river. Florida Hikes describes more than 10,000 acres of uplands and cypress edged by suburbs on one side and ranches on the other. A reservable backpacking camp, West Camp, sits right on the trail near the Barr Street trailhead.

Backpacker called it a hammock-camping hotspot, and the mild winters make it a good season-opener.

The hike

The Florida Forest Service says the forest has 15.6 miles of hiking trails, of which 8.9 miles are the Florida National Scenic Trail, reached from the Barr Street hiking trailhead. Florida Hikes describes the Florida Trail segment as 9.8 miles linear, running from Chuluota toward Oviedo.

Florida Hikes describes the route from the Chuluota end. The trail follows the river through hickory-dominated forest to the north end of the Kolokee Trail at 6.1 miles, a cross-trail that makes a balloon-shaped loop possible from several trailheads. At 6.7 miles, the series of campsites that make up West Camp begins, set in the pines. Beyond them, the trail leaves the river to follow Salt Creek upstream, and at 6.9 miles, just after a bridge, a 0.2-mile blue-blazed side trail leads to the Barr Street trailhead.

The Visit Florida hiking brochure, published by Florida DEP, describes the trail along the Econlockhatchee with scenic views from palm hammocks on bluffs high above the river, crossing numerous bridges over steep ravines.

West Camp is the backpacking destination. The Forest Service says it’s located near the Barr Street hiking trailhead, can only be reached from the hiking trail, and has designated campsites with a picnic table, lantern holder, charcoal grill, and fire ring. Florida Hikes says one of the sites is set aside for groups and that the camp is only a quarter mile east of the Barr Street trailhead on the Florida Trail.

Backpacker’s suggestion was to claim a campsite or hammock-friendly pair of trees beside the tannic water, then walk the 1.5-mile Kolokee Loop, which follows the river before doglegging north through pine woods and circling back to West Camp. It noted January highs in the 70s and few bugs.

The forest’s other camp is for paddlers. The Forest Service says the East Camp Zone, along the Econlockhatchee River Paddling Trail, is accessible only by canoe or kayak, and that at certain times of year high river levels make it inaccessible.

Florida Rambler describes the forest as about 5,000 acres in a suburban area within the triangle formed by Orlando, Cocoa, and Daytona Beach, with two main entrances: the Barr Street Trailhead off SR 426 near Oviedo, and the equestrian trailhead and forest headquarters on Snow Hill Road just east of there. Wikipedia notes the separate Kilbee Tract lies to the east along the St. Johns River, the longest river in the state.

AllTrails lists the 9.5-mile Geneva Wilderness Loop from Barr Street and the 9.3-mile Jones East Florida Trail and River Trail Loop among the forest’s longer routes.

For a longer Central Florida trip, see the Florida Trail on the Cross Florida Greenway.

Tips

Reserve West Camp. The Forest Service says overnight parking at Barr Street is for visitors with a camping reservation.
Don’t plan to hike to East Camp. It’s reachable only by canoe or kayak.
Bring a hammock. Backpacker called the area a hammock-camping hotspot.
Walk the Kolokee Loop. It’s a short loop back to West Camp along the river.
Come in winter. Backpacker noted mild January weather and few bugs.

Camping

Camping on the Florida Trail in Little Big Econ State Forest is at West Camp, which the Forest Service says has designated campsites with a picnic table, lantern holder, charcoal grill, and fire ring, reachable only from the hiking trail. Reservations are made through the Florida State Forests system or by calling the forest at 407-971-3500. Florida Hikes says one site is for groups.

Inside Intel: West Camp is close to the car but feels away from it. Florida Hikes puts it about a quarter mile east of the Barr Street trailhead, and Backpacker recommends grabbing a site by the tannic river, then using the afternoon for the Kolokee Loop.

Trail facts

Distance: About 9.8 miles linear (Florida Hikes); West Camp is about a quarter mile from Barr Street
Route type: Point to point, or lollipop with the Kolokee Trail
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Campsites: West Camp (reserved; includes a group site)
Water: Econlockhatchee River. Treat all water.
Permits: Campsite reservation required
Hunting: Only in the Kilbee and Culpepper Tracts (Florida Hikes)
Trailheads: Barr Street (CR 426, northeast of Oviedo); Snow Hill Road (Chuluota)
Last verified: October 2, 2026

The Lowdown

A winter night on the Econ:

Central Florida winter nights by the river call for a comfortable sleeping bag. See which bags testers rate.

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Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.