Rock Springs Lake Trail Hiking Guide
Rock Springs Run State Reserve is the quiet sibling of Wekiwa Springs: more than 14,000 acres of scrub, flatwoods and swamp along the far bank of Rock Springs Run, with no swimming hole to draw a crowd. The Rock Springs Lake Trail is a 5.5-mile loop through that backcountry, on the same sandy tracks that riders and mountain bikers use. Come for solitude and wildlife, and come prepared to navigate.
Permit: Rock Springs Run State Reserve charges an honor admission fee of $3 per vehicle (up to eight people) and $2 for pedestrians, cyclists and extra passengers. No reservation is needed. Hunters on scheduled hunt weekends need FWC quota permits; hikers do not.
The Route
AllTrails lists the Rock Springs Lake Trail as a 5.5-mile loop with only about 68 feet of gain, through sand pine scrub, pine flatwoods and bayheads. The state reserve does not publish mileage for this particular loop; it describes 14 miles of hiking trails and 17 miles of equestrian trails across the property, so this route is one way of stringing those together rather than a single signed trail. AllTrails reviewers mention poorly marked junctions and the odd water crossing, and some suggest following the horse tracks. Load the route for offline use before you arrive, and carry the water, map and compass the park itself recommends for what it calls a wilderness area.
Getting In
The entrance moved. Access is now from Rock Springs Reserve Road and Wekiva River Road in Sorrento, at 31515 Wekiva River Road, and the old entrance off State Road 429 opens only for hunt participants. The reserve is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day, though its trail page also tells hikers the park closes at sundown, so in winter plan to be out before dark whichever comes first. Admission is on the honor system: $3 per vehicle for up to eight people, or $2 per person on foot or bike. There is no swimming and no river access here; the park points swimmers to Kelly Park, an Orange County park a short drive away.
Hunt Weekends
The reserve is co-managed with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as the Rock Springs Run Wildlife Management Area, and FWC runs quota-permit deer and small-game hunts here. On those weekends the reserve stays open for hiking, but some trails close and hunting areas are posted. The park's pages differ on the window, one saying September through January and another October through January, so call Wekiwa Springs State Park at 407-553-4383 before a fall or winter visit and wear bright colors either way.
Bears, Heat and Water
FWC calls the reserve part of an important corridor for the Florida black bear, and it also shelters Florida scrub-jays, gopher tortoises, eastern indigo snakes and Sherman's fox squirrels. Give any bear room and keep food packed away. The scrub sections offer almost no shade, so summer hikes belong in the early morning, ahead of the heat and the afternoon thunderstorms. Low spots in the bayheads hold water after rain.
Dogs and Rules
The reserve allows pets on its trails if you hold the leash and it is six feet or shorter, and FWC's area rules likewise require physical restraint for any dog not used in a hunt. Pick up after your dog. Dogs are not allowed at the reserve's primitive campsites. Expect to meet riders and mountain bikers on the same sandy tracks, so step aside and speak up as horses approach.
Hiking tips for Rock Springs Lake Trail
- Download the route before you go; junctions are confusing and signal is spotty.
- Use the Wekiva River Road entrance in Sorrento, not the old SR 429 gate.
- Pay the $3 honor fee at the entrance even when no ranger is there.
- Call the park about hunt-weekend trail closures before any fall or winter trip.
- Wear something bright from September through January.
Nearby trails to explore
- Wekiwa Springs Volksmarch Trail
- Black Bear Wilderness Area Trail
- St. Francis Trail (Ocala National Forest)
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Poorly marked backcountry is safer with a second set of eyes on the map. Use TrailMates to find Orlando hikers heading to Rock Springs Run State Reserve. Download the TrailMates app to connect.