Bob Deakin Short Stories

The Wekiwa Springs State Park in Apopka, Florida provides as unlikely a location for an off-road distance run as any in the Orlando area. The 7,000-acre state park contains four interweaving trails of varying distances for a total of 13.5 miles of running, hiking, biking and horse trails. It all begins at the 20-foot deep natural spring pool pumping 42 million gallons of water per day as the head water of the Wekiva River (yes, one Wekiwa has a ‘w’ and the other a ‘v’) and centerpiece of the park.

The water stays a constant 72 degrees year round and the park, once owned by the Wilson Cypress Company and later purchased by a group of hunters incorporated as the Apopka Sportsmen’s Club. The state purchased the property in 1969, opened it to the public in 1970 and it has been popular with overnight campers, canoeists and equestrians ever since, with approximately 185,000 visitors each year.

The run along the Volksmarch Trail (orange blaze) was the choice for a run at Wekiwa Springs on a recent August morning. This trail runs 5.3 miles through a combination of damp shaded woods and open dry scrub in direct sunlight over hard and soft sand footing. It begins near the main entrance on the top of the hill at the popular swimming area.

Right away this was a tough run with necessary hops and skips over uneven soft sand trail. Temps in the mid-90s and a heat index over 100 with high humidity added to the challenge. About a half-mile in, the trail passes the “Family Campground” and one wonders why anyone would camp way the heck out here in August in Florida. Unless they are part of a “Save the Mosquitoes” watchdog organization or just like sweating a lot, it seems a curious getaway.

Nonetheless, the trail gets drier and drier from that point on, evolving into desert-like settings for the next mile, alternating between saw palmetto-covered scrub to thin pine forest up to Lake Prevatt, barely visible to the south but a sign of life in an otherwise sun-dried lifeless environment. Shady oak and pine forest take over from there, leading to an interchange of all of the trails in the lower third section of Wekiwa Springs State Park.

Along the trails, no water is available so preparation is a must. Cell phone coverage is good throughout, so taking note of the park ranger’s number is a good idea. Maps are generously provided at the trail head and trails are well-marked throughout, both on trees and numbered wooden markers corresponding to the map. As with any trail in Florida in summer, come prepared with water and a sensible knowledge of endurance.

This is a tough 5.3 miles for a runner. It feels longer than that, especially in summer, and the finish line will be a very welcome sight. It will be heard long before it is seen, with kids screaming in the main spring pool at the entrance with a hill full of sun bathers, weekend football quarterbacks and Frisbee players ringing the swimming area. What may have seemed like an irritating, crowded pool at the outset of the run will be a welcome splash in the cool, cool water at the end.

There are a number of trail options for runners at Wekiwa Springs, short and long, as well as bikers and equestrians. Even if one wishes to run on pavement, there are miles of road to traverse, with plenty of opportunities to step off onto paths or at various camps. In addition to the main spring pool, swimming is available in the Rock Springs Run, used by tubers, which leads directly to the main pool. Keep in mind that snakes and gators also use this water path but it is typically safe because of the number of people in the water, but it is Florida, so caution must be exercised. Rock Springs Run is quite a distance from most points of the hiking trails, so if runners reach it they are likely to be more focused on cooling of than anything else.

Once again, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection has done a wonderful job of providing and maintaining a beautiful park for all to enjoy, and most will likely never see the majority of the park. It is a treasure but it is dry Florida scrub forest with very little water seen throughout so prepare accordingly and enjoy.

Wekiwa Springs State Park Slide Show

Copyright 2010

Tags: apopka, apopka sportsmen's club, bob deakin, florida, rock springs run, volksmarch trail, wekiva river, wekiwa springs, wilson cypress company