Bob Deakin Short Stories

A family heads down one of the loops of the Sand Hill Nature Trail. Photo by Bob Deakin

If you’ve ever wondered what’s behind that little dirt parking lot at the intersection of S.R. 46 and Longwood/Markham Rd. in Sanford, FL, it’s the Sand Hill Nature Trail, part of the Lower Wekiva River Preserve State Park, about a mile west of I 4 (Exit 101C). For runners it serves as a usable location for a quick, off-road run in the non-summer months or during hot weather if you can take it.

It would be fun to describe the vistas, the waterfowl and the wide-open spaces awaiting walkers and runners but this isn’t the place for that. The Sand Hill Nature Trail is a series of narrow foot trails through the jungle. I went there for one reason: because it’s there.

The state of Florida is not required to provide a scintillating run for you or me in their state parks but they do provide access here, for free. With the current trends of “muscle confusion” in getting a good workout using different runs, bikes and other workouts, this is definitely another track to run to test the legs for short bursts and quick turns.

It’s a beautiful park and only part of the much larger parcel comprising the Lower Wekiva River Preserve State Park, found through a different entrance, but not a runner’s destination unless you like keeping your head down, making lots of turns and stops and stepping over uneven sand and vegetation.

For walks and educational tours of the plants and wildlife the Sand Hill Nature Trail is a great resource for the state and the community. On a recent Saturday morning the Department of Environmental Protection was hosting an interpretive hike of the property for nearly two dozen botanical enthusiasts enthralled with the property and its inhabitants – moving and not moving.

The trails are well cleared and clean and wide enough for two people walking in tandem. This is obviously a problem for runners as it’s hard to be subtle when you run upon a stranger or two in the middle of the jungle at full speed with no warning. The park is not usually crowded but with one-plus-mile loops, if it’s distance you want and comfort you covet this will be a tough place to get it.

The three trails range from .06 to 1.1 miles long, interlocking with one another leading back to the parking lot. It is possible to get some mileage in running the service road around the park (about 3.5 miles) but the scenery is dull and the footing difficult with worn down vehicle tracks creating shallow ditches the whole way. Not good for the ankles with running shoes on.

If it is a long, scenic run through a jungle setting that is desired, drive another nine miles northwest to the Lake Norris Conservation Area in Eustis for an incredible experience or head back to the I 4 and head north to the Hontoon Island State Park in Deland for a Florida island all to yourself.

If you’re curious, horses are not allowed nor are mountain bikes, regardless of the photos in the slide show provided. Pets are allowed. This is a secluded area and prepare accordingly. The trail maps at the kiosk at the entrance are very simple and the trails are not well-marked. The only online reference to the trail is at the Hiking/Nature Trail icon at the link provided for the park web site.

The Lower Wekiva Preserve is a destination for hikers and walkers that don’t want to go a long distance. If you’re used to running more than three miles at a clip go to the Lake Norris Conservation Area. It is also wise to visit the Sand Hill Nature Trail from November through April as the hot weather months will make it challenging with the bugs, humidity and other moving things.

Sand Hill Nature Trail Slide Show

Originally published on Examiner.com in April 2011

Copyright 2011

The White Loop trail winds around the bend at the Hal Scott Regional Preserve and Park in Orange County, FL. Photo by Bob Deakin

An off-road distance runner’s dream, the Hal Scott Regional Preserve and Park is as rural a setting as imaginable just outside the Orlando city limits, yet as far away as possible, environmentally speaking. There are no phones, restroom facilities or drinking water on the property, just lots of trees, grass, wet prairie, ponds and canals.

Three separate trails ring the park, each laid out in rough circles, joined in the center near the park entrance. There is a 6.3-mile yellow loop, a 6.1-mile red loop and a 4.3-mile white loop, each approximately 15 feet wide and covered with worn grass or hard-packed sand. Considering the distances, it is ideal for a distance runner looking to break away from the confines of city streets and pounding concrete, or a mountain biker looking for an easy ride in the middle of nowhere. As long as the trails are, they cover a mere fraction of the 9,515 acres of park property along the Econlockhatchee River.

The park has several designated camping areas, which are open year-round and popular with school groups and equestrian clubs, as motorized vehicles and hunting are not permitted. The camping areas are little more than clearings alongside the trail, but for a group with plans to ride, hike or explore, the park is expansive and holds a variety of landscapes. Wildlife includes bobcat, gopher tortoise, river otter and indigo snake, and the area has protected zones for endangered species including the red-cockaded woodpecker.

Serenity defines the Hal Scott Regional Preserve and Park. Even the drive to get there is quiet once outside Orlando. It is not a place to travel alone for most, as safety in numbers is advisable. A few minutes into a run or ride and one is in the middle of deep Florida bush, with only the birds flying overhead having any view of civilization. The only other sign of human interference along the trails is an occasional opening through the forest revealing a glimpse of smoke trails from the nearby Stanton Energy Center, which is quite a stark contrast of images on a clear day.

The St. Johns River Water Management District’s Division of Land Management is the primary owner and overseer of the property, in cooperation with Orange County. The Hal Scott Regional Park and Preserve was originally purchased in separate parcels from private landowners from 1992 to 1998 with assistance from the Florida Department of Transportation, Orange County and the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority. The park is named in honor of the late Hal Scott, former president of the Florida Audubon Society (now Audubon of Florida) from 1971 through 1980, a partner in the former Herndon, Iles & Scott insurance agency in Orlando and a long-time advocate of the preservation of land along the Econlockhatchee River.

The park is located at 5150 Dallas Boulevard in east Orange County outside Orlando city limits and at least a half-hour drive from downtown. It is located south of Bithlo approximately ten miles southwest of East Colonial Drive (S.R.50) and five miles north of the Beachline Expressway (S.R.528). According to the St. Johns River Water Management District, the park will eventually contain restroom facilities and connect with Long Branch Park to the north.

As running or biking areas in Central Florida go, Hal Scott is not among the most spectacular – such
as Hontoon Island State Park or the Lake Norris Conservation Area – but beautiful nonetheless, more so for those interested in plants and wildlife, which is, of course, the purpose of the preserve. There is little shade to be had and barely any waterfront areas to sit and relax or take in the sights. Many of the trail areas are also not passable in wet weather, and once off the trail it’s bushwhacking through the wilderness.

These are trails for strong runners or novice mountain bikers. In respect to the natural setting, lack of facilities and spotty Cell phone coverage, bring lots of water, sun block, and alert someone before using the trails, particularly in extreme heat.

Copyright 2010

A long view of clouds over Lake Norris Rd. in Eustis, FL. Photo by Bob Deakin

For those looking for a long, straight and sunny run or ride, free of traffic, intersections or the need for trail directions, Lake Norris Road in Eustis, Florida is just the thing.

Located off State Road (SR) 44A near the Black Bear Golf Club, Lake Norris Rd. is approximately four miles long in the most rural section of Eustis that was formerly an orange grove, and still is at the north end.

Serenity and quiet dominate this landscape that is dotted with homes for the first mile then spreads out into untouched farmland, swampland and forest, leading to Lake Norris, a virtually pristine body of water inaccessible to the general public, except for those who live on the lake or are willing to make a mile-long trek on foot to get to it.

Public parking is available at the Lake Norris Conservation Area, about two thirds of the way down Lake Norris Rd. It is a grass-covered lot, used mostly by horse-toting pickup trucks and equestrians parking for their ride through miles of the conservation area. The public is welcome to use the horse trails on foot or on hooved creatures, and the area is a peaceful respite after a long run or bike ride. Take a look at the wildlife in the adjacent Blackwater Creek, hike it to Lake Norris or just sit back and watch the birds, planes and ultra lite crafts fly overhead on a warm sunny day.

Lake Norris Rd. is two lanes with a 45 mph speed limit, a couple sharp curves and long straight stretches with little more than black cows, cactus and wide open stretches of grass. At the north end, a well-tended orange grove offers fragrant blossoms in the spring and the ultimate Florida scent of oranges in winter. Traffic is light, mostly commuters heading to and from Ebersole Road at the north end, but unobtrusive, and those on the road can see them coming for nearly a mile at most points.

With all of the finely manicured trails and parks available in the greater Orlando area, a rural location such as this is a welcome change to those looking to put in some miles without interruption. The long-distance cyclist can simply use this area as a launching pad for a 100-mile ride if that’s what they’re into. Just head left or right at the intersection of Lake Norris and 44A and pick a route for the day. SR 44A – just off SR 44 – is no cakewalk as cars and tractor trailers travel at speeds well over 65 mph on winding roads, but expert cyclists are used to such risks, and the long-stretches of road are seemingly endless in this part of the state.

The Lake Norris Conservation Area is also a hub of other activities including canoe tours, kayaking, equestrian trails, hiking and bird watching. For maps and details, go to the St. John’s River Water Management District Web site.

Lake Norris Rd. also offers plenty of accessory areas for meandering bike tours, such as the development around Black Bear Golf Club, or Ebersole Rd. and its tributaries, which is a circular section of peaceful rural roadway. There are no traffic lights for miles around, no noise and no industry, and simply doubling back from the original starting point will facilitate as many miles as one wants to go – in peace and quiet. Just bring plenty of water and sunblock.

Originally published on Examiner.com Orlando in 2010

Copyright 2010

Cypress-lined shorline of Lake Norris in Eustis, FL

Way off the beaten path of the greater Orlando area, about ten miles from I-4, is the Lake Norris Conservation Area (LNCA) on Lake Norris Road in Eustis. The public park is essentially a horse trail that passes by Lake Norris amidst a 2,352-acre natural preserve in the middle of nowhere. There are no restrooms, paved paths, mileage markers, lights or buildings. Instead, there are lots of cows, trees, open fields and gorgeous lakes.

The LNCA is owned by the St. Johns River Water Management District, which oversees it in cooperation with the Lake County Water Authority. It was purchased from private and commercial entities in three separate transactions from 1996 through 2002 and the most recent purchase, a former sand mine in the far western section, is currently undergoing reclamation to restore the land to its natural state.

It features the Blackwater Creek, which flows under Lake Norris Road on its way to Lake Norris. The creek is home to a host of wildlife including river otters, alligators, turtles and snakes and the entire area is a virtual safari of rare birds, coyote, deer and bear. It is not for the faint of heart as far as hikers are concerned as there is only one way in and one way out, with miles and miles of terrain that can easily lead a careless visitor into a circular abyss.

The entrance way is a grass-covered drive a couple hundred yards long leading to a singular kiosk with a map and sign-in sheet to welcome visitors. A private driveway leads into the preserve, which has a private home and farm off to one side, but other than that its travel via horse or foot. No unauthorized motor vehicles are allowed and the area is cordoned off by cattle fencing with gates for visitors to pass through with friendly reminders to close them once through to keep the big black cows from escaping.

A scout camp is situated next to the entrance to Lake Norris, visible only by a few stored canoes and a rain shelter for the campsite. The entrance to the lake is stunning, with hundreds of centuries-old cypress trees and knees poking out of the pristine waters. A few remnants of a long-eroded dock remain as the only sign of human intrusion.

According to locals, Lake Norris is filled with some of the best freshwater fishing in Central Florida, as well as hundreds of sturdy gators to protect them. In many dozens of visits this reporter has yet to see a boat on the water or any sign of a recent camp out, let alone any litter, bait canisters, beer bottles or vandalism.

A hike to the far west of the park is an arduous one on foot as the terrain is soft white sand for much of the trek, the only respite being long stretches of grass that cows and horses have yet to grind into sand. The atmosphere is as quiet as can be, interrupted only by the sounds of birds and animals scampering across the leaves and the occasional moo.

As stated earlier, this is a potentially treacherous venture considering the presence of snakes, coyotes and bear as well as sweltering heat during much of the year. If an injury were to occur, it’s a long walk back to the entrance and cell phone coverage is intermittent. There is no fast way back to base other than in a four-wheel drive vehicle or on a horse. Mountain biking would be nearly impossible for a long stretch as the sand is too soft and deep, the result of years of hoofed creatures making their way through and the hot sun burning away anything green.

For the strong runner, this can be an exciting and challenging course. With plenty of hops and skips, it is possible to complete many miles through the park, giving for the occasional stop to clear the sand out of the shoes. A mile run through here takes the effort of two on pavement. It is ideal for a spirited hike with appropriate footwear, with an endless amount of scenery to sooth the senses. For those knowledgeable of nature and wildlife, even better, as evidence of all sorts of animals, evolution and botanical history are present throughout.

Patricia Burgos, Environmental Program Manager for the LCWA, notes that the area is ideal for canoeists. The launch area is in Blackwater Creek a few yards away from the kiosk at the entrance to the LNCA.

“That is one area that I highly recommend,” she said. “It’s a great way to see river otter, osprey and other exotic wildlife and it’s an ideal location for the first-time paddler.”

Just let someone know where and when a visit to the park will be made, sign in, bring plenty of water and keep the eyes and ears open at all times. And thank the Lake County Water Authority and the St. Johns River Water Management District.

LNCA Trail Map

Originally published on Examiner.com Orlando in 2010

Copyright 2010