The Great Florida Birding Trail (GFBT) is a collection of sites throughout Florida
selected for their excellent bird watching or bird education opportunities. Click
on the logo above to visit the offical GFBT web site.
The trail is composed of many separate trail segments, grouped in geographic
"clusters". The OVAS service area and the GFBT's Swallow-tailer Kit Cluster are
geographically similar. Each trail segment is designed to conserve and enhance
Florida's bird habitat by promoting bird watching activities and environmental
education. The Trail has a goal of being 2000 miles in total length.
The Oklawaha Valley Audubon Society service area and the GFBT Swallow-tailed Kite
Cluster contain four trail segments. All are under development and promise to be
excellent birding locations for the general public. For a number of years these
birding locations have been favorites of OVAS members.
Emeralda Loop Trail - This GFBT segment starts at the Wood Duck
parking area in the Emeralda Marsh, one
of Florida's premiere wetland birding areas. It goes west through the woods and on
dikes along wetland marshes. It then turns north near the shores of Lake Griffin,
traveling along a dike with open marshes on both sides. Finally it turns east through
wetlands returning to Emeralda Island Road near the S. N. Knight parking area. Total
length of the trail is approximately 4.3 miles. You may hiked or cycle the trail daily
or you drive the trail on weekends. The trail provides easy observation of birds on,
around and high above the wetlands.
The Emerald Loop Trail, better known as the Emeralda Interpretive Wildlife Drive, lies
on land owned and managed by the St. John's River Water Management District.
It is built in cooperation with the Lake County Department of Ecotourism. Contact
Erwin Brock, 429-3673, Dept. of Ecotourism, for tour information. Trail use began
in February 14, 2002.
The trail is open for driving from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays
starting the third week of February, until the end of May. OVAS participates in the
trail's operation by opening and closing the gates. The OVAS leader is Bob Rogers,
OVAS Chairman of our Emeralda Wild Drive Committee.
Hidden Waters Trail - This GFBT segment travels around Lake Alfred
in the Hidden Waters Preserve of the
Lake County Water Authority. Located southeast of Eustis FL, the trail is a walking
trail of approximately one mile in length. It travels through upland forests and slops
down 105 feet into a natural sinkhole. The sinkhole, formerly known as the Eichelberger
Sink, is about a third of a mile in diameter. It shapes Lake Alfred which drains slowly
into the Florida aquifer. This Trail segment is open but it is unmarked. The entrance
is on Country Club Road, off Crooked Lake Road.
Sunnyhill Restoration Area - This GFBT segment is part of the St.
Johns River Water Managment District lands on Florida 42, north of Lake Griffin. See
map. A description of
Sunnyhill Farm is given on our
Birding Hot Spots page. The area is reached by parking at the "Blue House" nature
and history museum and walking or biking along the Ocklawaha River canal. The trail
will be about 1.5 to 2.5 miles in length.
Alexander Springs - This GFBT segment lies within the Ocala National
Forest on the Timcuan Trail near Alexander Springs. See the description of the
Ocala National Forest on our Birding Hot Spots
page. See map.
The Great Florida Birding Trail is a program of the Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission, supported in part by the
Florida Department of Transportation and the
Wildlife Foundation of Florida.
Modeled after the successful Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail, this project combines
special highway signs identifying the Birding Trail sites. See logo at top of page.
Detailed maps to these wonderful Florida birding opportunities are currently available
at the three gateway sites: Ft. Clinch State Park (Nassau Co.), Merritt Island National
Wildlife Refuge (Brevard Co.) and Tenoroc Fish Management Area (Polk Co.)
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