{"id":633144,"date":"2023-04-21T08:01:00","date_gmt":"2023-04-21T13:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.sellorbuyhomefast.com\/index.php\/2023\/04\/21\/charles-h-bronson-state-forest-is-a-hidden-gem-in-central-florida\/"},"modified":"2023-04-21T08:01:00","modified_gmt":"2023-04-21T13:01:00","slug":"charles-h-bronson-state-forest-is-a-hidden-gem-in-central-florida","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2023\/04\/21\/charles-h-bronson-state-forest-is-a-hidden-gem-in-central-florida\/","title":{"rendered":"Charles H. Bronson State Forest is a hidden gem in Central Florida"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

By Patrick Connolly<\/em>
\nFrom South Florida Sun Sentinel<\/em><\/p>\n

It was a quiet morning as dawn was breaking over the horizon, sunlight just barely peeking through the clouds when I pulled up to one of my favorite sights: an empty trailhead.<\/p>\n

Granted, it was a Wednesday, but on a busy weekend, this was a far cry from what you\u2019d expect to see at one of Central Florida\u2019s more popular hiking destinations, such as Little Big Econ State Forest. The venue for my morning jaunt through the woods was Charles H. Bronson State Forest, a true hidden gem among Orlando-area wildlands.<\/p>\n

\"Charles
<\/figcaption><\/a> On March 22, 2023, Charles H. Bronson State Forest offers miles of hiking trails and thousands of acres of conservation land east of Orlando, Florida. (Patrick Connolly\/Orlando Sentinel\/TNS)<\/figure>\n

The serene outdoor space had been on my list for some time, held up by folks at the Florida Trail Association as a quiet and well-maintained alternative to more crowded destinations. Part of the 1,500-mile footpath runs through the forest.<\/p>\n

\"Charles
<\/figcaption><\/a> On March 22, 2023, Charles H. Bronson State Forest offers miles of hiking trails and thousands of acres of conservation land east of Orlando, Florida. (Patrick Connolly\/Orlando Sentinel\/TNS)<\/figure>\n

For experienced hikers who want to spend a few hours exploring, the main route is about a 9-mile loop that meanders through wetlands, pine flatwoods, sandhills, and cypress swamps. The journey, which combines blue, orange, and white-blazed trails, will take at least three or four hours at minimum and presents a less congested alternative to a loop like Black Bear Wilderness Area.<\/p>\n

\"Charles
<\/figcaption><\/a> In this March 22, 2023, photo, Charles H. Bronson State Forest offers miles of hiking trails and thousands of acres of conservation land east of Orlando, Florida. (Patrick Connolly\/Orlando Sentinel\/TNS)<\/figure>\n

Adventurers looking for a multiday backpacking trip can access Chuluota Wilderness Area to the northwest or Orlando Wetlands Park by heading southeast out of the forest. Three primitive campsites can be reserved within Charles H. Bronson State Forest.<\/p>\n

\"Charles
<\/figcaption><\/a> In this March 22, 2023, photo, Charles H. Bronson State Forest offers miles of hiking trails and thousands of acres of conservation land east of Orlando, Florida. (Patrick Connolly\/Orlando Sentinel\/TNS)<\/figure>\n

While wandering across boardwalks, through shady hammocks, and into open prairies, keep an eye out for white-tailed deer, fox squirrels, and gopher tortoises. Visitors may also spot sandhill cranes, roseate spoonbills, wood storks, and bald eagles along the way.<\/p>\n

\"Charles
<\/figcaption><\/a> In this March 22, 2023, photo, Charles H. Bronson State Forest offers miles of hiking trails and thousands of acres of conservation land east of Orlando, Florida. (Patrick Connolly\/Orlando Sentinel\/TNS)<\/figure>\n

Charles H. Bronson State Forest, which is named after a previous state agriculture commissioner, is relatively new on the roster of Florida\u2019s public lands, established with Florida Forever funds in 2008. The parcel was formerly used for turpentine, agriculture, and cattle grazing.<\/p>\n

Now, it\u2019s an important piece of a larger statewide conservation effort and a place to be enjoyed by humans, equestrians and wildlife alike.<\/p>\n

If You Go<\/h3>\n

Charles H. Bronson State Forest<\/p>\n

Location: 3468 Phillips Road in Christmas, Florida<\/p>\n

Hours: Open sunrise to sunset daily<\/p>\n

Amenities: Benches, hiking trails, equestrian trails, primitive campsites, boardwalks, parking<\/p>\n

Activities: Hiking, horseback riding, hunting (seasonal), camping, wildlife viewing<\/p>\n

Accessibility: Hiking trails are rugged and would be difficult to navigate with a wheelchair or electric scooter. For an accessible option, consider visiting Seminole State Forest where a tracked chair is available by reservation for people with mobility impairments.<\/p>\n

What to bring: Some maps are available at the trailhead, but it might be wise to download a PDF map onto a smartphone. Bug spray will help keep mosquitoes and other insects at bay.<\/p>\n

What not to bring: Florida\u2019s state forests prohibit alcohol and the removal or destruction of plants, animals and cultural artifacts.<\/p>\n

Pets: Leashed pets are allowed.<\/p>\n

Pro tips: While some forest areas have a sliver of cellphone service, get familiar with the loop beforehand and be prepared to navigate with offline maps. Trail signs are well-marked for the most part.<\/p>\n

More information: 407-971-3500 or fdacs.gov<\/p>\n

Copyright 2023 South Florida Sun Sentinel. Visit at\u00a0sun-sentinel.com<\/a>. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Read More<\/a>
\n Tribune News Service<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Patrick Connolly From South Florida Sun Sentinel It was a quiet morning as dawn was breaking over the horizon, sunlight just barely peeking through the clouds when I pulled up to one of my favorite sights: an empty trailhead. Granted, it was a Wednesday, but on a busy weekend, this was a far cry […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":633145,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[40288,1144,534],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-633144","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-bronson","category-charles","category-financial"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/633144","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=633144"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/633144\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/633145"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=633144"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=633144"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=633144"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}