Visited on Saturday, December 14th, 2024.

Do not be fooled by AllTrails: this hike is not 5.7 miles. There's a few reasons for that, chief among them the fact that the blazes and signs on the trail differ from the paths shown on the website, with the actual route dipping south for about a half a mile around the canoe campground site.

This lollipop trail starts at the easternmost of the grounds' parking areas; technically, there are two starting points, with the western one offering slightly more views of this park's beautiful swampy environment. After less than a quarter mile of hiking, you'll cross a wooden walkway and be informed that the loop is five miles; this sign is outdated, as there is a clear and obvious 6 mile marker later on this very path.

I hiked the trail in the clockwise direction, leaving the slight steep portions of the trail for the end. Much of the hike is pine forests, like the image below. Around the halfway mark, the trail opens again to more swampy views which are materially similar to those in the first few images; I took a few pictures of it, but none turned out particularly well because of the position of the sun.

For a map of the trail, click here.