Hal Scott Preserve
History
Timucua mounds have been found in the northern part of the preserve, and some campsites on the property date back several thousand years. For early settlers, such as Curry Ford, the Econlockhatchee River was a connecting link between Central Florida and the east coast of Florida. In the early 1900s, many of the trails were blazed for railroad beds to transport timber and turpentine.
Flora and fauna
The area consists of flatwoods and open prairie, with hammocks of cypress, maple, pine, oak, and sweetgum trees, interlaced with creeks and rivers. Wildlife include deer, turkey, bald eagles, sandhill cranes, gopher tortoises, bobcats, river otters, indigo snakes and downy woodpeckers. The preserve is home to a few breeding pairs of the threatened red-cockaded woodpecker.
Access and hours of operation
Hal Scott Regional Preserve and Park is located at 3871 Dallas Boulevard, Orlando, FL 32833. It is open 7 days/week, from sunrise to sunset. Because the area is in the floodplain of the Econlockhatchee River, it can become impassable during the summer rainy season.
Notes
- ^ Orange County, Florida. "Natural Lands: Hal Scott Preserve". Archived from the original on 2012-05-16.
- ^ Florida Trail Association. "Hal Scott Preserve Trail".
- ^ St. Johns River Water Management District. "Hal Scott Regional Preserve and Park".
- ^ Florida Trail Association. "Hal Scott Preserve Trail".