Big Oak Trail

The Big Oak Trail is the crown jewel of Highlands Hammock State Park's trail system, leading visitors directly to ancient live oaks estimated to be over 1,000 years old. These massive specimens—some with trunks exceeding eight feet in diameter and canopies spreading 100 feet wide—were growing here centuries before European contact, making them among the oldest living organisms in Florida's interior. The park, established in 1931, was specifically created to protect these trees after local citizens raised private funds to purchase the land.

The boardwalk loop winds beneath the ancient canopy where resurrection ferns completely coat the upper branches, turning vivid green within hours of rainfall. Massive air plants (Tillandsia species) cluster in the canopy, and Spanish moss drapes every limb. Barred owls roost in the old-growth hollows, and pileated woodpeckers excavate large rectangular cavities in the decaying giants. The trail also passes through a transition zone into swamp forest where pop ash and bald cypress grow. The Civilian Conservation Corps built the original boardwalks here in 1938, and the restored walkway maintains their historic alignment.