Tucked away in the rural woodlands south of Colonial Drive in east Orlando, Long Branch and neighboring Pine Lily Preserve serve to protect a large swath of land in the Econlockhatchee River floodplain. Aptly named, Long Branch is one of the longest tributaries to the Econ, and one of the few forks that aren’t crowded by houses.

This Orange County property offers miles of hiking trails with connections to adjacent Hal Scott Preserve. The county recently expanded the park, acquiring additional acreage to the west with two new freshly cut paths along Long Branch to its swampy confluence with the Econlockhatchee. The trails can be accessed from a small one-vehicle access point along County Road 15 or the Pine Lily trailhead, which requires an additional quarter mile walk down the road.

At the entrance, follow the yellow trail for a mile to a junction with the white trail. From this point, yellow trail markers continue westward for a two-mile round trip on a loop through freshly burned pine flatwoods. Turning northward, the white trail follows a road through a wooden archway decorated with ominous cow bones, reaching the newly blazed pink trail in less than a half mile. This loop dives deep into the floodplain hammock, passing a bench overlooking a seasonal creek along the way.

Turn right at the next junction, continuing westward through live oaks covered in resurrection ferns and butterfly orchids to a clearing where a house once stood. Blue arrows lead the way as a half mile loop meanders between a collection of pines and cypress filled wetlands near the confluence. At the end of the loop, retrace your footsteps, following the route back to the trailhead.