Buck Island Pond Trail: My First Wild Pitcher Plant!

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I think the last hike I did before leaving Florida (I’m writing out of order) was the Buck Island Pond Trail in Goethe State Forest.

All I knew about this one was that I would get to see (hopefully) pitcher plants in the wild here!

Or at least that was the hope. I love carnivorous plants and have wanted to see them in the wild for so long.

So when I found out I could see them not far from me in Florida, I had to go look!

We headed out one warm (but not too hot) weekend in April to what is apparently mostly used for horseback riding.

Hiking is still allowed on the trails though, so no worries. Just keep an eye out for horses if you’re there. We didn’t see anyone else here at all.

Right away in the parking lot we saw a dead butterfly in the dried up pine needles. It was sad it was dead but it was very beautiful.

From here we headed to the trail, checking out the short boardwalk to the pond overlook first.

It was very sunny so the lighting wasn’t great, but it was a beautiful pond and would be even better with a really good sunset.

From there, we went back to the main trail and went to the left so we were doing the loop clockwise.

This is a pretty typical trail (shocker) in a primarily pine forest, with occasional cypress trees and a funny “beware the cypress knees” sign.

You’ll see the usual Florida flora: palms, pines, loblollies, oaks, and ferns.

There is a sandhill portion of the trail that is a bit more open (and hot in the sun) but still wooded.

The trail widens and narrows depending on where you are, but scenery stays pretty steady.

There are letter markers along the trail marking different sites, but the only one I was concerned about was marker H.

There is a small boardwalk near the marker, a little overgrown looking but still passable.

This is where you’ll find the pitcher plants. Apparently they love the fallen pine needles.

I really didn’t know what to expect here, or how many plants actually are here, but I really had to hunt to see it.

I carefully walked around the fallen pine needle patch examining plants, not seeing what I was looking for.

I was ready to leave unsuccessful, but as I turned around and looked down, there it was! One lone pitcher plant.

I was SO excited, even though it was just one. It was really hard to photograph because of the angle but I managed.

It was also just really hard to spot because from the top it kind of looks like all the other tall grass.

It was kind of in the middle of the pine needle patch, but there may be others on the edges or further back. Just get low and keep your eyes peeled.

After enjoying the pitcher plant I made my way back over the little bridge it was a short walk back to the car.

I enjoyed the woods in the last section a lot, it felt different than the woods before.

While this isn’t my top trail in Florida, I did really like it and am so glad I got to see it before leaving!

It’s a nice easy trail, off the beaten path and I definitely think it’s worth checking out if you’re vaguely in the area.

And hey, you might even get to see a wild pitcher plant or two!

Travel Services I Recommend:
AllTrails – This is my favorite hike tracking app.
America the Beautiful – The national park pass is essential.
Booking.com – This is great for finding and booking hotels.
Get Your Guide – I recommend Get Your Guide for booking tours.
National Park Obsessed – This is the best national park planner.
Skyscanner – Skyscanner is great for finding and booking flights.
Enterprise – This is my rental car recommendation.
See all my resources here.

Where is the Buck Island Pond Trail?

The Buck Island Pond Trail is near Dunnellon, Florida in Goethe State Forest, kind of in the middle of nowhere (as much as that exists in Florida).

It’s about an hour from High Springs and Gainesville, 45 minutes from Ocala and Cedar Key, and 30 minutes from Crystal River.

How long is the Buck Island Pond Trail?

AllTrails says it’s 1.8 miles and it tracked me at 2.18, so 2 miles give or take a little bit. It’s not too bad!

Is the Buck Island Pond Trail hard?

Nope! This is an easy flat wooded loop trail.

Is the Buck Island Pond Trail worth it?

Yes! While we only saw one little pitcher plant, it was still a beautiful trail and I did really like it. It’s definitely worth it if you’re in the area.