Econ River Wilderness Area: A Nature Lover’s Paradise

If any state can claim to have as much fun on the water as on land, then it’s

Visiting the state without traveling through its waters—from rivers and springs to swamps and the sparkling Atlantic Ocean—is completely meaningless.

Today I will tell you how to enjoy Florida close to the Econ River.

Where is the Econ River?

The Econlockhatchee River’s short name is the Econ River.

The 54.

5-mile-long Econlockhatchee River is a blackwater tributary of the

that flows north.

Just east of the Orlando Metropolitan Area, in Central Florida, the Econ River flows through the counties of Osceola, Orange, and Seminole.

The Econ River is home to five main habitats: cypress swamps, marl prairies, pine lands, hardwood hammocks, and estuaries such as tidal swamps and

Freshwater swamps have an impressive abundance of wildlife (including the endangered and elusive Florida panther) and even oil reserves (one of only two in the state discovered here in 1943).

Trekking through Florida’s Econ River Wilderness Area

Florida’s Econ River is a dream for outdoor enthusiasts.

Nearly a million visitors come to the reserve each year to hike, take a boat or swamp buggy tour, canoe or kayak, bird watch, camp, see wildlife, or simply ride through the scenic area.

For a real adrenaline rush, close to the river are off-road tracks.

If you’re there at night, look up because this river is an international dark sky spot, which means it’s protected from urban light pollution and is a great spot for stargazing.

There is a rugged trail that wraps around the banks of the Econlockhatchee River.

For trekking along the Little Big Econ Forest trail, you will need to put your running shoes to the test on 10 miles of wilderness through over 5,000 acres of cypress swamps.

This is a scenic trail with impressive views of towering cliffs, freshwater streams, and a variety of wildlife along the way to keep your attention.

Can You Swim in the Econ River?

No, it is unsafe to swim because high levels of bacteria were found in the water.

But canoeing is the best choice here.

Of course, there are no sharks there, but there are alligators.

The alligator is a symbol of Florida; according to various sources, about 2 million individuals live in the region.

Since a wide trade is allowed for reptiles there, they did not want to meet with me.

Although, on the contrary, I really hoped to make at least one landscape with a local inhabitant, and as I sailed through the silent backwaters, the imagination played out in earnest, here and there drawing shadows under the water.

This is always the case when an urban man enters the wild.

Just a couple of times, babies less than a foot in length came into sight, and because they were very afraid of people, they immediately went under water.

Can You Kayak on the Econ River?

Yes,you can get to the most interesting places for photographers in this park only by canoe or inflatable boat.

It is an absolutely beautiful place, overall, with scenery and wildlife close to the Econ River.

The wildlife here is teeming with unseen wildlife, which makes it even more special.

From time to time, you may catch a glimpse of an animal, but it often stays out of your way.

Give them plenty of space and respect them.

The place is very quiet and peaceful, and you feel at peace.

Ideal for a

after a busy week.

I also signed up for a kayaking trip.

I was worried because I had never gone kayaking before, but it was very fun and exciting.

There is only calmness and silence around when you are swimming, and only moss hangs right from the sky.

It looks creepy and very mysterious.

The horror film “Swamp Shark” was shot in just about these places.

There are few tourists in this area, which is understandable; there are few paved roads, and there is no well-established tourism industry.

Accordingly, there are few hotels; I lived in a small motel.

It seemed to me that in this part of Florida, in general, tourists are a curiosity, and I even felt like a little pioneer.

I rented a kayak on the spot

every morning, and like a spy, I sailed away for many hours.

The most picturesque cypresses were in the backwaters; I called them Japanese gardens, where they are beautifully arranged and you can play with the composition for the photo.

These are absolutely remote places, and at every point I was completely alone.

Only one morning the shooting was spoiled by the unexpected opening of the

for me: I met several dozen duck hunters, and it was scary to go out on the water when a crowd with guns rushed around on motorboats and a terrible cannonade thundered.

Besides this, it was very quiet, and it was one of the most magical moments of the tour—being alone with nature.

When I showed these landscapes on my social networks, I was bombarded with questions about where they were taken.

With the modern development of photo tourism, any new interesting location can instantly become “viral” and there are suddenly a lot of people with cameras there.

Of course, on a territory of tens of thousands of hectares, everyone can find a swamp, but at the same time, I would like the virgin cypress groves to remain a calm and untouched place, to preserve the unique stillness of the frame.

Therefore, let me not reveal the geolocation of the images until the end, and I wish those inspired by my work to find their own cypress grove on their own.