Hiking Chernobyl Memorial Forest at Ocklawaha Prairie Restoration Area

Location and Hiking Trail Maps with Nature Viewing Information and Photos

Marion County
Ocala, Florida
Entry Fee: None
Traffic: Light
St. John’s River Water Management District (SJRWMD) Official Page

Map of Chernobyl Memorial Forest Loop in Florida

^ PDF Trail Map
Interactive Trail Map at AllTrails >

Chernobyl Memorial Forest Location

The Chernobyl or Chornobyl Memorial Forest is a portion of the Ocklawaha Prairie Restoration Area at the south entrance. It offers a 5-mile loop great for hiking and horseback riding. You’ll find ample parking for your equestrian trailers, too! Yet, you can easily add miles by deviating from the main trail on various spurs. I’ve provided my hiking map below, which plots once such deviation. Plus, I found it very worthwhile with great birding opportunities and a diversity of plant life.

Entrance

You will access this portion of the restoration area from the south entrance parking lot. The Google map below to get you there. While I prefer this Chernobyl Memorial Forest entrance for a day of hiking, both are great!

Background and Hiking

Dedicated in 1996 to victims of the Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine, the forest provides an abundance of longleaf pine. You can read about the Chernobyl Memorial Forest dedication at the Orlando Sentinel. After parking in the free open lot, you will follow the clearly marked red blazes on the trees to follow the loop. You will always find the memorial pine to your right, assuming you follow the loop clockwise. Likewise, various local growth such as laurel and live oak lie to your right.

Add Distance to Your Hike

If you follow my map and go off-trail at the way point, you’ll first see a wide grassy area reminiscent of a golf course. Taking this spur adds an extra mile of there-and-back hiking or riding. Plus, this spur is very lush, and you will find plenty of lovely flora not seen on most of the trail. I found yellow Carolina jasmine, blackberry brush, turkey oak, and loblolly bay. The ample birding opportunities are also great here.

The main trail loop consists of both bare, packed earth and short grass. Some short portions, however, have sweet sand. These may prove prohibitive to off-road biking unless you are up for a challenge. What makes the loop a favorite of mine is the abundance of healthy prickly pear growing in the partial shade.

Trail Images Below