Deer Run Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features Wildflowers

The trail is a little sandy and has a couple sections of roots that present a tripping hazard, but otherwise, it is a very pleasant, runnable loop.

This 3-mile loop can be accessed from the Mill Connector Trail. Heading in a counterclockwise direction, you'll start through slightly more dense underbrush with a few roots to watch out for. After about a quarter mile, there is a short trail on the right-hand side that branches to a spring that is marked by a sign.

As the trail loops back to the northeast, the terrain becomes a little bit more sandy, and the tree cover and underbrush is a little less dense which can make this section a bit hot on a sunny day. Keep an eye open for the gopher tortoises that live along the eastern stretch of trail.

Just before the 2-mile mark (the loop is marked with mileage markers every half mile), you'll cross the Mill Connector Trail and head onto the northern part of the loop. This section is a bit more challenging with more roots and a few small ups and downs. It can also get a bit overgrown in sections. There is a nice portion of trail that runs along the water where you can enjoy the shade of the dense cypress trees and oaks that are covered in dense, gray Spanish moss.

Not long after this section, the trail loops by a small pond (with a sign warning that alligators might be present in the area!) and finishes back where you started.

Oaks and cypress trees. Saw a variety of wildflowers. Gopher tortoises and alligators.