The Gumbo Limbo Trail is the sister trail to the Anhinga Trail, which we have previously written about, and arises from the same trailhead – but it is a vastly different hike. While the Anhinga Trail is a meander through an open wetland, the Gumbo Limbo Trail is a somewhat dark, claustrophobic hike through a dense tropical hammock. Both trails are on the former grounds of the Royal Palm State Park. The Gumbo Limbo Trail is carved into the 91 acre Paradise Key Hammock.
The name itself, Gumbo Limbo, has the ring of the title to a children’s television program, and this trail was clearly never meant to test the endurance of seasoned hikers. It is an “all persons” asphalt trail that was teaming with smiling second graders from Key Largo School on the day of our visit, and that made it fun and full of energy.
But the trail is a great introduction to the ecology of the hardwood hammocks that dot the Everglades landscape. The jungle vibe is noted when one sees a massive Strangler Fig at the outset of the trail.
The trail is named for the Gumbo Limbo tree, a tropical species that in the Everglades is at the northern most aspect of its native range. The red and peeling texture of the bark makes them stand out. I was surprised to read that due to its light weight and carvability, the wood of the Gumbo Limbo was favored for the making of carousel figurines.
One surprise in the densely treed hammock was this wetland. The water was crystal clear.
The surrounding trees hosted an array of air plants (bromelaids).
The most common one was Bartram’s Airplant, named for William Bartram, an 18th century Florida naturalist. The leaves are the grayish-green needles. These plants only flower once and then wither and die, but additional plants can develop off its base.
It was interesting seeing this downed log engulfed by a couple of Strangler Figs. I suspect that the figs arose on the tree once it was already down, as typically the fig’s host tree is strangled, dies, and decomposes without falling to the forest floor.
This fallen log appeared to be Mahogany based on the color of its wood and its twisting grain. Given its age and relative decomposition, I wondered whether it may have fallen due to the 150 mile per hour winds of Hurricane Andrew in 1992. It is thought that it may take 50 to 70 years for mahogany trees to fully decompose.
While there are surprisingly few photos of the damage that Andrew caused in the Everglades, the photo below from the U.S. geological survey was of “hammock forest in Everglades National Park”. The damage was striking, making the health of the hammocks that we witnessed even more impressive.
One of the few large trees that we saw on the Gumbo Limbo Trail was this Live Oak. They are one of the rare tree species from the temperate region that thrives in the tropical hammock. It is thought that the twisting nature of its wood grain provides additional strength that helps them survive hurricane winds. Their rough bark readily captures the windblown seeds and spores of ferns, orchids, and bromelaids, allowing them to be festooned with an array of these tropical gems.
Tree of the Day – It was fascinating to see tall, native Royal Palms reaching to the top of the crowded canopy. We were used to seeing them as isolated landscape specimens throughout South Florida. As you walk the trail you note the concentration of rootlets at the base of the tree,
and its branchless trunk, looking like a pillar.
Its fern like leaves can then be spotted through breaks in the canopy as noted below and the title photo.
In summary, while the Gumbo Limbo Trail is a relatively simple jaunt on a paved surface, it offers an understanding and appreciation for the tree hammocks that you often see in the distance when you look across the “river of grass” in the Everglades. It was interesting to observe the hammock’s recovery from the destruction of Hurricane Andrew, thirty four years prior. Our experience was made more enjoyable as we watched perhaps one hundred second graders from Key Largo enjoy their immersion into this unique habitat. When paired with a hike on the nearby Anhinga Trail, the visitor gets exposed to two of the primary features of the Everglades – a wetland and a tropical tree hammock – both fascinating and time well spent.
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Photo credits to Peggy Juengling Burns.
Overview:
Location – at the Royal Palm Visitor Center, 4 miles from the Everglades’s Homestead Entry Gate.
Parking – Paved lot for 60+ cars and buses.
Facilities – indoor restrooms at visitor center.
Trail Conditions – asphalt.
Print Map Link – none needed.
Benches – none noted.
Kids – kids of all ages should do well here.
Dogs – prohibited on all trails within the Everglades.
Paired Hikes – the Anhinga Trail arises at the Royal Palm Visitor Center as well.
Links:
https://www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/gumbo-limbo-trail.htm