Home › Florida › Ocala › Marshall Swamp Trailhead
Marshall Swamp Trailhead
4.5 ★★★★★ 158 Google reviews · Running trail in Ocala, Florida · Hours vary
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Natural surface
- Loop distance
- 5 mi
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Not reported
Confirmed from Marshall Swamp Trailhead's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Quiet trail through a swampy locale with an observation deck and picnic areas.
What runners say about Marshall Swamp Trailhead
“The trails were clean and well maintained.”
“This was a great spot to come hike lots of wildlife has a loop trail and connects to the Florida scenic trail”
“It was beautiful, peaceful and fun exploring with my son.”
Beautiful a d deep trail. Didn't walk the whole thing. Pet on leash signs and biker trail. Small bathroom on sight. Plenty of parking.
Don’t come in the summer. The mosquitoes were so bad, even with bug spray (100 %deet), I couldn’t make it a mile. Even being completely covered with hiking boots, pants, and a light jacket with a hood the mosquitoes were still landing on my eye lashes. Couldn’t hear anything but swarms of mosquitoes.
It's a nice rustic trail. Very pretty scenery. I love the observation deck. It is very swampy so It can get muddy at times and I'm sure bugs can be a major problem certain times of the year. It says the main trail is about 2.5 miles and connects with some other trails.
Easy hiking and beautiful! We only saw one other couple (with a dog) while we were there. The trails were clean and well maintained. It includes a short loop and you can hike all the way to Baseline and Santos from Marshall Swamp Trailhead. We will definitely add this location to our list of regular hikes.
Trail conditions & character
“It is very swampy so It can get muddy at times and I'm sure bugs can be a major problem certain times of the year.”
“This was a great spot to come hike lots of wildlife has a loop trail and connects to the Florida scenic trail”
“This was a great spot to come hike lots of wildlife has a loop trail and connects to the Florida scenic trail”
“We only saw one other couple (with a dog) while we were there.”
“It includes a short loop and you can hike all the way to Baseline and Santos from Marshall Swamp Trailhead.”
“5 mile so that part was not crossable when I went 8/31/24.”
“It was beautiful, peaceful and fun exploring with my son.”
“There is a restroom facility and a sheltered picnic area available for use.”
Plan your run at Marshall Swamp Trailhead
The practical stuff
- AccessHours vary — hours are not posted for this trail, so check before an early or late run
- SurfaceNatural surface — easiest on the joints and the most fun, but expect roots, rocks and mud after rain
- Loop distance5 mi back to where you parked. Long enough for a real long run.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Websitemarioncountyfl.org
- Phone+1 352-671-8560
Running trails near Ocala
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
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