Brown’s Pond in the Naval Live Oaks Area of Gulf Islands National Seashore

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Note: Brown’s Pond Trail is part of my Naval Live Oaks Loop Hike, a 6-mile hike that covers most of the Naval Live Oaks Area of Gulf Islands National Seashore in Florida. If you are interested in this hike, a link to the next trail segment is given at the bottom of this report. The Loop Hike covers the Brown’s Pond Trail in its entirety.

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Length: .4 mile, one way
Difficulty: Easy

Naval Live Oaks Loop Hike (click to enlarge)

Brown’s Pond Trail portion of the Naval Live Oaks Loop Hike

Brown’s Pond Trail runs east to west between the Beaver Pond Trail and the Old Borrow Pit Trail. I reached it from the Beaver Pond Trail, taking a right at the unmarked intersection.

Intersection of the Beaver Pond and Brown’s Pond trails at Naval Live Oaks, Gulf Islands National Seashore

Unlike most trails in the Naval Live Oaks Area of Gulf Islands National Seashore, which are old dirt roads, Brown’s Pond Trail is a traditional hiking trail. It still has a sandy surface, but it is much more “woodsy” compared to the wide open trails common to the area.

Typical terrain of Brown’s Pond Trail in the Naval Live Oaks Area of Gulf Islands National Seashore

I never saw a pond on the section of the Beaver Pond Trail that I hiked, but there is definitely a pond—more like a cypress swamp—on the Brown’s Pond Trail. The first glimpse of it comes a few minutes from the Beaver Pond Trail intersection. I did this hike on two occasions, once in April 2016 when there was no water at all in the pond, and in March 2022 when it was full of water. When it is dry, it is hard to see how big it is, for beyond what is directly in front of you, everything looks just like a forest. However, when full of water it’s easier to see just how far the pond, or swamp, extends. It is actually quite large.

Brown’s Pond when dry, Naval Live Oaks unit of Gulf Islands National Seashore

Unfortunately, vegetation blocks much of the view, though there are a couple of clearings. There appears to be a separate trail that circles the shoreline, and there are a few side trails that former hikers have beaten through the brush down to the water, but after getting a tick on me earlier, I wasn’t about to venture into vegetation.

Brown’s Pond in the Naval Live Oaks Area of Gulf Islands National Seashore

I did come across an Eastern Coachwhip snake, a common and nonvenomous snake found in Florida. The snake actually had a mouse wrapped up with its body, but when it saw me it uncoiled and the mouse got away. Somebody was pissed off and somebody was lucky.

Coachwhip Snake on the Brown’s Pond Trail in the Naval Live Oaks unit Gulf Islands National Seashore

The Brown’s Pond Trail eventually dead ends into the Old Borrow Pit Trail, so you can’t miss the turn.

Intersection of the Brown’s Pond and Borrow Pit trails in the Naval Live Oaks unit Gulf Islands National Seashore

To stay on the Naval Live Oaks Loop Hike, take a right on the Old Borrow Pit Trail. This begins the hike back to the Naval Live Oaks parking lot. See the Old Borrow Pit Trail web page for further information.

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