Looking for 30-50 mile loop hike

[MJW155]

I'm looking for a decent loop hike in Florida. About 30-50 miles. Only requirement is some shade and a place to park my car (don't want to spend $50 to park for 4 or 5 days). Anywhere in the state is OK, but near Ocala would be best. I'd also prefer if trails are not flooded. I know rainy season is coming but next few weeks hopefully will be OK.

Thanks!

[fcoulter]

Have you looked at the Citrus Loop (http://www.floridahikes.com/citrus-hiking-trail)? It's a little shorter than you're looking for, though.

You might want to go to myfloridahikes.com and ask there, too.

[I miss Mtns.]

You should take a look at the Florida Trail Conservancy website. I do not recommend the Juniper Prairie or Hopkins prairie areas, they are a wasteland. I am looking to get out in the next couple weeks myself for about the same timeframe, Susanne might be nice just because of the heat and water. I have been thinking about checking out the Richolam or Withlacoochie loops as well. Good luck and be mindful of the bears around Ocala NF. http://www.floridatrail.org/html/hik...activities.cfm

[WingedMonkey]

You should take a look at the Florida Trail Conservancy website. I do not recommend the Juniper Prairie or Hopkins prairie areas, they are a wasteland. I am looking to get out in the next couple weeks myself for about the same timeframe, Susanne might be nice just because of the heat and water. I have been thinking about checking out the Richolam or Withlacoochie loops as well. Good luck and be mindful of the bears around Ocala NF. http://www.floridatrail.org/html/hik...activities.cfm

While both Juniper and Hopkins may be hot and buggy and in some areas shadeless in the summer, neither is anywhere close to being wastelands.

Both are natural treasures, Juniper Prairie so much so that it was designated a Wilderness Area.

[I miss Mtns.]

Burnt out blown down wasteland. It's a wilderness area because no roads cross through. If you call bushes a national treasure then I guess...

[fcoulter]

Burnt out blown down wasteland. It's a wilderness area because no roads cross through. If you call bushes a national treasure then I guess...

I'm reading The Last Englishman. Sounds like a good description of the first five chapters. (Other than a bit more up and downs.)

[WingedMonkey]

Burnt out blown down wasteland. It's a wilderness area because no roads cross through. If you call bushes a national treasure then I guess...

What part of new york did you live in before you moved to your condo?

[lilricky]

As someone who hikes throughout the Ocala National Forest on a regular basis for the past 5 years, it is neither a "wasteland" nor just "bushes". The Ocala National Forest is filled with tall Pine, Sabal Palm, giant Live Oaks, emeralded colored natural springs, grass prairies, brown bear, turkey, American Bald Eagle, and tons of other plant and animal life. Now, there has been forest fires in the past, some severe. But even the biggest fire was less than 4 percent of the ONF. Perhaps someone simply walked through a couple of miles of a recovering area and assumed it was all like that. I can assure you it is not.

[I miss Mtns.]

I have walked the whole ONF and did not say it was all crap. The area I did mention is crap. Sure, it's one of the most remote parts of the trail in the area, but that's about all it has going for it. Even when dumbass hikers aren't burning the place down, the forest service is. And please don't go on explaining the benefits of controlled burns, I understand. That doesn't make the wasteland any better for that guy in two weeks. The attractions you mentioned are available on most parts of the trail simply because this whole state has pretty much the same alternating ecosystems of hammock, pine forest, sandhill, and scrub. It's all the freaking same, a beautiful 10-50 foot view. I wonder if the problem with Floridians is that they never see far enough to figure out just how insignificant they are. I only backpack in this godforsaken place because it is against every fiber of my being not to. You can play in the burnt out sandbox. My next Florida trip will be next to a river.

[I miss Mtns.]

He says from the living room of his overpriced condo in West Palm Beach. Lots of woodsmen down there in Boca these days?

[lilricky]

Sigh, reported for trolling