View Full Version : are there really that few of us ?
who hike in Florida ? I know it's near impossible during the long summer but we do get a little cool weather.
Puddlefish
09-25-2017, 08:45
I hiked about a month on the AT with a 70+ year old gentleman from Florida. He was a hardcore Florida hiker, had pics of himself up to his thighs in swamp water hiking "trails" in the Everglades.
I've hiked around the Oscar Scherer State park which has perfectly groomed little trails. I wasn't even tempted to hike through actual swamps. I imagine there's some middle ground between the tame little trails and the swamps.
I'll be down in Florida next month in the Sarasota area, I'll probably just stick to the nearby trails.
ARambler
09-25-2017, 10:29
The Florida Trail is mostly on Facebook.
You might also want to google for orienteering.
swisscross
09-25-2017, 11:07
Considering doing a few miles this winter...not on facebook.
Have just started my research.
Thinking Orlando to Olustee.
Ocala is one of my favorite sections of the Florida Trial. I hit it on long weekends about 3-4 times during the winter. The Ocean-to-Lake hike hosted by the FT Loxahatchee Chapter is also a great hike in February.
I'm gearing up to do some backpacking again, and dreaming.... Live in NE FL. Have done a good bit of short day hikes, trails in state parks, that kind of thing. Some nice short trails but so much of it just isn't overly appealing to me unfortunately.
I was thinking hard about doing some FL trail sections for fun and practice before heading up to hills.... Read a trail journal of someone that through hiked last year. So much of it is road walking....just not that interesting to me. Kinda seemed like there aren't many stretches more than a day or two of pure trail
rocketsocks
09-25-2017, 19:55
Alligators are the reason it's called a triple crown.
MuddyWaters
09-25-2017, 21:30
I growed up in fla , camped, played in woods, hunted, 4 wheeled, and i got no interest in hiking there for most part. Not if theres rocks and hills within driving distance.
Imagine palmetto flats , sand , piney woods , and tea colored tannic acid stained water, all day every day. Yep.
kingairguy69
09-28-2017, 16:02
What is the water situation like on the Ocala section? I live and do a lot of winter hiking in Florida but the trails are always dry
kingairguy69
09-28-2017, 16:02
Ocala is one of my favorite sections of the Florida Trial. I hit it on long weekends about 3-4 times during the winter. The Ocean-to-Lake hike hosted by the FT Loxahatchee Chapter is also a great hike in February.
What is the water situation like on the Ocala section? I live and do a lot of winter hiking in Florida but the trails are always dry
Yes, ironically water is a limited commonality in some areas of the Florida Trail. A good filter with provisions to back-flush the heavy tannin's is a necessity. Check with GutHooks App or other sources for water info or plan on carrying large volumes of water.
who hike in Florida ? I know it's near impossible during the long summer but we do get a little cool weather.
Wife and I hike regularly in Florida. Summer of course is the most brutal and usually avoided.
Planning the FT Cypress Section in December.
Hope this helps.
TF
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atraildreamer
10-01-2017, 12:49
I did all of my Florida hiking in Disneyworld. :cool: They did help me to turn my wallet into an ultralite! :D:banana
Myakka State Park, near Sarasota, has several miles of hiking trails and some good overnight camping spots. It reminds me of the African savannah. Flat as a pancake of course....
I hike the FT in Ocala a lot, no shortage of backpackers there.
CoolBobby
10-05-2017, 15:32
I hike a ton in FL... Its like an alien world when compared to my Maine home. I love it. The challenges are not the rugged hills and lack of civilization, but the crazy heat and storms, lack of good water, snakes alligators and fire ants.
I've hiked all of Ocala National Forest. Its beautiful.
I hike a ton in FL... Its like an alien world when compared to my Maine home. I love it. The challenges are not the rugged hills and lack of civilization, but the crazy heat and storms, lack of good water, snakes alligators and fire ants.
I've hiked all of Ocala National Forest. Its beautiful.
Well spoken. I’ve seen alien-sized mosquitoes and palmetto that could devour civilizations.
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Chris_Cates
10-05-2017, 18:00
I've been hiking the same little section (http://floridahikes.com/ft49thlandbridge) over and over all summer. It's 9.2 miles out and back, just long enough to knock it out before it gets too hot.
ETA: There's been a tremendous increase in mosquitoes out there since Irma came through.
most people cannot handle all the mountains in Fla - altitude sickness and such
rocketsocks
10-06-2017, 00:23
most people cannot handle all the mountains in Fla - altitude sickness and such
It's the three steps forward, two steps back in the sandy soil I object to, but cha can't beat the view.
Greenways has some nice trails in the Ocala area. Bike or foot, your pick.
It's the three steps forward, two steps back in the sandy soil I object to, but cha can't beat the view.
you must be hiking south miami beach for the view
rocketsocks
10-08-2017, 10:08
you must be hiking south miami beach for the viewXXXactly :cool:
Greenways has some nice trails in the Ocala area. Bike or foot, your pick.
yep, since moving to Fla. I haven’t found a lot of backpacking opportunities here but I do love bycycling on the greenways around the state.
atraildreamer
10-08-2017, 11:34
most people cannot handle all the mountains in Fla - altitude sickness and such
That Britton Hill summit, (elevation: 345 feet), is a real killer! ;) :banana
That Britton Hill summit, (elevation: 345 feet), is a real killer! ;) :banana
yep...the highest point in Florida..... an they put a bathroom on it!
MtDoraDave
10-11-2017, 06:47
yep, since moving to Fla. I haven’t found a lot of backpacking opportunities here but I do love bycycling on the greenways around the state.
When the weather cools off a bit more, check out the Withlacoochee Citrus Tract in Inverness, FL. 4 loops, 3 free hike-in camping sites. Some hint of elevation change here and there.
There is a thread or two in this section about it, and some of the maps are better than some of the others. 2 of the campsites have water nearby, one of those two is easy enough to cache water near it before you hike in (accessible by car), while the other is a hand pump on a horse trail a short walk away from camp (directions in another thread).
The ticks aren't as bad as they are in Ocala, but there ARE ticks, so treat your clothing. The permethrin DOES work.
Thanks for the tip MtDoraDave. I’ll definitely check it out. We did the C&O canal path from Maryland to DC last year. It was our first experience at a multi day trip involving bicycles and camping. It was awesome and we would love to find that kind of opportunity here close to home. Thanks again!
StichBurly
11-17-2017, 22:11
The panhandle has some great hiking also.
Eglin Airforce Base
Suwannee river
St. Marks Wildlife Refugee (seen below)
40942
troutfisher!
11-18-2017, 17:35
Two years retired, two winters in Tampa, and two day-hikes on different sections in the Green Swamp Wilderness. I really enjoyed the change from the North Country Trail and AT. This coming year, I am looking at hiking the Florida Trail in the Ocala area... Billies Bay Wilderness, Alexander Springs Wilderness or Juniper Prairie.
Went to hidden pond last weekend, no shortage of people.
Here’s a few from Guana Wildlife Preserve. Tons of great hiking in Florida.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20171121/98a4db31ac0ed28fa95a0a5665cc6335.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20171121/323b9930cd911f80e6f45df7e4e93371.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20171121/b40b80c8e5447714b5a20b871e127c7c.jpg
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Myakka a couple of times. Had the trails to myself. Remember it can get damn hot in Florida even in the winter. Hike accordingly.
Of course Key West is awesome to "hike" on a weekend evening.