Scooby99
11-11-2010, 16:39
I dont know much about the FT, and before I go out and buy the guidebooks, anyone have ideas on a 250-300 mile section with little to no long road walks, looking at mid-January for this hike, thanks.
wvgrinder
11-21-2010, 12:12
I'm looking to do the same thing. But I plan to start on Jan. 1.
Scooby99,
There are lots of great sections of the Florida Trail. But the FT is still a work in progress (kind-of like the AT in the 60's) so you are going to be doing some (long) road walks.
I love the St. Marks area. It is perhaps my favorite section of the entire FT. The Florida Trail has the some of the best wildlife of any long-distance trail (a definite bonus to the FT trail experience). It is full of life. The weather can be cold in winter (upper 30's) and very wet too.
A 300 mile FT walk could start/end in Blountstown (the Apalachicola River), go through the Apalachicola National Forest, wade through the Bradwell Bay wilderness (very cool), go through the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge (Florida at its best), follow the Aucilla River (a wonderful river walk), cross over to the Econfina River, then there is a long road walk section through the San Pedro area (not a really nice/fun section of the FT yet), but then you reach the good old Suwannee River section with its huge live oak trees and very pleasant trail and camping opportunities, go to town of White Springs, then go through the Osceola National Forest and end/start at the Olusttee Battlefield (Civil War) Historic Site.
This 300 mile section is prone to flooding (so check the water levels before starting out). In April 2010 the deepest part of Bradwell Swamp was up to my waist (hip-belt) but not difficult in slow moving water. The river walk sections in North Florida are truly wonderful so don't miss them.
Resupply options: Blountstown or Bristol, Panacea or Medart, the town of St. Marks, J.R.'s Aucilla Store (limited re-supply) and the town of White Springs. All of these re-supplies options are directly on the FT or within a few miles of the trail.
There are lots of other good 300 mile sections out there too. Big Cypress (panther country) is also very nice/wild. Just buy the maps, chose a hike and start walking.
Have fun and be safe out there.
John L.