Florida Trail sites/info?

[IronGutsTommy]

I sectioned some of the AT this past fall but am now located in Dunedin Florida ( tampa/st pete area) and so im looking into the flordia trail as a way to scratch the itch. any specific web sites you could recommend to study up on/ salivate over i would appreciate it. thanks in advance.
plus wouldnt mind friending a few florida trail enthusiasts as i plan to make it my main stomping grounds.

[Buffalo Skipper]

The main site is, of course, http://www.floridatrail.org/. Each chapter maintains a separate site, which is widely varing in the quality and content of information, depending upon the size and active level of the chapter. I have found these to be more focused on trail maintenance than good information for hikers. But that is just my opinion, and not a criticism.

A lot of the detailed information is restricted to members (which I am not). There are plenty of hikeable sections in central Florida, especially in the Ocala area (where the trail is divided east and west.

I have hiked only sections in NW Florida and around the Suwannee, so I cannot comment on the trail near you, but I have heard good remarks from people in that area.

There are parts of the FT which cross swamp land, and hiking is often waist deep for dozens of miles (year round). These areas include around St Marks (south of Tallahassee), down near and below the Lake Okeechobee and, I believe others. Personally, this is not hiking to me, so choose your areas well.

Please don't read a negative tone into what I have said. There are few completed sections in my area, and it is not always convenienet to get to where the hiking is better. My experience on the FT is limited and I would like to see more areas than I have thus far.

Good luck and have fun getting out there!

[Sickmont]

There are parts of the FT which cross swamp land, and hiking is often waist deep for dozens of miles (year round). These areas include around St Marks (south of Tallahassee), down near and below the Lake Okeechobee and, I believe others. Personally, this is not hiking to me, so choose your areas well.
Good luck and have fun getting out there!

The section that goes from the north side of alligator alley and up to and all around Lake Okeechobee i wouldnt call hiking either. Its mostly a foot path the follows a bunch of canals and around the lake on the dike. Definitely bring sunscreen and a hat. There arent any trees for miles. You'll learn real quick what it feels like to be a piece of bacon in a frying pan out there.

That being said, here's a little secret a lot of folks on the suncoast don't know about.

http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/map.php

I use a lot of these preserves for hiking and cycling, and the nice part is a good chuck of them are unknown to most folks in the area. The closest one to you is this one:

http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/areas/lowerhillsborough.html

If you see a fat guy on a black Trek 4300 mountain bike flying down the trails there it's probably me.

[Sickmont]

Actually, i'm mistaken. This one is closest to you:

http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/areas/brookercreekpreserve.html

[IronGutsTommy]

yeah brooker creek parks pretty close. thanks guys for the info. i found the floridatrail.org site but was looking for swiftmud so thanks for that. so theres no way to thru hike the florida trail without miles of waist deep wading involved? that kinda stinks to hear. are there gatherings and group hikes from time to time, and if so, whats the best site to connect up/ find out about those types of things. one thing i learned from my time on the AT is that I for one prefer the company of others. sure makes the hiking less of a workout and more of an adventure

[Sickmont]

Here's our local Florida trail chapter:

http://www.floridatrail.org/Chapters/Central-Chapters1/Suncoast.html

I'm not a member of this group though.

And here's some photos of the southern part of the trail, down in Big Cypress where wading is involved.

http://ft.smugmug.com/South-Florida/Big-Cypress/2333739_DgEfk#122118247_V9hrz

[Sickmont]

http://suncoast.floridatrail.org/

Here's their main page, but its seems to be having problems.

[WingedMonkey]

http://www.floridahikes.com/
Try this site, not real active, but it's put together by Sandra Friend, who writes the Florida Trail Hiking Guide and a bunch of other Florida books. Also check all of the Florida water management districts most if not all have online recreation/public use guides online.

[WingedMonkey]

Also check Florida State Parks, Trails in Florida State Parks (http://www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/guide/parkstrails.htm) Myakka River State Park near you has 39 miles of trails and primitive camping...also great canoeing and a million gators.
Another source is Florida Greenways and Trails Guide (http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CCgQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dep.state.fl.us%2Fgwt%2Fguide %2F&rct=j&q=%22florida%20trails%22&ei=n3pMTbmMA4GdlgfZxPUH&usg=AFQjCNGdAp9W98gKXOi7rYDBIs6TNgvXhg&sig2=UstXybMWs2F2hxBptLbUyg&cad=rja) and the links on the site.

[BumpJumper]

Hey Tommy...I approved you so you are good on Florida Hikes now.

[chiefiepoo]

Welcome to Pinellas County, where we are packed in at the rate of about 3,800 people per square mile. That's before counting winter visitors. Withlacoochee SF is probably the most accessable destination from the north of the county. WSF has three tracts to offer a variety of bp opportunities. Citrus tract and Croom tract are the most used. A combination of trails and grid roads in these two tracts connect primitive and improved camp sites. Richloam tract SE of I75 and US 50 is the most remote. That thing going bump in the night is either a small hog or big armadillo, our nighttime friends. Fewer roads in Richloam and it is probably the wettest of the tracts with some parts of the trail having high and low water options. Hunters abound in all tracts at certain times and it does get crowded. In the Croom tract, there is a trail that skirts the W river between Hog Island and River Junction. It is about 7.5 out and 7.5 back for a nice weekend overnighter. You will be hearing trucks on I 75 at night and the prisoners from the corrections center calling cadence as they do their 6am jog along the perimeter fence. But it is very nice and close. FT members do the maintenance on these trails I believe but they are not part of the thru trail.
Water problems vary. Greens swamp, of course it's a swamp, and Mayakka SP can surprise either way. I;ve seen the water in GS waist high. Water on normally flat dry places in Myakka can linger at knee deep after a prolific rainey season. You will be hiking with alligators. Call for local conditions. I have experience on many other places so I'd be happy to message back with any questions you might have. There are good places to hike, bike and paddle around here. It's just that many are an hour drive away.

[IronGutsTommy]

thanks for all the help guys. its much appreciated and i found one book already, Florida hiking Trails from maupin house. i plan to get some more books/info but this is alot of help and already heard from llama legs who is probably 10 minutes north of my location. cant wait to add some more miles to my new gear, the 240 i did in the fall just didnt do much except wake the appetite without filling it.

[IronGutsTommy]

yep back in good ol florida. grew up in nearby clearwater so the gators are almost a welcome sight.

[Black Wolf]

There are tons..well miles of trails in Fla...all the above sites will tell where ... the sad thing about hiking in FLA. is the scenery is all about the same ... the best Fla hiking is up around Tallahassee, IMHO, and if you're brave ... I sneak out north of KSC and camp and hike on the beach ...my favorite ... I've never been caught but I grew up just there so I know where to stealthy enter, but you're in a great location for the Fla flair...enjoy Fla ... but you'll be yearning for the mountains in no time....

[lilricky]

Take a look at my site in my signature below. I have GPS data files that show the trail along with several points of interest like trailheads, camping spots, water sources, shelters, etc.

[lilricky]

Oops, screwed up my signature, here: www.lilricky.com

[Pioneer Spirit]

Read this guy's blog, he did the FT from Key West and hiked other trails to reach Springer in Ga.

http://www.anotherlongwalk.com/search?updated-max=2008-01-08T04%3A54%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=7

[runnergirl]

Last spring break, my friends and I hiked a 75 mile section of the Florida Trail through the Ocala National Forest. It provided a challenging trek, a good change of scenery each day, and some beautiful camping locations! I would highly reccomend this section.

[IronGutsTommy]

thanks all. hopefully theres some elevation changes. strangely that was one of the best parts of the appalachian trail, youre always going up or down (the "roller coaster" in virginia is overrated!. piece o cake with minimal elevational changes from peaks to valleys , maybe 400 feet difference)

[moytoy]

If hills is what you aim for IGT then Florida is not the spot. Britton Hill is the highest mountain in Fl. at about 350 ft. But like others have posted here there are some good hiking trails and you should enjoy them. I do most of my hiking in the ONF but if you like something a little different and would like to see a Florida beach the way it was 200 years ago then take a hint from Black Wolf and hike the beach from Playlinda to New Smyrna.

[IronGutsTommy]

thanks, moytoy. yeah ive taken all the links, spots, hikes and such listed here down for some thorough investigating/ salivating. now if i could just find a nice hairless cat to perch in my lap while i rub the sides of my chin and plot my next move.... " No, Mr. Bigglesworth, I will find little use for my 20 degree mummy bag on the trails in florida...."

[moytoy]

I've actually used my down quilt/bag at 19 degrees this year in north Florida. Sew a fleece coat for that cat:-)

[chiefduffy]

A lot of the FT along the Suwannee is very scenic and not flat. Lots of springs and ravines and white sand swimming holes.

[Pedaling Fool]

I got a book from the library not too long ago, on the FT. And I was somewhat unhappy to learn that to hike much of the FT you need to be a member and have that membership card on you when you hike. Then you got the permit system, which seems like a planning nightmare for long hikes.

But those are just initial thoughts, still looking into the subject.