If you love nature photography, check out Chris “Soda Pop” Littlefield’s work

I usually post here about places where I’ve backpacked alone, where I rarely camp with anyone. But this week, I’m thrilled to share about a backpacker I met at Green Swamp West during a one-nighter this past weekend, Chris “Soda Pop” Littlefield. Hopefully you’ll agree that his photos of nature on his Facebook page and his hiking and backpacking videos on YouTube are worth binging. He’s also a great guy to hang out with around a campfire.

Chris is a member of the Suncoast chapter of the Florida Trail Association (FTA), a sister chapter of my Central Florida chapter, and as a long-distance backpacker, he has been everywhere in Florida, from Big Cypress to the Panhandle to everywhere in between. You know when you’re talking to someone who has been given a trail name like “Soda Pop” that you’re dealing with a seasoned backpacker. And unlike yours truly, he isn’t intimidated by snakes, alligators, trails submerged in waist deep water, thirty-plus-mile treks, or hiking at night.

He is also one heck of a photographer. Just check out his Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/chris.littlefield.35) and you’ll see what I mean. He’s so highly regarded by the Florida Trail Association that he’s been tapped to be the photographer for Florida Trail Fest, FTA’s weeklong celebration of the outdoors at Stephen Foster Folk Culture State Park from March 6th through 8th, and FTA also put a photo he took of the Osceola National Forest on the front panel of its newest hat. Chris also posts informative and entertaining videos of his adventures on his YouTube channel, SodaPopHiker.

Chris arrived at the High Bluff campsite on Saturday night just before sunset and asked to join me after seeing the bear bag I’d hung above the connector trail and correctly deducing that I was as interested as him in enjoying a quiet, peaceful night. He pitched his tent and spent the rest of the evening sharing a wealth of insights around the campfire, from tips on trails and gear to stories about his adventures with other backpackers to his plans to hike the Appalachian and Pacific Coast Trails.

Chris reminded me that as much fun as it is to find solitude in our state’s majestic outdoor spaces, it’s particularly special to share them with others who are just as passionate about enjoying and protecting them. If you ever spend a night on the trail in Florida, I hope you have the pleasure of running into Chris.