In my quest to get acquainted with more sections of the eastern corridor of the Florida Trail, I celebrated this past New Year’s Day backpacking on the Florida Trail in the Chuluota Wilderness Area and the Bronson State Forest. A week earlier (yes, on Christmas Eve), I had done the same in the busy Little … Continue reading Chuluota Wilderness Area and the Bronson State Forest: Flatlands, Wetlands, and Much More
Tag: Florida Trail
Hills in Florida? The Croom Tract in the Withlacoochee State Forest Has Them
About 1½ hours east of Orlando near Brooksville, a playground for outdoor enthusiasts beckons for hikers that offers that rarest of commodities in our state: Hills. Anyone who has driven on I-75 north of Tampa has passed through them. By Florida standards, they are a bit rugged. They are also a great place to backpack … Continue reading Hills in Florida? The Croom Tract in the Withlacoochee State Forest Has Them
Thank you to Sandra Friend for Posting My Piece on FloridaHikes.com!
I was honored today to have Sandra Friend, the author of The Florida Trail Guide and many other great books on backpacking, post my first article on the FloridaHikes.com website and feature me as an author there. The piece, titled "It's Raining in the Ocala National Forest," is a humorous account of my first backpacking … Continue reading Thank you to Sandra Friend for Posting My Piece on FloridaHikes.com!
Florida Hikes is THE website for anyone hiking and backpacking in Florida
Anyone who has planned a vacation knows it can be difficult to mull through a world of online information to figure out the best places to go, stay, and see. For backpackers, there is just one definitive website for planning hikes and camping trips in Florida, and it is FloridaHikes.com. If you’re a novice backpacker looking … Continue reading Florida Hikes is THE website for anyone hiking and backpacking in Florida
The Little Big Econ State Forest: A Great Way to Taste the Florida Trail
The following article was first published in the January 2025 issue of The Footpath Newsletter, the newsletter for the Central Florida chapter of the Florida Trail Association. Having recently written a book about several one-night backpacking trips I did last year while discovering backpacking in Central Florida, I had not yet actually done a trip … Continue reading The Little Big Econ State Forest: A Great Way to Taste the Florida Trail
My First Hike in Ocala National Forest was Amazing (Riverside Island)
Last Saturday I made my first long-overdue trip to the Ocala National Forest, the birthplace of the Florida National Scenic Trail. Although my original intent was to do a one-night backpacking trip, I changed my mind when I looked at the weather forecast which promised post-sunset temperatures in the high 40s dropping to the 30s … Continue reading My First Hike in Ocala National Forest was Amazing (Riverside Island)
Tips for Novice or Born-Again Backpackers
The following article was first published in the September-October 2024 issue of The Footpath Newsletter, the newsletter for the Central Florida chapter of the Florida Trail Association. Although many of you have probably been backpacking for years, some of you may, like me until recently, be long-time avid hikers who avoid camping in the backcountry … Continue reading Tips for Novice or Born-Again Backpackers
Florida National Scenic Trail: An Outdoor Paradise in Our Own Backyard
Most people have heard of the Appalachian Trail, but did you realize we have our own national scenic trail right here in Florida? The Florida Trail is truly a hiker’s and backpacker’s paradise—and much of it runs through Orange, Seminole, and Osceola Counties. The Florida Trail is one of eleven national scenic trails recognized by … Continue reading Florida National Scenic Trail: An Outdoor Paradise in Our Own Backyard
