Along Hopkins Prairie

Last week, my buddy Bob and I hit the Florida Trail to knock off another segment in the Ocala National Forest, this time, Hopkins Prairie.

My first visit here was with Deb Blick, cartographer and data collector extraordinaire of the Florida Trail Association, and it was a walk at a data collector’s pace.

FT Hopkins to Salt Springs — Pond in Hopkins Prairie. Sometimes they overflow across the trail.

On a later visit, I slogged a ways through deep water and turned around.

This trek was at a comfortable place and full of surprises.The first was a warning posted by the USDA Forest Service, the first I’d ever seen such a notice along the trail.

It warned of unusual human activity ahead that might “impact our hiking experience.” That is to say, without saying, the Rainbow People. They return to the Ocala National Forest every winter, nomads of the woods.

We met up with a few encampments, but the folks were friendly and staying to themselves, practicing a good bit of stewardship.

Cleared trail in Hopkins — A spot where the campers had cut their own trail into an oak hammock

Unlike prior encounters other hikers have had on other sections of the trail. I hope the goodwill continues.

Once we rounded the end of the prairie, we saw two backpackers headed our way. We waited for them at the Salt Springs junction, but they never caught up.

As we exited the forest via the Salt Springs connector, we met another backpacker – Uncle Walt from WhiteBlaze, who was headed southbound to the other end of the forest.

Tis the season for backpackers! Another beautiful hike on the Florida Trail.