As cool weather rolls around, we always get asked about the best places to get out on Florida’s trails for multi-day backpacking trips, and this season is no exception. Bryan wrote in and asked:
I’m interested in doing my first solo multi-day (3-4 days) hike in November but am not sure where to go and was wondering if you have any recommendations. I am a reasonably fit, 30 year old male. I do lots of local day hikes and once hiked the Appalachian Trail for a week with a group.
I live in Tampa, but am willing to drive most anywhere Florida, although the Panhandle is probably a little too far. Since I planning on going by myself, I need to end where I start. The Citrus loop seemed appealing, but the lack of available water is a little discouraging. The next longest loop trails I saw were the Myakka, Tosohatchee, and Richloam.
Bryan, one of the trickiest things to do in Florida is to plan a 3-4 day hike. We have plenty of places you can backpack that far, but they are, for the most part, linear segments of the Florida Trail. For most of us, it’s tough to find someone to help with logistics of leaving your car in one place and getting dropped off in another, so loop hikes are better. Or, consider hiking out and back on all or part of a continuous Florida Trail segment like the Cross Florida Greenway (64.2 mile round-trip) or the Ocala National Forest (142.2 mile round-trip). Be aware of hunting season coming up in the Ocala very soon.
We don’t have a lot of long loop hikes in Florida. Here are your best options:
Myakka River State Park – The Myakka Hiking Trail is nearly 40 miles long and, while the landscape is flat, the scenery is spectacular. Water generally is not a problem. There is a fee for use of the campsites and for park access, but no hunting is permitted within the park.
Citrus Hiking Trail – brought to you by the same Florida Trail Association volunteers who built Myakka’s big loop, this loop is rugged for Central Florida thanks to its rocky and hilly terrain. The outer loop is 43 miles. Yes, water sources can be an issue – I’ve cached water here in the past – but hunting season can be an issue too. My experience says don’t plan a hike here within a week or two before general gun season, or during it.
Florida Trail, Bull Creek and Three Lakes (with Forever Florida as a connector). Because of the private land in between, you have to be a Florida Trail member to pull this one off, and again, avoid general gun season, but you can make an interesting barbell-shaped hike out of these, with at least 5 designated campsites to choose from:
Park your car at Three Lakes WMA / Prairie Lakes Unit trailhead
Hike north via Three Lakes and Forever Florida (9.4 miles +7.3 miles =16.7 mile connector)
Do the loop trail at Bull Creek WMA (20.5 miles)
Return via Forever Florida and Three Lakes (16.7 miles)
Hike south from your car on the Prairie Lakes Unit loop (11.1 miles)
Total mileage: 65 miles
The second biggest loop trail in Florida is the Florida Trail around Lake Okeechobee, at 112 miles or so. Pluses: fabulous views, easy resupply, no problems with water, great wildlife watching. Minuses: No shade. Pavement (atop the dike) along more than 50% of the route. And the Army Corps of Engineers continues to work on sections of the dike that need repair, so you’d be in for several unpleasant roadwalks as a work-around.
The biggest loop trail in Florida, which is a true logistical challenge, are the Eastern and Western Corridors of the Florida Trail around Central Florida. I’m not sure of the actual mileage right now, but when I did it back in 2000-2001, it was roughly 365 miles so we called it “The Big 360.” It takes almost a month to complete and involves one roadwalk of nearly 70 miles from Three Lakes through the southern suburbs of the Orlando metro to the Green Swamp, not a walk to be taken lightly.
If you’ve put together other trails to make loops of 3 days or more, add your suggestions here!
Buck Lake East Loop
Just saw this. So this is still an issue. I’m looking for a 2-3 day back pack trip with my son. I don’t want to hike or camp by a roadway, water seems to be an issue in certain areas, and I definitely don’t want to hike through swamp or marsh. I’m a beginner and I’m sorry to say I’m more comfortable hiking in north Georgia or Carolinas. Hoping to find a place here in Florida!
I live on the west coast of Florida and have done a few multi-day backpacking trips. One of the trips which would work as a 2-4 day trip begins at Big Cypress Oasis Visitor Center. The Florida Trail picks up at the center. The center is located at 52105 Tamiami Trail E, Ochopee, FL 34141. If you are heading south on highway 75, before heading east across alligator alley you make your way south to 41. Head east on 41 and you eventually come to the visitor center. If you want to do a 2-3 day trip, you hike north from the visitor center and eventually can do a loop on part of the trail and hike back out the part you went on (13.1 total miles). If you want to make it a 3-4 day trip, you can continue north and will eventually end on highway 75. You can add another day and do another small loop north of 75 as well. Be careful because the trails can be flooded some months of the year. Call the center and ask them for information. Check out the trail maps here: https://www.nps.gov/bicy/planyourvisit/maps.htm
Thank you very much for all of the great ideas! I can’t wait to get out there and explore them all.
Linear trails are not impossible for the solo hiker. One possibility would be to hike out two days, and then hike back two days.
Another possibility would be to post to a hikers forum (like myfloridahikes.com) and ask if anyone was willing to run a shuttle. You know, pick you up where you park the car and drop you off at the other end. I can see some tit-for-tat trades. Or a pay it forward system. I could be talked into picking up someone at Clearwater Lake and dropping them off at Rodman Dam say once a month. Then, when I’m able to do such a hike…
Or take advantage of the fact that you had to teach your kids to drive. I’m planning on using my kids as shuttle service while I can.
Finally, there are your neighbors. Have you fed their cats while they were out of town? Maybe thay’d be willing to drive you every now and then.
True, true. I do a lot of linear hikes – you just need a friend with a car to go with you and leave one car at the far end. But it may be tricky for a lot of folks, especially those vacationing in Florida. When I stopped in Buck N Bass in Salt Springs this August, they said they could still arrange shuttles for people hiking the Florida Trail in the Ocala National Forest. I don’t know of many shuttle services in Florida. They can be reached at 352-685-0200
How about the Paisley Woods bicycle trail? Last I biked it, there were more hikers than bikers. It’s only 22 miles, but that represents three days’ hiking for me. http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/ocala/recarea/?recid=32311
The fact that Alexander Springs is involved is a huge plus…my favorite Central FL spring.
When was the last time you were on Paisley Woods? My understanding was the USFS was not maintaining it any more, but I may be wrong. Good suggestion, but be careful of folks racing along at 12+ mph! 😉
We bike the south loop of Paisley last weekend and it was beautiful!!!