Withlacoochee State Forest Citrus Tract Loop C
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Withlacoochee State Forest Citrus Tract Loop C 2
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Withlacooche State Forrest Citrus Tract Loop C 3
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Story:
This is the second time that I have hiked in WithlacoocheStateForest and once again had a nice hike. This was a very nice hike which pushed me a little as the first day was a bit more than I have packed in a long time.
For a little background;
The Citrus Hiking Trail is the state’s longest backpacking loop trail in a single contiguous forest and is Central Florida’s most rugged hiking trail, with aggressively rolling sand hills, steep descents into sinkholes, and rock-strewn footpaths. Backpacking the 40+ mile perimeter Citrus Hiking Trail can take up to 4 days and requires some logistical planning. There are no surface streams, so you must consider this a dry trai. lYou will enjoy a stunning array of contrasting habitats and numerous opportunities for wildlife encounters. It is also a well-groomed trail, easily followed, with a clearly defined footpath and signposts at trail junctions. Orange blazes designate the outer loop, while blue blazes mark the cross trails and side trails.
For this trip as well as the other time I hiked this forest, I went with the Tampa Adventure Group. A group of about 25 of us hit the trail at about 10:30. A small group of us made it o the campsite at about 3:00 so it was a good walk. I will post a good map on the side bar so that you can take a look at the mile breakdowns as well as know how to get there.
We woke up Sunday morning around 6:00 when we got a small sprinkle. Pretty much everybody was out and about come 7:30 cooking breakfast and getting the fire going again. We knew that the weather was unstable from the night before so I decided to head out a little early. Plus I took Koda and she doesn't like walking behind people, she always has to be first. Maybe its a sled dog thing. Plus who wants to hike when its all hot?
Anyways, Koda and I pressed on rather quickly as I wanted to track the entire C loop and my battery in my BB Storm was n its way out so we had to book it.
Overall, it was a great walk! As mentioned above, the scenery is constantly changing. We didn’t see a lot of wildlife though which was kind of a bummer but the coolest thing was when Koda paid particular interest to a tree and a few steps later I saw what I am 90% sure was a bear print. I asked the ranger at the trail head and she said that they are out there just not seen that often.
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Tips:
Pack water... This is a dry trail. (edit)
