The Best is Yet to Come Series Nokuse - Hike #4

Back to the trail in The Best is Yet to Come Series, this time exploring Nokuse Plantation. Hike #4 is for adventure seekers. "Nokuse" is the Muscogee Native American word for black bear. The Nokuse Land Conservancy is the largest private conservation project east of the Mississippi River, with a 300 year plan to restore native longleaf pine ecosystems and protect endangered wildlife. The plantation is a sanctuary and umbrella habitat for the Florida Black Bear, as well as home to white tailed deer, fox squirrels, coyotes, gopher tortoise, diamondback rattlesnakes, Eastern indigo snakes, red-cockaded woodpeckers, and many more. About 27 miles of the FNST crosses through Nokuse Plantation.

There is a long and a short option for this hike. Option 1 (long) will meet at Seven Runs Trailhead on State Rd 81 at 8 am and carpool to our starting point at Cowford Landing, then hike 8.5 mi back to Seven Runs TH. Option 2 (for those who are still working up to longer adventure hikes) will meet at Cowford Landing at 8:20 am, hike in for 2.5 mi, then hike back out for a total of 5 mi. Please post in comments if you plan on the "long" or "short" option. Both groups will start together with a short walk along the shoulder of Hwy 20, then enter Nokuse. We will all stop for a photo at the short option turnaround. The long hikers will continue on, concluding at Seven Runs Trailhead. The terrain is mixed, with occasional soft sand and muddy, boggy areas. Parts of the route may overlap with areas where seasonal hunting is permitted, so wear bright blaze orange clothing for safety. Sturdy shoes/boots are recommended, as well as bug spray, hat, sunscreen, plenty of water, electrolytes, lunch/snacks, and whatever you may require for a long hike in the woods. Please hydrate and nourish BEFORE arriving. No pets for this series. The best is yet to come!