Gimme Some Orange Blazes - 6th in a Series (Whispering Pines to Trail 13)
Details
This hike is the 6th in a series, to hike all the Florida National Scenic Trail (FNST) that runs through our Florida Trail Association's (FTA) - Suncoast Chapter.
FNST is blazed orange for 1500 miles from Big Cypress to Pensacola.
Our dedicated Section Leaders maintain the FNST from this trailhead north to Withlacoochee River bridge in Dunnellen.
This 6th & final hike will be about 9 miles on the FNST in the Withlacoochee State Forest, including portions of the Citrus Tract A, B and C Loops and Whispering Pines Park.
We will meet at Whispering Pines City Park. (Trailhead parking is all the way in the back, between basketball courts & swimming pool.) From there we will need to shuttle some cars before we begin the hike. It’s about a 20 minute drive to the shuttling spot, where the FNST crosses Trail 13 (southeast of the B-C connector trail). Please arrive promptly or a little early, so we can get a good count on people and cars. We want to get our shuttling done as soon as possible, so we can begin our hike.
What to expect:
This hike will be about 9 MILES long. Scheduled end time is an estimate.
We will experience varied conditions, stretches of open sun with palmettos & pines as well as sections of shady oaks. Be prepared for high & dry as well as wet & muddy sections. We will walk approximately 2 1/2 - 3 MPH. It's a long walk. We will take several breaks to rest & have lunch. Could be hot & humid. Be prepared to go the distance - no bail out points.
What to wear/bring:
comfortable shoes that may get wet
appropriate clothing for the days weather.
sun hat & sunglasses
bug spray
lunch & snacks
2 liters of water
happy attitude
Dedicated volunteers maintain these FTA trails. John King is the Citrus section leader and maintains the B Loop, Thom Holloway maintains the C Loop and "Java Joe" Dabes maintains the A Loop.
All participants are required to sign an "Assumption of Risk" form.
This form may be previewed at: https://floridatrail.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/FTA-Assumption-of-Risk-March-30th-2022.pdf
All participants are encouraged to join our non-profit organization, Florida Trail Association.
For more information on the Florida National Scenic Trail (FNST) and the Florida Trail Association (FTA) & how to join FTA:
https://floridatrail.org