11.5 +/- mile hike from Stage Pond Cemetery to Dames Cave including Lizzie HS

Let's show the Withlacoochee State Forest Citrus Tract a little love! We will hike out and back from Stage Pond Cemetery to Dames Cave and do other geological favorites in between, such as Lizzie Heart Sink and Peace Cave. There is very little dirt road on this particular hike as we are walking along trails that wind through the forest, meadows, and plains. If it's a sunny day, the sun will beat down on us at times but we should also enjoy a bit of shade. There will be variable elevation on parts of the trail, with some roots, rocks, and sand on other parts.

The reason the hike is at least 5.5 hours long is to ensure we have lots of time to explore the caves and we will break for lunch in the vicinity of Peace Cave. As well, this will be my first time doing this hike (I have not done a prehike). I drew a map in Gaia (see the uploaded photo) and asked a couple of peeps to review it. I'm told this hike will be very enjoyable. Yay!

Please do not signup for this hike if you are unable to maintain a pace of 2.25 miles over 5 hours on uneven terrain. If this is your first hike with Suncoast Outdoors, please message me before hand to introduce yourself and so I can vet you.

Because of the season, this should be a dry hike. If it looks like rain, I will still see you there, maybe with your rain gear on :).

On the day of the hike, please park & meet me at the Stage Pond Cemetery at 8:45 am. DO NOT park on 491 or in the FNST parking lot. The Cemetery is on West Stage Coach Trail, just west of trail road 11B. There is no charge for parking and no bathrooms or water anywhere on the trail that I can see. We will leave at 9 am sharp.

For this hike, you will need at least 3 liters of water, snacks, bug spray, sunscreen, a hat, hikers, and anything else you deem necessary for your comfort. You may want to bring a ground cloth to sit on during the snack break.

My number on the day of the hike is 813-713-2492.

For information about the caves and the area, visit https://www.alltrails.com/parks/us/florida/citrus-wildlife-management-area/walking.

I am asking that everyone signs up (no guests) so everyone can agree to the waiver and agree to the following conditions:

ASSUMPTION OF RISK

YOUR ATTENDANCE AT A "SUNCOAST OUTDOORS " SPONSORED EVENT IS YOUR EXPRESS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING AND UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE OF FULL PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND LIABILITY FOR ALL ASSOCIATED RISKS.

Possible risks from participation include, but are not limited to: injury from a trip and fall, venomous snakes, stinging insects, venomous spiders, wildlife encounters, heat stroke, dehydration, hypothermia, noxious vegetation, weather related injury, insect or airborne transmissible virus and disease, smoke inhalation, wildfire, and falling trees.

I am not a professional guide, just a volunteer for the group.