10 mile hike in the Withlacoochee State Forest from Ridge Manor

Let's show the Withlacoochee State Forest from Ridge Manor a little love! We will hike the orange and blue trails and enjoy a lovely combo of open sky and forest canopy, and pine needle/dirt and sugar sand trails that loosely follow the curves of the Withlacoochee River. There's lots to see including the river, cliffs, cypress domes, oak hammocks, pine nurseries, wildlife, and hopefully a few colorful flowers.

We will hike at least 10 miles.

Please do not signup for this hike if you can't maintain a pace of 2.5 miles over 4 hours on uneven terrain. If this is your first hike with Suncoast Outdoors, please message me before hand to introduce yourself.

Because of the season, this should be a dry hike with lots of sun. If it looks like rain, I will still see you there, maybe with your rain gear on :). We will hike at a steady and moderately-brisk pace and take a couple of short breaks plus one 20 minute break for a snack.

On the day of the hike, please meet me at 8:45 am at the pavilion next to the bathroom and the parking lot. We will leave at 9 am sharp. 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. There are very few benches so you may want to bring a ground cloth to sit on during the snack break. There are bathrooms and water at the trailhead only.

For information about the hike, visit https://floridahikes.com/florida-trail-croom-river-trail/ but keep in mind that we're not going as far as crooked river.

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

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.
Any questions or concerns, please comment below. Thanks.