| Crystal River and Citrus County offer a wide variety of
terrain for the interested hiker to experience. Sand hills,
scrub land, hardwood hammocks, hydric swamps, prairie land,
marsh areas and beaches are just a sample of the extreme range
of hiking terrain to choose from in this area. Some
trails are long and some are short.
Most are dry, but some are wet. Some are natural and some are
improved. All provide the hiker with nature's beautiful visual
gifts. |
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The Withlacoochee is
Florida's second largest state forest and probably the most
popular for outdoor recreation and activities. You can backpack,
hike for an afternoon, fish or hunt, explore
caves, ride horses
and even ride ATVs. Only about a two hour drive from the Orlando
Resort area, the Withlacoochee is a great weekend backpacking
and hiking adventure.
There are more than 92 miles of hiking trails throughout the
Withlacoochee State Forest including segments of the western
loop of the Florida National Scenic Trail. You can find various
ecosystems ranging from bald cypress along the tannic
Withlacoochee River, southern magnolia forests, miles and miles of slash pine scrub or dense concentrations of oak and
maple in the northeastern sections of the forest.
The 11 different hiking trails offer numerous backpacking
options. The trails are segmented into three districts -
Richloam, Croom, and Citrus. Citrus provides the most
opportunity for the more avid backpacker. The Citrus Tract
houses some of the driest sections of the state forest. In times
of drought, streams and ponds can completely dry out so plan
your water resources carefully. There are several horse trails
within this part of the forest so troughs are available. The
water from the troughs can be potable if carefully filtered
prior to ingestion. Potable water is also available at Holder
Mine.
Holder Mine Recreational Area is one of the easiest entry points
to the Citrus Tract to reach. The recreational area is just off
SR 581 south of Inverness. Florida Trail signs are easily
visible and identifiable. Be sure to sign the trail register
prior to heading off into the forest.
Permits: No permits are required for utilizing the
primitive campsite areas along the trails. Groups do need to
register however and can do so by contacting the Visitors Center
at (352)-754-6896. There is no charge for group permits.
Guides and maps: There is no shortage of guidebooks covering
these trails and any will have good information on the basic
trail areas - Croom, Richloam and
Citrus. If you are planning to spend a full weekend or even
longer it is advisable to obtain detailed maps identifying water
sources and camping areas. You can download an order form for
these at the
Florida Trail Association's website.
Contact Information:
Withlacoochee State Forest
Visitors Center
15003 Broad St
Brooksville, FL 34601
(352)754-6896
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