[ft-l] citrus tract

[ft-l@mailman.backcountry.net (Carl Strohmenger)]

Hello Miranda,
	I shared some information with Sandy about Citrus in response to her
request. See below for the contents of the two emails. If you have any
questions, I would be happy to try to answer them. You might also go to
the website for the Suncoast Chapter of FTA and follow the links to
"Hiking Trails".
http://www.geocities.com/suncoast_hiking
- Carl

Miranda Aust wrote:
> 
> sandy,
> 
> please post the info you get on the citrus tract
> that doesn't come your way via the list.
> 
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[Message #1]

Subject: Citrus hiking
Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2001 09:00:42 -0400
To: FTCracker@aol.com

Hello Sandy,
        I have spent many hours hiking/walking in Citrus - all 4 loops - on
various day hikes. What do you want to know?
        If you wish to drop supplies at various points along the trail, you
will find that motor access is easy to most parts of the forest except
in the very driest of seasons (deep fine sand can get you stuck then!)
Camping available at various points: Mutual Mine, Holder Mine, Stage
Pond, Perryman Place, other sites off trail. Potable water available
only at Mutual and Holder Mines - all other water sources must be treated.
        You share the forest with horse riders, hunters, and (unofficially)
off-road bicycle and motorbike people. Winter is hunting season, so
check the hunting schedule for appropriate days.
        Anything else?
- Carl


On Monday, November 19, Sandy wrote:
> Has anyone on the list had experience hiking any of the four loops in the Citrus Tract?
> Since the map says the trail is 100% dry, and backpacking the outer loop is 40+ miles,
> there are some serious logistics that I need to work out. Let me know...

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[Message #2]

Subject: Re: Citrus hiking
Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2001 13:27:50 -0400
To: FTCracker@aol.com


Hi Sandy,
        Parking is easy and (I believe) relatively secure at Holder mine and
Mutual Mine. There is a fee for camping at Holder Mine and Mutual Mine,
but I have never been asked for a fee to park there during the day.
However, you can drive into the forest from CR-581 onto TR-10 (Forest
Road #10 - Entrance to Holder Mine) past Holder Mine and then turn north
onto TR-11. About 1/3 - 1/2 mile north of TR-10, the FT crosses the
road. I have parked at this location many times for day hikes, but never
for an overnighter. You could do the same thing on TR-16 going past
Mutual Mine, BUT TR-16 has a looser deeper sand and the danger of
getting stuck is quite a bit greater on TR-16 than on TR-10.
        TR-13 offers easy access to the forest from the south on CR-480 (aka
Stagecoach Road). A half mile +/- north of CR-480 you cross TR-22 and a
turn to the east takes you to where the FT crosses TR-22 between TR-11
and TR-13. I have parked here also, but have not felt as secure in
leaving the truck as I do at Holder Mine. As you go farther north on
TR-13, I remember the road becoming more sandy and difficult to negotiate.
        On the west side, I used to enter via TR-12 from CR-491. The Ft
is very
close to the highway (less than 1/2 mile) and I don't feel as secure in
leaving the truck here either.
        There has been easy access from the north via TR-13 from SR-44
and the
FT is only about one mile south of SR-44.
        It has been a while since I used the western and northern access
points, so You might want to check with the Withlacoochee Forestry
Center's office about any road closures. Their number is (352) 754-6777.
        Holder mine to the northeast campsite at Perryman Place is probably
about 13-14 miles. No water at Perryman.
        Perryman Place to the southern campsite near Stage Pond is probably
about 14-15 miles. No water at the southern campsite, but 2 miles east
of the campsite is Stage Pond which usually has water in it. It must be
filtered and treated before use.
        From the southern campsite to Holder Mine is probably about 15 miles,
but at the 9 mile mark, you could make a 1.5 mile detour into Mutual
Mine for water, then return to the FT main loop and complete the trip to Holder.
        If you are only accustomed to flat Florida, you will be
surprised to
find some rolling countryside in Citrus, although a lot of it is flat, too.
        There are many forest roads crossing each other in Citrus and you
should be able to break up the FT into segments of from 2 miles to 10-15
miles in length. The Withlacoochee Forestry Center's office has had
hand-out maps of the forest that show the roads and the FT - just ask
for a map of the Citrus hiking trail.
        Have fun.
- Carl

FTCracker@aol.com wrote:
> 
> Hi, Carl!
> What I'm wanting to do is hike the outer loop of all four combined loops. If I can do it as day hikes, great, because I've got to push a measuring wheel. If not, I'd like to split it into 2 overnights, or one overnight and two day hikes. Water treatment isn't a problem...the map indicated there were NO water sources along the trail. I know it's a high and dry area, so I was worried about that. I'm taking hunting season into account, don't want to be in there during general gun. I'd like to start and end at Holder Mine. Any good recommendations on breaking the outer loop hike into 3 or 4 chunks accessible by road?
> 
> Cheers, Sandy

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