Looking for the perfect spot to set up basecamp while you explore the Withlacoochee State Forest? Well, look no further than Hog Island campground. Situated just off Hwy 476 near Nobleton, Hog Island offers a great camping facility complete with showers. You can launch canoes and kayaks from the ramp here, or catch the Florida Trail as it makes its way through the WSF. There’s also the Hog Island Nature Trail.
On this outing I found myself at the Hog Island canoe launch area, which also is the start of the Nature Trail. I like to use this +/- 2 mile trail to start out my running before I hit the Florida Trail. The trail features Cypress, Pine, Water Oak, Laurel Oak, and some really large Holly trees.
Starting out, everything was OK. A nice five minute walk preceded my planned 45 minute run. I’ve been here many times and am very familiar with this section of trail, so I didn’t expect picture taking to interfere too much with following the blazes (which are a fluorescent green/yellow by the way) and started on my run. The first ten minutes were fine, I was moving along at a good pace and snapping pictures for you fine folks to check out. Then it happened. I was off the trail and had run into the woods. Geez…
If you are hiking or running the Nature Trail, watch for the blazes. There’s lots of little cross trails toward the end of it. It’s not marked as well as it should be. Several times I have ended up in a bushwack here, and today was no exception. I came within inches of stepping on a dead raccoon and ended up back on the paved road somehow.
I’ll post about the Florida Trail section soon since I didn’t make it this far. I guess after my bushwack I could have ran some more, but I was mad and ready to go home. I got a little cut up trying to high-step through the bushes while running and trying to take pictures. I basically just gave up..!
Get on over to Hog Island for some dead raccoon-kicking fun!
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