backpacking

Looks like a great weekend for a backpacking trip! Back when I was working on "50 Hikes in Central Florida," discovering the Citrus Hiking Trail in Withlacoochee State Forest was like unearthing a lost gem. I cut my teeth on backpacking up in the Appalachians before I returned to Florida to live. And here, scarcely a half hour from home, was a place where there were big, rolling hills, deep valleys, rocky footpaths, and caves along the trail! At 43.3 miles, it's a heck of a loop hike and takes some serious logistical planning, since the karst topography doesn't hold much surface water. You can also bite off smaller chunks, since it's planned out as a set of four interconnected loops. It's certainly the most unique place to backpack in Central Florida, and lies just southwest of downtown Inverness.

More news: I've started an online forum for hikers, If hiking's your passion or you're just curious about it, feel free to drop by and chime in on the discussion.