Florida Pinzgauer Treffen      


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Florida PinzgauerTreffen: Additional Images from earlier trips here

Date

  • Mar 3rd-5th, 2006

Location

2006 Location: Big Scrub Recreation Area which is located in southwestern Ocala National Forest near the junction of Forest Routes 573 and 588. (South-East of Ocala, Florida.) 

Getting There

Mapquest Driving Directions GPS- N29 04.769 W81 34.875

Nearest Town

Ocala, Fla

Terrain

  • Rolling sandy forest with hardwood hammocks.  
  • Terrain appears to favor All-Terrains with lot's of sugar sand in the Big Scrub area
  • Deep water crossings on some trails. (Pinz capable, see photos above and from '03)
  • We did not encounter deep mud in earlier trips, but there is the possibility
  • Tow cables/straps are always a good idea.
  • The forest is huge, but much is closed to 4wd/OHV access. Looks like Big Scrub is the main area open to 4x4 use.

Highlights

  • Subtropical vegetation of palms, hardwood swamp, live oak domes, and sandpine ridges
  • Alexander Spring gushes approximately 80 million gallons of crystal clear water per day, at a year-round temperature of 72.
  • Lot's of family activities close by for non-trailride folks. 

Trail Rides

Offroad Maps

ocalawma.gif (83256 bytes)

general map of south forest

Equipment

  • Off-road tires- All Terrains probably have the advantage due to sandy terrain. Not much deep mud was encountered in previous trips.
  • We encountered several deep water crossings in '03. All Pinz's made it through with no problems. Others did not! But it's worth checking your water resistance and carrying some water displacing spray like WD-40 just in case.
  • Air up/down capability heavily advised due to sandy conditions. You will want to air down for many of the trails.
  • tow-strap or cable (probably clevis to connect to others if needed)
  • Trail ride vehicles should have good brakes, smooth idle, etc. Also standard safety equipment (Fire extinguisher, First-Aid kit, etc) is a good idea.
  • Trailrides use Family Radio Service (FRS) to stay in touch. A multi-channel unit is advised. We will use channel 5 with channel 1 as a backup unless local conditions dictate otherwise.
  • GPS is advised. There are hundreds of miles of unmarked sugarsand trails in the forrest. While if you drive far enough you will hit a paved road, it sure helps to have a mapping GPS to correlate the map with your current location.
  • Due to the nature of offroad driving, it's probably a good idea to have children wear bike helmets, or something similar on trail rides. We have had at least one case of a rifle rack/grab bar imprint on a child's forehead due to unexpected vehicle sway! Crash helmets are not needed, just something to keep shorter heads away from the roll-bars, grab bars, etc.
  • As always, seatbelts are also a really good idea for any offroad activity!

Accommodations

1) Alexander Springs

Canoeing CampingConcession Stand Drinking Water Fishing Hiking Trail Intrepretive Trail Picnicking Restrooms Picnic Shelter Showers Swimming Phone Trailer Sanitary Dump U.S. Fee Area Visitor Information

This is the nicest site, and the most developed. We had a nice stay here in 2003. Most people will be staying here for the 2006 Treffen. Reservations can be made at http://www.reserveamerica.com ahead of time, which is recommended. Sites 1-10 are ideal, and that is where most will be staying if possible.

  • Current prices are $18 per nite with a 3 nite minimum for reservations due to the holiday weekend. 5 person max per site.
  • The individual campsites are well equipped with grill's, Picnic tables, and a tent area. Indoor restrooms with running water are very close, and there are water faucets spread throughout the loop. At least one of the restrooms has hot showers. Ice is sold at the main gate.
  • The campground is staffed with volunteer "Camp Hosts", and they are sometimes quite picky. Tony had his patience tested dealing with the retiree hosts, but managed to charm them. They are trying to interpret the Ranger rules, but sometimes get overzealous. The good news is that the limited access and close attention of the camp hosts prevents crowd problems in camp, and it is a quiet and peaceful location.
  • Vehicle parking is limited to two per site, and there are restrictions of overall vehicle length to 38'. There is an overflow parking area that can be used for an additional charge of $10/nite.  Warning: The Camp Hosts for 2003 decided that a Suburban and a trailer counted as two vehicles. So we had to park the pinz on the trailer at night. (And that took some convincing to not have them count it as 3 vehicles)
  • Several swam in the spring, which was quite neat. It was just cool enough to make a long swim unlikely, but it was neat seeing the spring. Depending on weather it's worth bringing a swimsuit and a mask/snorkle.
  • Additional info on Alexander Springs can be seen here:

2) Big Scrub 

(Backup site if Alex Sprgs not available)

Camping Drinking Water Picnicking Restrooms U.S. Fee Area
  • This site is very basic, but appears to accommodate large groups easily. (There was a large dirt bike group there in 2003)
  • No showers, and not as pretty as Alexander Springs. Also does not have the spring to swim in.
  • Commercial Camping- There are many commercial alternatives if you have an RV and need electrical/sewer access.
  • Commercial Cabins are available within reasonable drive
  • There are many hotels available in Ocala for those who prefer not to camp. It is about a 30 minute drive to the park from East Ocala.

Logistics

  • Please contact Wayne Roberts or Alan Barrow at: for initial info. We'll post an email address to register once times/dates are finalized.
  • Air Travel- Orlando is probably easiest, and it's just a short drive North to the treffen. Campground access appears to be via paved road. Daytona is also fairly close.
  • Rally Points- Designated locations for trail ride starts, etc will be posted prior to the Treffen to allow latecomers to catch up with the main group. We will monitor FRS channel 5 (Ch. 1 as a backup) as well during trail rides and in camp.
  • Food & Supplies- There are some small groceries/gas stations within 15 minutes drive of the park, but you will want to load up in Ocala ahead time for the best selection and price.
  • Gas- The park is quite large and we drove far more than anticipated.  The nearest gas is a 15-20 minute drive away, so it would be worth filling your can. (One can got used in 2003!) 

Tentative Schedule

  • Friday- Initial Arrival starting mid-day. No formal activities planned. Lot's of visiting and possibly scouting for trail rides. A short & easy night ride likely.
  • Saturday- Morning trailride, back in camp for lunch. Afternoon 3 hr trailride departs 1:30. Back at camp around 4-5PM. Dinner, campfire, and lot's of visiting. Possible 1 hr night ride on the "Jungle Cruise". (Was very fun in '03)
  • Sunday-  Depart 10:30 for Trailride with Picnic lunch at Lake. We are looking into geocache activity, and there are some that may be on/near this circuit that we could incorporate. Back at camp 3-4 PM. Informal group dinner, and campfire if allowed.
  • Monday- Breakfast. No formal activities. Most start heading out noon'ish.

Other Attractions

  • Big Scrub Recreation Area
  • Florida Office of Visitor Inquiry, Division of Tourism, 126 W. Van Buren Street , Tallahassee, FL, 32399-2000, Phone: 904-487-1462
  • Wally-World
  • Silver Springs
  • Jennie Springs

Other Info


Past Florida Treffens



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