Date
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Location
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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
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Mapquest |
Driving Directions |
GPS- N29 04.769 W81 34.875 |
Nearest Town
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Ocala, Fla
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Terrain
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- 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.
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Highlights
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- 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.
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Trail Rides
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Offroad Maps
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Equipment
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- 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!
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Accommodations
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- 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.
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Logistics
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- 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!)
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Tentative Schedule
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- 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.
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Other Attractions
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- 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
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Other Info
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