Photo: Florida Trail Association Website
“In February 1965, President Lyndon Johnson’s speech to Congress on ‘Conservation and Preservation of Natural Beauty’ was more than about clean water and parks. He also spoke about trails.
‘The forgotten outdoorsmen of today are those who like to walk, hike, ride horseback, or bicycle. For them we must have trails as well as highways…Old and young alike can participate. Our doctors recommend and encourage such activity for fitness and fun…’
The National Scenic Trail has 11 designated trails within the National Trails System and one of those is the Florida National Scenic Trail, with over a thousand miles- one stretch of which takes hikers through Hernando County.
Those that love a little outdoor adventure can experience over 20 miles of some of the best scenic hiking in Hernando County. Hikers can enjoy the diversity of habitats from swamp domes to sandhill scrub within the Withlacoochee Forest and may even see some of Florida’s amazing wildlife and wildflowers.
Not enough time to experience the full 20 miles? Here are three sections of the FNST in Hernando County for starting a simple outdoor adventure.
Cypress Lake Preserve: the trail enters/exits on Ridge Manor Blvd with 1.62 miles of scrub and sandhill habitats as well as dome swamps and enters/exits on Paul R. Steckle Lane
Perry Oldenburg: enters/exits at Willow Street with 1.54 miles of mostly sandhill habitat and follows Deer Run Road for 1.02 miles to connect to Colonel Robins Tract Trail a .74 mile section of the Withlacoochee State Forest that enters/exits US 41 (across the street of the Chinsegut Conservation Trail)
Chinsegut Conservation Trail: enters/exits at US 41 and Snow Memorial HWY is 2.04 miles of upland pine and the trail leads you to the Cypress Boardwalk overlooking Mays Prairie. The trail exits/enters at CR 481 (Snow Memorial HWY near Lake Lindsey Road)…”
Check out https://www.floridatrail.org/florida-national-scenic-trail/fnst/ for more helpful information.
Learn more about the National Trails System https://www.trails50.org/”
— Alice Mary Herden, Hernando Sun
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