Lower Green Swamp Nature Preserve (Cone Ranch)
3540 E. Knights Griffin Rd., Plant City, FL 33565
I hiked a 6.5 mile loop in this large preserve on 11-12-17.
It was drizzling and raining most of the hike. Had to wear a poncho over me and my back pack for over half the distance.
Go to this link for a map: https://www.gaiagps.com/datasummary/track/a04cfc45de16d8d57ae8571c695f839f/?layer=esriworldaerial,caltopocahistoric1930,gaiapubliclandOpenBounds,mapquestaerial,CalTopo
The trails are mostly two track with the northeast portion being for hiking only and the remainder of the trails being a combination, hiking and equestrian.
The preserve is owned and operated by Hillsborough County, FL. Only the southeastern 1/6 of the preserve has marked trails. Portions of the preserve may be leased for cattle grasing.
The northern boundary abuts the Upper Hillsborough Preserve - Alston Tract owned by the SW Florida Water Management District. (SWFMD or Swift Mud). The Alston Tract connects with several more large government owned parcels to the north and east covering most of the large Green Swamp.
I started hiking early and was the only vehicle in the parking lot at the trail head. When I returned there were several horse trailers and horses. Apparently this is a popular equestrian trail area.
I will add photos and descriptions later.
Sunday, November 19, 2017
Sunday, October 22, 2017
Little Manatee River Upper Tract, CR 579 to Gulley Creek, 10-7-17 to 10-22-17
I wasn't able to get any hiking in for over a year due to a heavy work schedule. Things have slowed down a little at work and have started going for day hikes on the weekends.
The starting point is a small parking lot at a trail head at 2608 CR 579, Wimauma, FL 33598.
This is a new trail head that apparently was created in the last year and a half. I had hiked from a trail head further north on CR 579 last year. See the blog titled "Little Manatee River Upper Tract, County Road 579 to Gulley Creek, 2-21-16".
The trail is primarily two track through abandoned pasture land and woods. You can see the route I took on the following link from Gaia GPS:
https://www.gaiagps.com/datasummary/track/4b8e0f572b2c905e8a33535180a4d679/?layer=mapquestaerial,CalTopo,GaiaTopoRasterFeet
Since I had not been hiking for over a year, I started out doing short distances of a little over 2.3 miles and worked up to 5.5 miles today. There was some difficult hiking near the east end where the trail wasn't visible anymore.
I carry a 30 to 35 lb back
pack to get in shape for hiking the Appalachian Trail. This is my eventual goal if I can ever find the time to do it.
Below is some grass along the trail that would make a nice ornamental plant.
A centipede crawling along the trail.
A flower along the trail.
The pasture areas are beginning to turn into woods.
An area of old live oak trees. The oak trees tend to be on the lower ground closer to the creeks.
Another view of the trail.
An creek flowing south to the Little Manatee River. I suspect the sand was deposited when the creek flooded during Hurricane Irma last month.
A large turtle that stood still and let me take his photo. You can see his head poking out in the upper left.
Here is a close up of the turtle's face.
A butterfly with ragged wings drinking nectar.
In the east the trail disappeared. Had to deal with high grass and briars.
Hogs were active here.
Another flower in bloom along the trail.
The trail is high and dry here. This is an old pasture lane.
A bird along the trail.
A section of trail beginning to get overgrown.
The starting point is a small parking lot at a trail head at 2608 CR 579, Wimauma, FL 33598.
This is a new trail head that apparently was created in the last year and a half. I had hiked from a trail head further north on CR 579 last year. See the blog titled "Little Manatee River Upper Tract, County Road 579 to Gulley Creek, 2-21-16".
The trail is primarily two track through abandoned pasture land and woods. You can see the route I took on the following link from Gaia GPS:
https://www.gaiagps.com/datasummary/track/4b8e0f572b2c905e8a33535180a4d679/?layer=mapquestaerial,CalTopo,GaiaTopoRasterFeet
Since I had not been hiking for over a year, I started out doing short distances of a little over 2.3 miles and worked up to 5.5 miles today. There was some difficult hiking near the east end where the trail wasn't visible anymore.
I carry a 30 to 35 lb back
Below is some grass along the trail that would make a nice ornamental plant.
A centipede crawling along the trail.
A section of trail about 1/2 mile from the trail head. It looks like it could be wet during the rainy season.
A flower along the trail.
The pasture areas are beginning to turn into woods.
An area of old live oak trees. The oak trees tend to be on the lower ground closer to the creeks.
Another view of the trail.
An creek flowing south to the Little Manatee River. I suspect the sand was deposited when the creek flooded during Hurricane Irma last month.
Here is a close up of the turtle's face.
A butterfly with ragged wings drinking nectar.
In the east the trail disappeared. Had to deal with high grass and briars.
Hogs were active here.
Another flower in bloom along the trail.
The trail is high and dry here. This is an old pasture lane.
A bird along the trail.
A section of trail beginning to get overgrown.
Deer Prarie Preserve 4-26-16 & 4-27-16
It took a little over an hour to drive from home to the Myakka River - Deer Prairie Preserve. The access point is at 7001 Forbes Trail, Venice FL 34285. The Schewe Tract is now part of this preserve. It is quite large, being 10,128 acres. The Deer Prarie Preserve is managed by Sarasota County and the Schewe Tract is managed by the South West Florida Water Management District.
I noticed a pond near the eastern boundary just south of I-75. It looked intriguing when I was planning this trip. I thought a point of land on the south side of the pond would be a nice place to camp.
I used Gaiagps.com to track me and used the maps on this app to find my way. The device I was using was an Iphone 6S. The Open Hiking Map layer showed a trail to the east of the parking lot. It was in the direction that I needed to head. It may have been a two track lane when the property was still a ranch. It became apparent that it had not been traveled in quite awhile. I was able to find my way along the trail detouring around thick brush and difficult areas.
The photo below shows the beginning of the trail. The track you see did not last very long. It turned into tall grass and brush.
There were some clear areas along the track as shown in the photo below.
Here is an old corrugated metal pipe culvert which indicates that a two track trail did exist.
The photo below shows a couple of power lines. They turned out to be abandoned and were probably from when the poroperty was a private ranch.
Here is another old culvert where the old two track trail went. It was completely washed out.
The two photos below shows a shallow pond.
Another open area in the northern area of Deer Prairie Preserve.
After about a mile, I came to a two track trail that was being used. There are two track trails and dirt roads crisscrossing the preserve and tract. The trails are mowed as shown in the photo below or disked as shown in photos further down.
The photo below shows a grassy two track trail.
All of the intersections of trails had marker posts with either a number or letter corresponding to locations marked on the trail map that was available for free at the entrance parking area. Because of the many crisscrossing trails and dirt roads, there are many marker posts. This helps greatly infinding your location on the map.
The photo below shows another open area with pine trees in the background. The trees were mostly pine with stands of oak mixed in.
The two photos below show yellow flowers that were in bloom.
This photo shows a trail that was recently tilled with a disk harrow. Walking on the tilled soil is not easy due to the large clumps. It would be easy to turn an ankle.
Here is where I ate lunch. The shade was welcome since it was getting quite hot.
A marker near where I ate lunch.
The three photos below show intersections in the two track trails and their condition.
The four photos below show Deer Prairie Creek. It was a welcome site since I was getting low on water. I had drank almost three quarts of water by the time I reached the creek. I refilled my water containers using a Sawyer filter and also filled a 64 oz Sawyer bag with water to make sure i had enough. My pack weighed 40 lbs when I started out. This water put it close to 45 lbs which was too much. Also much of the two track trails to the campsite were soft sand which added difficulty.
The photo below shows another marker at an intersection. This area had been recently burned.
The smoke in the distance shown in the photo below may have been from Myakka State Park to the north. There was controlled burning going on there.
The two photos below show evidence of more recent burning. There were some logs that were still smoldering. Going through areas like this made it seem hotter.
Here is a road intersection showing the soft sand.
Another marker post at an intersection and along an area that was recently burned.
A little vegetation in a two track trail as shown in the photo below makes the walking somewhat easier through the soft sand.
Another marker at a two track trail intersection.
Here is a photo of the western end of the pond that I planned to camp next to.
I noticed a pond near the eastern boundary just south of I-75. It looked intriguing when I was planning this trip. I thought a point of land on the south side of the pond would be a nice place to camp.
I used Gaiagps.com to track me and used the maps on this app to find my way. The device I was using was an Iphone 6S. The Open Hiking Map layer showed a trail to the east of the parking lot. It was in the direction that I needed to head. It may have been a two track lane when the property was still a ranch. It became apparent that it had not been traveled in quite awhile. I was able to find my way along the trail detouring around thick brush and difficult areas.
The photo below shows the beginning of the trail. The track you see did not last very long. It turned into tall grass and brush.
There were some clear areas along the track as shown in the photo below.
Here is an old corrugated metal pipe culvert which indicates that a two track trail did exist.
The photo below shows a couple of power lines. They turned out to be abandoned and were probably from when the poroperty was a private ranch.
Here is another old culvert where the old two track trail went. It was completely washed out.
This photo shows a clearing.
The two photos below shows a shallow pond.
Another open area in the northern area of Deer Prairie Preserve.
After about a mile, I came to a two track trail that was being used. There are two track trails and dirt roads crisscrossing the preserve and tract. The trails are mowed as shown in the photo below or disked as shown in photos further down.
The photo below shows a grassy two track trail.
All of the intersections of trails had marker posts with either a number or letter corresponding to locations marked on the trail map that was available for free at the entrance parking area. Because of the many crisscrossing trails and dirt roads, there are many marker posts. This helps greatly infinding your location on the map.
The photo below shows another open area with pine trees in the background. The trees were mostly pine with stands of oak mixed in.
The two photos below show yellow flowers that were in bloom.
The photo below shows a pond in the distance.
This photo shows a trail that was recently tilled with a disk harrow. Walking on the tilled soil is not easy due to the large clumps. It would be easy to turn an ankle.
Here is where I ate lunch. The shade was welcome since it was getting quite hot.
A marker near where I ate lunch.
The four photos below show Deer Prairie Creek. It was a welcome site since I was getting low on water. I had drank almost three quarts of water by the time I reached the creek. I refilled my water containers using a Sawyer filter and also filled a 64 oz Sawyer bag with water to make sure i had enough. My pack weighed 40 lbs when I started out. This water put it close to 45 lbs which was too much. Also much of the two track trails to the campsite were soft sand which added difficulty.
The photo below shows another marker at an intersection. This area had been recently burned.
The smoke in the distance shown in the photo below may have been from Myakka State Park to the north. There was controlled burning going on there.
The two photos below show evidence of more recent burning. There were some logs that were still smoldering. Going through areas like this made it seem hotter.
Here is a road intersection showing the soft sand.
Another marker post at an intersection and along an area that was recently burned.
A little vegetation in a two track trail as shown in the photo below makes the walking somewhat easier through the soft sand.
Another marker at a two track trail intersection.
Here is a photo of the western end of the pond that I planned to camp next to.
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