🏕Croom 26-Mile Backpack🥾🥾

2025 Croom 26-mile Backpacking Weekend - Permit Pending *

This is a 2-night, 3-day backpack that will encompass all the loops of the Croom Tract of the Withlacoochee State Forest. We will be hiking the 26 miles in sections among Croom’s various habitats, with predominantly open (sunny) rolling sandhill, as well shady hardwood hammocks and forested cypress wetland edges.

We will be staying at primitive campsites where cached water will supplement our water needs. You must be an experienced backpacker, with the ability to carry everything you need for three days, to participate. You will be provided water at camp but will need to carry water for your hike everyday. We suggest 3 liters a day. This event can be physically strenuous so make sure you are in good enough shape and able to handle the weight of your pack for the entire 26-mile hike. Ultralight gear is highly reccommended.

A Florida State Forest Day Use Pass is required for all cars parked at Tucker Hill for each day. Passes are available at the website below. We highly recommend purchasing your passes before arriving at the trailhead. You can do it online at the trailhead but limited signal could make it difficult: https://floridastateforests.reserveamerica.com/posProductDetails.do?id=5601&contractCode=FLFS

A map showing our route, detailed below, will be provided to each hiker before we set out.

DAY 1 (FRIDAY) - 10 mi. We meet at 9:30 a.m. at Tucker Hill Fire Tower Day Use Area for pack shakedown, then hike clockwise on A-B, B and B-C loops to Primitive Camp Zone West where we will camp for the night. This is the entirety of the middle loop.

DAY 2 (SATURDAY) - 9 mi. We will hike from the PCZ West campsite along the B and C loops to the PCZ East campsite where we will camp for the night. This will be along the outer loop, heading south out of camp.

DAY 3 (SUNDAY) - 7 mi. We will hike the A loop back to the Tucker Hill Fire Tower Day Use Area and our cars. This will be the rest of the outer loop heading north out of camp. Those interested can join us for brunch at The Break Station.

This hike is limited to 20 experienced backpackers plus leaders and will take place regardless of temperature and weather conditions (exception: tropical storm or hurricane is forecast). All participants are waitlisted with past partipants given first priority. Please be certain your meetup settings allow us to message you or we will have to move you to "not going" if we cannot reach you. If we are unfamiliar with you expect to speak with at least one of the leaders over the phone before the event.

This event is during small game hunting season. It is recommended that you wear orange.

There will be a small nonrefundable fee collected from the participants of $10-20 sometime before the event. The exact amount and due date are yet to be determined. This will be used to cover the cost of purchasing and caching the water and firewood. Also there is potentially gonna be trail magic one of the nights.

ASSUMPTION OF RISK

Possible risks of this activity include Injury from a trip & fall, venomous snakes, stinging insects, venomous spiders, wildlife encounters, heat stroke, noxious vegetation, insect borne virus and disease, Covid 19, Influenza, and other airborne transmissible conditions. Weather can change without notice, bringing lightning, hail, torrential rain and possibility of flooding. You are responsible for your own safety and should take whatever precautions you deem necessary.