Backpacking on the FLORIDA TRAIL | The BEST 100 miles, Ocala National Forest and Suwannee River

Backpacking in Florida during the cold winter months is awesome! After some brutally cold weather in Ohio, a section of the Florida Trail was the perfect destination. I chose a 45 mile section along the Suwannee River and a 55 mile section of the Ocala National Forest. This video showcases my adventure on the Ocala National Forest section.
After completing the Suwannee River section I drove to Juniper Springs, in the heart of ONF, and received a shuttle from Brian up to Rodman Dam at the Northern side of ONF to begin a 55 mile section down to Alexander Springs.
For the Suwannee River section I used American Canoe Adventures in White Springs for my shuttle, beginning from the Bell Springs Trailhead and finishing at Gibson County Park, which was all along the river.
That video can be found here: • Backpacking on the FLO...
On this trek I used my Zpacks Duplex and Nemo Tensor air pad with a UGQ quilt all carried with a Lite AF Curve 35 backpack. This sleep system was a bit lighter than my Dream Hammock Raven and Hammock Gear DCF tarp. I really wanted to bring my Pa’lante Joey but was struggling to get my Helinox Chair Zero and Mavic Mini drone to fit. For shoes I wore the Altra Olympus 4.0’s with Darn Tough socks and Dirty Girl Gators.
For navigation I used Guthook and also carried my Garmin Inreach mini for any emergencies.
American Canoe Adventures was used as my shuttle service along the Suwannee section:
aca1.com/​
Suwannee Section starting and ending locations
Bell Springs Trailhead:
Trailhead: 30.329298, -82.689613
www.google.com...
Gibson County Park:
www.google.com...
Ocala National Forest starting and ending locations:
Rodman Dam TH
www.google.com...
Alexander Springs TH
www.google.com...
#floridatrail​

[@striggen594]

"It's supposed to get blistering hot today, the low 70's" *laughs in Floridian*

[@jasonwish-]

Well when you’re acclimated to ten below zero in Ohio that feels hot 😁

[@striggen594]

@jasonwish- well, I guess it would be the same if I went somewhere and said how cold I was even though the locals are wearing shorts and tshirts. But then they would make fun of me because I was cold. ... whatevesss. Florida boy, born and raised. Eff the cold. Lmao

[@Ash-yu1yj]

Born Indiana grew up Florida and Im a little chilly in 70 degrees lol. Come to the beach at midnight you'll love it lol.

[@yvonnetrotman3150]

As a Floridian, I hold my breath every time you walk up to a dark body of water. The fear is real for me. I even yelled "No!! Don't do it" when you said you were tempted to swim in the pond.

[@jasonwish-]

Yeah i don't want to be swimmin with any gators!

[@LeafFreedom]

I did the entire trail as a teen. I grew up in the Ocala National forest. There are some very interesting things at night.

[@jasonwish-]

Awesome. I’m hoping to come back down this winter and start section hiking the entire trail

[@AJKPenguin]

You're making me want to travel to rural evergreen Florida. Thank you Jason.

[@jasonwish-]

Its such a nice place to be in the winter, but I don't think I would want to hike it from April-Nov, it would be brutally humid! Thank Adam

[@AJKPenguin]

You're welcome.

[@sophiegrisom]

Inland Florida is beautiful, with spring-fed lakes and sand ridges with almost desert environment (gopher turtles, even cactus), esp. Keystone Heights to Ocala. Chasing the bear scene in "The Yearling" was filmed in the Juniper Springs run, a beautiful day canoe trip.

[@jasonwish-]

so many amazing places to explore, can't wait to come back for more!

[@solarindependentutilitysystems]

I’ll also bring my water straw It’s of lessons watching ya Again thank you man

[@stewartclarke6177]

Thanks for the video. I am glad you enjoyed the Florida trail. I was waiting for you to complain about Florida like most buckeyes do. Gods beauty is everywhere. You cracked me up though when you said it was so hot and it was like in the 70’s. God bless you in your adventures and hope you visit Florida again in the future

[@jasonwish-]

Haha, yeah I’ve had numerous others mention that as well. I had come from minus 10 degrees in Ohio and was acclimated to it by then so it was a little shock to the system 😂. I have a time share in Sarasota on Lido Key that I’ve been coming to for over 40 years…love Florida in winter! I hope to through hike the entire FT in a few years. The beauty of God’s creation keeps me coming back! Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@BackpackingwithBuckley]

Lots of ups and downs man. Water anxiety gets in my head sometimes. Cool scenery that is completely foreign to me!! Well done Jason!

[@jasonwish-]

I definitely didn’t plan appropriately on my water but you live and learn, it could’ve been a lot worse. I definitely want to hike parts of that trail more in the future. Thanks Tim!

[@BackpackingwithBuckley]

@@jasonwish- you obviously know what you're doing dude!! I get a little haphazard sometimes so I put myself in your video....it might spell trouble. 🤣🤣

[@carolwerner3881]

Really enjoyed your FL trail videos. You did a good job at keeping me interested. We're going April 2023 and it was fun seeing it ahead of time. Thanks for taking the time to share.

[@jasonwish-]

Glad you enjoyed the video because I really enjoyed making it. Thanks for watching and commenting! And best of luck to you on your hike!

[@FollowThomas]

Your hike reminded me of my own hike through Ocala NF back in 2019. All those familiar places. Great that you met that triple crowner, that was great.

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks Thomas! I sure hope I’m able to go back down every winter and knock out a section, I love it down there in the winter!

[@cgriggsiv]

Jason those drone footages are really beautiful

[@jasonwish-]

Yeah I definitely need more drone in my videos, my wife made sure I knew that as well LOL

[@donaldtimmons1472]

Fantastic! Thanks for this. I’m going.

[@jasonwish-]

You are welcome, thanks so much for watching!

[@michaelreniger2717]

I filter the particulates out with a coffee filter then through the Sawyer. Good vid!

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks! Yeah, that would be a good idea in really dirty water…a buff/bandanna does the trick too.

[@backpackingadventures4813]

Awesome trip! I would be very anxious about the water. But other than that it looked like a beautiful trail.

[@jasonwish-]

The water situation really isn’t that bad I was just too lazy to wade out into it or pre filter it through my buff. Definitely not as pretty as Pennsylvania but much warmer in the winter, thanks Dan!

[@Daniel-sc7xm]

Marshes are excellent filters. It may look gross but once you filter it is fine water!

[@brianerickson1121]

I hiked this trail as a young adult, a lot different now.

[@dbharby832]

Way to push through the tough trail sections! Loved seeing the different scenery!

[@jasonwish-]

I really enjoy the Florida scenery in the dead of winter! I might just make this an annual trip each winter!

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Very nice!!! Those River Kings shirts look nice!!! Suns out guns out!

[@jasonwish-]

Oh yeah! Love your shirts without the sleeves, Perfect Florida shirt!

[@bhclark6128]

Hidden pond is a beautiful spot to camp. You have to go around the back side by the prairie for a really nice camp spot though. Great video!

[@jasonwish-]

You are absolutely right, I saw that campsite but it was not time for camp that day unfortunately.

[@fairoaks42]

Hidden Pond was the lake you came to, on the opposite side you were on where the sandy bottom was is a really nice camping area. Farles Prairie used to be an awesome place to camp and spend the weekend, tent or RV parking. Squatters, people leaving trash & then the meth heads all ruined it for all of us. I have been going to that area since the late 70's and it was beautiful. Enjoyed your video. Thanks for visiting our great State of Florida and the Ocala National Forest. (i'm a bit bias... I was born in Ocala) ... Clearwater Lake Recreation Area is where the first Florida Trail Orange Blaze was painted.

[@jasonwish-]

I would have loved to stay at hidden pond but it was too early in the day to stop. Ocala national forest was beautiful and I will definitely be back to do it again someday. Hopefully will thru hike the entire FT eventually. Love hiking in warm climates during winter. Thanks for the comment!

[@jq2911]

Very nice trip right there thru some if my favorite hiking areas. When you hit Pat's Island and dropped down that slope, you would have started at the Yearling Trail named after the book The Yearling. A less than a mile back, there would be a 4x4 trail marker for the deep Sinkhole that you can climb down into. At Hidden Pond, go right instead of left and follow into several spots that go everywhere around the pond for great camping and the pond is a spring fed water source.

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks! Yes I was aware of the Yearling Trail and the hidden pond camping options but unfortunately I was on a tight timeline to get through the trail and make my flight back to Ohio. Maybe next time!

[@IndianBeauty02]

Can u make a video on backpacks, shoes and what do store during hiking

[@jasonwish-]

that's a great idea, I will do my best to put one together!

[@edwilson7187]

Lol 75 degrees is hot? It's going to hit the mid 90's this week. That's why all the springs are so nice in the park.

[@jasonwish-]

Yeah I realize 75° is not hot at all and we just had 90° in Ohio last week! However, when you come to Florida in the winter time and it’s zero in Ohio, 75° feels hot. Love Florida springs, they are awesome!

[@SlvrChkn]

Welcome to FL! 70’s!? That’s nice and cool here! 😁

[@jasonwish-]

Yep I definitely hit the trail at the right time of the year for those comfortable February temperatures! Hope to make it down there next winter for another section. What would you recommend?

[@SlvrChkn]

@@jasonwish- I live up in what we call the panhandle. The section that runs east and west through there especially through Eglin Air Force base is very pretty, lots of streams too.

[@jasonwish-]

@@SlvrChkn maybe next year I'll continue on from where I left off at Gibson County Park along the Suwannee River.

[@MikeWD9JJV]

Wonderful tour! May I suggest taking a few coffee filters to prefilter water or a bandanna before the soyer filter.

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks Michael, yeah if I know the water sources are going to be full of particulates I will prefilter it, forunately nothing clogged up the sawyer on that trip.

[@MikeWD9JJV]

2 drops of bleach per liter might be a good idea if there is any possibility of viruses in nasty water also. I envy you hike and especially the fellow who was in no particular hurry.

[@DoRC]

Out of curiosity why don't you just carry more water with you?

[@jasonwish-]

I normally do, but I think for that trip I was trying to go super ultralight and just wasn’t carrying enough capacity for that trail. It all worked out though, once I filled up from the rain, I never had another issue the rest of the trip.

[@JourneyontheTrail]

Man what an amazingly epic trip. I only got to see a very small portion of it this year but I really hope to hit a good section hike on it next year. Thanks for sharing!

[@jasonwish-]

Glad you enjoyed it AJ! And I definitely hope you get to see more of it next year. I plan to try to knock out 100 mile section every winter if time allows.

[@JourneyontheTrail]

@@jasonwish- btw that bit from Ace Ventura was spot on lol!

[@jasonwish-]

@@JourneyontheTrail 🤣

[@tannerstinso4368]

Hell yea!!! Been waiting for this to come out. Literally just watched an older video. Good luck this season Jason Wish!

[@jasonwish-]

Glad you’re looking forward to it! It’s been hard for me to get a weekly video out with farming, hope you enjoy it!

[@tannerstinso4368]

No worries! Any trips to MI planned this year?

[@jasonwish-]

Absolutely! Michigan and Pennsylvania are my two favorite states to go backpacking, kayaking and RV camping in. Eventually I will make it up to island royale but not this year. Hope to do the Michigan triple crown and South Manitou Island. And maybe porcupine mountains next year. Also plan to take my wife RV camping on 12 mile beach at pictured rocks!

[@tannerstinso4368]

@@jasonwish- awesome!!! Maybe are fates will collide next year in isle royal! Porcupine and pictures rocks are booked for this year for me.

[@borg386]

Thanks for sharing your experience. I like how you say positive things about negative things. Question. Do you have to reserve specific campsites ahead of time, or can you wing it as you go? Also, where do you reserve the campsites if required? Thanks!

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks! For the most part you can just wing it and camp about anywhere you want however if you were wanting to stay at one of the campsites in a campground those will have to be arranged ahead of time or in my case I found a camper host and paid for my site when I arrived.

[@borg386]

@@jasonwish- oh great! Thanks for the reply. I only watched your 2 Florida trail videos so far, but I definitely enjoyed them.

[@danielcluley870]

I would highly recommend Suwannee section from Big Shoals to 129. Best Section of FT, IMO, (haven't hiked the whole thing, but hiked a bunch growing up in FL). Honestly it is a great experience that is different from other popular trails, and good to have a winter trail that is available for off-season. The other good thing about Suwannee is you never have a problem with water sourcing.

[@danielcluley870]

Also, would add, water is a bit better availabilty/reliability in spring, rather than winter, which is traditional FT season, but that's because it rains more. It's hotter, and the bugs are worse. (it's a trade-off for sure).

[@jasonwish-]

That was the section I did first in part one of that same trip. Beautiful area!

[@jasonwish-]

Interesting

[@danielcluley870]

@@jasonwish- Didn't realize this was 2 years old. Haha. I got Algo-d. Yeah, Glad you liked the FT Suwannnee Trip. I got to go back soon!

[@Mattkat0410]

might have to convince my camping crew to do a florida trip...that trail was really cool. totally different from what I see up here in the north, being a michigander

[@jasonwish-]

It was a great place to go backpacking in the winter time! I can’t stand ice and snow anymore and it’s getting worse with every year I age. However, during the right time of the year Michigan is in my top three favorite states to go camping in.

[@nikkihughes333]

Did you sleep with your zpacks food bag in your tent? Car looked safe where you dropped it off. Can you please give me details of exactly how you coordinated that?

[@jasonwish-]

yes, I slept with my food bag each night, if I was in a super high bear population, I would have hung in the tree. For the Ocala national Forest section My car was parked at Juniper Springs Campground, because I had a Facebook friend that worked there. If you make a request on the Florida Trail, Facebook groups, you’ll probably find someone willing to help you out. when I did The Suwanee river section I left my car at White Springs kayak and canoe livery. Both times I was shuttled to my starting location. It’s best to have your vehicle left at your ending location, but in these two cases, it did not work out for me that way. Hope that helps, let me know if you have any other questions.

[@edschultz5718]

While I was watching, I thought water problem solved with the rain, and then there you were collecting water in your cup! Nice video as always

[@jasonwish-]

Yeah I was fortunate to have that nice rain for sure, Glad I didn’t have to wade out in the mud. Thanks Ed!

[@shaylasmith3935]

Thanks so much for doing this! We have planned a trip out and now see that there is not much to see there. It is sort of ugly and not full of life. You have saved us a trip, expense, and hours! Thanks again! BtW you are tough and way to keep going!

[@jasonwish-]

Glad it was helpful. I understand how it looks sort of ugly and drab at times, but when your coming from Ohio in the dead of winter with temps in the single digits and snow on the ground, the FT can be pretty nice! Just depends on where you are coming from and when you were looking to do it. Happy hiking!

[@PopPopTN]

Do you ever prefilter your water through a bandana or other cloth to put less pressure on your Sawyer?

[@jasonwish-]

Yeah I probably should’ve done that and water would not have been an issue but I was just being a little too lazy😁

[@joelcarminati7822]

Another great video Jason. Thanks for sharing. Rib eye’s are the best!!

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks Joel, I appreciate that! The ribeye was spectacular by the way!

[@JasonOutdoors]

Totally understand the water situation. I'm always thinking about how much I have left, how soon till I get more, do I have enough for coffee. Seeing a gator would have been cool. Looked like an awesome trip.

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks Jason! Yeah I was kind of disappointed that I didn’t see hardly any wildlife other than squirrels deer and cranes. I was caring my 380 and ready to take down a wild boar for dinner LOL! I was being kind of lazy on the water situation I should’ve pre-filtered some with my buff.

[@myroslavpeace2018]

Just one more question. Do you happen to know how easy it would be to access the trail using public transport from Sanford airport?

[@jasonwish-]

I would reccomend purchasing the interactive maps from FarOut Guides, formally known as Guthook, or there are interactive maps by the Florida Trail Association that can help you plan. With a quick look I see that the Sanford airport is only 7 miles away from the trail so that would be a quick easy Uber or taxi ride to get on the trail.

[@Ash-yu1yj]

Mid 60s and he says muggy 🥵 lol . Im dying freezing in the 60s. I like 90s. 😂

[@jasonwish-]

You gotta remember I came from single digit temps in Ohio the day prior and I was acclimated to itfor an entire winter so 60s and 70s felt very warm 😁

[@kennyobrien]

On your glowing recommendation, I just ordered Peak's Beef Stroganoff and Sweet Pork and Rice. I'll try them out in Nordhouse Dunes this month. And thanks for the great Florida video!

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks Kenny! I hope you enjoy them as much as I did! I’m craving one right now LOL

[@joemeloche277]

41:00 Sandhills cranes… they actually can be aggressive. Loud but very cool to watch… They will warn you with their noice, jumping up in the air and flapping their wings. They will tear up a golf course looking for bugs… Thanks for the video really enjoyed it.

[@jasonwish-]

Very interesting birds how they make their noises in unison.

[@forrestbond7667]

As I watch this epic trek I am reminded of the Bataan Death March in the Philippines. I observed you drinking the brown water and it came to me as if in a dream, what you need is to learn the fight song of the mighty Trojans. I would be delighted to teach it to you so that you might sing it to yourself as you march over hill and valley. No need to thank me it will be my pleasure.

[@cgriggsiv]

Again another awesome video

[@paddle_hike]

Awesome video!!!! Thanks a lot for sharing it with us :)

[@jasonwish-]

Hey glad you enjoyed the video! Just about kayaking season!

[@paddle_hike]

@@jasonwish- yep!!! kayaking soon :)

[@dougrobertson8364]

Great video, we must have passed each other on the day you were at the 88 store. We were north bound and when I got there Mountain House was still waiting to watch the superbowl and at that point a little tipsy, lol.

[@jasonwish-]

Wow, that's funny! I wish I could have stayed and hung out but was on a pretty tight schedule to finish up the Ocala section...hope you had a great hike!

[@dougrobertson8364]

@@jasonwish- It was and I plan on doing it again in Feb. There's not too many places in FL where you can hike 70 miles straight thru wilderness.

[@jasonwish-]

@@dougrobertson8364 this is true. I thought about trying the Osceola section but I don't really want to be walking through lot's of water in Feb. I really enjoyed the Suwannee section as well.

[@jeremyheuton9090]

What does all the orange marks on the trees mean? They are to be cut or is it a trail marker?

[@jasonwish-]

Those are trail markers called blazes. There’s also an app called FarOut that can be downloaded that will give you off-line maps to navigate from but normally there are enough blazes to follow. From time to time you will see blue blazes, which usually indicate a path to water. Not all trails are blazed in orange sometimes you will see yellow, white or red.

[@jeremyheuton9090]

@Jason Wish awesome, thank you for taking the time to answer. Enjoying your vids while I'm sitting here working and doing nothing lol

[@FOLLOWINGWALKERSWORLD]

Hey! That campsite you had at Farles Lake is the same one I had in a video I posted a couple weeks ago. Enjoyed your video. 👍👍

[@JasonOutdoors]

I noticed that and was gonna comment about it lol.

[@jasonwish-]

I’m falling way behind on watching others videos but I will definitely check that one out as soon as I get a chance tonight! That is the campsite that I almost grabbed that prehistoric tarantula size spider! Thanks Tom!

[@Elpapatuyodeusa]

Wow thanks for this video, new subscriber for sure

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks so much, glad you enjoyed it!

[@tamadrummer001]

I’m sure you have heard this over and over but that sinkhole puddle would have been perfectly good if you had the grayl geopress. Obviously you know what the heck you are doing and don’t need advice but the little extra weight for the assurance of clean delicious water is a trade I can make. That said thanks for the video and thank you for all the work you put in.

[@jasonwish-]

Yeah one of those would certainly be nice to have on some sections of the FT but since I was mostly only dealing with tannin I wasn't too worried. Thanks for the tip Brian!

[@tamadrummer001]

@@jasonwish- the FT is unlike almost any other place in the USA. I would guess maybe the southern sections of the CDT would be similar only in that the water can be super sparse and terrible when you find it. The sawyer just isn’t happy about dealing with that. Again, thanks for the work you put in, you are an absolute beast on these trails.

[@justynjonn]

What do the hiking poles do for you?

[@jasonwish-]

Trekking poles serve several purposes for me. First and foremost, they are required to set up my tent since I use a trekking pole style tent that does not use regular tent poles. They are also great for having a third point of contact on the ground when crossing streams or rocky/uneven terrain. Probably not needed much in Florida but everywhere else I hike with huge hills they are a must have....helps on the accents and decents and saves the knees!

[@rockskipper5353]

Rain water is the best to drink

[@jasonwish-]

Indeed!

[@trailshade7590]

Those loud birds are sandhill cranes.

[@harryhayen6092]

Nice trip, nice views. Thx from Germany

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks for watching all the way from Germany Harry!

[@BluegrassBackcountry]

Great video, Jason! I definitely agree with you that the first section you did on the FT was prettier than the first. Congrats on knocking those 100miles out! Btw I also had to wear earplugs during our Sheltowee Thru hike to drown out Nick’s snoring 😂😅

[@jasonwish-]

Hey thanks Samuel! Glad you enjoyed the video! The PMT was definitely a shocker after those flat 100 miles!

[@WeggieQueen2005]

To anyone reading this wondering if there are alligators in the water...Yes, the answer is yes. Just assume there's a gator in the water if it's Florida.

[@leebrasseaux8470]

Damn man bring more water the next time wtf were you thinking? That could have been bad...glad it worked out though 👍

[@jasonwish-]

In a normal year I would have had plenty of water sources but it was extremely dry when I did it.

[@randyjohnson6845]

Bushy trees are called scrub oak...every other year they have very good acorns...yes acorns from bushes

[@jasonwish-]

Very interesting, thank you for sharing that. I think I’ve heard that before but I completely forgot!

[@randyjohnson6845]

@@jasonwish- I think it may be unique to central Florida

[@Smokeybeesnatural]

It's amazing how diverse the terrain is. It looks so prehistoric at times. If I were to wake up to whatever that was at 8:25 , I don't think I would have left my tent! 🤣🤣

[@jasonwish-]

Oh come on now Nick! It wasn’t Jurassic Park it was just Florida LOL, those were the soothing sounds of sandhill crane‘s to help put me to sleep 🤣

[@Smokeybeesnatural]

@@jasonwish- 🤣🤣🤣

[@luisrosario1415]

Thank you for sharing. Looks like a great time. How did the tent perform as far as condensation? Thank you

[@jasonwish-]

I really love the Zpacks Duplex, it works out great for me. I've probably have close to 100 nights spent in it now over several thousand miles. The condensation can be bad at times if camping in a low area or near a creek or river but I just carry a small shami cloth with me and wipe it down before I pack it up...the shami is great for drying off the outside too if it's been raining. I've had more nights without condensation than nights with condensation. If you are over 6'1" tall you may get condensation on your feet and head if not careful...may need to sleep on the diagonal.

[@luisrosario1415]

Thank you so very much for your reply I appreciate all the information on the Duplex Really enjoy watching your hiking videos

[@jasonwish-]

@@luisrosario1415 Thanks! Just let me now if you have any other questions.

[@kristopherbichsel9230]

Put a cup on a stick to reach out for water.

[@jasonwish-]

That’s a great idea! I could have avoided most of the green floaty’s.

[@cgriggsiv]

Glad you got to that secondary campsite so you can get your water you were running extremely low I see especially when you said you had a massive headache that ain't good

[@jasonwish-]

Definitely keep your water consumption up on the Florida trail! Thanks CG!

[@cgriggsiv]

@@jasonwish- By the way that scat was not from a bear I'll let you double check the video so you can see for yourself

[@jasonwish-]

I will not be double checking because I’ve seen it 15 times already LOL just tell me what it is 😁

[@silvercash64]

I immediately subscribed after watching . Reason ? Great content !

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks Robert! If you enjoyed my Florida Trail videos then you’d probably like my Palmetto Trail South Carolina videos.

[@semirjasarevic9815]

Best hiking place for me is Vermont,I moved to Ocala and I’m scared start hiking because I don’t like snakes and gators lol

[@jasonwish-]

I can't wait to be able to hike in Vermont! There's nothing to be worried about in the Ocala section...for me it was some giant spiders I saw crawling around camp!

[@sherrysamericansafari7743]

Did you get the info to follow Roswell hiker you met?! Very cool !!!

[@jasonwish-]

I did not....I sure wish I would have, he was an interesting fellow.

[@JoshEbersole]

The Florida trail looks awesome. My brother lives in Jacksonville, how far away from there is the trail?

[@jasonwish-]

Jacksonville is about 55 miles from the trail...the Osceola NF section is the closest section. I hope to hit that section next year.

[@robertrhodes9462]

Actually you can catch the Florida trail in keystone heights in goldhead state park.

[@jasonwish-]

@@robertrhodes9462 good to know!

[@kristopherbichsel9230]

You could probably did down a few feet and hit water on many places. Sometime only 6 inches will get water at my house.

[@jasonwish-]

If it was a life or death situation I definitely would have tried that!

[@randyjohnson6845]

Around the 5 minute mark you look like your in lake George section and in the lake delancey unit on the northern area

[@jasonwish-]

I think I was. Sounds like you know the Florida Trail very well 😁

[@randyjohnson6845]

@@jasonwish- in 1981 my first few days working for the forest service my team went from sr 40 north to the big Rodman reservoir...cutting and clearing the trail...it was middle July...hotter than I about could stand

[@myroslavpeace2018]

How would you handle the water if you were to hike that section again?

[@jasonwish-]

I think I just would’ve carried a little bit more water and made sure the water sources had water at the time I was there and if they didn’t, I may have stashed some water ahead of time at a critical location. That trail was the first time I had ever used Gut hook, now called far out, which seems to be very helpful and fairly accurate.

[@meatloph]

He said “boy it is HOT, 75 degrees”. Laughs in native Floridian. 🤣

[@jasonwish-]

Haha...remember I was coming from five below zero, it was quite a shock to the system. Recently 96 and humid here in Ohio so I know what hot is 😁😁

[@andreameigs1261]

I'm not super educated on this, but from what I know about water in places like the Fackahatchee, I'd rather get it from a new puddle that formed overnight than a little pond with water lillies because the longer water sits with dead vegetation in it, the more tannins it gets in it, and you probably can't filter those out because they are just organic molecules. That said...there are so many variables, but I'm pretty sure you wouldn't want to drink the water in the fackahatchee due to the tannin content because high tannins can cause..i want to say liver failure. Maybe kidneys. It has been a long time, but they are toxic is the point.

[@jasonwish-]

Drinking tannic water is not harmful at all unless it is consumed in large quantities over a long period of time...a simple google search can explain it. Of course I would prefer non tannic water but it's not always available when on trail...sometimes beggers cant be choosers. Thanks for the comment!

[@forrestbond7667]

"FIGHT ON FOR OLD SC OUR MEN FIGHT ON TO VICTORY"

[@jasonwish-]

Not sure exactly what this means but I like it!

[@DryBonesOutdoors]

“I don’t know how I ever did FKT’s. I don’t ever wanna do again.” Fast forward two years later and your attempting to FKT the Sheltowee again..,lol

[@jasonwish-]

Hahahaha! Yeah, yeah I know I know, it’s actually crossed my mind again, but every time I’m in the middle of one I always second-guess my decision and tell myself I’ll never do it again. that’s why I took up ultra running instead to help keep my mind off of FKT’s lol

[@IndianBeauty02]

That peak meal place need to sponcer you

[@jasonwish-]

Hahahaha, yeah those are some good meals!

[@ChitwoodMitwood]

There is plenty of water in the summer and the weather is above 100

[@jasonwish-]

I would never step foot on that trail in the summer. I only go to Florida and South Carolina in winter when it’s single digits up north. And not everywhere has water in the summer, depending on where you’re hiking, and that’s what I was told by Floridians.

[@WayneMickel]

I thought you ould camp anywhere in the national forest as long as you are near a water source, I would have just camped anywhere in the forest.

[@jasonwish-]

Yes, this is true, the problem is that there are very few water sources, especially in the northern half. It was also drier than normal when I went through and water sources were very scarce. I saw so many amazing places I would’ve liked to have camped, but I didn’t have enough water on me.

[@puravidaot]

damn you went during the big dry season.

[@jasonwish-]

It wasn't that bad though...I would rather have that than slogging through mud and rain all day 😁

[@beachgirl9823]

Those are Red Headed Cranes and they are a bit aggressive. I made the mistake of feeding some and soon after they were pecking at my window for weeks and weeks for me to feed them. DO NOT FEED the wildlife!! Lol

[@jasonwish-]

I'm glad I didn't get any closer, lol!

[@IndianBeauty02]

New subbie

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks!

[@GregoryDurrance]

Hiking through a pine tree farm.

[@IndianBeauty02]

Is this safe for a woman doing this Solo?

[@jasonwish-]

I would think so. It’s a popular trail with hikers backpackers and through hikers so it’s very common to see women alone on the trail

[@billwatson1448]

Why wouldn't you carry a life straw?

[@jasonwish-]

I use a Sawyer squeeze and a platypus quick draw, no need for a life straw

[@lewissparinlitz4192]

Taking a bath!! You do realize there are alligators right?

[@jasonwish-]

Certainly wouldn’t purposefully take a bath with a gator nearby but if I saw that the area was shallow and had no signs of gator I wouldn’t hesitate to quickly wash up in the water.

[@solarindependentutilitysystems]

Thanks for sharing! Love to hike but pacing it lol Hips knees feel it , time to heal sleeping I’ll get the water back pack so when we do go we take more water ! Author of Solar Independent Utility Systems Manual Ik bring Solar also Avb online

[@floppinfish]

The situation with the water. Your body is most likely already in a state of dehydration. So your body needs water now. Not later. People have died of dehydration with water on them. They saved it cause they thought they could hold out. You have a water source? Even a small pond. Filter it. Boil it. Drink it till you can't drink anymore. Then fill your bottle up again for the trip.

[@jasonwish-]

I wasn't dehydrated but would have been if the rain had not come. I'm well aware of how to stay properly hydrated with over 5000 miles of backpacking experience, but thanks for the concern.

[@aprilderbbs42]

lol I’m going to have to walk in the rain to look for water ha great content btw but that sentence mad me giggle

[@jasonwish-]

Yeah looking back on that it’s pretty funny to me too but at the time I was starting to feel a little desperate lol, thanks!

[@Mattkat0410]

"man, i really wanted to see the 3 most dangerous animals i could have possibly encountered!" XD

[@jasonwish-]

Yeah I was pretty upset that I didn’t see any bear gator or boars.

[@Jaypc06]

@@jasonwish-be glad you didn’t meet a pinellas county crack head.

[@lewissparinlitz4192]

This guy wants to see a wild boar hahaha. He's lucky if it does not attack and eat him. I hope he's carrying something more than bear spray

[@jasonwish-]

Heck yeah! I saw 3 the other day at Myakka River State Park while hiking…they’re just like black bears, if you don’t surprise them or provoke them, they are scared to death of you and will run usually before you even see them.

[@juliejungwirth486]

Soooo You’re sleeping on the ground with gators that close?!? Use the table.

[@jasonwish-]

I have slept on a table before, but I never saw any gators while I was there, wasn't too worried about being pretty far from water each night.

[@GregoryDurrance]

"The pump don't work cause vandals stole the handle."

[@rxxx2553]

Leave it to an Ohioan to give a solid review of the Florida Trail! O-H

[@jasonwish-]

I-O!

[@randyjohnson6845]

Hopkins prairie 20 to 25 years ago was deep enough you could drive a boat around and fish ...that's what global warming can do

[@jasonwish-]

Wow, that’s incredible!

[@randyjohnson6845]

@@jasonwish- literally Hopkins Prairie was a giant lake 20 years ago...and every lake in central Florida has dropped 5' to 10' or more...what you see now is the new normal...its either global warming or global climate change....I have worked for the forest service in the 80s and 90s....killed my biggest best deer just north of Hopkins Prairie

[@scottzipperer6146]

Cook bacon you will se a bear

[@jasonwish-]

lol, I'll try that next time 😁

[@randyjohnson6845]

75 degrees is not hot

[@jasonwish-]

I know, it just felt hot to me after coming from below zero in Ohio ha ha

[@randyjohnson6845]

@@jasonwish- yes...probably the average high in winter for ocala is 70 to 75 degrees....Iived there 45 years and saw it snow one time that collected on the ground...maybe a 1/4" ...it was new year's eve 1989...not one time after that...that's a sign of global warming

[@randyjohnson6845]

@@jasonwish- theres 100s or maybe 1000 black bear in ocala national forest and in 1978 I saw my first natural Florida panther and saw the second in 1994...only because I worked and hunted every day in the forest....I liked when you said Hog Town...it was probably Hog Valley...in the day the most racist place I have ever been in

[@justynjonn]

He was coming from Ohio in Winter !

[@striggen594]

To me, people are people. The color of your skin or the shape of your eyes does not matter. There have been mixed and match relationships since the dawn of time. If you're an asshole, then you're an asshole. If you are cool, then you are cool. If I say merry Christmas, but you celebrate some other holiday, wish me a happy/merry holiday that happens at the same time. It's not hard. People are just being selfish and stupid.

[@jasonwish-]

Are you referring to something specific in my video?? This was filmed years ago and just curious as to what sparked this comment.

[@striggen594]

Nope, for some reason, this comment posted to your video as I was watching another. This has nothing to do with you or your content and I completely apologize. I watched your entire Florida trail video and it was awesome!

[@sherrysamericansafari7743]

Clearly not from Florida!!

[@jasonwish-]

Ohio, but I've vacationed in Florida my entire life, just never hiked much there.

[@Hc-ih2uz]

Why don't you wear a hat?

[@jasonwish-]

@@Hc-ih2uz too hot, why would would I need to? I sweat too much if I wear a hat, I’ve hiked thousands and thousands of miles without one unless it’s cold of course then I wear a beanie.