Florida Trail Journal: Hiker enjoys cattle sightings, a cozy fire and more while traveling along Kissimmee River

Florida Trail Journal: Hiker enjoys cattle sightings, a cozy fire and more while traveling along Kissimmee River

By Lynn McNutt

March 8, 2014

Publication: Florida Times-Union, The: Web Edition Articles (Jacksonville, FL)

Word Count: 472

I had some really nice hiking along the Kissimmee River, although you only see the actual river twice. The Corps of Engineers straightened the river in the 1960s only to un-straighten it again a few years ago. I guess they were bored.

I love these little surprise crossings.

I hiked through a gorgeous area called Yates Marsh. At the end of a dirt road you enter a gate that takes you onto a prairie dotted with pines, palms and live oaks. And poop. I’m on cattle land. Several areas of the FT pass through private ranches. The rule is if a gate is open, you leave it open, and if it’s closed, it stays closed. Sometimes you have to climb over the gate or fence.

My campsite that afternoon was a lush hammock of palms and oaks. My only problem was walking into the camp. Standing right in the middle of the path was a large longhorn bull! There was a mama and two newborn calves behind him. I got behind a tree and let them pass. Evidently the camp was near one of their major grazing paths. Once I was safely in the camp area, cattle walked by all day.

This camp had a picnic table! I have begun to covet and pray for picnic tables. I’ve had two so far. I rested a bit laying on top of the picnic table, got water from a nearby old-fashioned pump well, took a splash bath in my altogether, stalked some cows, and then got busy with the one thing I had been dying to do since I started: build a fire! I used palm fibers and old pages from my guide book to light a gorgeous oak fire. My dad would have been so proud. I missed him very much that night.

The week ended with me practically crawling into the Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park campground. I had hiked 15 miles that day, my record so far, across a nearly pristine prairie preserve. It’s mostly dry with sections of water sloughs, and I had to take my boots off twice and wade through some deeper pockets. I saw ospreys, red hawks, deer, gators, turkeys and baby back ribs, uh, pig.

A huge storm came up and soaked me to the skin before I could blink and moved on as fast as it arrived. I looked up and saw RVs in the distance and about cried I was so relieved to see the campground. Then, and I kid you not, a full rainbow came out.

I’m excited as this next part of the trail goes up into the Ocala National Forest, which is considered to be the “heart” of the Florida Trail with some of the most beautiful scenery and springs.