The Challenge: To hike the Florida Scenic Trail and live to tell the tale

The Challenge: To hike the Florida Scenic Trail and live to tell the tale

By Lynn McNutt

February 1, 2014

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

Word Count: 1089

Approximately 1,400 miles of alligators, panthers, bears, snakes and mosquitos. I think I have plum lost my mind. But what’s really crazy is that there are generational Floridians who have no idea the Florida Trail (FT) even exists.

Day One at the Southern Terminus of the Florida Trail

The FT was established in 1966 by Jim Kern. An avid hiker, he was fed up that his state did not have a long-distance trail, so he decided to make one. His passion and the efforts of many volunteers combined to form the Florida Trail Association (FTA).

The FTA piqued the interest of the U.S. Department of the Interior. Their three-year study of the trail, completed in 1980, resulted in the enthusiastic endorsement of the Florida Trail to become one of only 11 National Scenic Trails in the United States.

Though not as famous as its northern neighbor, the Appalachian Trail, it is just as beautiful and challenging. The FT goes through the interior of the state from Big Cypress Swamp in the Everglades all the way to Pensacola by way of Lake City. Florida may not have mountains, but we have very varied ecosystems.

I will hike, slog, stroll, wade and swim through swamp, tropical forests, sand, sugarcane fields, piney woods, hardwood hammocks, rivers, springs, ponds, lakes and ocean. I will see fangs, fowl and fur.

Being a middle-age woman in moderate shape who has never backpacked before, I believe I am the ideal candidate to hike a massive trail. I will keep it real, folks. Struggles with equipment, know-how and directions will be a factor. But that’s the point that I’m the most passionate about — be smart and be prepared and you don’t have to be an expert or have abs of steel to try new outdoor experiences.

The most looming question (sane) people ask is “Why?” I don’t really know. I’m a native Floridian in love with Old Florida and want to see it before it’s gone. It’s a bucket list thing. I’m fat. I want an adventure with a physical, mental and spiritual challenge. I need to get the hell out of this house. I’m too poor to go to a spa. But really, I think the biggest reason is to be fully present and alive. To have an incredible experience that is not contrived or watched on a screen or through a window shield. To clear the white-noise clutter in my brain and just put one foot in front of the other. Adventures don’t solve problems, but they help put the mind in a clearer perspective. Good for the mind, the soul and the heart. A trifecta of goodness.

There are real fears: Will I get lost? Will I get hurt? Will people think I’m a homeless person? Do my hiking pants make my butt look huge? How am I going to get my roots done? My eyebrows waxed? And most importantly, what really is the python problem in the Everglades? Seriously, if I see a python, I am out.

The preparation: The hike can’t be nearly as hard as the preparation.

First of all, mentally, in addition to my third-grade research project on the Great Fire of Jacksonville (I scorched all my report pages for authenticity), I have read many books over the years on Florida that will give me some history and perspective. I have maps from the FTA and the most recent guide book, “The Florida Trail Guide” by Sandra Friend and John Keatly, which is detailed and novice-friendly.

In terms of supplies, there are some portions of the trail near bigger towns and some businesses and post offices in smaller towns that will hold a package for about a month for a FT thru-hiker.

I tried to not get bogged down with logistics as I want this journey to unfold as it may. It just may mean that there are times I may have to shop for five days’ worth of food at a fish camp; Lance’s cheese and crackers (dairy and carbs), Skittles (fruit), Slim Jims (protein), dried wasabi peas (veggie), and Boone’s Farm Strawberry Hill (dessert).

Gathering equipment has been fun and frustrating. Not only did I have to buy the equipment, I had to learn how to use it. I bought a camera and it took me two days to figure out the darn thing, but it is super cool. I can fall, freeze or drown and it will still work.

There is a plethora of options for boots, tents, backpacks, etc. Everyone I asked for advice thought the item they used was “perfect.” It’s overwhelming and I read tons of customer reviews. Ultimately, which equipment I chose depended less on equipment strengths but on my body type, preferences and habits. I will fully admit that I picked my backpack according to which color would match my eyes.

Financially, starting out is expensive. I have bought my equipment over the course of two years and waited for big sales. I still will have dropped about $3,500 on equipment, clothing, books, etc. Backpacking equipment is like bathing suits, the smaller and lighter the more expensive. The good news is that, with proper care, most of these items will last a very long time and can be used in other outdoor activities, not just hiking.

My physical preparation has included a backpacking class in the mountains of Georgia and one around Lake Okeechobee in South Florida as part of a Florida Hikes event. I have also looked very unusual walking around University Park in Arlington in my hiking boots. It’s not blisters I have had to contend with, it’s strengthening my ankles to hold the 1-pound boots on my flip-flop-favored feet. I need to put in at least 12 miles a day to finish in about three months. I have also stockpiled prescription-strength Motrin and some muscle relaxers.

Last, but not least, I had to prepare the outside world for my departure. Support systems are in place, bills pre-paid, provisions made for my mother (Hi mom! She gets the paper every day) and I found two lovely doctoral students to watch my house and psycho cat. No matter how much I prepare, there will be inevitable challenges and changes that I will endeavor to meet with common sense and courage to make it a true adventure.

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Lynn McNutt will be hiking the Florida Trail from Big Cypress National Preserve west of Miami to Pensacola. McNutt displayed some of her hiking and camping gear in Memorial Park in Jacksonville in mid-December. Lynn McNutt will be hiking the Florida National Scenic Trail and sharing her adventures through weekly journal entries and photos in the Times-Union's Outside section. A Florida panther sits in a tree in the Big Cypress National Preserve. With all the swamps along the trail, alligators are not uncommon visitors. A flock of ibis soars near Lake Okeechobee along the Kissimmee River. Alexander Springs in the Ocala National Forest is a beautiful place to cool off.