Anybody interested in Central Florida florest roads and jeep trails?

[pullin-gs]

I have logged 1000 off-road & forest miles.
Is anybody interested in meeting up for a ride at Citrus Wildlife Management Area in Citrus County Florida?
I typically stay out for about 2 hours and log up to 35 miles per ride.
I average about 20MPH.....bike is 2KW homebuild e-dirtbike.

 

[Eastwood]

I have logged 1000 off-road & forest miles.
Is anybody interested in meeting up for a ride at Citrus Wildlife Management Area in Citrus County Florida?
I typically stay out for about 2 hours and log up to 35 miles per ride.
I average about 20MPH.....bike is 2KW homebuild e-dirtbike.

Sounds fun, wish I was closer

And how did you find so many off-road trails, an app or did you just search?

 

[AHicks]

Our winter home is just north of there, maybe 10-12 miles (Citrus Springs). I knew about the reserve (frequent user of 44 and 491), but honestly thought it was all just a forest. The map proves it's WAY more than that! So let me ask, how much of this could be ridden on a conventional bike? Anything, or is it all deep sand? Pretty much all 4wd and Jeep country?

 

[markz]

And dirt bike country.
You would need a dirt bike like ebike (Like the Russian who posts a lot of pics) to ride "Jeep Trails" which that term on a technical terminology is narrow trails, Jeeps driving ATV trails but could be construeded as any off road trail. FYI I am Jeep guy, I love them XJ's (Cherokee's), ZJ's (Original Grand Cherokee's), WJ's (2nd gen GC), Rubicons, lift kits, big tires. My ideal wheeler is a 4 door Rubicon.

I was going to ask if there are any private off road parks or state/county OHV around there or is it just all considered "Forestry Roads"

Russians ebike
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=102124&hilit=russia&start=375#p1680119

Pretty much all 4wd and Jeep country?

 

[MadRhino]

And dirt bike country.

Florida is very fat, and low. You would find it far from the landscape of Canmore. You were talking fatbikes a while ago, that is a place for one.

The only sports I have done in Fl are boating and fishing. I recall a stormy day on big waves, I had the impression to be on the highest spot in Florida.

 

[AHicks]

This area may not be the typical topography that many think of when they think of Florida. It's high and dry (80' or so elevation) with a lot of long rolling hills (old sand dunes). Maybe 10 miles from the Gulf. Sand, Southern pine (huge pine cones and 18" needles), with a lot of scrub oak. A few palm trees thrown in just to remind you your in Florida. If Florida was divided into 3rds from top to bottom, this would be the north west corner-of the middle 3rd. -Al

 

[pullin-gs]

And how did you find so many off-road trails, an app or did you just search?

I am a hiker, and initially discovered the woods-riding areas just by chance.
Out of curiosity I searched for state&national forests and discovered that most have there own networks of forest maintanance roads which serve as simple intra-forest transit routes as well as serve as fire-blocks to help contain fires that pop up.
Find a forest area you might be interested in riding and bring the area up in google-earth. I would say that over half of the forest roads are accurately mapped in google earth.

WORD OF WARNING THOUGH:
Fire roads are often open for public access, but forest services REQUIRE that all vehicles must be compliant with state's vehicle licensing laws. No untagged dirt bikes, jeeps, ATVs or side-by-sides are allowed unless the site has specific setasside areas for off road riding (Croom Motorcycle/jeep area....pay a daily fee to ride/drive). In my county, forest rangers are enforcing rules.

My ebike is street legal for use on Florida public roads (not florida bike paths though because my bike is not PAS)....but I can "override" 750w 20mph max with hidden toggle switch. I find that pushing through the deeper sand requires at least 1KW sustained power.....and 2KW navigating steeper washed-out/rutted roads.

Also, watch where roads cross....there has been more than one occassion where a jeep flew by in front of me at an intersection going 30+MPH (didnt even slow down, much less stop to look first).

 

[pullin-gs]

Our winter home is just north of there, maybe 10-12 miles (Citrus Springs). I knew about the reserve (frequent user of 44 and 491), but honestly thought it was all just a forest. The map proves it's WAY more than that! So let me ask, how much of this could be ridden on a conventional bike? Anything, or is it all deep sand? Pretty much all 4wd and Jeep country?

Here is a nice winter project for you: Build a stout e-sandbike and go exploring around your winder home.
Regarding conventional MTB access, there are over 50 miles of single-track MTB trails at Croom.
There is another 80 miles of MTB single track at Santos MTB riding area in Ocala.
The forest roads I ride are navigable on a MTB, but there are sections of deep sand that will bring you to a stop unless you have fat 3"+ tires.

 

[pullin-gs]

Here is a 25 mile ride I did last month.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9e7vcZStVw&t=118s
I "endo-ed" over than handlebars at about 4:15 of video.....riding by myself in the woods is not without risk.
I have never been stranded (I carry tools tube and patch kit on every ride) and always leave a ride plan with my wife before I head out.

 

[AHicks]

Our winter home is just north of there, maybe 10-12 miles (Citrus Springs). I knew about the reserve (frequent user of 44 and 491), but honestly thought it was all just a forest. The map proves it's WAY more than that! So let me ask, how much of this could be ridden on a conventional bike? Anything, or is it all deep sand? Pretty much all 4wd and Jeep country?

Here is a nice winter project for you: Build a stout e-sandbike and go exploring around your winder home.
Regarding conventional MTB access, there are over 50 miles of single-track MTB trails at Croom.
There is another 80 miles of MTB single track at Santos MTB riding area in Ocala.
The forest roads I ride are navigable on a MTB, but there are sections of deep sand that will bring you to a stop unless you have fat 3"+ tires.

Thanks, appreciate the reply, but I'll be passing on that plan. Maybe if I were 20 years younger. I had ATV's and snowmobiles most of my adult life. We had a vacation home in northern lower Michigan (Gaylord area) that was on the edge of the sticks. We could ride right from the garage there up into the UP by trail (legally) if we wanted to. We sold that place to buy our place down here. Anyway, the point is, I've had PLENTY of off roading experience. We chose our current location for easy access to a lot of trails and plenty of other riding. At 70 now, still like exploring new places, but my off roading days are way behind me. -Al

 

[pullin-gs]

Thanks, appreciate the reply, but I'll be passing on that plan. Maybe if I were 20 years younger. I had ATV's and snowmobiles most of my adult life. We had a vacation home in northern lower Michigan (Gaylord area) that was on the edge of the sticks. We could ride right from the garage there up into the UP by trail (legally) if we wanted to. We sold that place to buy our place down here. Anyway, the point is, I've had PLENTY of off roading experience. We chose our current location for easy access to a lot of trails and plenty of other riding. At 70 now, still like exploring new places, but my off roading days are way behind me. -Al

Understood.....very nice riding it sounds like. I always had to truck my bike when I went offroad. I sold my dirtbikes in 2014. That was the last year I did a dual-sport ride in Virginia that same year.
When we moved to FL in 2018, I got the itch to do some forest exploring and decided to toy with e-bikes.
A 60 pound ebike is soooo much easier to navigate/muscle for me (almost 60) through sand/ruts than my 300lb KLX250....and it hurts less when I go down.
When we "snowbird" in the summer, we head north to various destinations, taking a pair of e-trikes in the back of the truck (tows a 21 foot RPOD RV). I call ourselves "snow-rabbits" because our north trips are just "hops" of no more than two weeks. :-D

 

[AHicks]

If you're that mobile, and you enjoy off road, you need to consider a trip to Michigan during the color change there. Make anywhere from Graying north your destination/jumping off point. Straight ride north on I-75. A long ride, but you'll remember riding the area for a really long time....

There are many (countless?) miles of marked ATV routes that are actually groomed frequently, in addition to an absolute maze of unmarked gas line trails to explore. Some of these go miles without ever crossing a road, so a GPS is almost a requirement. The gas line aren't groomed, but they're generally grassy, so your #2 rider isn't breathing dirt. There's SOME loose sand, but for the most part all of the better trails are packed down pretty good. Oh, and did I mention riding ATV's on the side of many roads is LEGAL? Yes, you can literally ride into town and pull up to a gas station pump.....

Michigan, if they haven't done anything else right, has the ATV (and snowmobile) thing down pat...... -Al