Messages

Good to see you back around Dave. We need to catch up on the trail soon.

Hey you. It must be at least 5 years since I saw you.  Would love to meet you up at the trail one Sunday and catch up. Gave up camping at the fort. It out priced us. Let me know when you head to the centennial trail

Well, it's been almost 4 years since I've posted here and almost 4 years since I rode this trail. Since then I bought a 50inch Can Am sxs and have not headed to Ocala with it yet. Very sad to hear the trails are worse than before. I guess it's considered state land and basically only upkept by the atv traffic.  No sense complaining here since not many people come here anymore and the state never cared

Donnie, sounds like you had a great day

Thank God

Kris
Thanks for all your efforts. I am looking to get out of the sport and sell my quad, but I still have it. It's great to hear that the blind turns are being worked on. However, it seems all the effort keeps going into the lower scrub jay. I only enter the trail at the US40 trailhead because I refuse to rattle anything loose on my vehicle due to the FR.  as I said your efforts are very very much appreciated but without funds and only minimal volunteers, the trail will never be truly family friendly and safe. I hate to see the time come when someone gets seriously hurt or killed.  It's an accident and waiting to happen.  Also, my 2 cents, if there were a campground right off the 40 TH that had some shade and our $50 some grand toyhaulers didn't take a beating getting to big scrub campground, you would have a lot more people enjoying the trail and probably a lot more volunteers. 
Thanks for the update on the hunters. The notes in the mail won't change anything.  I refuse to ride during hunting season. Again don't take this message as being negative.  Ocala is just not a safe place to ride yet. It maybe someday

ATV riding in FL just plain sucks.  If you never left FL and never rode in another state, you don't know what your missing.  Ive been riding up in NY til I was 18 then have been riding here ever since.  Croom has improved but when they don't maintain the trails, the place sucks.  I jumped on the SxS train and bought a Maverick only to realize the only place to ride them legally without being deeded to some property is ONF and that's 3 hours away.  When I almost ran over a 8 year old on the centennial trail with my Maverick, I was done with it.  I sold it and have stuck with my quad.  Now that everyplace is taken over by a-holes and aggressive riders and SxS, I have decided to give the whole sport up.  As soon as I sell my outlander, I'm done.  It's a shame the way Florida looks at OHV and it's a bigger shame that people Abuse the sport.  As I stated on here before, the SxS world has gone totally insane.  The price for a top of the line unit will set you back more than a car and in some places, more than a home.  I guess there are a ton of rich people in the world to buy this crap.

I agree, that would probably be the best trail for an 11 year old. I've only rode it once so I don't know a lot about it. I was told that during hunting season that the hunters there are a meaner group. I don't know if that's true--just what I've heard. Larry

you are absolutely right.  I'm sure there are more on the centennial trail, you just don't see them  On the wiregrass, there is a lot of open spaces especially in the pines and you see all of them.  the last time I rode there during hunting season. My friend pulled up in his new BMW SUV pulling a brand new Can Am Commander.  hence, we didn't get a warm reception from a few backwoods hunters

with an 11 yo I would ride the wandering wiregrass trail.  It's a shorter loop (only 17 miles) and it is 90% less blind curves and trails and less likely for a head on collision.   I now ride the wiregrass twice and in my opinion its better.  The centennial is a great trail, it's just too dangerous especially with a younger child.  I don't know of any updates to that trail after the storm, but it's more spread out and not so tight so I'm sure you could go around down trees easier. Also, beware of hunting season on any trails in Ocala national forest.  I believe deer hunting with guns goes from Nov. 5th to Jan 22nd.  Hunters in Ocala can be nice and share the forest or they can be complete redneck jerks and come barreling down an ATV trail with a pickup and not move or slow down for you one bit.  Some actually get pissed that your scaring the deer and will yell obscenities at you.  I avoid the forest like to plague during this time.  Hope this helps.

Little blue

Thanks for the update.  I hope I wasn't one of the ones giving Kris crap about the trail condition. If it came across that way I apologize. Kris does a lot for this trail. Unfortunately one person cannot clear the trail like you stated to make it safe for two way traffic. Brush grows too fast and when one section is clear, the previous one is grown back again.  I sold my SXS because of this.  You are right also about the SXS's getting bigger. The new can am maverick X3 is basically a full size dune buggy/ jeep.  I still won't return to the cenential trail until I know I can enjoy the ride without worrying about getting injured in a head on collision

well, I guess this thread took a turn for the worse.  What it comes down to also is that the state of Florida basically sucks for ATV riders.  There was a poll out about 8 or 9 years ago and Florida was the #2 state for ATV sales yet we were #1 for the least amount of approved riding areas and trails.  the state of Florida could pretty much care less about ATV riders.  They rather put their efforts into an annual bear hunt.  I will see if my 9yo continues to enjoy ATV riding.  If not, I think this 45yo will finally hang up his ATV riding for good.

Kris
I want to thank you for all the work you do on the trails. I know keeping 50 miles of trails can be a lot of work and I for one am thankful for what you do.  I have to say, all my near accidents have been both vehicles going head on at what I would say well under the 20 mph speed limit. Probably more like 15   The 2 way trails are the problem Along with the over grown turns.  It's just not safe.  I would love to know the statistics of how many accidents really occur out there. Unfortunately a lot do not get reported and thankfully ambulances are not out there all the time(maybe they are). What it comes down to me is that this trail is not family friendly with the threat of a child getting hurt due to head on collisions. I will continue to ride the wiregrass trail since it's a nice open trail   Kris, please don't take this as bash on your efforts.  It's just my opinion and my safety

Croom also states that any vehicle ridden at the park must be straddled (like an ATV)

Hey D. Yes going 4th of July. How have y'all been?

Patches you better not let new guy find out where you'll be. He may find you with his lightning fast fists lol.

Long time no see. How have you been.  Still camping at the fort

Doing good we will be there on Sunday the 10th

Patches you better not let new guy find out where you'll be. He may find you with his lightning fast fists lol.

Long time no see. How have you been.  Still camping at the fort

So I saw a Polaris RZR at croom on Sunday. I believe it was a 50in wide model. I still can't find anything on line that says they are legal to ride. I wonder if it were brought in on an enclosed trailer

who shot down a proposal for a one way trail?  just about every trail system in the US including the Hatfield McCoy trail system is a ONE WAY trail system for safety.  Whomever shot it down, I can't wait till they ride the trail and hurt themselves then lets see what happens.  STUPID...  Kris, who can I write to or email to tell them my concerns on how I almost killed a child head on.  There are minimal places to ride to begin with in FL and the ones we have are suicide rides.  Somebody needs to wake up.  I know you and your volunteers bust your buts trying to make the trails wider and clear back the blind corners.  To be honest, you are right.  Green grows.  By the time you get to every hairpin blind corner and clear them, the ones you started with will be grown in thicker than you started.  To be honest even the hairpin turns that the volunteers cleared already still gives you a second or so to dodge a sport quad coming sideways around a berm at full throttle.  I still can't believe the topic of a one way trail came up and there are stupid people that said no way.  This gets me very mad since I am a huge supporter of ATV riding in FL.  Please provide some info on who I can write to.  thanks

FYI I have Rode Every Hatfield McCoy Trail (8Trail Systems) All Trails are 2 Way There is not Not a single 1 way Trail @ Hatfield McCoy

But, if they are 2 way, I bet they are not as near tight or dangerous. From the pics they look great. I also saw a pic from there with a rider standing in front of a one way sign...huh

Very,very minimal if any.  A few of the lettered trails are not too bad. I think the 2 cocky rangers in the guard shack was the worst part of the day

Rode croom yesterday with my 7yo son. First time I have been there in 5 years. Was a little taken back that they will not allow you to purchase your yearly pass before July 1st. In years past, they would allow you to purchase them a few weeks before July 1st. Didn't care too much for the $15 per ATV day pass, but Ocala is $10 so I was ok with the $15. Nothing has seemed to change there.  It was pretty crowded. The worst part of the day were the stupid people who don't take safety seriously.  But you can't fix stupid.  Had to love the guy who let his son make his own track in the parking area between the cars while he smiled and laughed.  Overall it was a good day. Still not a huge fan of the place, but it's the shortest drive for me to ride

 Not to sound like a Debbie downer, but if the blind curve do not get fixed, I could really care less if they closed the trail down. Safety should always come first with ATVs or SXS. Like I stated earlier I almost went head-on with 1000cc SxS and a 50cc child.  I don't know how they can continue to advertise this trail system with it being so un safe.  But, once again, we're talking about Florida who could care less about the off-road world.  I commend Kris for all he does for the trails, but as stated before, even when you clear some of the blind corners from the start, by the time you get the whole trail system done, you have to start from the beginning again. It's too much upkeep for just volunteers.  Again, make it a one-way trail system and you would not have to trim back the blind corners. I would love to know who in government always shoots down the one-way trail system. They must be a total idiot. I'm sorry for the families that only want to ride on 3 miles of the trail then turn around.  if you want to do this, ride the north trails, not the 50 Mel centennial loop.  I refuse to ride this trail anymore. The only way would be if i were in a group and did not lead.  I have way to much money in my machine to wreck it or worse injure someone

How come this thread has been so quiet?  Has anything changed on this trail?

who shot down a proposal for a one way trail?  just about every trail system in the US including the Hatfield McCoy trail system is a ONE WAY trail system for safety.  Whomever shot it down, I can't wait till they ride the trail and hurt themselves then lets see what happens.  STUPID...  Kris, who can I write to or email to tell them my concerns on how I almost killed a child head on.  There are minimal places to ride to begin with in FL and the ones we have are suicide rides.  Somebody needs to wake up.  I know you and your volunteers bust your buts trying to make the trails wider and clear back the blind corners.  To be honest, you are right.  Green grows.  By the time you get to every hairpin blind corner and clear them, the ones you started with will be grown in thicker than you started.  To be honest even the hairpin turns that the volunteers cleared already still gives you a second or so to dodge a sport quad coming sideways around a berm at full throttle.  I still can't believe the topic of a one way trail came up and there are stupid people that said no way.  This gets me very mad since I am a huge supporter of ATV riding in FL.  Please provide some info on who I can write to.  thanks

That place looks awesome. Wish it was closer

I hope Kris does not get upset by my post because he works extremely hard as a volunteer to try his best to keep this trail up, but as said on here, you need more than volunteers to keep this trail the way it needs to be. I would rather park my truck on a dirt field vs a nice blacktop lot with handicap spaces of all things then have to ride a trail not knowing if I am leaving it for a hospital. I know they put some time and I guess money into big scrub campground, but why?  It's a hot, dusty dirt field that I would never take the road to get there with my toyhaluer. You have acres and acres upon land with much shade and vegetation and they sink the money and volunteer work into big scrub. I guess camping is more important than safety on the trails.  If this post will do anything, it will probably make the Forrest service close the trails rather than fix them.  My "almost" accident made me really rethink the whole sport if places like Ocala is the only place to ride in the state.

Rode the centennial trail 2 weeks ago.  had a great time and it was not too hot.  Unfortunately, it will probably be the last time  due to the suicide TWO WAY TRAIL. When riding this trail with my friends, its always picking straws to see who will lead since nobody wants to.  I was the lucky one who got to lead on this ride.  I just purchased a can am maverick sxs and some parts of the trail are tight for this machine, but as a seasoned rider and being careful, I made it work.  It's been over a year since I rode this trail and I can tell the difference on how much the brush has grown since my last ride.  About 3/4 of our ride around the loop, I almost completely flattened and ran over a 10 year old or so riding with his family coming across one of the suicide blind turns.  Picture a mammoth sxs coming up against a small 90cc quad with a child no less.  Luckily I was able to launch my machine by inches into the brush before seriously hurting this child.  This has prompted me to sell my sxs and give up on this trail.  I support atv riding hugely and commend the state for allowing the few and far between trails that are offered in this state, but safety should always come first.  When somebody eventually gets very hurt, especially a child, maybe the forest service will wake up and make this a one way loop trail like it should be.  I know many on here disagree since they only want to ride the loop partially then turn around and with one way trails, you can not do that, but come on...  Somebody is eventually going to get real hurt, damage a very expensive ATV and God knows what else.  I know this post will do nothing, but I think more people need to be vocal about the safety concerns so families of all ages can enjoy this trail.

any future news on working on the road to get to big scrub?  Back in the day when I had a $2500 pick up truck, it wasn't an issue.  The last time we went out there with my friends new Tahoe, the road was so rough, he rattled a part out of his radio and the whole thing needed to be replaced. Coming from Tampa, we always drive the extra 45 minutes to the TH on US40 because of the awesome job they did on the parking area. You would think with all the land, there could be more campgrounds with ease of accessibility.  I'm just not pulling my new toyhauler down that road to big scrub for miles.