Recent Posts

Here is a list of what’s open/closed in the Florida National Forests. The short answer is he Ocala   atv trails are open but the bathrooms at the trail heads are closed.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2789867554382895&id=722434844459520

K_Man

Anybody know if they're going to close the ONF trails down ?

West Virginia just closed the Hatfield and McCoy trails down   !!!

Had my 2016 Yamaha Viking Six seater stolen this morning out of my side yard in Pembroke Pines Florida right off of highway US 27. Had recently installed 4in portals, super atv a-arms and 32” tires... hadn’t even taken It out yet...😭 Had only one “Viking” sticker on the hood instead of two.
If anyone sees anything please post on here or email me at michaelareal@yahoo.com
Thank you

I can go week days or weekends most of time. Let me know when you guys can make it and I’ll try to meet you.
K_Man

Thanks for the update now that Hunting Season is over I should have time to ride some I prefer the North System (closer for Me) but only ride on weekdays

Your opinion on the three riding areas in the ONF are the same as mine. I have only been to the Wandering Wiregrass once and that was several years ago. The only thing that it had going for it was that the trails were more in the open and no blind turns.

I like the Centennial Trail the best, but it has a lot of blind turns. That's why I usually go there on week days as probably you do too.

I like the North Trails, but just hardly ever go there any more. I knew them so well at one point back in 2012 and 2013, that I didn't even need a map.

Someday we will have to go riding there together. Right now my side by side is down, but we have ATV's.

Larry

So far in 2020 I have been able to ride the 3 atv riding areas in the ONF and this is my take on them.
Wandering Wiregrass
https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/ocala/recreation/ohv/recarea/?recid=36872&actid=93
This is my least favorite riding area. Only 17 miles of mostly dirt roads. It has a combination of washboard/whoops de do’s that make you feel like a giant bobblehead doll. It is a legal place to ride though.

Centennial OHV Trail
https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/ocala/recreation/ohv/recarea/?recid=35802&actid=93
My favorite riding area. Has the washboard/whoop de do problem but not as bad as Wiregrass. I carry a chainsaw/winch on my side x side and remove the fallen trees when I come across them. Haven’t seen any the last two times I rode here.

North OHV Trail System
https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/ocala/recreation/ohv/recarea/?recid=35803&actid=93
Washboard/whoop de do problem on most straight areas. Occasionally trees down on lesser used trails. I’ve seen it in better shape but still fun to ride.

K_Man

Let’s go riding and talk about it.
K_Man

Thank you for the Ocala update. Much appreciated!

June and I made it back to the Centennial Trail this week and camped at Big Scrub. The good news is the campground is open, but the bad news is they raised the price from $12.00 a night to $20.00 a night. Nothing has been added, but I guess some SOB thought that we weren't paying enough. If you have a senior pass as we do, it's $10.00 a night, up from $6.00.

The trails really suck from what they used to be like three or four years ago. The good news is that they now have a drag team and just started to drag the trails on Wednesday when we got there. The bad news is that on their first day, they only dragged 1.6 miles of the lower trail and yesterday they went up towards the middle trail and did a whopping 1.3 miles. Maybe, if we are lucky, by next April when they go home, they might get it all done once.

The trails need trimming really bad in some places. When we take our Polaris RGR 900 Trail side by side, we never go up the west side of the trail cause we keep hitting bushes and getting scratches. This week we took our Can Am 2 up bike and went up that side and its gotten even worst than it was before. There was a tree blocking the trail and we turned around but met two dirt bikes and one of those small atvs that goes like hell. We told them about the tree, but these young guys don't let small things like that stop them and kept going. We turned around and found out that they lifted the tree up high enough to get under it. When they saw us coming back, they waited and did the same for us. Very nice guys !!!

Please remember that these comments come from a 72 year old guy with a 71 year old wife and we have different views than younger people, just like the tree blocking the trail. I would think that dirt bikes would just love the trails like they are, but side by sides would not unless they don't mind the scratches. It's a nice place to ride, but the trails need a lot of work. I also heard that another snowbird that just got there is going to do some trimming on the trails, but they really need a machine to trim them. One man and his wife will only be able to do a small area. The bad news is now that Kris the ranger is gone, we have nobody that really cares.  Larry