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Length: 17.5 miles (linear) plus 40.6 mile loop By following a paved bicycle route, the Withlacoochee State Trail, from Nobleton to Dunnellon, the Florida Trail approximates its future route through Citrus County to connect the Croom Tract to the Cross Florida Greenway. With little shade and little variance in scenery, the rail trail is better biked than hiked. The high points of this segment are the trail towns you pass through, each a little ambassador of historic Old Florida.
There is only one opportunity for designated camping along the route, at Fort Cooper State Park, but you will pass several reasonably priced motels that are used to catering to bicyclists. Until a new section of planned trail is completed in the next few years, the last part of this segment includes a roadwalk on a busy road.
 For backpackers and day hikers, the four loop trails (A, B, C, and D) in the Citrus Tract of Withlacoochee State Forest are not presently part of the thru-trail but offer some of the finest challenging terrain in Central Florida. The trail climbs up and down rolling sandhills topped with pines and oaks, drops down into deep ravines created by erosion of the limestone bedrock, circles massive sinkholes, where jagged limestone protrudes into the footpath, and passes by the fern-draped openings of numerous caves. Wildlife is abundant: deer sightings are virtually guaranteed, scrub-jays live in the sand pine scrub, and Florida panthers have been spotted here. The sandhills are high and dry, so plan backpacking trips carefully; you may want to cache water at trail crossings. Designated campsites let you get away from it all.  The 42,531 acre Citrus Tract in the Withlacoochee State Forest is southwest of Inverness and immediately south of SR 44. Enter at the Holder Mine Recreation Area via Road T10 from CR 581, 2.5 miles south of SR 44, or at the Mutual Mine Recreation Area via Road T16 from CR 581, 5.25 miles south of SR 44. The trail is also accessible via CR 491 and T17, CR 480, T13, T16, T6, and T11B.
Disclaimer: While FTA strives to maintain accurate information and is constantly updating its geodatabase, the trail and development along the trail corridor is constantly changing. The data has been collected from a variety of sources and accuracy varies. FTA provides this data for recreational purposes only and does not intend the data as a survey.
Centerline data Florida Trail System (c) 2007 Florida Trail Association, Inc. Park at the trailheads for Holder Mine and Mutual Mine Recreation Areas and at the Tillis Hill Campground. If the camping gate is locked, park to the left of the gate. Gateway Communities Inverness History Fort Cooper The Citrus Tract has a dry, all-weather trail on alternately flat and hilly terrain. You may plan day hikes on loop trails and overnight hikes of up to 40 miles on the perimeter trail. Trail mileage totals 46.8. No hunting is allowed on the Withlacoochee State Trail, however some adjacent lands allow hunting. Brightly colored clothing is recommended when hiking during hunt seasons. Camping is not permitted along the Withlacoochee State Trail. |
Hiking 
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