Brooksville

Exploring Brooksville

Founded in the 1840s, Brooksville has a hilly downtown historic district with numerous small shops and restaurants.

An officially designated Trail Town, the city is a hub along the state-spanning Florida Coast to Coast Trail.

Florida Coast to Coast Trail With a corridor spanning more than 220 miles across nine Florida counties, the Florida Coast to Coast Trail (C2C) is Central Florida's long distance bike path.

The Good Neighbor Trail connects east to the Withlacoochee State Trail at Ridge Manor. The Van Fleet Trail lies farther east.

To the west, sidepaths lead to the Suncoast Trail, a 42-mile paved bike trail paralleling the Suncoast Parkway to Tampa.

Good Neighbor Trail An important link in the Florida Coast to Coast Trail, the Good Neighbor Trail stretches 10.1 miles from downtown Brooksville to the Withlacoochee State Trail.

Suncoast Trail Stretching 41.3 miles from the Tampa metro to north of Brooksville, the Suncoast Trail is one of the longest continuous paved bike paths in Florida

Van Fleet Trail Cruise up a wooded corridor through the Green Swamp along 29.2 miles of paved trail on an old rail corridor optimized for a long ride through the heart of rural Central Florida

Withlacoochee State Trail Tracing 44 miles of railroad history down forested corridors, past big lakes and city parks, and through quaint communities, the Withlacoochee State Trail is one sweet ride

North and east of Brooksville, vast Withlacoochee State Forest protects significant acreage both along its namesake river and extensive upland recharge areas.

Withlacoochee State Forest With more than 155,000 acres spread over several counties, Withlacoochee State Forest is Florida’s second largest state forest, and arguably the most popular for outdoor recreation

Dozens of recreation areas provide camping, and access for trail users ranging from paddlers to motorcyclists. Hikers will find numerous loops and a few nature trails.

Croom Loop C Showcasing elements of a sandhill ecosystem, Loop C in the Croom Tract of Withlacoochee State Forest offers broad views of varied foliage and wildflowers under a sparse canopy.

Croom River Trail Loop Using the Florida Trail and the Blue Loop Trail, hikers can explore a picturesque corner of Withlacoochee State Forest in Ridge Manor along a 3.9-mile loop.

Hog Island Nature Trail For a dip into primordial wilderness along the Withlacoochee River, walk the Hog Island Nature Trail at Hog Island Recreation Area in Withlacoochee State Forest.

Most notably, the statewide Florida Trail snakes upriver from the Richloam Tract in the east to the Croom and Citrus Tracts north of the city.

Florida Trail, Croom Hiking Trail 9.8 miles. Traversing rolling landscapes of the Brooksville Ridge, the Croom section of the Florida Trail provides miles of panoramic views within a large area of sandhill habitat.

Florida Trail, Croom River Trail A pleasant ramble on bluffs above the Withlacoochee River, the Croom River Trail segment of the Florida Trail tunnels through oak hammocks and slips around cypress swamps along its 6.3-mile journey.

Florida Trail, Croom to Chinsegut 4.1 miles. North of Brooksville, two environmental areas and a state forest are paired with a short backwoods roadwalk as an example of conservation within a rural community.

Florida Trail, Green Swamp West to Richloam Weaving across rolling sandhills and along the tannic waters of the Withlacoochee River, the River Road to Richloam Loop section is an exceptionally scenic destination along the western corridor of the Florida Trail.

The regional high point of Chinsegut Hill offers exploration of centuries of history, with FWC protecting several notable wildlife habitats and an ancient forest at its base.

Chinsegut Conservation Center Tract Discover the beauty of May's Prairie at the heart of the Chinsegut WEA Conservation Center Tract, a vast wetland where sandhill cranes gather.

Chinsegut Big Pine Tract The southernmost concentration of ancient longleaf pine in America, the Big Pine Tract of Chinsegut WEA also protects the second largest contiguous tract of old-growth longleaf pine in Florida.

Other county and state natural lands also protect fascinating karst features and old-growth forests within the Withlacoochee basin.

Annutteliga Hammock Conservation Area Part of a wildlife corridor between the Withlacoochee River and the Gulf of Mexico, Annutteliga Hammock Conservation Area protects 570 acres of sandhills, scrub, and prairie immediately east of Chassowitzka WMA.

Fickett Hammock Preserve Delving deep into a hardwood hammock with towering trees, the loop trail at Fickett Hammock Preserve quickly immerses you into a shady forest of botanical beauty.

Florida Trail, Cypress Lakes Preserve At Cypress Lakes Preserve, a 1.7-mile segment of the Florida Trail follows the edge of a series of cypress-lined lakes where ancient trees have survived the ages.

Lake Townsen Preserve Offering access to the Withlacoochee River and the Withlacoochee State Trail while protecting a swath of environmentally sensitive lands west of Nobleton, Lake Townsen Preserve is the gateway to miles of trails.

Peck Sink Preserve Centered on a deep sinkhole and swallet that drains directly into the Floridan Aquifer, Peck Sink Preserve is a 112-acre conservation area near Brooksville.

Perry Oldenburg WEA With a surprising diversity of oak species for Central Florida, Perry Oldenburg WEA protects a prime piece of sandhill habitat where gopher tortoises thrive.

Articles

Withlacoochee State Forest Land Swap a Bad Idea (9/9/2024) Plans to let a golf course development expand into Annutteliga Hammock, part of a conservation corridor across Citrus and Hernando counties, strikes a sour note.

Destination: Adventure (3/29/2019) Biking, paddling, and even a bit of hiking were in the plans as we explored Florida's Adventure Coast - Hernando County - for activities we could enjoy during warm weather.

Biking the Good Neighbor Trail (12/4/2018) A morning of exploration allowed us to experience the not-quite-open-yet Good Neighbor Trail and its historic context during our visit to Brooksville this September.

The new 50 Hikes in Central Florida (10/5/2018) We launched a new full-color edition of 50 Hikes in Central Florida at the National Trails Festival in Deland the first weekend of October. Take a peek inside.