Wilderness Loop, Starkey Wilderness Park – Florida Hikes

An enormous inexperienced house east of New Port Richey, Starkey Park gives a wide range of alternatives for out of doors recreation.

With a big playground and pavilion space, the park is fashionable amongst locals, who additionally jog and journey bikes alongside the paved Starkey Path, a bit of the Florida Coast to Coast Path.

One of many hiking-only loops

For hikers, a trio of loop trails span an expansive mosaic of pure landscapes, starting from 1.6 miles to a virtually 14 mile journey.

Deeper ventures into the protect will be become in a single day backpacking journeys, utilizing one in every of three primitive campsites alongside the route.

Sheltered benches make good relaxation stops at path junctions

Sources

Overview

Location: New Port RicheyLength: 13.8 milesTrailhead: 28.252833, -82.640306Address: 10500 Wilderness Park Blvd, New Port RicheyFees: FreeRestrooms: 4 restrooms all through the day use areasLand supervisor: Pasco County and Southwest Florida Water Administration DistrictPhone: 727-834-3247

Open dawn to sundown. Leashed canines welcome. Campers should have reservations for backcountry websites. Name the park prematurely.

Instructions

Hike

Beginning on the shared trailhead for the equestrian and mountain climbing loops, head eastward throughout a grassy clearing.

Go a gaggle of benches earlier than following a sandy entry highway into the woods. In a tenth of a mile, flip left at a fork within the path.

Observe orange and blue blazes round a gaggle tent campsite.

Most important Trailhead

Nearing 1 / 4 mile, take a brief detour alongside the McNeil Homestead interpretive path via the stays of a pioneer homestead.

A collection of indicators alongside the brief loop describe historic remnants of this Eighteen Eighties homestead.

McNeil Homestead

At a path junction in 0.8 mile, proceed following orange blazes eastward the place blue blazes department off to kind the shortest loop.

Oaks give technique to sand pines as the encompassing panorama transitions to a xeric scrubby flatwoods.

The midway level on the three Mile Loop is marked with an indication subsequent to a coated bench.

Coated bench

Turning left to comply with a connector path to the subsequent loop, use a small boardwalk to navigate round a dip between two cypress strands.

The trail emerges onto an open pine forest. Keep to the proper on the subsequent fork.

Observe the large pathway throughout prairies coated in noticed palmetto dotted with pines and a scattering of oaks.

Scrubby flatwoods

Approaching 3.3 miles, a aspect spur results in Campsite #1, a comfortable spot with a picnic desk, fireplace ring, and grill tucked right into a small hammock.

In lower than a tenth of a mile, the path takes a few sharp turns earlier than crossing a doubtlessly moist part the place a slim cypress strand intersects the path.

Campsite #1

Reaching the japanese aspect of the second loop close to the five-mile mark, be a part of the subsequent connector path resulting in the ultimate loop.

At 5.8 miles, flip proper onto the paved Starkey Path. In just a few hundred ft, a aspect path results in Campsite #2.

This tiny grassy clearing within the flatwoods is shared with long-distance cyclists following the Florida Coast to Coast Path.

Campsite #2

Proceed eastward over the darkish tannic waters of Cross Cypress Department and switch proper on the subsequent mountain climbing path signal, leaving the pavement.

The path then follows a sweeping arc throughout moist flatwoods between cypress domes and the Anclote River, reaching the Starkey Path once more at 7.8 miles.

Cross Cypress Department

An inviting coated bench awaits on the far finish of the path, offering a resting spot earlier than heading again in direction of the trailhead.

From this level, comply with the paved path westward, spanning Cross Cypress Department once more.

Flip proper after ten miles to start the northern half of the center loop.

Starkey Path

Shortly after crossing a moist space between two cypress domes, the path passes Campsite #3, an open spot with the identical facilities as the opposite two primitive websites.

Orange blazes proceed to the west as the trail traverses sandhill and flatwoods communities earlier than closing the loop.

Sandhill habitat

Keep to the left on the subsequent fork because the path cuts via a patch of rosemary scrub and winds northward previous just a few basin marshes.

The most important encompasses a aspect path resulting in a powerful elevated chook blind.

Shut the ultimate loop shortly after the chook blind, and cross the clearing as soon as once more, ending on the trailhead.

Florida rosemary

Path Map

Discover Extra!

Be taught extra about Starkey Wilderness Park

Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park Discover an expansive panorama of pine flatwoods, prairies, scrubby flatwoods, and open scrub alongside over 16 miles of mountain climbing trails east of New Port Richey.

Video

Climbing the Starkey Wilderness Loop

Slideshow

See our images from the Starkey Wilderness Loop

Close by Adventures

Path Map (PDF) Reserve Campsite Official Web site

Alongside along with his spouse Chelsey, Chris Stevens shares out of doors adventures on Instagram and Fb as @sunshinestateseekers and is a co-host of a podcast about Florida’s open air, The Florida Madcaps. An avid hiker and camper, Chris serves as a Trailmaster and a board member for the Florida Path Affiliation.

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