A trail enthusiast and a Florida Forest specialist say Santa Rosa County has plenty to offer when it comes to hiking.
Vernon Compton, a trail coordinator for the Western Gate Chapter of the Florida Trail Association, and David Creamer, a recreation administrator for the Florida Forest Service, said hiking and biking trails in the northern region see plenty of traffic throughout the year.
“I think Santa Rosa County has done a great job on getting the word out,” Compton said. “I could just tell, as a regular user by looking at the tread of the trail, once we started getting more brochures out at kiosks, you could tell more people are using it.”
Compton said the county’s Tourist Development Council decision to feature the hiking, biking, equestrian and water usage areas led to increased traffic.
Creamer estimates nearly 2,000 people use the Sweetwater Trail at the Krul Lake camp site in Munson and 1,300 visitors hike the loop at the nearby Bear Lake camp site.
Although the popular trails still see some traffic in the summer time, Creamer said these popular hiking spots are most popular in the fall and spring times of the year.
“Of course, the great thing about Santa Rosa County you can hike or use any of these trails year round,” Compton said. “Of course in the summer, the heat and humidity can really take a toll on you, so I tend to see more people out early in the morning or late in the afternoon.”
Some of the trails are also located near creeks, rivers, lakes, or other bodies of water, which could also provide a cool option to beat the heat when hiking.
“If it’s hot, one of the great things is (you) can walk along the trail and jump into the creek,” Compton said.
Compton also suggests having plenty of fluids on hand when hiking. In addition to having bug repellent, Compton also suggests taking extra precautions when returning from a hiking trip in the woods.
“Follow the proper procedures, when you get back do a body check and make sure you don’t have any free riders on you,” Compton said.
Creamer also recommends wearing the proper hiking footwear for hiking in order to avoid tripping and falling or twisting an ankle.
Other potential hazards along the wooded hiking trail include wildlife.
“People really like seeing wildlife on the trails and there is a lot of it out there,” Compton said. “Some of those are yellow jackets, wasp nests (and) snakes, you just have to watch out.”
In addition to being observant about your surroundings on a hiking trail, Creamer also suggests making sure you are up to the task of hiking.
“Make sure (you) are physically fit enough to hike the distances,” Creamer said.
While Sweetwater Trail is just over a mile long, the loop around Bear Lake is four miles.
Compton also adds hikers should prepare by bringing enough food and necessities. They should also check the weather forecast before hiking and making sure a close friend or relative know where they are and what time they should return from the hiking trip.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Enthusiast, Forest official share insight on hiking in Santa Rosa County