Posted 2012-02-10 9:04 AM (#140711) Subject: Ocala Florida and Fort Worth Texas
Regular
Posts: 78 Location: Wisconsin
We are thinking about heading south for a few months in January - April looking at places around Ocala and Fort Worth. Are there many nice places around Ocala to park a horse trailer for a few months with lot of miles of trails? My sister is looking at properties east of Fort Worth towards Greenville. Are there many trails there? Someone said there are lots of horses but mostly big ranches and not much for trail riding??? What would be the temperature difference between the two and terrain differences?
Posted 2012-02-14 9:45 AM (#140919 - in reply to #140711) Subject: RE: Ocala Florida and Fort Worth Texas
Regular
Posts: 79 Location: Bonham, TX
I would think Ocalla, FL would be more flat terrain. This time of year is generally nice weather in FL, but Texas is experiencing a mild winter so far this year.
In Texas, sort of close to Ft.Worth, you could try Cooper Lake State Park. There are actually 2 units on Cooper Lake so if you search Texas Parks & Wildlife website you can see which unit has the horse campground. It fills up very fast so reservations are usually needed. Not many miles of trails.
There is a new campgroud in Mineola, TX run by the city. Haven't been there and not many miles of trails either.
South of Ft. Worth is Lake Whitney and it has two places to ride and camp.
Your best bet is search Horse and Mule Trail Guide website.
Posted 2012-02-14 10:53 AM (#140929 - in reply to #140711) Subject: RE: Ocala Florida and Fort Worth Texas
Elite Veteran
Posts: 648 Location: Coconut Creek, FL
Several places in Fla you can camp near Ocala. most have websites. Goethe State forest is west of Ocala - North Star Acres, The Stables @ Goethe, TH Ranch (no trees) - all have electric/water, stalls, paddocks, showers, etc NStar you would ride the Apex and Tidewater Trails, the other 2 the Blackprong trails as there are 3 sections in this forest.
Withlacoochie State Forest Citrus tract - Renab Ranch - electric/water, stalls, and lush pastures
7 Bar L Ranch near Live Oak - ride water management trails, electric/water/sewer - stalls, pastures, showers, etc
Suwannee Music park - also near Live oak - eelc/water/sewer, stalls, same trails as 7 Bar L (I prefer 7 Bar L - they have pastures)
McCulley Farms - near Jasper - elec/water, stalls, showers, ride the Twin River State Forest
Golden Acres Foxtrotter Farm - elec/water, stalls, paddocks, also a real nice cabin you can rent. Ride the Greenway trails - only dfrawback is its near I75, so it can be noisy
I would suggest trying several of them to get more variety in your riding. The terrain in Fla is flat, pine and oak trees, lots of wildlife - deer, pigs, turkeys, eagles, etc
Posted 2012-02-28 7:54 PM (#141538 - in reply to #140711) Subject: RE: Ocala Florida and Fort Worth Texas
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 434 Location: Brooksville, Fl
Search the Goethe Trailhead Ranch and contact the camp hosts there. They have stayed from Jan-April in the Ocala area for several years. They have stayed in several different places and could give you some good tips. Florida is flat but the Greenway is a lot of fun to ride because you can ride up and down the dirt piles that were left over when they tried to dig a canal across Florida many years ago. Not all of it is next to I-75 but the first Land Bridge was built over the interstate to connect the trails. Pretty cool actually.
Ocala Florida and Fort Worth Texas
