Green Swamp Loop (Central Florida)

[William]

We just finished up our third annual four-day Florida Get Together (FGT) based in Central Florida this year. We rode a lot of Ocala National Forest and many great roads, but the highlight was the Green Swamp Loop. I’ve spent a lot of time in the Green Swamp (aka Richloam WMA/Withlacoochee State Forest) on dual sports and jeeps and have been on many of the perimeter roads, but I’d never done this well-known loop all the way around the swamp. It’s all back and county roads, lots of curves 'n turns and some uncharacteristic (for Florida) elevations on the west side. Route on 2UpTouring Here.

The highlights on this loop are, west-side: Trilby Rd>Blanton>James>Jessamine; southeast side: Old Dade City Rd>Rockridge>Greenpond. Highly recommended!

Try and time it to have lunch at On Q Smokehouse Grill in St. Leo / San Antonio (Corner of Curley and FL-52). Awesome place!

Sam (my 17yo son and FZ6 rider) and I in the ONF (Hwy 314).

Home base was Ocala RV Camp and Resort…nice cabins, nice facility, kind of heavy traffic in and out of the place though.

 

[callmegandhi]

Looks like fun!

 

[Cloggy]

looks like a nice ride :rockon:, nice weather too :thumbup:

 

[Motogiro]

Thanks for the ride report Looks like you both had a great trip!

 

[AngelFZ]

Thanks for the info :thumbup:. I've seen the route before but have not done it yet

 

[William]

If anyone has designs on riding in the swamp itself, here’s a Map of the whole Forest. The Green Swamp is everything south of SR50. Best to be on duallies, but the northwest corner, north of 50 has decent, low-sand forest roads suitable for about any motorcycles imo. There’s one really good camping area in that part. It’s a state forest, so plated vehicles only, and stay out during hunting season for obvious reasons.

 

[Red Wazp]

Would that be "Gator" hunting season?

Nice pics, how are you liking the S10?

 

[William]

Nice pics, how are you liking the S10?

I’ve enjoyed the Super Tenere since I got it last August. I only roll it out for longer trips, though and have about 6K miles on it now. Believe it or not, my daily commuter is my KL250.

I was on the priority delivery program from back in 2010 and the Tenere’s arrival last year was delayed to so late in the year (due to the quake/tsunami in Japan last March) that I couldn’t make any major ride plans. However, it’ll see a lot this summer, including the Yukon Territories and Alaska!