I visited my trail sister, Robyn, in Orlando over the weekend for lunch and shopping. I met Robyn in Georgia last fall when we both signed up for a slackpacking trip and completed the first 52 miles of the Georgia Appalachian Trail. We have planned a camping/hiking trip to Georgia next fall—four days, three nights—to complete the Georgia AT and to get started in South Carolina.
We met at our favorite store, REI. Robyn is the camping guru, and she helped me gear up for our trip. After that, we relaxed over a delicious lunch and bottle of wine at a local restaurant to plan our trip.
Before I headed home the following morning, Robyn and I drove to Lake Louisa State Park, Robyn’s local state park. We hiked a couple short trails and Robyn showed me the two primitive camping sites she frequents. At $5 plus tax per person, per night, you can’t beat this for entertainment. I agree with the park’s introduction on their website: “A natural theme park awaits those with a hearty outdoor spirit. “
We hiked about three miles; however, the park has seven miles of paved roads and another twenty miles of unpaved multi-use trails that wind through cypress swamps, tall pines, and scrub forests. Included in the park are Lake Louisa, Hammond Lake, and Dixie Lake You can glamp, camp, or even rent a cabin. (trail map)
Like many of the state parks, some areas showed evidence of a recent controlled burn with black charcoal markings on tree trunks. However, our surroundings were beautiful and quiet. You got to love Florida State Parks!
(Lake Louisa State Park. 7305 U.S. Highway 27, Clermont, FL 34714. https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/lake-louisa-state-park)
Footprints and Ripples 
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