ATV Florida Forum

From the Florida Trail Riders website:

Press Release


FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Amy Erven, Information Specialist JUNE , 2005
3125 Conner Blvd., C-25
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1650
850/414-0871


NEW OHV TRAIL SYSTEM TO OPEN AT TATE’S Hell STATE FOREST

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson is announcing the opening of the first “off highway vehicle” or OHV trail system created under the new T. Mark Schmidt OHV Safety and Recreation Act.  The trail will be open for riders in Tate’s Hell State Forest beginning on July 1, 2005. 
A ribbon cutting ceremony is being held to kick off the grand opening at 10:00 a.m. in the state forest and will be attended by representatives of both Franklin County and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.  The public is also invited.

“Florida has had a tremendous growth in the recreational use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and off-highway motorcycles(OHMs), but few places are available to legally ride on public lands,” Bronson said.  “This is the first of several OHV riding sites that the state will assist in opening to the public over the next several years.”

The OHV Trail System in Tate’s Hell State Forest will give ATV and OHM users an opportunity to ride their vehicles on more than 150 miles of designated trails on existing forest roads.  While riding the trails, forest users can expect to see various ecosystems including cypress/tit swamps, blackwater creeks and pine flatwoods.  It’s hoped that the availability of this and future trails will cut down on ATV and other vehicle use in undesignated areas which result in damage to the ecosystem.

“The primary purpose of the Tate’s Hell OHV Trail System is to give the public an opportunity to explore the forest with an alternative to driving a car or a truck,” Bronson said.  “The key to the success of this trail site, as with future sites, depends on how responsible the users are in riding on these trails”.

The T. Mark Schmidt OHV Safety and Recreation Act requires each ATV and OHM to purchase a title, similar to those required by car buyers, prior to riding on any public lands that have a designated area for OHV riding.  The titles are available through the Florida Department of Highway and Motor Vehicles at any county tag office. The law provides that the title fees be used to develop the OHV trails.  To ride on the new Tate’s Hell OHV Trail System, each ATV or OHM owner will also have to purchase an annual permit at a cost of $50.00 per year (permits are prorated for each quarter of the fiscal year).  Permits are valid for riding at either the Tate’s Hell OHV Trail System or the Croom Motorcycle Area at the Withlacoochee State Forest in Brooksville.



Permits will be sold at the Carrabelle State Forest Headquarters.  Applicants are asked to bring a copy of their proof of title with their ATV or OHM.  All OHVs are required to have working exhaust systems and USDA approved spark arrestors.  Sound levels will be limited to 96 decibels on Tate’s Hell State Forest. 

For more information on the Tate’s Hell OHV Trail System and Florida’s OHV Safety and Recreation Program, the public can call (850) 697-3734 or visit the Division of Forestry website at www.fl-dof.com.

Went and checked out the website-sounds good, but on the other hand so did Croom.  At least the permit you have to purchase is good for both parks!  Whoever goes will have to let us Central and South FL riders know how it is.  Couldn't find if it is a one way trail system or more disorganized trails.  It's a start, but we still need more trail systems!  I know we probably would never have anything like the Hatfield-McCoy Trails but I am definitely jealous from the pics that Grizz posted!  I can't wait to check that place out.  My uncle lives in Pennsylvania and is going for his 3rd visit in 3yrs in August.  Like I said though, at least its a start!!

Is it close to sarasota?

this is a good thing. i'll be checking these trails out soon out soon.


jeff

tates hell  is just south of tallahassee. i go to perry every couple of months. i'll be about an hour away.

jeff

Jeff, let me know when you go.

At least this is a start, we stil need more. It is a good thing that with your $50 a year there will now be two places to ride.

   Jim,

This is very good IMO. I like what Bronson had to say. Looks like they are finally realizing what needs to be done in order for us to enjoy our sport safely.

This was all discussed at the OHV meeting in April.  It can happen, you just have to push you local officials.  There are talks of another on the west coast, but not going to be as big.

Every little bit helps... at least this is a start :)

Hopefully they will have some fun areas, like hills and mud holes. Thats what sucks about Ocala, if its fun they put restricted signs all around it.

If it  s  run  by the  state  it  s  not  gonna  be  fun  !!!!!!!!

That very  good  for teens in carribelle and the hunters.I use to own a sailboat while back untilled  i sold it.Well thats very good you can go salt water fishing at sametime and next day you go ride atvs.Thats very good for thoses rednecks and bigger kids would love that.

(The bad news for boaters and beach people)
Since some crazy condoum owner  brought out   tiki hut it was more like jimmy buffet restuant place  and they  brought out c quarters marina  and he let down all  his poor fishing  people down  drain and no where to go for sailboats and trawlers.The only marines are left in carribelle  the moorings  and the  paramores marina.Well they need put more new  boat  marinas in  carribelle   and  appalchcola  and alot them do offshore fishing  and  going to other  islands  doing beach walking on private islands.I have been to all islands in  carribelle and applachcola area  and too  bad  the st george lighthouse  is sinking  down into ocean and they should put like a rock barrier  around the lighthouse  and not moving to big st george island  and it should stay on little st george island  in it's orginal spot.I have been to  dog island   st george island  little george island  and st vencent island  and cape san bias  and st joseph p state on  both sides  of  far western part.For last two years i did. ;D 8)


thanks,
amhighlander

keep  marinas  alive  over  from  panama city,port st joe,applachcola
,carribelle area. ;D 8)

I have no Idea what this person is saying ???

can anyone translate?

Very difficult but I can make it out, I THINK....

 ???

When will they build a ohv trail system in south florida besides croom?  >:(

here is the website http://www.fl-dof.com/state_forests/tates_hell.html

ATVFlorida group ride,,,,,July 10?

I'll be at the mudracing thing on the 9th,,,but I wanna visit up there.

Id@

Someone should go on a recon mission up there and report. Who lives near this area?

as soon as i can recover enough where i can ride again i'm going and i will post how it is... i have this idea though that it's going to be a nightmare.

im going to perry today but taking the jet ski's this time. we'll be riding down at keaton beach.

jeff

i heard of this story back in the early 70's

The Legend of TATE'S HELL...
A tale that has been told for many years recounts how Tate's Hell Swamp got its name. Local legend has it that a farmer by the name of Cebe Tate, armed with only a shotgun and accompanied by his hunting dogs, journeyed into the swamp in search of a panther that was killing his livestock. Although there are several versions of this story, the most common describes Tate as being lost in the swamp for seven days and nights, bitten by a snake, and drinking from the murky waters to curb his thirst. Finally he came to a clearing near Carrabelle, living only long enough to murmur the words, "My name is Cebe Tate, and I just came from Hell!" Cebe Tate's adventure took place in 1875 and ever since, the area has been known as Tate's Hell, the legendary and forbidden swamp.

sound cool my mom used to live there she lived there all her lif till she was like 30 my mom say we are going to check it out some time in july

updated info. don't go to tate's hell trail system thinking you are going to ride the 150 miles of roads tate hell has to offer. instead you are limited to just under 16 sq. miles (4 miles (long) north and south by 3.9 miles (wide) east and west) if you are caught off the designated roads you will be subject to fine, expulsion, revocation of permit, and/or impoundment of OHV. check out the map and the rules.
http://www.fl-dof.com/state_forests/thsf_ohv_index.html

Says here on their site 150 miles

Welcome to the Tate’s Hell Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Trail System. This trail system provides an opportunity to ride off- highway motorcycles (OHM) and all-terrain vehicles (ATV) on more that 150 miles of designated trails on existing forest roads. While riding on the trails, forest users can expect to see various ecosystems including cypress/titi swamps, blackwater rivers and pine flatwoods. Various species of wildlif

Looks like you can use the sticker from Croom to get into this Forest to ;D

look at the map,check out the legend, you are limited to the white roads only. now, take that map along with the mile legend and do your math. i've been there alot growing up and i know the area well. yes, i agree it says "150 miles" but, you can believe that if you want to? tate's hell totals more than 150 miles but, you aren't allowed to ride all of tate's hell. only 16 sq. miles... 

Huh?

I still plan on going up there, if anything to give a report on exactly how many miles you can travel.

I got a gps and a rack ;-)

Id@

I think you guys are reading the miles key wrong. Zero miles starts in the center of the key. That means it is more like about 60 sq miles. I did the math and came up with slightly more than 100 miles of white trails. That's not 150 but it's a good start when you consider Croom is only about 4 or 5 sq miles. I'm very excited to see this place open up and will definitely be checking it out. I hope this means we will see something open up for South Florida in the near future. I wonder if they plan to set up a campground like the one at Croom.