IF YOU WANT WILD AND SCENIC THEN THIS IS YOUR RACE!
Just 30 minutes East of the Orlando Airport lies an expansive untouched wilderness. Between East Coast of Florida and the bustling city of Orlando lies a place more picturesque than a Tolkien novel. Tosohatchee and Seminole Ranch are what we speak of. The are home to this trail race. Until the 1970s, Tosohatchee was a private hunting preserve. It was donated to the State. The 1108 mile Florida National Scenic Trail goes right through the heart of this WILD area.
There are lots of infrequently used trails here. The trails meanders through massive groves of mossy palm trunks where the sun permeates the canopy in a polyrhythmic fashion. You will never see the same view twice and running feels effortless here.
We clear off the trails before the race but its soft footing and your feet will definitely be wet with a .1 or so of a mile along the Florida Trail which is foot to knee deep water. Don’t worry it’s safe! In February you will likely be cold at the start and warm during the day. This time of the year migratory birds flood to Tosohatchee and the region. The bigger wildlife like gators and snakes etc remain somewhat dormant as its too cold for them to be about much other than laying the the sun way away from the trail. The trails we used aren’t buffed out trails. They can be muddy, Rooty and slick. It makes it that much more fun.
A lot of this race you will be running through palm trees which seem to be something out of a dream.
While the 25k course is 90% or so trail and does a singular loop within Tosohatchee WMA
The 45 mile course does a 50k loop within Tosohatchee which is part dirt road where youre running with water to each side 15 ft below and can see wildlife. You will run to the St Johns River and get views there. Eventually you hit a shuttle across a divided highway (so you dont die via cars) to then do a lollipop into Seminole Ranch. The 4 miles along the Florida Trail within Seminole Ranch WMA are HANDS DOWN THE MOST SCENIC 4 miles along the Florida Trail. You repeat less than 2 miles of trail for 45 miles.