Green Swamp WP West Tract McNeil Entrance

When you arrive there will probably be a few cars and you might see one group of people while out there. To the right by the big sign you can enter the Florida Trail (FT). The gate on the left you can enter if you're car camping or hop over and walk along the road. There's a grass jeep trail that goes off to the right about 30 minutes in and you can cross over to the FT - it's close. If you walk 3.2 miles on the dirt road you'll reach the McNeil campground. The Withlacoochee river goes right next to it but not sure it's worth the long walk just to see that. The FT also goes back over that bridge and across the street to the East Green Swamp. I almost got shot by an out of season archery hunter here... it gets very different across the street. Also crossing that bridge is unnerving. There's what looks like a pedestrian protected area on the side of the bridge but it's way too skinny to walk in... and a lot of semis go across this bridge really fast so it feels dangerous.

Taking the FT in - in the rainy season this can flood for long periods of time. In that case just take that paved road and cross over. However it's a pretty forest path. Eventually you will hit a deep sandy jeep trail/road and there seem to be the most wildlife here. There are white blazed trails that go to different places and more jeep trail/roads that you can explore forever. If you're just following the FT however you leave this road back to the forest for awhile and the "Gator Hole" primitive camp is here. I've been here a lot and I've never seen an alligator - ponds aren't even all that close to it. It is a fun place to camp at though. You have to make a reservation online to stay here but I think it's free. In winter you'll probably have other people here on weekend nights but it's not often too many people. The camp has an interesting pine forest near it and behind the camp that road isn't visible but it's not far. You hear all kinds of wildlife at night, you get fireflies, and there are billions of those wolf spiders whose eyes light up when you shine a flashlight. It's like being watched by thousands of spiders - very creepy at first. The camp site has a fire ring and a sometimes broken picnic bench.

If you walk past gator hole you'll cross that sandy road again and before long there's this 20ft hill overlooking a pond and if you turn left from the top of that there's a white blaze trail to another primitive camp next to a large open expanse/swamping area.

If you keep exploring there is more but those are the opening highlights. You can walk from here all the way across to the main entrance to the West Green Swamp - I discuss that on it's own page.

I've never been bitten by a pygmy rattler but I see a lot here always camping out extended from the side of the trail into the trail. Might want to keep an eye out especially if you aren't wearing boots.