Moody Branch WEA

Birding / Hiking / Adventuring Roadtrip Info

ROUGH DRAFT

Jul 2022

What's It Like
Kind of Birds
Wildlife
Ammenities
Time Needs
Directions
Dear Ranger
Experience

Typical view [?]

Photo Galleries

Typical View (9)

Snapshots! (4)

GRADES: Click each for info, = Note*
How Big	C
Importance	D
Revisit?	D
Birding	C
Wildlife	C
Summer Heat	F *
Terrain	C *
Fun Hike	D *
Maintained	F *
Mosquitos	B
Biting Files	B
Ticks	B

NOTE: Hard to out do this one

NOTE: Sandy and at entrance more than grassy.

NOTE: The nature is fine but hard to navigate and no shade

NOTE: The wooded part is. The sandy part is okay

LOCATION: Accuracy: Read me

On Big Map: Click map (or on google maps). Address: 13805 Taylor Grde, Duette, FL, Manatee, USA, 34219

5 CLOSEST (Map)

Miles	Location
3.4	Little Manatee River Corridor Preserve - Leonard Lee Trailhead
3.5	Little Manatee River Southfork Tract
7.4	Little Manatee River SP
8.6	Balm Boyette Scrub Nature Preserve
10.9	Edward W. Chance Reserve Gilley Creek Tract

There is interesting scrub habitat but finding a way into it is a challenge because it seems that the trails have been abandoned a long time ago. This land connects to Southfork but I don't think there are actually trails connecting them.

2) Kinds of Birds

Towhees, turkeys, possibly Florida Scrub Jays.

3) Wildlife

Armadillo, gopher tortoise, and probably coyote. Also a big patch of passionflower vines.

4) Amenities

There's a child's playground in front but the rest seem abandoned. I've found trail markers behind years of tree and weed growth. There are plenty of spent bullet casings around - does that count as an amenity?

5) Directions

It should show up in the GPS on Taylor Grade Road.

6) Dear Ranger

Reminder: This place still exists ... I think somehow it's been forgotten. The scrub trails are okay but the wooded entrance area has been reclaimed by forest.

7) Time Requirements

It's mostly trudging through sandy trails and you probably wouldn't want to but you could spend an afternoon wandering around. I think it took me three hours to do the big loop. I do NOT suggest going here in summer because there is no shade.

Experience

First time I went here I cursed a lot. Trails were not where they were supposed to be. I went back a couple times and the scrub area is interesting but it's punishing. Trudging through sandy jeep trails with zero shade and whacking through weeds to follow trail signs at the entrance is not so fun. If you know that going in it can be nice.

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