Tenoroc Fish Management Area, Lakeland, FL - March 22, 2009
TENOROC FISH MANAGEMENT AREA IS A 7,300 ACRE TRACT OF LAND THAT WAS MINED IN THE MID 1970’S FOR PHOSPHATE. PHOSPHATE PIT LAKES COVER THE AREA. TENOROC WAS DONATED TO THE STATE FOR PUBLIC USE IN 1983. THE FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION BEGAN TO DEVELOP TENOROC INTO PRIMARILY A FISHING HABITAT. ADDITIONAL RECREATIONAL USES HAVE BEEN ADDED SUCH AS HUNTING, HIKING, HORSEBACK RIDING, PICNICKING AND WILDLIFE OBSERVATION.
WE DECIDED TO CHECK OUT THEIR HORSE TRAILS ONE DAY. WE ENTERED THE AREA AND STOPPED AT THE TENOROC VISITOR CENTER TO HAVE OUR COGGINS TEST CHECKED AND PAY A $3 PER HORSE FOR A PERMIT TO RIDE ON THE TRAILS. A NICE PARKING LOT WAS PROVIDED AT THE TRAILHEAD WITH BATHROOMS CLOSE BY.
THERE WERE TWO TRAIL LOOPS EACH ABOUT 8 MILES LONG. THESE EASY TRAILS MEANDERED THROUGH MOSTLY LIVE OAKS AND SOME HARDWOODS THAT WERE BEGINNING TO SPROUT NEW GREENERY FOR THE SPRING. THICK UNDERBRUSH OF SCRUB BRUSHES LINED MOST OF THE TRAIL PROVIDING A HOME FOR A VARIETY OF BIRDS AND SMALL ANIMALS. BIRDS WERE ABUNDANT AND THEIR SOUNDS WERE HEARD ALL ALONG OUR RIDE.
WE TOOK A SHORT SPUR TRAIL TO A LAKE OVERLOOK. ALONG THE WATER’S EDGE WERE SOME SMALL DUCKS BATHING IN THE WATER AND A GREAT WHITE HERON GRACEFULLY WALKING ALONG THE SHALLOW WATER LOOKING FOR FOOD. FURTHER OUT IN THE POND, AN ALLIGATOR WAS BASKING IN THE SUN WITH JUST HIS HEAD OUT OF THE WATER. CONSIDERED AN ENDANGERED SPECIES UNTIL 1970, THEIR NUMBERS HAVE REBOUNDED AND LIMITED HUNTING IS ALLOWED.
BACK ON THE TRAIL, SOME TALL GRASSES GREW ALONG THE SIDE, AND AS WE RODE BY WE DISTURBED THE LARGE GRASSHOPPERS AS THEY TOOK FLIGHT OVER THE GRASSES.
WE ARRIVED BACK AT OUR TRAILER UNDER THE SHADE OF A LARGE TREE. WE UNSADDLED OUR HORSES AND TIED THEM TO THE TRAILER TO REST AWHILE BEFORE TRAILERING BACK TO OUR CAMP.
NO CAMPING IS ALLOWED IN TENOROC, BUT A GREAT PLACE TO BRING YOUR FAMILY TO FISH AND PICNIC FOR THE DAY.
A NEW ADVENTURE TO FOLLOW SOON.
WISHING YOU MANY “HAPPY AND SAFE TRAILS.”
BOBBIE AND LARRY
