2016 was an average year for the Florida Trail as water levels and winter temperatures go. But what made it special was celebrating the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Florida Trail, which happened on October 30, 1966 at Clearwater Lake in the Ocala National Forest. The Florida Trail Kickoff featured trail founder Jim Kern talking about the roots of the Florida Trail – along with a slide show from 1966 – and brought out a larger-than-normal contingent of hikers, many of whom were successful in completing their journey.
Hikers completing the Florida Trail in 2016
Chris “Hiker Slim” Berry, Palmetto FL
Bill “Bush Whacker” Bush (4x hiked), Jupiter FL (SOBO)
Daniel “Natcha” Caballero (Warrior Hike), Homestead FL
Alex “Reverend” Coughlin, Durham NC
Melton “Grits” Cockrell (5x hiked), Quitman GA
Jake “Don’t Panic” Down, Washington (SOBO)
Jim “Rambler” Eagleton, Ambler PA
AJ “Shepherd” Jeffers, St. Petersburg FL
Henry Lehman (Warrior Hike), West Palm Beach FL
Melanie “D2” Levesque
Cody Loucks & Abigail Chambers “Sunshine and Trail Mix”, Festsus MO / Homestead FL
Martin “Raven” Mace, Reno NV
Nate “Morningwood” Mogan
Rick “Handlebar” Ostheimer
Phil “Concrete” Phelan, Jacksonville FL
Phil “Concrete” Phelan, Jacksonville FL (YOYO)
Wes “Bronco” Schmidt, Clermont
Dylan “Turtle” Tearle (Warrior Hike), Palm Bay
Kraig “Mover” Williamson (3x hiked), Newport Beach CA
Gage Robert “Duracell” Vincent, Ocklawaha FL
“Night Terror”