Between Tampa And Gainesville Is Florida's Wilderness Escape For Camping, Hiking, And Fishing

Florida is rightfully famous for its beautiful beaches, but there are lesser-known outdoor gems tucked away in the Sunshine State's interior. On the two-hour drive from Tampa to Gainesville, you'll pass several wilderness areas, including Richloam Wildlife Management Area, a lush wilderness escape ideal for fishing and camping. 

Extending across Hernando, Pasco, Sumter, and Lake counties, Richloam occupies more than 58,000 acres of the sprawling Withlacoochee State Forest, which the World Wildlife Fund named as one of the "Top 10 Coolest Places You've Never Seen" in North America. The park is mostly wooded, its landscapes dense with pine, oak hammocks, bottomland hardwoods, and cypress swamp. It's part of the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail, and the Little Withlacoochee River flows through the area, fostering a natural habitat for wildlife, including white-tailed deer, gopher tortoises, wild hogs, and water snakes, as well as great blue herons, wood storks, and songbirds. 

Miles of multi-use trails wind through Richloam Wildlife Management Area, the paths pleasantly shaded for horseback riding, hiking, and cycling. One to try is the Richloam Wildlife Management Area East Loop, a moderate 9-mile loop that takes about three hours to hike. Or you could venture along a section of the main 25-mile loop that runs along the banks of the Little Withlacoochee River and through cypress swamps and prairies. 

All of the park's hiking loops can be accessed from the Richloam Fire Tower trailhead off State Road 50, which offers a dedicated parking area and drinking water. Whichever hike you attempt, prepare with appropriate footwear: the low-lying wilderness is damp and sometimes muddy, especially after rainfall.

If you're more interested in fishing, cast a line in the Little Withlacoochee River: you might catch a sizable largemouth bass. Other freshwater species commonly reeled in include bluegill, panfish, crappie, catfish, and chain pickerel. Conditions are good throughout the year, and especially in warmer weather, which prompts increased underwater activity. To fish in the wilderness area, you'll need a permit from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, available online. Intersted in fishing throughout the state? Learn which Florida lakes have the highest-quality freshwater fishing, according to experts and anglers. 

Primitive camping is available on a first-come, first-served basis at several designated camp zones within Richloam Wildlife Management Area. While there's no drinking water or other amenities provided, some campsites have picnic tables and fire rings. It's free to pitch a tent in the park's camp zones, but past visitors say some areas haven't been well-maintained. If you love the rustic camping experiences Florida offers, don't miss Seminole Ranch Conservation Area, a once-thriving ranch outside Orlando that's now a wildlife site with trails and primitive camping.

The wildlife area, like the rest of Withlacoochee State Forest, is open daily from dawn to dusk. The main entrance to the state forest is off U.S. Highway 41, though Richloam is located farther east, near the town of Webster. Richloam Wildlife Management Area is about an hour's drive north of Tampa and about a 1.5-hour drive south of Gainesville.