FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  October 10, 2003
CONTACT: Kathalyn Gaither, (850) 245-2118

Ross Prairie Campground Open For Adventure

-- Trailhead a welcome addition to Cross Florida Greenway --

OCALA – Equestrians, hikers and mountain bikers have a new trailhead on the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Office of Greenways & Trails opened the Ross Prairie Campground to mark October as Florida Greenways and Trails Month.

The Ross Prairie Campground provides access to trails within the Cross Florida Greenway, Ross Prairie State Forest and Halpata Tastanaki Preserve. With amenities that include a bathhouse, restrooms, picnic pavilions, potable water and 15 sites with power and water hookup for recreational vehicles and campers, the new campground is an excellent location for a single day trip or extended stay. The campground also features a fenced horse pasture and horse grooming station for equestrians.

“There is something for everyone along Florida’s diverse trail system,” said Department of Environmental Protection’s Secretary David B. Struhs. “Connecting communities with greenways conserves land and opens Florida’s natural landscapes for residents and visitors.”

As visitors wind their way through the Ross Prairie Campground and along the trails, a backdrop of live oak hammock and pine scrub set the scene for viewing rare wildlife, including the gopher tortoise, indigo snake, turkey and scrub jay.

Stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to the St. Johns River, the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway offers miles of hiking, biking, horseback riding and paddling trails and includes America’s first land bridge. The 110-mile corridor extends through four counties -- Citrus, Levy, Marion and Putnam.