Tag: camping

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Another way to enjoy CREW – camping

by Allison Vincent

photo by Anthony Eugenio at Gate 3 camp

Whether it’s an escape or an adventure you seek, you will find it in the woods of CREW. There are hiking and biking trails, wet walks through the swamps and diverse ecosystems for everyone’s taste. But have you ever wondered what it’s like after dark? Maybe it’s time to try camping! 

One of the many charms of camping is that it extends the daytrip and allows you to enjoy a different CREW, one that wakes up right around sunset. As you’re setting up your tent, crepuscular creatures that enjoy those twilight hours explore CREW and often use the trails just like we do. As you roast s’mores over the fire listen for movement with heightened senses as nighttime sets in. Are you ready for your next adventure?

First you’ve got to book your free single-use primitive site – “primitive” as in the campsite includes simply a place to camp, a few fire rings and some luxurious picnic tables. Ready? Then pack the essentials and drive right up to your very own serene camp. There you’ll find space for up to 20 campers to spread out under the slash pine trees at Gate 5 Camp at the CREW Cypress Dome Trails or under the glorious oaks of Gate 3 Camp closer to the CREW Marsh Trails. During the peak of season, when the air humidity is lower and the Florida ‘winter’ temperatures are nice and cool, you and your group can enjoy the solitude of a campsite all to yourself at CREW. If you’re lucky, you may witness a few unique things you’d never see on a day hike. 

photo by Molly DuVall at Gate 3 camp

Camping is like a ritual in that you prepare, you journey and you embrace nature. There are a few fundamentals that every camper does to enjoy the experience – prep your favorite food, choose the right shelter and bring more water than you think you need. Beyond that, your creativity is the limit. Learn to make a fire from a fire starter, try your hand at bush-crafting, or improve your night vision with a flashlight free hike. The night-sky is the limit! 

The right shelter can also be a creative endeavor, with numerous schools of thought on the pros and cons to different options. For instance, there’s the hammock vs. tent debate, both shelter options having strong qualifying attributes that are suited to different conditions. Take the hammock and its lightweight design that keeps you off the ground – which is often wet here in Florida, even in January. Whereas, the tent-packers claim a point in terms of extra floor space to store some things under the rainfly. Camping at the CREW campsites, you can try out many camping styles and still stay nice and snug in the wet or dry season. 

under the stars at Gate 3 camp, by Anthony Eugenio

When you get to the campsite, one of the best or worst parts, depending on who you ask, is the set up. Friends have always joked that, “there’s no such thing as a lazy camper” – meaning that there’s always something to do at a camp. Therein lies the significance of planning ahead for your preferred comforts in mind – you don’t want to end up sympathizing with the “worst part” group. Instead, be sure to bring your favorite pillow, or that extra down puffy jacket if it will help you stay comfortable, with your mind set on the experience, not the drawbacks. 

Another secret to planning is leaving enough time to hike or drive to your campsite before evening sets in, which is easy enough to do with CREW’s two drive-up camps. With daylight remaining, setting up a tent or hammock (or both) and camp kitchen is an enjoyable process and can make you feel at home in the woods. Leave enough time and by sunset all there’s left to do is cook your favorite campfire meal, enjoy the night sky and possibly, go to sleep early!

CREW at night, by Molly DuVall

Sleeping under the stars can have a transformative effect, breaking you away from your normal ecosystem, activating your senses in a wholly different way. This is especially true at a primitive campsite like CREW’s, where civilization can only be observed as far away lights emanating from distant towns. By the light of the campfire, headlights and flashlights you navigate your nightly routine, altered and simplified.

Please remember to Leave no Trace at the CREW trails and campsites!

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You’re invited to our first annual Family Fun Day!

As part of our commitment to teaching people of all ages about our mission to protect the watershed and wildlife of the 60,000 acre CREW Project, the CREW Land & Water Trust will host its first annual Family Fun Day on Saturday, April 8 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Cypress Dome Trails, located just 15 minutes east of I-75 at 3980 Corkscrew Road, Immokalee FL 34142.

So, what exactly is going on, and why?

We are passionate about helping families connect with nature. So many students come to the trails on school field trips, and our hope is that they will return with their families. At the same time, we know from leading walks that many people need a guiding hand to help them reach the comfort level they need to walk the trails with family and friends.

On Saturday, when families arrive, children will receive a Nature Passport and travel to 10 different stations. They’ll measure their wingspan to see if they can reach as wide as an eagle, they’ll check out a camping demonstration in our primitive and private camping site, they’ll learn about the birds that might see on the CREW Trails and head out on a guided walk with one of our volunteer naturalists. On the walk, families will learn about the flora and fauna around them and hopefully become more comfortable on the trails and more interested in the ecosystems around them.

This event is free for members and $5 per family for non-members. You can register on eventbrite or at the event. Please wear appropriate footwear for sandy trails and bring water and snacks.

We hope to see you Saturday!

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Let’s All Leave No Trace

Blue skies, cool breezes and dry trails mean a lot of us are heading to our favorite spots on the CREW trails.

Last weekend, a group of campers reported that they found an old pile of trash at one of our primitive campsites. I returned later that day to clean it up for our next group of campers and, what was one small pile of old trash led to three different areas behind the camping area where trash had repeatedly been dumped.

I apologized to the new campers for the trash, cleaned up three bags and left. On the way back to the gate, I collected candy wrappers, a disposable coffee cup, and a pile of dog waste bags that were neatly placed next to our only port-o-potty.

I had two teenage helpers with me, and one of them said, “Why don’t you just have a trash can out here?”

That’s a very good question. And we have very long, detailed answers we can give. But, the simple answer is this:

Leave No Trace.

There are seven Leave No Trace principles, found here at lnt.org:

Plan ahead and prepare: Know where you are going and the regulations for that area.

Travel and camp on durable surfaces: Concentrate on using existing trails, campsites and surfaces. Good campsites are found, not altered.

Dispose of waste properly: Pack it in, pack it out. This includes waste created by pets.

Leave what you find: Refrain from taking rocks and sticks to stack near trail heads for future use; do not remove anything you find on the trail.

Minimize campfire impacts: Keep fires small and only use sticks from the ground that can be broken by hand. This is highly important during our current very dry season.

Respect wildlife: Observe wildlife from a distance and never feed them.

Be considerate of other visitors: Treat others on the trail as you would wish to be treated.

In addition to our posting signs about leaving no trace, we also have trail use guidelines, which go into more specific details on our website: crewtrust.org/home/trail-guidelines.

It would be easy to post more signs, but the reality is, the best way to change behavior is to model the behavior we want to see.

Which is what most of our visitors do, and we appreciate you and your continued efforts to leave no trace. And we hope that, as you meet new hikers on the trail or take friends and relatives out, you pass the leave no trace principles on to them.

For complete SFWMD public use rules, visit sfwmd.gov.

For more information on how you can help with trail clean-ups and become a volunteer, email anne@crewtrus.mystagingwebsite.com.

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10 Ways to Enjoy the CREW Trails This Summer

10 Ways to Enjoy the CREW Trails This Summer

by Deb Hanson marsh bdwalk2

Summer is approaching and our schedule of events is empty. The CREW Trust has had a fabulous fall/winter season at CREW this year with the help of our project partners, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) staff who owns and manages the CREW lands, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission biologist who monitors wildlife and habitat at CREW, and our fabulous volunteers and FGCU interns who assist with guided walks, trail maintenance, exotics removal, and many other tasks.

Since October 1st, 2012 over 6000 people participated in our guided hikes, strolling science seminars, school field trips, and special programs for CREW Trust members and the public. Thousands more explored the CREW trails on their own and have connected with the watershed in many ways.

But don’t stay away from CREW just because we don’t have many organized summer programs planned. Come on out and enjoy CREW in a whole new way on your own. Summer is a time for the CREW trails to rest. With fewer footprints along the paths, grass grows taller, wildlife ventures out, and of course – with the arrival of summer storms – the water levels rise. By October, the marsh and swamps of CREW will be wet and green and teeming with animal activity. Summer is truly the most amazing time of year to experience CREW.

So, put on your old sneakers and long pants, sunscreen and bug spray, and try one or more of these suggestions to enjoy CREW on your own this summer:
1. Go for a Treasure Hunt  – CREW is home to over 100 geocaches – hidden treasures placed out in the woods along the trails that can be located by GPS coordinates – thanks to local geocachers JunglePete and The Unusual Suspects. If you’ve never been geocaching, grab your GPS unit or smartphone, go to http://geocaching.com for info and CREW coordinates and give it a whirl this summer.

caloosa trailheads2. Take a Run – running the CREW trails is a lot more interesting than pounding the pavement or hitting the treadmill at the gym. Research shows that running outdoors gives you more exercise due to varied elevation and wind resistance, too. Plus, fresh air and proximity to trees heals and refreshes. Check out the Caloosa Trailheads Facebook page to connect with like-minded folks or find a running buddy, then come run a mile or two or ten at CREW.

3. Track an Animal – hit the trail with one purpose: to track a critter. Summer means rain and softer ground, so tracks are more easily found along the trails. Challenge yourself to locate and identify five new animal tracks this summer. Grab a track field guide or app, a tape measure and a friend, then see what you can learn about animals that come out to play at CREW during the summer.

4. Just Sit There – 99% of the time people come to CREW walk, run or bike the trails. Rarely do people go to one spot and sit still. Yet 100% of the time, if you sit still in one place for more than 10 minutes you will see, hear, and experience more critters than in three hours of hiking. So, pick a trail, find a spot, and just sit there. Watch the magic happen.

camping fire5. Spend the Night – CREW has two primitive campsites that are free and available by Special Use License through the SFWMD at http://goo.gl/5wUfJ. If you’ve never been out at CREW at night, camping can give you a whole new perspective about the place. Practice “Leave No Trace” and enjoy the quiet serenity of CREW after dark.

6. Engage Your Senses – most folks walk and look when hiking the CREW Trails. Next time you go, take advantage of the summer humidity and focus attention on your sense of smell. Every animal and plant has a unique scent. Expand your sensory experience by listening and touching, too. Just be sure you can ID poison ivy first!

7. Take the Road Less Traveled – Do you take the same trail every time you come to CREW or have a favorite that you always share with friends and visitors. This summer, take a different trail or loop. Try the Pine Flatwoods Trail at the CREW Marsh or the White Loop/Wild Coffee Trail at the Cypress Dome Trails, or if you’re really ambitious (and well-prepared with water, food, and sun protection) try to get to the north or west tram at Bird Rookery Swamp. Head a new direction and see what surprises await you.

8. Awaken Your Sense of Wonder with a Child – Rachel Carson proclaimed “If a child is to keep his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in.” So, take a child by the hand and explore CREW, experience bugs and birds, get dirty and wet, spend unstructured time playing in nature. You may be surprised at how much it helps you connect, too.

CowNov.19979. Get Your Cowboy/girl On – Adjacent to the CREW Cypress Dome Trails (and connected via the White Loop) are the Caracara Prairie Preserve Trails, owned by Conservation Collier and the CREW Land & Water Trust. These three miles of trails traverse an active cattle ranch. So, put on your cowboy hat and take a hike through oak hammocks, towering pines, and some beautiful wet prairie. Be prepared to get your feet wet crossing the ditch from the Dome Trails to the Caracara Trails (Oh, and no dogs allowed – to keep the cattle safe).

10. Catch a Sunrise/Sunset – all the CREW Trails are open to the public from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset, so start your day right and head out to the Marsh Overlook early one morning this summer to watch the sun rise over the 5000-acre Corkscrew Marsh. Or, if you’re just not a morning person, try getting there just before dark to watch the sunset filtering through those billowing summer storm clouds. Either way, you’ll enrich your life and your spirit!

However you choose to experience CREW this summer, we’d love to hear from you! Share your adventures with us by posting pictures and comments on the CREW Land & Water Trust Facebook page or send us an email to let us know what you did that was new and exciting.

We’ll be publishing our fall/winter program schedule later this summer, so stay tuned…and have a wonderful time at CREW or wherever you spend your summer!