December 29, 2023
Welcome to the Friday Waypoint where you'll find the latest updates about opportunities & activities with the Florida Trail Association.
Suwannee River Trail Reopens
Just in time for the Holidays, and one of the many gifts that the FTA brought to the public this year, we completed the enormous undertaking of reopening the Suwannee River section after Hurricane Idalia wreaked havoc on this beloved section of trail last August.

Over the course of fifteen days spread out between three events, dozens of volunteers turned out to push their limits and cut through very challenging, dangerous, and physically demanding conditions. We cleared over 50 miles of trail with 544 hours of volunteer support and many weeks of staff time to achieve what at the beginning of the season seemed to be a hugely daunting task. With no exaggeration, our trail crews cleared thousands of downed trees (some of them massive!), moved hundreds of tons of material without any heavy equipment, and did it with smiles the whole way through.
The FTA chainsaw program and its sawyers have proven to be a mighty force, ready to face any challenge and work to keep the FTA resilient and resourceful in the face of major obstacles such as natural disasters.

Huge thanks to the US Forest Service which has been a major backer of our chainsaw program and the FTA trail program at large. These projects would not have been possible without their support.
Why Your Support Matters

Our end-of-year campaign is not just about reaching a fundraising goal. It's a collective effort allowing future generations to continue enjoying the Florida Trail. Your involvement helps us continue the work that means so much to all of us.