Getting Oriented
The Croom Motorcycle Area, known locally as the CMA, occupies the Croom Tract of Withlacoochee State Forest near the meeting of Interstate 75 and State Road 50, roughly midway between Tampa and Ocala. The Florida Forest Service manages the 2,600-acre riding area, which Florida Trail Riders and the state Department of Agriculture opened in 1973. It remains the only state-owned property in Florida given over entirely to off-highway vehicles. Everyone enters through the main gate at 6420 La Rose Road and checks in at the gatehouse before reaching the riding areas, which sit behind boundary fencing shown on the forest map.
Trail Overview
The surface at Croom is sand, and that defines the riding. Marked and unmarked trails wind through longleaf pine, cypress, and tight scrub, linking open fields, dry lake beds, gullies, and the pits left from historic phosphate mining. Two-wheel single-track threads the woods while wider sandy trails carry ATVs, and the difficulty spread runs from easy beginner loops to challenging sand whoops and hill climbs. Riding centers on two day-use areas, Hammock and Sand Hill. A separate Technical Riding Area opens Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, weather permitting, from 9 to noon and 1 to 4, and requires a Technical Riding Area day pass on top of the standard OHV permit.
Points of Interest
- The Sandhill Day Use Area, a staging point for dirt bikes and the open sandy riding nearby.
- The Technical Riding Area, the weekend-only skills course for more advanced lines.
- Numerous mining pits from the old Buttgenbach phosphate operation, which give the terrain much of its relief.
- A supervised beginner area reserved for children 12 and under, with a training pavilion for new riders.
Where to Camp
Buttgenbach Mine Campground sits inside the CMA and is the only camping with direct trail access. It has about 50 sites with water and 30/50-amp electric hookups, two bath houses, and a dump station, and every camping unit must carry an Annual OHV Permit. Riders may move between the campground and the riding areas in low gear at walking speed, but not on the main forest roads. Reserve through FloridaStateForests.ReserveAmerica.com or (877) 879-3859. The wider Croom Tract holds separate non-OHV campgrounds along the Withlacoochee River, including Silver Lake, Cypress Glen, and the primitive Crooked River, for anyone who wants river access rather than trailside camping.
Permits and Regulations
A permit is required for each machine and must be attached to the left front of the vehicle. A one-day OHV permit runs $15. An annual permit is $80 when bought July through December and $40 January through June; all annual permits expire June 30 with no refunds. Buy them at FloridaStateForests.ReserveAmerica.com. Machines must measure 55 inches or less in width and weigh 1,500 pounds or less dry. All riders wear DOT-approved helmets, and riders under 16 also need eye protection, over-ankle boots, and direct supervision by an adult 18 or older. Spark arresters and mufflers are required, and off-highway vehicles bought after July 2002 must be titled through the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. The area is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, year-round, with daylight riding only and the gate closing promptly at 5.
Tips for a Safe and Enjoyable Trip
- Air down for the sand and carry a way to reinflate. Traction and momentum matter more here than raw power.
- Watch for hidden drop-offs at the old mining pits, where edges can be soft and unmarked.
- Ride the cooler, drier months from October through March. Summer brings heat, humidity, afternoon thunderstorms, and biting insects.
- Fuel up and buy supplies in Brooksville before entering. Services inside the forest are limited.
- Save the gatehouse number, (352) 797-5759, and the 24-hour dispatch line, (352) 797-4100. In an emergency call 911.
Fuel and Water
Fuel and supplies are easiest to grab in Brooksville or at the gas station beside the I-75 and SR 50 interchange near the entrance, since there is no fuel inside the riding area. Potable water is available at Buttgenbach Mine Campground, but day riders should bring their own water. Central Florida heat makes dehydration a real risk, so carry more than you think you need.
Nearby
The CMA is one piece of the much larger Withlacoochee State Forest. The surrounding Croom Tract adds river camping and paddling at Silver Lake, Cypress Glen, and Crooked River, hiking on the Croom loops and the Florida National Scenic Trail, and the paved 46-mile Withlacoochee State Trail for bikes. Brooksville sits just west for lodging, food, and fuel, with Tampa about an hour south and Ocala to the north. Riders comparing options should note that the OHV trails in the Ocala National Forest north of here are federal U.S. Forest Service land with their own rules, while Croom is state forest.