Road 6

Trail Overview

This trail is located within the Dinner Island Ranch Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The trail is an unimproved dirt and mud trail through upland flatwood areas, edges of marsh, or cattle grazing areas. The road may be unpassable to low clearance or 2WD vehicles. Following rains or storms trails can be very soft and have wide and scattered areas with deep mud. The trail is deeply rutted and even in drought periods can still have deep sticky mud. Other sections have deep soft sand, that could stick vehicles not equipped with 4WD. The width of the trail is very wide in most locations as the trail is through marsh and cow pasture. However, obstacles such as fallen trees and branches may be encountered and will need to go off trail or be required to be cleared to continue. There is no maintenance of the trail, some grade changes in sandy pockets that again could stick low clearance or 2WD vehicles. Expect lots of cabin roll traversing through this short trail. This trail makes a loop and connects to Hillard Grade. Connection is tight with very steep drop-offs to the sides into wet alligator-infested drainage canals. Traveling the trail through the pasture land it is easier to lose the trail due to overgrowth. Watch for small metal signs, approximately 4"x4" with the number 6, they are typically placed on the south side of the trail and attached to posts. Per the FWC website, currently, there is no daily usage fee to access the WMA. Wildlife observation opportunities abound. This area is part of the Florida Panther habitat. There is a possibility of observing a variety of wildlife (e.g. Whitetail Deer, Wild Hogs, Panthers, Coyote, Bobcats, Cranes, Storks, Water Birds, Bald Eagles, snakes, etc.). There are also active agriculture and ranch operations along the management lands. Cattle may be seen on or along this trail. This is an active WMA, the area has several open hunting seasons starting late summer and extending through Spring.

Photos of Road 6

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Difficulty

The trail is uneven, rutted dirt and mud trail with loose sand and numerous areas of potential washes where water can be greater than 12" deep. Obstacles such as fallen trees or limbs up to 18" could be encountered following storms. Several areas where grades slope at points of transition from marsh to upland forest are soft sand and deeply rutted.

History

Dinner Island Ranch Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is rich in history going back over a thousand years. The rich history includes that of Native Americans, Military (Seminole Wars), agriculture and cattle industry, rail transport, farming, hunting, and citrus production. The WMA is nearly 22,000 +/- acres of land to help preserve and restore Florida Panther habitat as well as wetland preservation. Several threatened and endangered species of wildlife can be found on the WMA.

Technical Rating