Anybody ride Croom in Florida?

That track isYohos. Croom tends to get buiseier on the weekends .

OR Racer46 wrote:

That track isYohos. Croom tends to get buiseier on the weekends .

Must be some collisions when it gets busy.

Cool place though

There have been a lot of injures at croom due to collisions . I will have to look but should have some pics of me riding at the track you are talking about . It’s been a while . If my memory is correct I believe . Billy Wood has a track. Up
There also or had . He is the founder of Flmx

Rode there in '95, it was not too crowded on the weekend!

Ramrod wrote:

Just rode there all day today but have some questions for the Florida regulars:

1. Does it get full of riders on weekends and is a squirrel show? You can literally ride the whole place with many trail or track combinations and there are no directions

2. Who has the full blown SX track on the south west side beyond the fence? Looked like a Geico Honda with a 3 digit number. Incredible track

3. What is the area also west of the track that looks like a tough mudder area or some sort of training area?

Thanks!

I was there all last week,I rode 5 days straight,I think i over did it. lol
I've been going there since 1982. Back then it was a lot busier on the weekends so I only ride there during the week. It might be different these days.
RJ Hampshire is using the SX track you saw now. I'm not sure if he bought it or rents it.
I saw that training area too,I never found out what it was.

Did they get any rain this week? I was told it hasn't rained there in a few weeks. The sand is bottom less when its dry.
I usually ride a couple motos in the pit then take a long trail ride,Those trails are a good workout too. The trails criss cross a lot but if you are cautious its semi safe.

Ramrod wrote:

Just rode there all day today but have some questions for the Florida regulars:

1. Does it get full of riders on weekends and is a squirrel show? You can literally ride the whole place with many trail or track combinations and there are no directions

2. Who has the full blown SX track on the south west side beyond the fence? Looked like a Geico Honda with a 3 digit number. Incredible track

3. What is the area also west of the track that looks like a tough mudder area or some sort of training area?

Thanks!

Lived in Wesley Chapel for 4 years just south of Brooksville and rode there frequently. Get there early before the quadtards get there. Ride the sand pit early before the quadtards get there. You are correct that they hold obstacle races there as I’ve seen a few over the years. Start on the far back side of the sand pit trail entrance and just circle around the whole place. I used to love hitting the back section next to the cow field wide open on the rollers. As well, it is so easy to get lost in the center, or labyrinth as I used to call it. Cool hill climbs but very disorienting. Honestly never came upon someone unexpectedly on a trail and Ive ridden hundreds of miles there. TP199 makes a yearly trip there so maybe you will get lucky and see him there typically in the fall.

I rode at Croom from about '92 to 2005. Get there early in the summer (Mar-Dec) or risk heat stroke. The sand is awesome to train in but the problem with the pit is if you're out trying to do laps, inevitably some kid, squid or quad will cut right across the "track" that people are using, oblivious to their surroundings. Weekends usually bring out more quads doing doughnuts in the pit and unsupervised children aimlessly crossing lines.

They have blocked access to some more area on the west side close to Yohos track. Back in the day, the fence line would mysteriously get cut over there. It used to be advertised as 3300 acres, now I think it's only like 2800.

Great place, just keep your head on a swivel!

Ramrod wrote:

Just rode there all day today but have some questions for the Florida regulars:

1. Does it get full of riders on weekends and is a squirrel show? You can literally ride the whole place with many trail or track combinations and there are no directions

2. Who has the full blown SX track on the south west side beyond the fence? Looked like a Geico Honda with a 3 digit number. Incredible track

3. What is the area also west of the track that looks like a tough mudder area or some sort of training area?

Thanks!

Motoxtombo wrote:

I was there all last week,I rode 5 days straight,I think i over did it. lol
I've been going there since 1982. Back then it was a lot busier on the weekends so I only ride there during the week. It might be different these days.
RJ Hampshire is using the SX track you saw now. I'm not sure if he bought it or rents it.
I saw that training area too,I never found out what it was.

Did they get any rain this week? I was told it hasn't rained there in a few weeks. The sand is bottom less when its dry.
I usually ride a couple motos in the pit then take a long trail ride,Those trails are a good workout too. The trails criss cross a lot but if you are cautious its semi safe.

Holy smokes dude, five straight days? I’m doing two and tapping out. Whoops for days!!

It’s really dry here now but I’m not complaining, it’s snowing back home.

Geico is leasing that track. Rj and others train there. The mud area they hold mud runs and redneck events. It doesnt get stupid busy really. What you are seeing is 40 years of quads beating it to death....someday it will all look like the sandpit.

I came upon 4 deer there, they must be used to the bikes. They barely moved and didn’t run away

It is somewhat busy on weekends, can get a little crazy over holidays. You can ask the Park Ranger when you leave and they’ll tell you the day’s attendence, if I remember correctly, the average non-holiday weekend is like 250ish riders

I went to Croom on Christmas morning with my dad after getting my first dirtbike, and have been riding there regularly ever since. Such a variety of terrain. Yes the un-marked and bi-directional trails are dangerous, but it used to be worse IMO. Nowadays there are many lettered trails that are mapped out that help not to get lost, and there are also some nice marked TIGHT single track trails that have been marked by volunteers (primarily FTR members).

I usually park in the back, just past the pavilion and bathroom, in the shade, and avoid the pit up front.

Back in the late 80's when the winter ams were still something you would see a bunch of factory box vans lined up at the holiday Inn next to croom.
I didn't get to get away much to ride but remember watching larroco hammer those trails for hours.
Also got to see rc riding out there on a 65. He would ride until he ran out of gas and then you would see Jeannie running with the gas can to get him going again.

video from a few moths ago.. We ride out there once a month or so. Kids love going out there and its cheaper than any track, but I cringe bc of everybody riding different directions
https://www.facebook.com/shawn.pettit.7/videos/vb.100000499020994/2080561841970430/?type=3

Used to drive straight 24 hrs to Croom from frozen tundra upstate NY. Ride until hands blistered, go out to dinner & have a few beers, then do it again the next 5 days. then race the Gncc....wherever it was in Fla. when we first started going there it would be super busy, was the greatest feeling in the world to come from ice & snow to 80 & sunny! And riding! The last few years it was a lot less busy, everyone has their own private riding spot now, we used to see all the Gncc pro"s and a lot of national MX riders there to get some seat time in before Daytona Sx. I never cared for the pit, like others have said, too many kooks. The marked out single track is epic after it rains....if you like sand! I"m going to head over there next week, I have not been there in a couple of years....

tampabayjay wrote:

I rode at Croom from about '92 to 2005. Get there early in the summer (Mar-Dec) or risk heat stroke. The sand is awesome to train in but the problem with the pit is if you're out trying to do laps, inevitably some kid, squid or quad will cut right across the "track" that people are using, oblivious to their surroundings. Weekends usually bring out more quads doing doughnuts in the pit and unsupervised children aimlessly crossing lines.

They have blocked access to some more area on the west side close to Yohos track. Back in the day, the fence line would mysteriously get cut over there. It used to be advertised as 3300 acres, now I think it's only like 2800.

Great place, just keep your head on a swivel!

Lot of good replies.

Buddy, I reread your message and have been laughing for 10 minutes

“Kid, squid or quad” “keep your head on a swivel” haha!

I go often, love the camping. Its been really slow there the last 12 months, the campground has been empty and rarely see anyone on the trails. But then again all the equipment is either broken, or the rangers are too lazy to groom. It was epicly wooped out when i went in November, to the point I was not having any fun after a day and half. Just chilled at the campground.

When its groomed, the lettered trails are epic. 2-3 years ago it was being well groomed and it was jam packed on the weekends, to the point you couldnt park or camp and it was so crowded it actually got safer bc people had to slow down so much.

When it s a semi busy weekend and the trails are nice, it can be dangerous. Use common sense and you will be fine.

If you like knee deep wooped out single track, then you can get lost and never hardly worry about other bikes. If you like hillclimbing and trials you can also have a great time.

Be ready for sand and whoops, a lot of dust, and more whoops.

Rode there from 73 to 75 before I moved to Canada , not to many riders back then even on the weekends maybe 5 or 6 riders

A lot of GNCC pros are there during off season

If i remember correctly RJ is related to the Yohos or really close friends. Maybe it is the Devane’s who are related to the Yohos

Been a few times and I'll never understand how riding parks like that can have trails that aren't established as one way. It's just unnecessary risk.