Colt Creek News

The Friends of Colt Creek State Park held its annual meeting last night, and members of the Florida Sport Horse Club and the Triple B Riders were there. There were some important bits of news of interest to the horse community:

Clubs can join, as a separate entity from individuals, for a mere $25.00. It’s a good way to keep up on park happenings AND support the Friends’ efforts to improve the park.
Plans to move the equestrian day parking from its current location to be adjacent to the equestrian camping are moving forward. Scott Duncan, Park Manager, said this will be complete within the next few weeks. This area can also be used as an overflow primitive campground when the regular equestrian campground is full.
There will be a volunteer workday some time in the future to clean up that primitive campground/parking area.
The equestrian campground’s usage is increasing as people discover it. It opened in October 2015, with the water installation (thanks to funding from horse people) completed in December 2015.
A few months ago riders discovered that the yellow trail had been torn up and layered with gravel, making it virtually impassible to horses. Mr. Duncan explained that the road had to be improved to accommodate trucks and other equipment prior to prescribed burning. The trail has now been packed down and the gravel covered.
The 30-site Family Campground construction will hopefully begin soon. The facility will include a dumping station that WILL be available to horse campers for a small fee.
Park administrators will soon be working on a new management plan. Input and feedback from user groups, including equestrians, will be needed.
Perhaps most importantly, equestrians have a representative on the Friends board! Karen Turbeville is a member of both the Florida Sport Horse Club and the Triple B Riders, and is an avid trail rider.

Pictured below: Left: Judy & Charlie Cloninger (FSHC members), and Gene Naasko (Triple B President). Right: Board member and equestrian advocate Karen Turbeville.