Gum Slough in Florida

Trip Overview

Gum Slough is a small run fed by seven or more springs. It flows into the Withalacoocee River near the end of C.R. 481 The river is very low making the slough very shallow. The blow downs start just as you leave the main river and get thicker as you get deeper into the jungle. Most of the time you can stand on logs to pull over but sometimes must wade. The bottom is soft to very soft with mud crotch deep in places. We were six Aquaholics in five kayaks and one solo canoe. We had a chainsaw that cut about fifteen logs, but left at least thirty or so. Many places had very narrow openings requiring the paddler to zig and zag to get thru. We made it almost to the top in six hours where we found three spring pools. I swam down in one pool and found three vents. The water was crystal clear and cold (72 deg. year round). On the way back we took a slightly different path and cut a few more trees. While waiting for some ahead to pass thru an old bridge I was going to make one more cut. log about twenty inches across and two feet thick that was half out of the water I started cutting from the bottom ,but just as the saw was coming out the top of the log it pinched my saw. By then almost everyone else was gone and the two of us still there could not get the saw loose. So we left it there and went back to camp. The next morning while the rest were running shuttle for our Sunday trip I took a bow saw and went back to rescue my chainsaw.

Accommodations:

County boat ramp, no bathrooms.

Directions:

From I-75 south take S.R. 44 west to Inverness turn right on 41 and right on Turner camp rd. at end of road is boat ramp from I-75 north take S.R. 200 west to end turn left on 41 go 3.5 miles to jasmine Rd (on left) follow to Turner camp Rd. turn left to end. run is down river 1/2 mile on right.