Croom Motorcycle Area
Croom Motorcycle Area is one of Florida's oldest and most established public OHV areas: a 2,600-acre designated riding zone within the 157,000-acre Withlacoochee State Forest in Hernando County near Brooksville, accessible from Exit 301 off I-75 at the Cortez/Brooksville interchange. The Withlacoochee location on the state's central west coast puts Croom within practical range of the Tampa Bay metro area: approximately 50 miles north of Tampa, it functions as the closest significant public OHV option for the region's large population of dirt bike and ATV riders. The sandy central Florida terrain defines the trail character: single-track routes wind through shaded slash pine and scrub oak forest on the sandy loam soils that give Croom its fast-draining, consistently rideable surface. Mining pits, gullies, and dry lake beds add terrain variety beyond the wooded corridor sections. A Technical Riding Area, a motocross-style dedicated track, operates separately on Fridays through Sundays when weather permits, providing a structured riding environment for skill development alongside the open trail system. Day passes are $15/machine; annual passes are $80. Camping is available at Buttgenbach Campground within the forest. Day use hours are 8am–5pm daily; campground guests may ride sunrise to sunset year-round (352-797-5759).