Resource library
Learn before you leave the pavement
Everything the Foundation teaches is free. These are the lessons this community learned the hard way, written down so the next person does not have to.
The fundamentals
Six things that matter more than equipment
Start with what you drive
You do not need much equipment to get outdoors. A stock high clearance vehicle, dry season conditions and a group to travel with will take you further than a garage full of accessories.
Never travel alone
We go in together and we come out together. A stuck vehicle at sunset becomes a night in the swamp when you are on your own. The group is your best recovery equipment.
Respect the wet season
Water hides holes, mud swallows winch points, and what was a road in March is a canal in August. Check conditions, and be proud of turning around.
Keep wildlife wild
Never feed an alligator, however docile it looks. A fed alligator loses its fear of people, becomes a danger, and is usually destroyed as a nuisance. Observe from a distance and store food properly.
Get on the radio
Cell service dies a mile past the gate. A modest handheld and a license form are the cheapest safety equipment you will ever buy. More on radio.
Camp like you were never there
Fires in rings, trash packed out, sites left cleaner than you found them. The difference between open access and a locked gate is how the last group behaved.
The library
Where we are building it out
The library grows as workshops run and material gets written up. Where regulations or agency information are involved, we link to the official source rather than paraphrasing it, because the official source is the one that changes.
Responsible recreation
How to enjoy public land without costing everyone else access to it.
- Trail etiquette
- Leave No Trace in wetlands
- Group travel practice
- Reporting damage
Camping and overlanding basics
Getting a first trip right with the vehicle and equipment you already own.
- Choosing a first trip
- Camp setup
- Camp cooking
- Packing lists
Vehicle preparedness and recovery
The part where people get hurt or expensive if they guess.
- Pre trip inspection
- Tire pressure
- Recovery points and rated equipment
- Winch and recovery safety
Communications
Radio as safety equipment, not as a hobby.
- GMRS basics and licensing
- Amateur radio and exams
- Convoy radio discipline
- Parks on the Air
Emergency preparedness
What to carry, what to know, and who to tell before you leave.
- First aid awareness
- Heat and water
- Trip plans and check ins
- When to turn around
Florida public lands
Where you can legally go, and what each agency expects of you.
- Big Cypress National Preserve
- State forests
- Wildlife management areas
- Permits, seasons and closures
Interactive
The trail ready checklist
Work through this before your first group outing. Progress saves on your own device so you can come back to it. Bring the finished list to an event and roll out with some confidence.