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Originally Posted by RalphTheElder
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So, I would like to find an area in The Villages that is both close to good hiking and also a town square. When I say 'hiking' I mean walking off pavement; that is, on wood boardwalk, decomposed granite, dirt, etc.
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The Sharon Rose Wiechens Preserve seems like the premium place for my hiking needs. I believe that it is in or adjacent to the neighborhood of LaBelle.
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The preserve is not that big - you can see the entire walkway from the entrance - less than a mile in length. It is pavement and boardwalk. Nice place to walk but I wouldn’t call it a hike.
Hogeye Preserve in Marshview is similar but longer - approximately 3 miles but still not what I would call a hike.
South of 44 has plenty of paved pathways for walking - I can easily do a 10 mile walk from my house - again, not really a hike.
For true hiking, you need to leave TV. The Lake Apopka Loop Trail is 17 miles with a few spurs. Loose gravel, hard pack and some dirt make up the trail as it wanders through woods and along the lake. A decent hike but not much elevation change.
As another poster mentioned, the Florida Greenway has many miles of hiking and camping too.