FHV Doe Lake Scouting Report

**Timberrr** · 06-29-2014, 23:03

Gumbo and I were sort of in the neighborhood and took a detour to check out Doe Lake - home of Florida Hang 5.
In a word I would say - WOW! This place is really nice!
Built as part of a Depression era Civilian Conservation Corp work project, it's been either restored or lovingly maintained.
The access is similar to Buck Lake but about half as much dirt road, which will be grated after the rainy season, hopefully. The site is enormous with zillions of well placed trees. Mostly pines, so bring strap protectors. Minimal underbrush. There's a central meeting hall with quasi-commercial kitchen, a large central fireplace and a platform/bandstand at one end. (Did you get that Andy? An INDOOR bandstand!) Popular with the equestrian set, the site has about 40 or 50 hitching posts spread around the site. They are 6x6 and probably 8' high with large screweyes for clipping your horse (or hammock). The lake itself is two or three times the size of Buck Lake. I'm told you can swim in it. In January?! Ha! - YOU can swim in it. Small sandy beach for kayak launching. Finally, I'm sure everyone will appreciate - flush toilets and showers!!

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Please note: this is NOT the planning thread. It's kind of a teaser...

**MAD777** · 06-30-2014, 05:58

And what a teaser it is! Ada, my wife is so excited about the upgraded "facilities." Now all we need is cooler weather.

**Timberrr** · 06-30-2014, 07:29

Originally Posted by MAD777

Now all we need is cooler weather.

Amen to that!

**lilricky** · 06-30-2014, 18:46

I think we can pretty much assure of cooler weather, what I want is COLD weather!

Glad to see you were able to get inside the meeting hall. theFLB, theFLG(she's having a boy!), Richtorfla, and I went there about a month ago, tried knocking on the caretaker's RV but couldn't get an answer. Here's a few pics I got(Sorry, forgot all about them):

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**Gumbo** · 06-30-2014, 20:17

One of the things I noticed is that the large BBQ grill that I thought was there is no more. The site is really pretty.

It has a total of 8 flushing toilets, 6 showers, six sinks and two baby changing stations. I don't need electricity, but running water sure is nice to have.

**Timberrr** · 06-30-2014, 21:33

Thanks for the pics Lil' Ricky. Good shots of the grounds.
We got in to the hall because the folks you see in our pictures were setting up for their wedding later that day. We just got lucky I guess.

**Gumbo** · 07-09-2014, 09:00

I really like the amount of hanging space at Doe Lake. Nicely spaced trees and plenty of 6X6 posts. I think it's going to be a good year.

**Floridahanger** · 08-15-2014, 15:52

Are the 6x6 posts close enough to hang between them, or would they be better utilized as a 1 post + mono/bi/tri-pod arrangement? Basically a 1 tree hanging solution...

**sandmaker** · 08-15-2014, 17:38

Looks great. Can't wait.

**Timberrr** · 08-15-2014, 21:17

Originally Posted by Floridahanger

Are the 6x6 posts close enough to hang between them, or would they be better utilized as a 1 post + mono/bi/tri-pod arrangement? Basically a 1 tree hanging solution...

Distances vary and we didn't have a chance to pace them off but I think (read: hope) they'll be okay. At least for the shorter hammocks. But there are lots of trees... You know... Just in case.