The Eastern Continental Trail

Keys Glades Connector
 

Welcome to the Eastern Continental Trail Keys-Glades Connector information site.

I am a hiker. Unfortunately, I reside in Miami and have to work for a living. Thru hiking any trail of significance is not an option. Hiking a trail that is challenging is a rare treat. Some years back I began section hiking the Appalachian Trail with a group of friends.

The problem I faced was the misfortune of geography. I perceived there to be a lack of viable trails on which to train. I discovered, quite by accident, a greenway that wasn't very green, but at least I was not hiking on a concrete sidewalk in the middle of the city. I trained on this greenway in preparation for our annual Appalachian Trail hike for two years. Well, training to carry a heavy pack in the heat anyway. Training for elevation gains and drops is out of the question at this end of the continent.

I found other places to train, but the hiker in me wanted a journey, not the urban same old, same old. You can only do so many loops in a local park before you start to recognize the trees you passed before.

When I met up with my section hiking friends for our 2006 hike of the AT, one of them mentioned meeting hikers doing the Eastern Continental Trail (ECT). I had heard of it, but didn't know much about it. I learned that the ECT southern terminus was Key West, and encompassed many different trails along the way. I decided that I would section hike the southern part of the ECT in order to train for the AT and could not wait to get home to look it up and get started.

So I researched the ECT. There was not a lot of information out there about the ECT as it is not an official trail, but rather an unofficial concept made of many established trails. Some sections, like the Appalachian Trail have abundant resources available. The section with the least information available was the section in my own backyard!

I've driven and biked these roads hundreds of times and while I personally would be just fine without the additional help, I decided that before I start my section hike, I would compile a set of resources for the ECT Thru Hiker. I will draw from my AT hiking experiences and hopefully provide resources that will be of value to those who chose to follow my footsteps at a later date.

I will be collecting data in November 2006 and plan to road test it in December 2006. In the meantime, I will post information as I collect it because I believe that any information is better than no information. However, you and you alone are responsible for the outcome of your own hike. Hiking is a stenuous and sometimes risky activity. You must be conditioned to hike, obtain appropriate gear, learn how to use it, prepare for the challenges that you might face, learn about the flora and fauna of the region in which you will travel. There are many sites and books out there that will help you with those tasks. Please use them. This is only intended to be a companion site, not a comprehensive guide to hiking.