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ATV adventures in Brooksville
A company in Brooksville has been renting out ATVs for nearly a decade. FOX 13 Photojournalist Jason Wright went for a ride through the Withlacoochee State Forest for a preview.
BROOKSVILLE, Fla. - Outside the city of Brooksville in Hernando County, lies the Croom Motorcycle Area of the Withlacoochee State Forest. Off-road enthusiasts, motorcycle riders and all-terrain vehicle fans all come together to enjoy the natural hills, sandy chutes, and tacky ruts.
WHERE CAN I RIDE ATV'S IN HERNANDO?
What they're saying:
Wolfpack ATV's will rent rides for those who want to experience the fun on those trails for the 1st time or the 100th time. They take care of anyone, from beginners to professionals.
Austin Nemeth, one of the operators at Wolfpack ATV described it like this: "Wolfpack ATV's been running for about 8 to 10 years now, here in central Florida. We've been running out of Croom ATV Park, and we do rentals for ATV's and side-by-sides. When you're riding, it's exciting."
Nemeth and his crew give safety instructions and basic lessons before taking the novice riders out on the trails, but once they get out there and get used to the ride, most users take to it rather quickly.
"It's exciting because it's not like your average car," said Nemeth. He and the staff there could train anyone to operate an ATV, "Which also includes kiddos and teenagers who can come out and ride, and it's exciting for them too because, uh, they can't drive yet."
DOES ANYONE RENT ATV'S AT CROOM?
Dig deeper:
Wolfpack ATV operates right there in the Croom Motorcycle Area, so customers can check out of the city and get into the country.
"It's definitely different than the city, out here there's a lot of hills. It's a lot of off-roading, and it's a lot more fun than being on the actual road," admitted Nemeth. "There's some hills and some dunes, and it's basically natural Florida wilderness."
This isn't a slow stroll through the woods by any means. Riders are given helmets and protective gear along with their rentals, but, it's all to help enjoy the fun of off-roading in the environment there at Croom.
"Usually you can reach up to about 30, 40 miles-an-hour out here on the trails," he said, "We make sure everyone's comfortable out there... And you can come if you're a professional, or you can come as a beginner... And it's definitely a good change of pace for most folks."
What you can do:
Wolfpack ATV Riding is located in Brooksville at 6420 La Rose Road, which is right there at the Withlacoochee State Forest and the Croom Motorcycle area. You can learn more about them here.
The Source: This story was written based on an in-person visit to the Croom Motorcycle Area within the Withlacoochee State Forest and an in-person interview with an operator with Wolfpack ATV.