Path Between Fort Wilderness and Wilderness Lodge

[allyfan]

Hey All,
Does anyone have any stories/photos from the old trail that connected the Fort and Wilderness Lodge? A family member told me they saw a lot of cool animals(and snakes, which are still cool IMO). I've only ever explored the short path that connects loop 100&300, and I got a cool view of Bay Lake & the Contemporary from that. I also wonder if they will reopen it once the Lakeshore Lodge is done, but nothing is definitive yet.

 

[proudmomof4]

We would see deer when walking the FW/WL trail.

But the story that stands out the most for us is when we brought our youngest child's best friend camping with us many years ago.

We decided to walk from FW to WL and had told the friend to keep his eyes on the woods to the side of the trail to look for deer. He was walking ahead of us, not watching in front of him since he was looking to the side and making fun of us for walking slow. Well, he walked straight into a huge spider web which had a rather large green orb weaver spider on it. He flipped out and started rolling on the ground and screaming "GET IT OFF ME! GET IT OFF ME!". We couldn't stop laughing long enough to help him. Poor guy was deathly afraid of spiders.

Not on the trail but about the same friend. This kid (now a grown man) came with us on many camping trips. As a last trip before they all went off to college, I let my child invite 5 friends to come with us. They all wanted to go canoeing, so we went to the Bike Barn and off they all went in a few canoes while I waited by the Bike Barn. A little while later, I heard screaming from a distance, but didn't think much of it. Pretty soon, they all came paddling back and they asked me if I had heard the screams. Well, it turns out they had hit a tree with a canoe and it had rained down spiders on them and that young man had just about passed out from fright, lol.

My youngest child now lives in Wisconsin (we are in the Tampa area) and doesn't join us for trips to the Fort much anymore but that friend and his fiance join us every now and again.

 

[allyfan]

We would see deer when walking the FW/WL trail.

But the story that stands out the most for us is when we brought our youngest child's best friend camping with us many years ago.

We decided to walk from FW to WL and had told the friend to keep his eyes on the woods to the side of the trail to look for deer. He was walking ahead of us, not watching in front of him since he was looking to the side and making fun of us for walking slow. Well, he walked straight into a huge spider web which had a rather large green orb weaver spider on it. He flipped out and started rolling on the ground and screaming "GET IT OFF ME! GET IT OFF ME!". We couldn't stop laughing long enough to help him. Poor guy was deathly afraid of spiders.

Not on the trail but about the same friend. This kid (now a grown man) came with us on many camping trips. As a last trip before they all went off to college, I let my child invite 5 friends to come with us. They all wanted to go canoeing, so we went to the Bike Barn and off they all went in a few canoes while I waited by the Bike Barn. A little while later, I heard screaming from a distance, but didn't think much of it. Pretty soon, they all came paddling back and they asked me if I had heard the screams. Well, it turns out they had hit a tree with a canoe and it had rained down spiders on them and that young man had just about passed out from fright, lol.

My youngest child now lives in Wisconsin (we are in the Tampa area) and doesn't join us for trips to the Fort much anymore but that friend and his fiance join us every now and again.

I'm just imagining this canoe scenario in my head- that's so funny!

 

[sleepydog25]

I own at VWL (never gonna call it BRV), and I used to run both the paved trail and the sandy nature trail from VWL to FW and back. I also used them to walk over to breakfast at FW when they had the buffet.
- Saw all manner of wildlife including deer. On one run, I was on the nature trail, and while it officially veered to the right and hooked up with the paved trail, I almost always kept going straight, paralleling the lake. (That dirt path eventually tied into the back entrance of the CM parking lot for FW.) I saw a small group of four deer feeding next to the path, and I could have touched one of them had I stuck my hand out he was so close. They didn't even budge.
- Once, while running on the paved trail, I saw a hawk on the ground not more than 10 feet away. In its talons was a field mouse--breakfast for the hawk.
- My last story is my favorite. One night, the fireworks were about to begin at MK. I knew from my runs that there was a great place to catch the show along the shore of the lake, along that dirt path where I'd seen the deer. There was one spot that had a great break in the foliage/shrubs, and you could easily see fireworks off to the side of and over the CR. I ran down there and found 5-6 CMs in their golf carts in that exact spot! They knew it was a great place to view the show, too! They invited me to sit with them and even offered me a ride back to VWL after it was over, though I declined. Such a great memory!

 

[bama_ed]

We loved riding our bikes over to WL via the Exercise Trail, putting them in the bike racks there, and exploring that resort. The Spanish Moss hanging from the trees makes the trail look like a cathedral.



It was also convenient for me when I would do my EARLY morning runs from loop 100, down the Trail, thru the WL entry gate, across World Drive (not much traffic at that hour). Then run thru the TTC out the back, along World Drive under the waterway, and left to the front turnstyles of the MK. Then back track to the Contemporary and catch the small boat back to the Fort for the cool-down. Sadly the small boat does not run in the early morning hours now (it did to give campers a convenient way to get to Chef Mickey or other CR breakfast options).

This was also before they built the walkway between the Grand Floridian and MK to make a loop around Seven Seas Lagoon.

I hope the trail reopens but it will have to be after the eyesore behind Pioneer Hall is completed and on sale.

Bama Ed

 

[morrik5]

We would see deer when walking the FW/WL trail.

But the story that stands out the most for us is when we brought our youngest child's best friend camping with us many years ago.

We decided to walk from FW to WL and had told the friend to keep his eyes on the woods to the side of the trail to look for deer. He was walking ahead of us, not watching in front of him since he was looking to the side and making fun of us for walking slow. Well, he walked straight into a huge spider web which had a rather large green orb weaver spider on it. He flipped out and started rolling on the ground and screaming "GET IT OFF ME! GET IT OFF ME!". We couldn't stop laughing long enough to help him. Poor guy was deathly afraid of spiders.

Not on the trail but about the same friend. This kid (now a grown man) came with us on many camping trips. As a last trip before they all went off to college, I let my child invite 5 friends to come with us. They all wanted to go canoeing, so we went to the Bike Barn and off they all went in a few canoes while I waited by the Bike Barn. A little while later, I heard screaming from a distance, but didn't think much of it. Pretty soon, they all came paddling back and they asked me if I had heard the screams. Well, it turns out they had hit a tree with a canoe and it had rained down spiders on them and that young man had just about passed out from fright, lol.

My youngest child now lives in Wisconsin (we are in the Tampa area) and doesn't join us for trips to the Fort much anymore but that friend and his fiance join us every now and again.

I feel his pain. I'd be the same way if I had seen a snake anywhere in my travels within FW.

 

[morrik5]

We loved riding our bikes over to WL via the Exercise Trail, putting them in the bike racks there, and exploring that resort. The Spanish Moss hanging from the trees makes the trail look like a cathedral.

View attachment 1020438

It was also convenient for me when I would do my EARLY morning runs from loop 100, down the Trail, thru the WL entry gate, across World Drive (not much traffic at that hour). Then run thru the TTC out the back, along World Drive under the waterway, and left to the front turnstyles of the MK. Then back track to the Contemporary and catch the small boat back to the Fort for the cool-down. Sadly the small boat does not run in the early morning hours now (it did to give campers a convenient way to get to Chef Mickey or other CR breakfast options).

This was also before they built the walkway between the Grand Floridian and MK to make a loop around Seven Seas Lagoon.

I hope the trail reopens but it will have to be after the eyesore behind Pioneer Hall is completed and on sale.

Bama Ed

I think a lot of us agree on that being an eyesore. How does a tower behind a log building fit into the decor of FW? They might have gotten away with a 3 story building, but we all know they're building to house more people.