- Joined
- Feb 10, 2008
I'm thinking that Bobby I. wants the lawn mower back,,hence the rotting of the tree stump.
Return to River Country . . . And More! A New TCD Trip Report- April 2010
- Thread starter Tri-circle-D
- Start date
figmentfan1
According to Caleb: "No Dancing!"
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2005
This is GREAT. Thanks for the info/entertainment. 
BigDaddyRog
<font color=red>Ask me about my cartoon pitch<br><
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2007
Maybe the mosquitos are ahead of the pest control plans.....or maybe pest control only comes with the Premium sites now!!!!
Born 2 Fish
I'D RATHER BE FISHING.
- Joined
- Jun 19, 2008
I'mDownWithDisney
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2009
I <3 these TCD TR's. Good job!
Tri-circle-D
<font color=peach>Throwing some love to TCD<br><fo
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2004
As previously stated, TCD set out early Saturday morning to find out once and for all whether or not the boardwalk for the Wilderness Swamp Trail still exists.
What is the Wilderness Swamp Trail, you ask? It was just a trail that was in a remote part of the campground. A portion of it included a very nice boardwalk that went along a Cypress swamp on the banks of Bay Lake. If you look at old maps of Fort Wilderness, it was listed as one of the amenities. Now, the map makes no mention of it.
The TCD gang was lucky enough to have enjoyed the Wilderness Swamp Trail when it was still open and accessible. But, that was a long time ago. A few years ago, they closed the trail. The boardwalk was deteriorating, and it got to be unsafe. For a while, there were signs and a barricade telling folks to stay off the boardwalk. We stopped visiting the trail then, and when I last checked, everything back in that area had become so overgrown that you really couldnt even walk through the brush to get back to the old boardwalk area. A castmember told me that the boardwalk had been removed. I believed this. But, when I see what was left behind in River Country, I got to wondering. Would WDW management really have spent money to remove the boardwalk, or just leave it there to rot? I decided that someone had to go and find out.
The trail leading back to the old boardwalk area begins right behind the Settlement Trading Post.
Here is where we begin our journey:
The beginning of the trail is visible as soon as you walk around the corner:
Lets stop hear a moment while I point something out. There has been some recent clearing done here. That lovely emerald-colored canal did not used to be visible here. But it sure is now:
And, here we go:
Here we are looking sideways over toward the 100 loop. Before the recent clearing, you could not see these campsites from the trail. This might create some interesting issues for the Haunted Hayride in the Fall:
From here the trails runs parallel with the shoreline of Bay Lake, and you will come up to the area behind the 300 loop:
This shot was taken looking toward the 300 loop. Note the backhoe there in the photo. Perhaps there is some more clearing to come:
There is a bridge that crosses the canal here. There is also a dam. Here we are on top of the bridge, looking toward Bay Lake:
And now we are looking the other way:
Now we are looking toward Bay Lake again:
And now, we will continue on our way:
This gate is new:
Maybe this area is going to be closed off. Not many people come back here anymore. Perhaps management would prefer that the area just be off limits?
Continuing on:
This little cabin has been on this spot for years. Once upon a time, it was used as experimental lodging on the 1200 loop. Fort Management tested out having this small cabin on a camping loop. I guess the experiment failed, as the cabin was moved out to this isolated spot. At one time, there were benches present in this area, and the area was used for educational programs. But that stuff has been removed. Just the cabin remains:
The trail continues on past the cabin:
Not very far from the cabin, the trail would then turn toward Bay Lake, and the boardwalk would begin. Now, however, this area is very overgrown and impenetrable:
The vines are very thick here. And they have thorns on them. The only way through this thicket is by brute force. I tried to get through here once, and gave up. But not today. We are going through.
Why?
I want to know about the boardwalk.
You know the Bing website? If you look at the Birds Eye view photos on there, the boardwalk is still visible. See?:
But, that website doesnt tell us when these photos were taken. Some of them are old. On some views, you cannot see the dog park, for example.
So, is the boardwalk there, or not?
You will find out in my next post.
TCD
What is the Wilderness Swamp Trail, you ask? It was just a trail that was in a remote part of the campground. A portion of it included a very nice boardwalk that went along a Cypress swamp on the banks of Bay Lake. If you look at old maps of Fort Wilderness, it was listed as one of the amenities. Now, the map makes no mention of it.
The TCD gang was lucky enough to have enjoyed the Wilderness Swamp Trail when it was still open and accessible. But, that was a long time ago. A few years ago, they closed the trail. The boardwalk was deteriorating, and it got to be unsafe. For a while, there were signs and a barricade telling folks to stay off the boardwalk. We stopped visiting the trail then, and when I last checked, everything back in that area had become so overgrown that you really couldnt even walk through the brush to get back to the old boardwalk area. A castmember told me that the boardwalk had been removed. I believed this. But, when I see what was left behind in River Country, I got to wondering. Would WDW management really have spent money to remove the boardwalk, or just leave it there to rot? I decided that someone had to go and find out.
The trail leading back to the old boardwalk area begins right behind the Settlement Trading Post.
Here is where we begin our journey:
The beginning of the trail is visible as soon as you walk around the corner:
Lets stop hear a moment while I point something out. There has been some recent clearing done here. That lovely emerald-colored canal did not used to be visible here. But it sure is now:
And, here we go:
Here we are looking sideways over toward the 100 loop. Before the recent clearing, you could not see these campsites from the trail. This might create some interesting issues for the Haunted Hayride in the Fall:
From here the trails runs parallel with the shoreline of Bay Lake, and you will come up to the area behind the 300 loop:
This shot was taken looking toward the 300 loop. Note the backhoe there in the photo. Perhaps there is some more clearing to come:
There is a bridge that crosses the canal here. There is also a dam. Here we are on top of the bridge, looking toward Bay Lake:
And now we are looking the other way:
Now we are looking toward Bay Lake again:
And now, we will continue on our way:
This gate is new:
Maybe this area is going to be closed off. Not many people come back here anymore. Perhaps management would prefer that the area just be off limits?
Continuing on:
This little cabin has been on this spot for years. Once upon a time, it was used as experimental lodging on the 1200 loop. Fort Management tested out having this small cabin on a camping loop. I guess the experiment failed, as the cabin was moved out to this isolated spot. At one time, there were benches present in this area, and the area was used for educational programs. But that stuff has been removed. Just the cabin remains:
The trail continues on past the cabin:
Not very far from the cabin, the trail would then turn toward Bay Lake, and the boardwalk would begin. Now, however, this area is very overgrown and impenetrable:
The vines are very thick here. And they have thorns on them. The only way through this thicket is by brute force. I tried to get through here once, and gave up. But not today. We are going through.
Why?
I want to know about the boardwalk.
You know the Bing website? If you look at the Birds Eye view photos on there, the boardwalk is still visible. See?:
But, that website doesnt tell us when these photos were taken. Some of them are old. On some views, you cannot see the dog park, for example.
So, is the boardwalk there, or not?
You will find out in my next post.
TCD
owensmama2007
"Adventure is out there!"
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2010
I love your reports!
And thanks for the warning about the milk! Lol my son loves milk....it's almost the only thing he will drink. May have to rethink my plan to buy it at The Fort while we are there in June!
And thanks for the warning about the milk! Lol my son loves milk....it's almost the only thing he will drink. May have to rethink my plan to buy it at The Fort while we are there in June!
WDWFigment
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 8, 2007
Great TR so far. Love all of the information about River Country. I wonder what will happen back there. It looks like something is finally going on. I can't imagine it'll ever reopen, so maybe it's finally going to be demolished?
Sorry to hear about Yuri!
Sorry to hear about Yuri!
Tri-circle-D
<font color=peach>Throwing some love to TCD<br><fo
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2004
TCD is back and in fine FW Scoop Reporter form indeed! I for one, think it's absolutely fitting they named the entire TCD Ranch after you.
Thanks for solving the mystery of the camera on a broom. For a minute there I was envisioning you with 5' long arms.
So glad to see you back on the job and thanks for another FANtastic TR!!
Thank you. Yes, those fences are high. They had me wishing that I was as tall as Ynottony. If I am not mistaken, he can look over those fences without even getting up on tip toe.
Your keys? Did you leave them in the door again?
Thank you.
So happy to finally have a new TCD Fort report!!
Thanks for reading.
Absolutely fabulous photos
Thanks.
And just when I was beginning to wonder how I could use that old broomstick and duct tape for photography purposes....seriously, great TR. Seeing RC in such a state of disrepair brings tears to my eyes. Gotta lotta good memories there! Thanks for going to such great lengths to give us a look.
The state of River Country is a disgrace. It's such a shame.
This is GREAT. Thanks for the info/entertainment.
You are welcome! And thank you for reading.
You might be right about that. If you are, I'll pay for premium next time.
No problem for me,
I got Denise,
Is Denise the pest control operator? I thought it was you?
Thanks. Greater than three to you too.
I love your reports!
And thanks for the warning about the milk! Lol my son loves milk....it's almost the only thing he will drink. May have to rethink my plan to buy it at The Fort while we are there in June!
The Meadow Trading Post opens at 8. The milk shouldn't be too warm by then.
Hey- I checked you Flicker link. You have some great photos on there! If Yuri ever sneaks back into the country, could I send him to stay with you a while and get some photography tips?
Enought chit chat, right.
Let's find out about the Wilderness Swamp Trail!!!
TCD
Tri-circle-D
<font color=peach>Throwing some love to TCD<br><fo
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2004
And now. . . The rest of the story.
The last time I was back here, I had on a pair of flip flops and shorts. Today, I am wearing hiking boots so I can step through this mess:
After pushing through all of the vines and brush, it is only a few steps before I can see the lake bank:
It is here that I am attacked. And I mean attacked by swarms of mosquitoes. I have never seen anything like it. Do you remember a commercial for bug repellant where an actor sprayed his arm, and then put it in a tank full of mosquitoes? Remember all of those mosquitoes? Well, imagine that. Without the tank. And without any bug spray. And multiplied times infinity. That is how many mosquitoes I am talking about. They were flying in my eyes, and ears, and up my nostrils. If I opened my mouth, they flew in there, too. But, I was here now, and there was no turning back.
I mention this because if there should be another period of absence by TCD from these boards, then you should be concerned. It could be malaria. Or encephalitis. Or West Nile virus. Or some other mosquito-borne illness.
But the mosquito attack was a small price to pay. I was here on the shore of Bay Lake, and I was finally going to have my answer.
If any part of the boardwalk was still around, I should be able to see it along the bank here.
I saw nothing but trees and water.
I would have to continue on.
But, the vegetation was so thick along the shoreline, there was no way for me to go through.
So, I went in.
To the water.
Of a swamp.
In Florida.
With water moccasins.
And Alligators.
And who knows what else.
And, from there, I marched on. At first, the water was up to my ankles. And then my shins. And then my knees. I didnt go much deeper than that.
I walked along the whole area of where the boardwalk used to be.
Yes, I said used to be.
It is gone folks.
This is all I saw:
I thought I saw something here, but it is just an old Styrofoam cooler:
More swamp pictures:
After I have walked the approximate distance of where I recollect the boardwalk was, I walked back onto land to see if there was anything left of the end portion of the boardwalk. I walked back through the brush:
And, all I found was these large logs which had been left across the trail that led to the far end of the boardwalk:
Since I have no intention of coming this way again at any time in the near future, I looked around here a bit more:
There is nothing to see here folks. Its just a swamp:
I headed back to the old cabin via land:
I found what looks like an old pole from a sign:
And I headed on out of there.
I cant tell you how many mosquito bites I had. I think its more than I have ever had at any time in my life. And I lived in a tent for two summers when I was a teenager and on the staff of a Boy Scout Camp.
Pass the calamine lotion please.
And RIP Wilderness Swamp Trail.
TCD
The last time I was back here, I had on a pair of flip flops and shorts. Today, I am wearing hiking boots so I can step through this mess:
After pushing through all of the vines and brush, it is only a few steps before I can see the lake bank:
It is here that I am attacked. And I mean attacked by swarms of mosquitoes. I have never seen anything like it. Do you remember a commercial for bug repellant where an actor sprayed his arm, and then put it in a tank full of mosquitoes? Remember all of those mosquitoes? Well, imagine that. Without the tank. And without any bug spray. And multiplied times infinity. That is how many mosquitoes I am talking about. They were flying in my eyes, and ears, and up my nostrils. If I opened my mouth, they flew in there, too. But, I was here now, and there was no turning back.
I mention this because if there should be another period of absence by TCD from these boards, then you should be concerned. It could be malaria. Or encephalitis. Or West Nile virus. Or some other mosquito-borne illness.
But the mosquito attack was a small price to pay. I was here on the shore of Bay Lake, and I was finally going to have my answer.
If any part of the boardwalk was still around, I should be able to see it along the bank here.
I saw nothing but trees and water.
I would have to continue on.
But, the vegetation was so thick along the shoreline, there was no way for me to go through.
So, I went in.
To the water.
Of a swamp.
In Florida.
With water moccasins.
And Alligators.
And who knows what else.
And, from there, I marched on. At first, the water was up to my ankles. And then my shins. And then my knees. I didnt go much deeper than that.
I walked along the whole area of where the boardwalk used to be.
Yes, I said used to be.
It is gone folks.
This is all I saw:
I thought I saw something here, but it is just an old Styrofoam cooler:
More swamp pictures:
After I have walked the approximate distance of where I recollect the boardwalk was, I walked back onto land to see if there was anything left of the end portion of the boardwalk. I walked back through the brush:
And, all I found was these large logs which had been left across the trail that led to the far end of the boardwalk:
Since I have no intention of coming this way again at any time in the near future, I looked around here a bit more:
There is nothing to see here folks. Its just a swamp:
I headed back to the old cabin via land:
I found what looks like an old pole from a sign:
And I headed on out of there.
I cant tell you how many mosquito bites I had. I think its more than I have ever had at any time in my life. And I lived in a tent for two summers when I was a teenager and on the staff of a Boy Scout Camp.
Pass the calamine lotion please.
And RIP Wilderness Swamp Trail.
TCD
kampfirekim
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2010
Just thinking about being knee deep in that water makes my skin crawl. What with the skeeters, gators and moccasins, not to mention parasites.... Thank goodness there were no hippies...you could've been killed! 
You're a brave, brave soul TCD! Thanks for the TR!
BigDaddyRog
<font color=red>Ask me about my cartoon pitch<br><
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2007
Ok....Im probably wrong...but wouldnt it have been easier to rent one of the little boats at the marina and head to where the boardwalk used to be to see if it were still standing? Can you even get to that area with the boats?
You are a real adventurer, TCD.....thanks for taking one(or several thousand) for the team. I tried to head back that way on the trip before last...I had no idea where I was even trying to get to...but the bugs were larger, the buzzing was louder, the foilage was scarrier, and I gave up real quick!!! I would never have waded through the water like you did. You are a real "crocadile hunter" type maniac!!
You are a real adventurer, TCD.....thanks for taking one(or several thousand) for the team. I tried to head back that way on the trip before last...I had no idea where I was even trying to get to...but the bugs were larger, the buzzing was louder, the foilage was scarrier, and I gave up real quick!!! I would never have waded through the water like you did. You are a real "crocadile hunter" type maniac!!
Born 2 Fish
I'D RATHER BE FISHING.
- Joined
- Jun 19, 2008
Great swamp report,.
Now you just know that mosquitos or not, that I'm gonna havta try fish'n back there.
(if I can wade far enough out to get deep enough water)
.Now you just know that mosquitos or not, that I'm gonna havta try fish'n back there.
(if I can wade far enough out to get deep enough water)
EcbLovesMickey
Willing to Work for Disney Dollars!!!
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2009
TCD, you are a true American hero, battling alligators, mosquitos and Disney CM's all just to get that shot. I smell a pulitzer...
BTW, don't know if you saw that some other adventurer beat you to Discovery Island
http://shaneperez.blogspot.com/2009/12/discovery-island.html
Apparently he swam it
BTW, don't know if you saw that some other adventurer beat you to Discovery Island
http://shaneperez.blogspot.com/2009/12/discovery-island.html
Apparently he swam it
BradyBz12
1340.63 miles too far from the Fort
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2008
You are a very brave and/or seriously crazy man! You are also probably far more determined than some of the "star reporters" on TV when it comes to getting your story!! 
Thank you for risking your very flesh to get the answers to the burning questions. Have a beer and an antihistamine on me!
Thank you for risking your very flesh to get the answers to the burning questions. Have a beer and an antihistamine on me!
Lyndria
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2009
Oh and the fact that you didn't photo-shop (or what ever it's called) the hammock out of your camp site. You little rebel you. You know there are those who don't approve of that around here.
Haha! As soon as I saw that hammock, I thought, "Are we allowed to tie things to the trees? Is his hammock tied to the tree? I can't really see it that well...maybe it's on a pole...well...no, it's on a tree...well...maybe a pole...dangit! I can't tell!"
Great report!!!!
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