Little Withlacoochee River facts for kids
The Little Withlacoochee River is a river in Florida that's about 16 miles (26 kilometers) long. It starts in a wild place called the Richloam Wildlife Management Area in Sumter County. The river then flows until it ends near River Junction Campground, close to Silver Lake in the Croom Wildlife Management Area. This river even forms part of the border between Hernando and Sumter Counties! The area where all its water collects, called its drainage basin, covers about 145 square miles (376 square kilometers) across both counties.
River's Journey
The Little Withlacoochee River mostly flows through wild, natural areas. A big part of its journey is through the Richloam Wildlife Management Area (WMA). This is one of seven parts of the Withlacoochee State Forest. Richloam WMA is huge, covering 58,000 acres! It has lots of pine flatwoods (open forests with pine trees) and cypress swamps (wetlands with cypress trees). You can find Richloam WMA in four different counties: Hernando, Sumter, Pasco, and Lake.
If you visit Richloam, you can enjoy fun outdoor activities like fishing, hunting, and hiking on its many trails. The river doesn't flow through many towns, except for a small, undeveloped area near Ridge Manor.
The Little Withlacoochee River eventually flows into the bigger Withlacoochee River. This happens in another part of the Withlacoochee State Forest called Croom WMA. Croom WMA is also very large, with 20,000 acres of pine flatwoods in Hernando and Sumter Counties. It's also home to Silver Lake. Croom WMA has an amazing 138 miles of trails for biking, hiking, and even horse riding!
Where Roads Cross the River
Several roads cross over the Little Withlacoochee River as it makes its way through Florida. Here are some of the main crossings:
| Crossing | Carries | Location | Image |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where the River Starts (Richloam WMA) | |||
| State Road 471 |  Florida State Road 471 |
On the border of Hernando and Sumter Counties |  |
| State Road 50 |  Florida State Road 50 |
On the border of Hernando and Sumter Counties |  |
| US Route 301 |  US Route 301 |
Near Ridge Manor |  |
| Where the River Ends (Joins the Withlacoochee River) | |||
