Exceptional Adventures in Paradise
On our trip to Collier Seminole State Park last year, Steve and I hiked through an area that had just been reopened after a prescribed burn. Parts of the forest floor and many tree trunks were still smoldering! Surprisingly, though, the palmettos and ferns were already putting up new shoots. I guess nature is going to keep going no matter what her human component gets up to.
Alachua County’s Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park is truly something special. It’s a National Landmark, and comprises a sinkhole that’s about 500′ wide, reaching 120′ down into the earth before you reach water. There are 132 steps on a beautiful boardwalk leading down the side of this sinkhole, and landings where you can enjoy the views. Hurricane Irma destroyed the original staircase, which was longer, but the new boardwalk protects the sinkhole and visitors alike.
Continue reading “Unexpected Tour at Unique Devil’s Millhopper”Dunn’s Creek State Park, Putnam County
Dunn’s Creek State Park is a lovely spot covering over 6300 acres. Entering the park, we noticed beautiful rolling hills which gave way to more level ground as we got further down the road toward the water.
There are two parking areas, each with picnic tables and open areas. The second parking area looks like it may be for a group camp, as there’s a locked bathhouse and a fire ring. It would be a nice spot for an overnight! The trailheads are also at this parking area. Four trails traverse Dunns Creek State Park: the 1.4 mile Green trail; 1.8 mile Yellow trail, 2.6 mile red trail, and the Blue trail, which has a short option (looks like about 4 miles) and a long option (6.1 miles).
Steve and I meandered on the Yellow Trail, traveling through a hydric area and into a really pretty pine forest. In just the first quarter mile, we saw orchids, a Lobelia (new to me, and very pretty), and SO MANY AIRPLANTS! We watched an eagle fly with a large branch in its beak; it appears that home improvements are being made somewhere in the forest.
We had the entire park to ourselves nearly the entire Tuesday morning we were there! We saw a ranger leaving as we arrived, I noticed a motorcyclist as we came off the trail, and Steve saw boaters on the river. There were no other cars in the parking lot, and we thoroughly enjoyed the solitude. We watched the water and read in the peaceful silence.
We stopped for lunch in Astor at Drifters, and enjoyed really good Cuban Sandwiches. A blue heron watched us watching him, and we traveled home to begin planning our next trip. It’s going to involve a picnic and more time reading under the maples along the shoreline, I’m certain.
Mid-February is usually a great time to be on the Florida Trail in the central part of the state. This year, Judy and I were looking forward to 8 days of a condition we call “forest drunk.” Forest-drunkenness is a state of deep relaxation, a sense of oneness with all that surrounds us, and a general feeling of joy. When we first decided to hike the Florida Trail from south to north through the Ocala National Forest, we knew we wanted a week in February, because it’s generally cool, dry, and beautifully clear. Here are a few posts about planning this trip:
Continue reading “Weather Woes Strike on the Trail: Dog Days of February?”
We’re making a habit of meeting in the parking lot of the Umatilla Ace Hardware and then carpooling up into the Ocala National Forest. Getting closer to completing my goal of hiking the Florida National Scenic Trail through the Forest, the stretch from Pat’s Island to Hopkins Prairie is the latest section my hiking friends and I have covered. This is a very short section, less than 5 miles out and back, but worth a visit!
Continue reading “Five Things to Love About Hopkins Prairie”
Summer temperatures have arrived, and neither of us wanted to spend a sweaty afternoon trying to stay hydrated in blazing sun. We got an early start and chose a short trail. Even though Salt Springs Observation Trail is a short two miles, we still found ourselves exhausted and soaked with sweat as we left the trail. But we agreed that we’d do it again!
Continue reading “Suddenly Sweltering: Salt Springs Observation Trail”
Best Laid Plans II (See Best Laid Plans I)
We are making progress with our plans to hike northbound through the Ocala National Forest! We’ve recently completed our first backpack camping trip and spent two nights sleeping in our hammocks, and we have learned a lot.
First, the Ocala National Forest continues to surprise us in unexpected ways. It is simply beautiful. It is complexly beautiful. You can visit the same area many times and see it in a new way each time. Sometimes the scenery does not change, but all of a sudden you turn a corner or reach the top of a hill and voila — an entirely new landscape opens up.
Continue reading “Learn Something New Every Day”
Steve dropped Judy and me off at Juniper Springs right on the dot of 7 AM on Easter Saturday. Our goal was to hike in to a primitive campsite 12 miles from Juniper, prepare our evening meal, sleep well, and hike out the next morning. Destination: Alexander Springs, 18 miles from the starting point. This trip was a major milestone in our preparations to hike the sections of the Florida Trail that pass through the Ocala National Forest.
This was an ambitious undertaking for us. We have covered 12 miles in a day before several times. We have hiked under full pack weight several times. But we’ve never before hiked 12 miles under full pack weight!
Continue reading “Buck Lake For Full Moon and Easter”
This is the first in a series of articles about planning a multi-day hike through the Ocala National Forest, following the gorgeous Florida National Scenic Trail from south to north. In this first installment, I’ll just describe our planning process. Subsequent installments will update plans, describe our equipment, share what we’ve learned, and explain some of the decisions we’ve made.
Continue reading “Best Laid Plans for a Successful Multi-Day Hike”
Nearly 60 years ago, the first section of the Florida Trail was begun just a few short miles from my home. Less than 20 years later, the trail earned congressional recognition and nis now known as the Florida National Scenic Trail. Today, this trail runs north from Big Cypress National Preserve to Gulf Islands National Seashore in the panhandle. There are numerous side trails and spur trails to local sites of interest. There are multiple websites and mobile apps that make navigating the Trail something anyone can do, and I encourage you to get out there and see a mile or two of the over 1000 miles of trail.
Continue reading “Hiking Clearwater Lake to Alexander Springs in Ocala National Forest”