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.
Parking and Trails
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.
Retirement Means No Crowds!
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.
Just a quick little post in honor of National Walking Day. Last Sunday, some of us needed a day in the Forest, so we hiked from a trailhead on SR 19 back to Buck Lake. Along the way, we stopped at Dora’s Pond.
This is a beautiful route, suitable for beginners. The trail is well-marked and easy to follow.
Visiting the main park at Silver Springs is a bit of time traveling. Once a privately owned park, it sometimes hosted small concerts and large car shows, and it retains an air of those glory days. While it is near the Ocala National Forest, it is not part of the Forest.
Steve and I recently drove on Jane’s Scenic Drive and we were . . . well, I guess conflicted is the right word. Jane’s Scenic Drive is in the Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park. The Fakahatchee is home to so many plants and animals found only in the continental US that I’m not even going to attempt to list them. The Ghost Orchid is probably only behind the Florida Panther as the best-known Strand resident.
November is Manatee Awareness Month and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is reminding people on the water to slow down and look out for migrating manatees this time of year. As water temperatures cool this season, manatees are naturally migrating to warmer waters around the state. Go slow and look out below to allow them to swim safely.
While manatees are large, they can be difficult to see in the water. That is why it is important to: follow guidelines and follow all manatee protection zones; look out while boating; wear polarized glasses and always give them space. Manatee protection zones are marked by waterway signs and maps of manatee protection zones are available online at MyFWC.com/Manatee by clicking on “Data and Maps.”
Manatees depend on water generally warmer than 68 degrees Fahrenheit to survive the winter, so in the fall they travel to Florida springs, power plant discharges and other warm-water sites. Remember: Disturbing manatees at warm-water sites can cause them to swim out of those protected areas and into potentially life-threatening cold water.
Tell-tale rings indicate a manatee just below the surface. Photo Credit – FWC
During the colder months, seasonal manatee zones require boaters to slow down in certain areas to prevent manatees from being injured or killed by motorboats or personal watercrafts. Boat strikes continue to be a major threat to Florida manatees. FWC law enforcement officers are on patrol in state waters to inform boaters of the seasonal manatee speed zones and take appropriate enforcement actions. Boaters are reminded to abide by the regulatory signs they see on the water.
Physically handling a distressed or stranded manatee might cause more harm. Instead, report injured, distressed, sick or dead manatees to the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) or dialing #FWC or *FWC on a cellphone so trained responders can assist. The FWC continues to investigate a high level of manatee mortalities and respond to manatee rescues along the Atlantic coast of Florida. The FWC takes manatee conservation seriously by actively implementing science-based conservation measures that are making a difference for manatees and habitat. Learn more about how officials are responding to this event by visiting MyFWC.com/Manatee and clicking on “Learn More”.
“It remains critically important people be aware of manatees while on the water as we continue to work with partners to monitor and respond to the ongoing mortality event along Florida’s east coast,” said Ron Mezich, Imperiled Species Management Section Leader. ““We are continuing to explore a variety of options to assist manatees and the goal for the FWC and our partners continues to be restoring the Indian River Lagoon to a healthy state. In the end, that is the solution that will benefit manatees and other wildlife.”
Resources for boaters, educators and other interested members of the public are available at MyFWC.com/Manatee. What should you do if you see a manatee? The Viewing Guidelines page provides helpful tips on respectfully viewing manatees, additional guidelines for boat and personal watercraft operators, and information on what you can do to help these amazing aquatic mammals.
Manatee snout. Photo Credit – FWC
Are you interested in supporting the FWC’s manatee research, rescue and management efforts? You can purchase a Florida manatee license plate, or donate $5 to receive a collectable FWC manatee decal. Both are available from your local Tax Collector’s office.
Steve and I are blessed with a friend, Cathy, who owns a home right on the Withlacoochee River in Yankeetown. She rents it out to us on occasion. We’ve just enjoyed a long weekend enjoying the small town charm of Yankeetown and the beautiful Withlachoochee River. Maribeth joined us so she could get a taste of kayaking on this peaceful river and the joys of Cathy’s huge back porch.
Sometimes a happy accident can become a main event, and this is what Judy and I experienced when we were trying to find Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park. Google Maps gave us a route through Collier County, and had I looked closer I might have figured out what was going on, but since I didn’t, what came after we turned off of State Road 29 was a lovely surprise.
As if Ochlockonee isn’t fun to say on its own, this park is located in Sopchoppy. And the town of Sopchoppy is in Wakulla County, so there’s a mouthful of fun just in saying the names!
I expected to be overwhelmed by this spring, and while I had heard many stories of how lovely the Lodge is, I wasn’t expecting much from the building. Turns out I had it backwards!
Apalachicola is many things: a great little town, a magnificent estuary, and a treasure trove of small adventures. If you visit, make time to hike the small boardwalk nature trail across from the Extension Center offices.
This trail is short, I’d guess about half a mile one way, but has something for everyone. The beginning section is an oystershell trail, but the major portion is a beautiful boardwalk. Those who walk through the swamp on this boardwalk are rewarded with a scenic overlook where a bench beckons you to relax and enjoy the view and birdsong.
Whoooo lives here?
Your senses will be delighted by this trail. My favorite memory will be the discovery of this gorgeous northern rough greensnake — you can hear how excited we were, and I’m sure it was just as memorable an experience for the snake. While our excitement is understandable, we should have not touched the snake. It’s just irresponsible behavior, especially for naturalists, and we have both agreed to not repeat the experience. We are quite sure the snake agrees!
