hike

Remember when Silver Springs let you wander down their garden paths along the Silver River, and it cost separately to see each thing in the attraction? There was Tommy Barlett's Deer Ranch, the Aquatorium, Ross Allen's Reptile Institute, and of course the Glass Bottomed Boats. But at some point, things - and ownership - changed, and you had to pay one price to get in and see everything, even the river's shores. So I was thrilled in the 80s when the state announced it had bought land for a state park along the river.

I visit Silver River State Park at least once or twice a year, and notice that no matter the time of day or year, there are always people on the trails. This park is built for hiking. None of the trails are particularly long, and all of them have special points of interest. My favorite is the Swamp Trail, which ends on a boardwalk overlooking a spring in the river. Enjoy these freakishly cool days with a hike > check out the hiking trails on the Silver River's shores!

I've been on the road ever since the big Florida Trail Conference a week and more ago, checking out more places to hike and getting involved in some very interesting activities, including the launch of Expedition Headwaters, a 12-day traverse of the Kissimmee River basin by paddle and hiking trail - the Florida Trail - to illustrate the connectivity between the greater Orlando area and the Everglades. One of my hiking buddies, Beth Kelso, is on the journey.

Here at home, I never did quite get the chance to write about my adventures at Rice Creek Conservation Area along SR 100 near Palatka earlier this month with Nels Parson, Bob Simon, and the Putnam Crew, who led me to what we now know as the eighth largest cypress in Florida.

It's been an interesting week for pelican spotting. It all started Monday when on my way to work, I saw flocks of white pelicans circling over Paynes Prairie and coming in for a landing. They've been there ever since. It's of enough interest to the US Fish & Wildlife Service that they have spotters on hand with telemetry equipment mounted atop their trucks. So if you're never seen a white pelican, get to Paynes Prairie along US 441 before they depart! They're snowbirds, down for the season, and perhaps decided this year that the prairie would be their best destination.

Tuesday night, I enjoyed my first overnight experience at Gold Head Branch State Park. I always marvel at the things that overnight park guests see that the rest of the public doesn't. In my case, it was the hues of sunset over Little Lake Johnson as the moon rose ... a mirror of clouds across the lake's still surface as light waned ... the rockets red glare as bombs bursted in air over Camp Blanding ... the morning mist that raced across the surface of the lake ... first light streaming through the dogwood blossoms. I captured some of the experiences with my camera, and let the rest settle into memory.

Friday's Florida Trail Gateway Community kickoff along the Suwannee River at White Springs brought together more than 60 members of the community to celebrate the connections between this historic town and the 1,400-mile Florida Trail. After the formal ceremony and unveiling of the new road sign wrapped up, a bunch of us took a hike through Stephen Foster State Park along that segment of the Florida Trail, which has plenty of ups and downs across the rugged riverside terrain. Several of us planned, thereafter, to head to Big Shoals, the "big show" of the Suwannee River.

Most folks consider Ravine Gardens a place for watching the azaleas bloom (which they did much earlier than expected this year), driving the scenic drive, and sitting along the serene edge of the ponds at the bottom of the ravine. If you have children, I hope you've taken them there to bounce across the circa-1930s swinging bridges. My first visit here was as a child, so I can thank my parents for turning me on to the beauty of the gardens, formerly a Palatka city park and WPA project. But if you do a little exploration, you'll find one heck of a rugged 2-mile hike clinging to the steep sides of the ravine.

Greetings! I'm Sandra Friend, an avid hiker and author of eight books on Florida hiking and a North Central Florida resident. I'm also the Communications Director for the Florida Trail Association. I've joined MyClaySun to keep you up to date on where and when to hike around the Sunshine State.

February is Florida Hiking Trails Month, and there's a big celebration this Friday up in White Springs: the designation of the city as the first Florida Trail Gateway Community. If you've never walked along the Suwannee River bluffs, it's your opportunity to take a guided hike. I'll be there! Festivities kick off at 11 AM at the Nature & Heritage Tourism Center with the hike - following the Florida Trail through Stephen Foster State Park to follow.

Learn more about this event on the Florida Trail Association website.
Learn about Florida hiking on my site, Florida Hikes!