recreation

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!

On February 26, I had the distinct pleasure of joining the Putnam Crew - the Florida Trail Association's volunteer trail maintainer group that takes care of the trail in Putnam County - along with Nels Parson and J.B. Miller of the St. Johns Water Management District office in Palatka, and retired forester Bob Simon to take a hike through Rice Creek Conservation Area off SR 100. The purpose: to quantify a giant cypress to which the crew had just built an observation boardwalk. It was a delight to be a part of this unique experience > here's my article on it. This is one whopping big cypress!

Looks like a great weekend for a backpacking trip! Back when I was working on "50 Hikes in Central Florida," discovering the Citrus Hiking Trail in Withlacoochee State Forest was like unearthing a lost gem. I cut my teeth on backpacking up in the Appalachians before I returned to Florida to live. And here, scarcely a half hour from home, was a place where there were big, rolling hills, deep valleys, rocky footpaths, and caves along the trail! At 43.3 miles, it's a heck of a loop hike and takes some serious logistical planning, since the karst topography doesn't hold much surface water. You can also bite off smaller chunks, since it's planned out as a set of four interconnected loops. It's certainly the most unique place to backpack in Central Florida, and lies just southwest of downtown Inverness.

More news: I've started an online forum for hikers, If hiking's your passion or you're just curious about it, feel free to drop by and chime in on the discussion.

I'm just as guilty as the next person when it comes to looking for a place to hike: I head to the rural areas, well away from the noise and traffic, to find the best hiking experience. I turned that typical behavior upside down this past Sunday when I explored some of Gainesville's Natural Treasures, as outlined in a brochure from the City of Gainesville. All three of the parks were firmly within city limits, one even being within a stone's throw of one of the busiest intersections in town, and yet ... it was a different Gainesville, a forgotten side where rapids (yup!) burble and Appalachian wildflowers grow on cool ravine slopes.

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.

I was waiting for my car's oil change to be done this afternoon and had a chance to read the February 2007 issue of Backpacker magazine, which had a great article on taking children hiking and getting them used to being outdoors. I can't say it enough: kids love the woods! Take them outside any chance you can. I know my love of hiking came from my parents taking me on trails when I was little ... as I grew older, I started wandering off on my own. One of my blog readers posed a question regards great places for a child's first backpacking trip, and I offered some suggestions in Central Florida.

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!