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Posts Tagged ‘floridatrails’

Jonathan Dickinson State Park–White Loop (01/10/2024)

Posted in Hiking, Southeast, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 6, 2024| 2 Comments »

Jonathan Dickinson State Park is my “go to” park, when I don’t have time to travel far. I returned to JD State Park to hike the 7.5 mile White Loop for my third state park in the new year. This is where I had spied the Florida Panther the previous New Year’s Day, and I hoped to see one again.

Saw Palmetto Among the Pines

I began my hike in a clockwise direction and made the same mistake I did the first time I hiked it. About one mile in, after going over the little bridge and around the water, I became overconfident being on the service road and missed the right turn onto a smaller trail. My AllTrails app gave me a “heads up” that I was off trail about a block later.

Sixty-five degrees with a slight breeze! Perfect hiking weather. For the remainder of the trail, I came upon water from time to time, but never to the point where it flowed into my shoes. I was thrilled to see they had built small boardwalks around the deeper water.

I love that this trail has a couple of rest spots with benches. The first is about 3.5 miles into the trail. I passed only a couple of hikers heading in the opposite direction as I, and I saw one hiker come off the OTL Trail in the distance (This distraction may have caused my missed trail.).

Loggerhead Shrike to Keep Me Company

The moist sand from a recent rain made for easy track identification—wild boar, raccoon, and then some I could not identify. The trail had very little boar activity until the last mile.

Only the birds kept me company—loggerhead shrike, red-shouldered hawk, yellow-rumped warbler. Alas, no panther to be seen.

Although there is next to no shade on this trail, it’s always a great trail to hike.

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Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park (01/04/2024)

Posted in Hiking, Northwest, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on January 29, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Among my goals for 2024, somewhere between “learning to cook a Mediterranean diet” and “complete the next thirty miles of the Appalachian Trail” is that to “visit at least ten Florida State Parks” this year.  So, after spending some time at Perdido Key State Park and to keep the momentum going, I drove to Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park in Pensacola. Access was easy with the parking lot just off the main road and an honor system entry fee.

Caramel Grasses on Tarkiln Bayou Trail

I began with the Tarkiln Bayou Trail, an out-and-back one-mile round trip with a scenic view of the Tarkiln Bayou bordered by beautiful tall grasses. This trail is ADA accessible with concrete walkways and long boardwalks leading to the bayou. Along the way, benches invited me to take an undeserved rest and scannable information signage filled me in on the surrounding flora.  

Autumn Colors Dress the Perdido Bay Trail

After completing the Tarkiln Bayou Trail, I increased my effort with the Perdido Bay Trail. This trail branches off at the beginning from Tarkiln Bayou Trail. My hike was about 6.5 miles, often shaded by oaks and pines. Although mostly a dirt trail, there were occasional portions filled in with large gravel, difficult to walk on. (On the return, I realized that thoughtful hikers had created small, grassy paths to bypass the gravel.) The loop portion of this trail borders along the Perdido Bay.

The cool weather made for perfect hiking. A very recent burn had caramelized the landscape in shades of orange, brown and black—perfect for a Halloween set. The lack of green vegetation did not keep the birds away. I spied many yellow wobblers, red belly woodpeckers, and even a bald eagle.

Map: https://www.floridastateparks.org/sites/default/files/media/file/tbp-brochure.pdf

(Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park. 2401 Bauer Road, Pensacola, FL 32507. Website: https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/tarkiln-bayou-preserve-state-park. (850) 492-1595.)

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Hog Hammock and Promontory Trails (05/07/2023)

Posted in Hiking, Southeast, tagged , , , , , , , on May 28, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Now that I had warmed up on the Eagle Trail, I was ready for Hog Hammock and Promontory Loop Trails. Hog Hammock loops with an option to return at one mile or two. The Promontory Loop Trail is a straight one-mile shoot out and back from Hog Hammock. The total hike for both trails is four miles.

Boardwalk on Hog Hammock Trail

Right away, I knew this would be a nice, easy hike. Both trails, wider and straighter than Eagle Trail, are very suitable for both hiking and biking as well as being kid friendly. Shaded by pines, cabbage palms, and cypress with many opportunities to pause on a bench and/or under a covered shelter, I enjoyed my hike–and bringing a lunch and planning a longer day of the trail would be a great escape! I stepped onto the trail and spied a small deer almost immediately. The deer, obviously accustomed to people, stood and stared at me for a bit before slowly walking away. Herons and egrets lazed in the grassy waters along the trail, and a large Florida softshell turtle crossed the trail (very slowly) in front of me.

Grassy Waters on Hog Hammock and Promontory Trails

As I hiked Hog Hammock, boardwalks occasionally lifted me off the forest floor. I imagine that these boardwalks keep hikers dry during the rainy season when the grassy waters flow into the forest. The trail widened even more when I reached Promontory, and if the trail had been painted yellow, I could have imagined skipping to see the wizard.

Easy Hiking on Promontory Trail

Overall, I had a great day hiking, and I believe there are a couple more trails in that same area that are calling me!

(Grassy Waters Preserve. https://www.wpb.org/government/public-utilities/grassy-waters-preserve/trail-information/hog-hammock-trail)

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Seabranch Preserve State Park, North Loop (04/09/2023)

Posted in Hiking, Southeast, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on April 12, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Over two months! That’s how long it’s been since my last hike due to a foot injury at the beginning of February which left me hobbling and “hikeless.” I am so glad to get back to nature—but I am starting out light—which is why I chose Seabranch Preserve State Park for my hike on Easter morning.

Sandy Pathways Along the Seabranch Trail

Only 913 acres, Seabranch was designated a state park in 1992. I found it easily, no gate to drive through or ID to show. I parked in front of the fence that led into the park. A kiosk next to the water fountain and toilet gave me the trail information I needed.

I chose the longest of the three hiking trails, the North Loop, and hiked just under 3.5 miles on a mostly sandy, narrow and twisting trail, happy I had worn long pants to keep the wild things off my legs. My goal–to beat the forecasted rain. The partly overcast sky provided a (small) relief from the hot sun, and my legs appreciated the occasional bench along the trail.

Large, dead trees dotted the landscape of scrub and tall pines—remnants, I imagine, from a prescribed burn to help maintain the fire dependent ecosystems within the park. I passed a few people during the first fifteen minutes, and then no one for the remainder of the trail. Although mostly in the open, short sections passed through pines, needles creating a welcomed carpet over the sandy trail. Little wildlife appeared in the quiet landscape, perhaps due to the hot day or impending storm. I spotted one swallow-tailed kite my entire hike.

Pine Needles on the Sandy Trail

I found the well-blazed trail easy to follow most of the time—and relied on my AllTrails app to pull me back on course if I got distracted searching for life. Although the first part of the trail twisted through the scrub, the last mile moved onto a road–wider, but still very sandy.

I finished my hike in about 1.5 hours with my legs feeling that the sandy trail had worked them out better than any gym could. Although I prefer a shaded hike, I’ve gotten use to Florida’s hot, sandy trails. I enjoyed my morning hike and hope to return to hike the remaining two trails.

(Seabranch Preserve State Park. 6093 S.W. Dixie Highway, Stuart, FL 34997. (772) 219-1880) Website: https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/seabranch-preserve-state-park)

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