Riverbanks Adventure Forum

Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest: Experience Florida’s Wilds!

// February 5th, 2010 // No Comments » // Adventures, Florida, Hiking

Narrow Trail through cabbage palms by Riverbanksoutdoorstore

My attempt to expose my friend Laura to the wilds of Florida in her visit to Florida proved more than successful at Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest. The slough is a wildlife haven and certainly worth the trip.
We started off on this 2.6 mile trek and found it well marked but not well maintained. The overgrowth at times can mislead you into thinking there is no trail there at all. Only the metal orange trail marker posted on a tree encourages you to forage ahead. We have come to realize a hiking stick and previous bushwhacking experience is a definite PLUS on this trail! The first two miles leads you into a jungle-like forest of cabbage palms and hardwoods full of a variety of Epiphytes and ferns.

Giant Airplant along the trail

Just before you enter the Pine Forest we noticed a large hill resembling an Indian mound. As I climbed to the top, I noticed the soil underfoot was spongy. It is a large mound of sawdust left over from the Old Twin Mills lumber mill that operated here during the logging days in the early 1900’s. Amazed by our historical encounter, we head into the pine forest where we both encountered our first Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake. Preoccupied with birds up high, I caught myself as I almost stepped on a four foot rattler as he coiled poised ready to strike. My friend Laura yelled “SNAKE” as I abruptly stopped midstride! I jumped back to take a few photos before leaving the trail to avoid escalating this confrontation.
The Pine forest led us out back onto the forest road for the last mile to finish the loop. Although this road appears civilized and out in the open, this part of the hike was not without excitement. The road is surrounded by water with a slough on one side and wet

Coiled Eastern Diamond Back Rattler

prairie on the other. We saw an abundance of Woodstorks, Little Blue Heron, Louisiana Heron, Egrets (Great and small), Ibis, and a pair of Sandhill Cranes. We had to keep our wits about us as we encountered several gators sunning on each side of the road. Finally we made our way back to the parking area.  As we drove off I couldn’t help but think ….”The slough is a wonderfully wild place!”

For more photos visit Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest on Flickr

Honeymoon Island State Park: Osprey caring for thier young!

// February 2nd, 2010 // No Comments » // Adventures, Florida, Great Florida Birding Trail, Hiking

Osprey watching young in nest by Riverbanksoutdoorstore

The mid-winter season is when the Osprey are busy caring for their young. The Osprey hiking trail on Honeymoon Island State Park in Dunedin, Florida, is a great place for viewing the Osprey in their natural habitat. Watch as Osprey maintain their nests with twigs, bring fish back to feed the young, and switch places with mates as they take turns watching over the young.

Pinecone forming on a Slash Pine

Honey Moon Island located just north of Clearwater Beach is well known for its recreational beach area, variety of sea shells, and the Ferry to Caledesi. It is also a protected home for Florida’s endangered Osprey. The 2.5 mile Osprey trail is a loop around the north end of the Honeymoon Island through one of Florida’s few remaining virgin slash pine forests. This area was also an old turpentine camp in the early 1900’s. If you look closely, you can still see cat face scars on some of the old pines.
There is also a picnic area with a playground. A great place to spend an afternoon or for a family outing! Dogs are welcome on the hiking trail with a leash.
For more information:
www.floridastateparks.org/honeymoonisland

See more photos of Honeymoon Island State Park on Flickr

Armadillo

Seminole State Forest – My First Black Bear Sighting! – Trailwalker Week 6

// January 29th, 2010 // No Comments » // Adventures, Backpacking, Camping, Florida, Hiking

Florida trail near dusk by Riverbanksoutdoorstore

I needed one more hike and one more forest to earn my Trailwalker Badge.  I decided to travel to Lake County and hike the 10 mile Wekiva Loop in the Seminole State Forest.  I knew nothing about this hike except that it was partially along the Wekiva River and having paddled the Wekiva a few years ago, I was hoping it was just as scenic. The hike starts at the Bear Pond Trailhead which is the South entrance into this forest. The trail follows the scenic Florida Trail the trail through a young pine scrub that was exploding with purple blooms of deer tongue and other late summer wildflowers. As the trail then leads you into the Wekiva River floodplain, the cooler air from the spring run along with the new flora was a refreshing change.  I slowed my pace taking in the flora to allow more time to hide in the shade.  The trail then leads you back out into the Sand Pine Scrub and into the Sun.  Eventually I came upon a small section of Oak Scrub and that was where I saw the Florida Black Bear!  I was awestruck as I watched him for several moments while he gathered food from the Oak Tree in which he was sitting. He spotted me as I was taking his photo. He gingerly climbed down and disappeared into the thicket of Saw Palmetto.  I was elated as I could not help to think “How special of a day to see my first Black Bear on my final hike to earn my Trailwalker badge!”  I pick up my pace with my renewed energy.

Florida Black Bear gathering food

From here the trail takes you back into the Blackwater Creek floodplain. It follows a forest road that looks more like an Old Tram trail for logging.  I pause for a moment to imagine the giant cypress forest before our ancestors logged them away for profit. In the middle of this Tram Road is where I spotted the rare Celestial Lily’s in their afternoon open bloom. I am intrigued by this delicate flower that is scattered about and only has a single flower per stem.  Again I am reminded that this hike and this day are indeed special.

Rare Celestial Lily

I continue along over a  foot bridge into a forest full of tall pines and Cabbage Palms that are stretching to grow just as tall. Some sightings of resurrection fern, wild pine, and other epiphytes can be spotted. Once you leave the Blackwater Creek area, the trail is back out into the Sand Pine Scrub that is also a shared use trail for horses. After a mile and a half of this scenic scrub, the Trail joins the Florida Trail that you can take south to loop back to the Trailhead. If you have had enough adventure for the day, you can also follow the forest road south and save yourself some steps.

I chose to take the Florida Trail route back south to finish the loop.  This shorter fall days caught me by surprise as I had started to run out of daylight with 1.5 miles to finish.  I finished the last mile by moonlight. Had I not experienced the Moonlight hike at Goldhead State Park four weeks prior, I would not have remained near as calm as I made my way back to Bear Pond trailhead. But watching the sun set from the Florida Trail was a truly satisfying way to end a long day hike.

Longtailed Skipper hovering over Deer Tongue Wildflower

My two hour drive home just flew by as I reminisced about the hike I had today and my of the other nine Trailwalker Hikes  before.  For a moment, I smiled and proudly thought “I am officially a Trailwalker and what a wonderful journey it was!”

For more photos see Seminole State Forest on Flickr

Other related Trailwalker posts: Goethe (Week 1), Lake McKethan (week 2), Holly Hammock (week 2), Johnsons Pond (week 3), Oxbow Nature Trail (week 3), Etoniah State Forest (wk 3),  Buck Island Pond (wk 4)

Great Florida Birding Trail: RedFish Hole Trail hosts an abundance of birds!

// January 15th, 2010 // No Comments » // Adventures, Florida, Great Florida Birding Trail, Hiking

American Robin in a Juniper Bush

It was 12 noon and the outside thermometer was reading 39 degrees.  It was the coldest day of the year in Florida….probably the coldest day in 20+ years.  While these old block wall homes are great for with standing Tropical Storms, they take on a cave effect during long winter fronts keeping the house cold and damp.  Keeping warm with thermals, sweats, many blankets and a modest space heater in the living room, I came to the conclusion that if I was to be cold, at least I should be doing something adventurous.  So I headed up to Crystal River to the Red Fish Hole hiking trail. 

This Trail is part of the Great Florida Birding Trail Series and has been touted as a scenic walk on a karst ridge out into the Coastal tidal flats.  As I arrived in the early afternoon, I was delighted and surprised that I was the only visitor here.  Anytime I have a trail to myself, there is more opportunity to see wildlife.

I could barely get my daypack over my shoulders as I was multilayered with two shirts, one sweatshirt, a fleece jacket and an outer shell.  I chuckled as the lack of arm movement reminded me of the scene of the bundled up little boy in the classic movie A Christmas Story  

Past experience on these birding trails has taught me not to expect too much, as some are seasonal and need to be visited during migration, and I haven’t learned the ropes of birding just yet.  As I walk down the trail, I was happy to be outside and was hoping the Sun would show its warm yellow rays soon.  Not 100 feet down the trail, I ran into a large family of Robins. There must have been fifty of them!  It is a common song bird but I have never experienced them such a vast flock.  Determined to get a photo, I stood motionless in hopes they would settle down and forget I was there.   After several moments, they were still unsettled; somehow they knew I was there. Could it be the purple ski hat with the tassel is too noticeable?  I try to snap a few photos without any luck of getting much color.

I continue on down the path, not 200 more feet I see a flock of Great Egrets flying away.  They were in a small tidal stream that I was not quite close enough to view, but too close for their comfort.  Here begins the karst ridge with water and mudflats on either side.  I pause to watch a sanderling running along the bank. His movement is too erratic to allow a photograph. A few steps more I spy an anhinga drying his wings across the canal. 

The ridge leads me out into an open marshland full of grasses. In the distance I see dozens of wading birds.  Many Great Egrets, snowy egrets, male and female white Ibis, one Great Blue Heron, Wood storks and others.  I pause to take in this wonderful moment.  I try to take a few photos.  I continue along the ridge as it turns south watching as three seagulls attempt to pick up a dead fish.  I spot a lone white pelican cruising the skies in the distance.  The path curls back west where it appears to end on a peninsula.  There is a crossing built of rocks just high enough to get you past the shallow water.  If you lost your footing, tt would be a cold fall but worth the risk.  I smile; the parking lot is only ½ mile back.  I cross over and begin to follow a muddy fisherman trail that cuts though the marsh grasses.  It ends with an abandoned crab trap along a shallow tidal stream. There are other trails in the distance that could be explored on a warmer day when wet feet would actually be a cool welcome relief.  I pause to take in the beauty of the vast marshland with the silhouette of hour glass shaped Nuclear Power stacks pumping out steam.

Clapper Rail

I turn and decide it is time to return back to the truck.  As I warily make my way back through the muddy trail, the clouds thin allowing the sun to poke its head through. I stop as I spot a little blue heron and a pair of killdeer in the tidal flats.  I am amazed that I am still finding more birds!  I snap a few photos in delight.  I round the bend and the sunlight has brought to life the colors of the marshland.  The scene is inviting as the blue sky over the brown winter grasses contrast with the green from the juniper bushes and cedar trees.   To the left I spot a hefty clapper rail poking about in the shallow marsh water looking for food.  He does not even notice I am there.  I pause to take several photos of this special find.  I finish the 1.6 mile hike in 1. 5 hours. So much to see in such a short space.  This trail is indeed a GREAT Florida Birding trail.

View more photos of the Redfish Hole Trail on Flickr

Guidebooks:  Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State, author Sandra Friend

Riverbanks Outdoor Store wins 2009 4th Quarter Photo Contest!

// January 13th, 2010 // No Comments » // Adventures, Florida, Hiking

Longtailed Skipper hovering over Deertongue wildflower by Riverbanksoutdoorstore

This photo was selected as the 2009 4th Quarter Winner in the Florida State Forest Photo Contest.

The photo was taken in the Seminole State Forest while hiking the 10 mile Lower Wekiva River Loop Trail. 

Barbara is currently participating in the Florida Trail Walker program sponsored by the Florida State forests to encourage people to get outdoors, excercise, and experience nature.  This photo was taken while she was on her 10th and final Trailwalker Trail to earn her Badge.  Congratulations!