Category Archives: Camping

Florida Trail: Hike the river bluffs of the Sopchoppy River in March to see wild azalea put on a show.

Posted on 05/10/2011 by Adventurous Barbara

I was excited about seeing the pink blossoms but was not expecting to see very many…only single scraggly bushes scattered about. Well it was not long before we encountered our first Wild Azalea bush….desperate for a photo of this rare beauty….I climbed through a thicket of saw palmetto to get a close up. As we persisted, I was able to relax as the Wild Azales bushes were becoming more prevalent, the flowers fuller, and closer to the trail… Continue reading →

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Hike Withlacoochee State Forest Annutteliga Hammock loops for a sampling of the challenging Brooksville Ridge

Posted on 03/21/2011 by Adventurous Barbara

As I follow the loop around the back I begin to notice a pile of loose rocks and a dome shape over near a small Cedar Tree. I walk over only to find a small well that penetrates at least 15 feet down. The hole is lined by rocks with tree roots growing through the opening allowing enough room for only a small animal to fall. I use my headlamp to study the walls and floor. The walls are smooth solid limestone rock with periodic ripples and the floor is covered with oak leaves. I did not see any remnants of animal bones but I am certain that there are some hidden below the debris. Continue reading →

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Hiking the Citrus C loop offers challenging pine ridges with caves and large sinks.

Posted on 03/07/2011 by Adventurous Barbara

The Citrus C Loop is a 13 mile trek located in the heart of the karst cartography of the Brooksville Ridgeboasting large sinks and at least one known cave entrance. There is parking available at the Mine Holder Campground, just a 1.5 mile hike off the loop. I chose to save a few steps and park where Forest Road 17 intersects the B Loop and hike down to the connector. The west side of the trail has challenging pine ridges that gave my legs a good workout as I ascended and descended the hills numerous times. I made my way past the B-C connector loop and entered an area that had been recently burned. There was not a pine needle left on the ground! Continue reading →

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Hike Paynes Prairie Preserve to see Wild Horses, Bison, and a Pleasing Diversity of Birds.

Posted on 01/27/2011 by Adventurous Barbara

Paynes Prairie Bolen Bluff Trail by B A Bowen Photography  Paynes Prairie was a treasure trove of wildlife this past Saturday as we enjoyed the LaChua and Bolen Bluff Trails with friends. Upon entering Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, my out … Continue reading →

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Raft and Camp along the Colorado River for memorable Family Fun and Adventure!

Posted on 01/17/2011 by Adventurous Barbara

All of the luggage and camping gear was then piled high onto one raft. Our leaders took turns paddling this inflatable barge as it could be an exhausting task. The rest of us split off into groups into separate rafts while the more adventurous chose the smaller inflatable Fun-yaks. Since this was a family trip, this section of the river was fairly mild so my son and I opted for the smaller inflatable kayak. We had fun spinning our rafts while we practiced obeying commands shouted out by our leaders “Paddle left, Paddle right ..your other right”. Waterfights were started with our paddles… Continue reading →

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