It was mid-week before I was certain I could make the trip to the panhandle for Wild Azalea Hike along the winding Sopchoppy River. I called the Leader of this electronically organized Meet-up event to see if I could join the Apalachee Chapter of the Florida Trail Association on this coveted hike. George was pleasant, accommodating, and quick to give me direction. I expressed that I was surprised this trip was not full….”Oh it is.” He quickly corrected my thinking “I just do not like to turn anyone away.” I thanked him and hung up the phone excited and eternally grateful that I was able to get the opportunity to see the Pink Wild Azalea’s in bloom. Flowers have always been a passion of mine and seeing a rare species is always a treat. And I was also grateful for our Section Leader, George, for taking on extra hikers and leading us under his expertise down this wondrous piece of the Florida Trail.

We convened promptly at 10:00 AM in the Publix Parking lot in the little town of Crawfordville. Introductions were made, waivers signed, and carpools were organized. In no time at all we formed a caravan and headed down the bumpy unpredictable forest roads of the Apalachicola National Forest. Despite a feisty fuel pump on one of the vans, our journey to the Monkey Creek Trail-head car went fairly smooth. Here we gathered as our leader gave a brief overview complete with photos of native plants and flowers characteristic to this trail. The few volunteers that agreed to participate in the car shuttle then left our group to position their cars at the other end of the Day’s hike. The rest of this 33 man group passed the time through light chatter, storytelling, and sharing of hiking adventures.

Soon George returned with his team of car poolers and we fell into an almost endless single line as we entered this narrow single track along the river bluff. 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.

(Click here to view this photo on Fine Art America)

As hard as we tried to keep up with our informative leader, the groups soon split up and I found myself back with the slow dawdlers…the hikers who enjoy taking their time to appreciate the subtleties that nature has to offer. Although this was a beautiful sandhill riverbluff habitat bordered by pine uplands, we earned our keep as we traversed up and down steep ravines formed by the side creeks that feed the Sopchoppy.

It was nice to regroup along the riverbank for a short rest and again at the Bridge over Monkey Creek for lunch. From here the trail soon left the river bluff and our legs enjoyed the flat terrain while our feet deeply appreciated the soft carpet of pine needles. Candyweed added splashes of color to the forest floor and the air was fragrant with the sweet smell of Ti-Ti blooms that seem to fence the pine forest off from the riverbluff. Ti-Ti bushes are a natural fire break as they can stop a controlled burn in its track and can be considered a nuisance if they encroach on our fire dependent pine forests. The trail then led us through a small stint of hardwood forest with a nice canopy of shade overhead and lush ferns at our feet. Soon we crossed through more TiTi bushes and found ourselves back out on hilly riverbluffs. The views of the river became more scenic as they were lined with the oddly shaped knees of the Cypress Trees protruding from the banks.

(Click here to view this photo on Fine Art America)

The group has spread apart again and I found myself alone for a stint but enjoying the solidarity. As I looked over the bank, I heard a local gal shouting out in delight as she reeled in a brightly colored fish from the shallow tanic waters. “Nice catch! Can I get a photo?” I called out to her. She held up her catch gleaming with pride and delight. She called it a “Sparkle Fish” and I could not question her expertise as I had never heard of nor seen a fish like this before.

I check my GPS for mileage and noticed that I was not too far from the hikes endpoint. I stepped up my pace and concentrated on following the orange blazes. Soon I emerged from the forest into a clearing to join the others as they had already dropped thier packs to relax and enjoy a cold drink. I could not help but to reflect on the sights I enjoyed today and thankful we have a National Scenic Trail to allow us to immerse ourselves into this unique place of Florida natural beauty.

Sopchoppy River Trail map by B A Bowen Photography

This past weekend I hiked the North loop at Annutteliga Hammock. There are several location of this broken land and easy to get confused.  The State of Florida plans on buying lands from 491 down to 476 (Centralia Road) over to US 19. The State of Florida envisions a wildlife corridor that connects Chassahowitzka WMA to the Withlacoochee State Forest and eventually to the Green Swamp.  A wonderful plan indeed for the naturalist…but realistically an ambitious one when dealing with the pressures of development and growth in these areas.  This small parcel of the Annutteliga Hammock lies off 491 in Hernando County just south of 480 and the Citrus County line. This tract contains hilly pine ridges and karst features of the Brooksville Ridge including large sinks, small terrestrial caves, and limestone outcroppings.  There are two 2 mile hiking trails and three primitive campsites only one half mile from the parking area.  It is like hiking the Citrus loops without the grueling commitment of hiking 12-14 mile loops in a tough terrain.  It is a Citrus Sampler Platter!  All the joys of Citrus, the caves, sinks, sand hill ridges, sweet smelling pine forests, and lush oak hammocks in a 4 mile loop! The primitive campsites are located 1/2 mile down the center trail that both the North and South loops share.  There are picnic tables and fire rings but not much else.  Backpacking your equipment in is a must but you really only have to hike 1/2 mile, set up camp, and continue on exploring the area at your leisure with a much lighter load.

This past Saturday, I hiked the north loop.  The 3 miles gave my legs quite a work out while I enjoyed the giant sink just past the camp.  This large sink was steep on one side and had shallow walls on the other.    Since it is currently Florida’s dry season, I ventured down into this limestone crater to explore.  To my delight I found delicate Southern Maiden Hair ferns lushly protruding from the lime-rock walls and cabbage palms inhabiting the bottom-land.  Some of the lime-rock was solid and hard while other pieces crumbled like chalk.  The chalky section seemed to mostly be underneath a large hardwood tree and appeared to be held together by the tree roots. Erosion by the elements was apparent here and it was matter of time before the lime rock disappeared taking away the trees support system.  Yes that tree will eventually uproot and fall over….but only time will tell….it could be next rainy season…it could be in 20 rainy seasons.  Satisfied with my geologic find, I keep my eyes open for more clues as I am careful to scan each side of the trail.  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.  This well is dry right now.  Is it deep enough to access the water table in the summer or was it made just to catch and hold rainwater?  Those are questions I ponder as I inspect the hole and its surroundings.  I did not see any obvious remnants of a homestead so I continue on back down the trail.  Was this the work of early white settlers or was it an archaeological find left behind from our native Americans?

Not 2oo yards from the first well, I spot another well on the opposite side of the trail.  It was built almost identical to the last one.  Down a little further I believe I spot a third one…but it appears that a large rock was pushed over to cover the cavity….or was this just a piece of limestone sitting in a shallow hole.  I needed to explore the area more but the sun was beginning to set.  I finish the back leg and turn back to the south to finish the loop happy with the finds I had while out exploring today. Annutteliga is thought to be Muskogee for “obstacle..sitting there.. ” and hopefully the State can overcome these obstacles and realize their dream of a wildlife corridor…but for now it is an intriguing piece to explore!

Annutteliga Hammock North google map by B A Bowen Photography

Annutteliga Hammock South google map by B A Bowen Photography

To view more photos on Flick click on Withlacoochee Annetteliga Hammock photo album.

Blog Post related to the Brooksville Ridge include:

Florida Trail: Citrus A Loop

Florida Trail: Citrus C Loop

Florida Trail: Citrus D Loop

I needed to test my new hiking socks so I was looking for a long and challenging hike.  What better location than hiking the pine covered sand hills of the Withlacoochee State Forest.  The Citrus C Loop is a 13 mile trek located in the heart of the karst cartography of the Brooksville Ridge boasting 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! As scorched as the Forest looked, Fire is a necessity for the survival of the protected gopher tortoise, endangered Red Cockaded Wood Pecker, and reproduction of the Long Leaf Pine trees.  Fire clears the understorey of invasive plants and forces the pine cones to open and spread seedlings for the next generation.  Here the hills became more gently sloped.  I pass a group of youths with their leader toting overstuffed backpacks making their way from Mine Holder Camp to the primitive Youngblood Camp off the western leg. I pause to exchange hellos and briefly listen to their chatter. They are excited about this little adventure and what the night holds for them at camp. I continue on my trek in the opposite direction observing the results of the planned forest fire but ready to immerse myself in green foliage again. I was relieved to see a log bench where the Mind Holder spur trail meets the Loop C.  I am at mile 8 and my new socks are still holding up well.  I cut my rest short because GPS tells me I have 7 miles left of trail and only 3 hours of Daylight.  I continue on following the trail south until it connects with the Lower D Loop, then east along the connector trail. After I reach the C-D Loop intersection along the West leg, my tired legs tighten with each step as the slopes becomes steeper.  I was delighted to notice a large sink and stopped to enter this geological wonder and take a few photos.  Another mile past the sink, the trail leads me past a small cave opening framed with limestone rocks.  I inspect the cave for critters with a flashlight, but do not enter.  This would be a fun adventure if I had a hiking buddy to watch over in case I got into trouble. The hole was plenty big enough to fit an average sized person easily.

After spending a few moments inspecting the cave, I step up my pace. The sun is starting to set and I have 4 more miles to go. Soon I hear the noisy party as I near the Youngblood camp of the youths I passed earlier in the day. I enjoy the noise as it sounds like they are all relieved to be at their destination and are having fun. What a great experience in self reliance for these youths and fond memories to take with them. The sun falls below the horizon just as I completed the C loop, but I had one more mile retracing my steps back to me truck. The call of the hawk and hoot of an owl can be heard in the tree tops. My last mile takes 45 minutes, as hike cautiously with only a dim flashlight to help find the orange blazes. Relieved to be back at my truck, I am overcome with a sense of calming satisfaction as I sit and hoist my tired legs over to the foot board. I drive off with a smile picturing the day I had with hills of evergreen pine trees against the deep blue sky.

Related Hikes in this blog: Citrus A Loop and Citrus D Loop

Citrus C Loop google map by B A Bowen Photography

The trail is maintained by the Florida Trail Association and is well marked and well maintained. The C Loop is one of four stacked loops totaling 43 miles of hiking in the Withlcacoochee State Forest- Citrus Tract. This trail offers primitive back country camping at the Youngblood Campsite or designated primitive campsites at the Mine Holder and Mutual Mine Recreational Campsites located just of 581 south of Inverness. Permits for back country camping can be obtained from the Division of Forestry.

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 of town guest and lifetime friend, Laura, and I were pleasantly surprised by the giant moss covered Oak trees as we explored the parking lot waiting our Florida Hikes friend, Brickman to arrive. Brickman frequents Paynes Prairie and was excited to join us as our tour guide for the morning. We smiled as we recognized the familiar on-line face pull up in a rugged S-10 pick-up with his buddy Craig. We exchanged hellos and quickly began chatting and sharing stories as we all share a common passion in Florida nature. As we entered the park Sandhill Cranes are in abundance on the Prairie and can be seen flying in flocks of 30 or more! We follow along the boardwalk out to the Aluchua Sink only to spot an alligator head peering out of the water on this frigid morning. I stop to change out a lens, when a brown animal is spotted in the distance. “It is a hog…” says one of us….”It looks more like a tree stump.” I reply as I peer through my zoom lens. “No it definitely is moving!” chime in the other two. So I snap a photo and rely on my digital zoom only to uncover that it is actually a small horse. Not familiar with this terrain quickly assume this land is still a working ranch. My thinking is quickly corrected by the local boys. There are wild horses that live in these lands…left over from the Spanish Invasion prior to Florida becoming a state. Our excitement continues to rise as we are told Wild Buffalo live here too! Along down the trail we spot coots, morehen, a little blue heron actively hunting for breakfast while a Great Blue Heron holds a statuesque pose while observing. Further out in the prairie an America Bittern can be seen with a keen eye. His ability to camouflage himself amongst the brown marsh grasses is uncanny. I pause for a few moments to capture a photo of this elusive bird. But it proves difficult as he displays his agility adeptly stepping through the grasses. After a few rough shots, I step up my pace to reach the group. At 1.5 miles we reach the viewing platform and climb to the top unknowingly for the panorama of a lifetime.  In the distance we spot a small herd of horses running. For a moment it felt like I was in an old movie filmed in the Wild Wild West. The dark brown hair contrasting against the wheat colored grasses and a bright blue sky made for a nice scene.

On our way back the Bitterns seemed more active and to appear more frequently….. or perhaps we just got better at spotting them!  I happy to finally get a few more photographs of this master of camouflage. This was a first time encounter with an American Bittern for me. We hurry back along the trail as our guides have a prior commitment with a horse farm for a fertilizer pick-up. Once more we come upon the sink only to find the warming air has lured more alligators out for sunning along the banks. This was certainly a treat for my northern guest! We are sure to take a group photo before we part ways. We certainly want to hike with our north Florida friends again…perhaps in the Spring when the when this brown dormant prairie is exploding with colorful wildflowers.

About: Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park is a 22,000 acre wilderness that is also a designated National Natural Landmark belonging to an elite group of Landmarks. Only 600 have been named throughout the United States. The Alachua Sink plays an important geological part in refueling the Florida Aquifer. It was formed when a group of sinkholes in close proximity merge to form a sink. This Alachua sink along with its sedges and grasses serves as a filter purifying the water as it drains back into the Florida Aquifer.

Click here to view more photos of Paynes Prairie on flickr.

Waterfight  by B A Bowen Photography

It had always been a dream of mine to raft and camp along the Colorado River. My son was only twelve and was not old enough for those rough Class IV and Class V trips through the Grand Canyon. Last Spring I found this affordable family trip online offered by Western River Expeditions and I booked it for July 2009. I was also able to coerce my best friend from Ohio into joining us out there without much effort.  July in Moab can be as hot or hotter than Florida, but since we were going to be in the water, I was not concerned. The trip was part of a package that included a day/hiking tour through Arches National Park, an evening Hummer Ride in Hell’s Revenge, and a-two-days-one-night-rafting/camping trip down the Colorado River. I was glad to see there were several families with children of all ages and the trip leaders were great.

The first day of the rafting trip we convened at Western River Expeditions in the heart of Moab with our overnight bags excited about the upcoming adventure through the Canyon.  They shuttled us an hour north at the put-in where they assigned us our gear including: lifevests, paddle, and two dry bags for our belongings.  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 when the command “Fire!” was bellowed in an attempt to drench the other raft until they retreat.  A good time was had by all as we travelled down this lazy river in Westwater Canyon.  Shortly we stopped for lunch on a small red sandy shoreline.  The kids took turns skipping the smooth river polished stones while the guides set out our lunch on an overturned raft.  I kept myself entertained snapping photos of wildflowers and the scenic red cliffs against the deep blue sky.  I sighed with delight as I thought “We could not have had better weather on this trip.”  As we all stood around munching on our sandwhiches and trail mix, a hummingbird paid us a by perching himself on a petite teen girl wearing a bright yellow top.  He must have thought she was a flower!  He sat there for several moments and the teen remained perfectly still so as not to upset the little bird.  She smiled shyly as we all gathered around in awe taking photos of this precious moment nature has just handed us.  Shortly thereafter we packed up our gear and were back in the rafts heading for our campsite a couple of hours out. 

The second half of the day proved to be a little more exciting as we ventured through two small stints of Class II rapids.  As the day went on the group grew more comfortable with the river and took to enjoying the water by jumping from the rafts for a refreshing swim.  The afternoon went fast and soon we arrived at the red sandy campsite along the riverbank.  The leaders wasted no time prepping for dinner as we explored the red riverside desert looking for the perfect spot to set up our cots for a night of sleep under the stars.  We chatted and explored the surroundings while others families engaged in a crafty game of ring toss.  We all quickly gathered around upon hearing a loud ringing of a frying pan beaten with a wooden spoon as one leader exhuberently shouted “Dinner is served!”  There was a modest but tasty buffet laid out on table cloth that graced two over turned rafts.  Grilled chicken and burgers were the choice of the main course with beans, fresh veggies and salad to round out the meal.  This was a welcomed warm meal after a day full of vigorous activity.  We all pitched in to help with clean up being careful to leave minimal impact on the desert land and river while washing dishes.  The leaders were quited skilled in keeping the group active and busy.  While the adults were taking care of the chores, the leaders had enticed the youngsters into the sport of toe fishing.  This activity served two purposes….one to keep the children occupied and two to get rid of the leftovers from dinner. Sqeals and giggles of delight could be heard from the shoreline as the catfish nibble the bits of leftover chicken from the childrens toes.  Out of curiosity, I decided to try this odd sport.  To my surprise, no tickles or nibbles for me….my catfish came in open mouth and chomped on the chicken scrap and my big toe simultaneously!  “Ouch” I cried…..there was blood on my toe…..”well that wasn’t supposed to happen…” the leader said to me with a huge grin.   “I guess toe-fishin isn’t my sport….” I thought to myself as I shrugged off the pain.  As the night settle in we all bonded and laughed around the cozy campfire as we listened to campfire stories and songs.  It was a beautiful night as the sky was clear with what seemed like thousands of stars twinkling on and off as if to put on a light show.

The next morning we wasted no time rolling up our sleeping bags and packing up our cots as we needed to get back on the river to be at our take-out be noon.  The day was overcast, althought the red cliffs of the canyon was still enchanting along Westwater Canyon.  We had to put our skills to use today paddling the rafts together as a team for the rapids were slightly rougher and encountered more often.  We arrived at the take-out with time to spare.   The guides set up a small lunch with snacks on an over turned raft as we sorted our gear and piled our paddles and life-vests for their return.  The leaders creatively kept the kids entertained by setting up an overturned raft near the shoreline, continuously dousing it with a bucket of water to replicate an inflatable waterslide.  They had fun as the adults took care of equipment and clean-up.  We thanked our leaders and said our goodbyes as we boarded the bus for our ride back to Moab.    On the trip home we were tired but the bus was filled with a buzz of light chatter as we shared our experiences with our new found friends. 

Click here for more photos on Rafting the Colorado River on flickr.