Madison Blue Spring State Park by B A Bowen Photography

Many times I have passed Madison Blue Springs on my way to my north Florida property but never took the time to visit. This past weekend, I finally had time to explore inside this spring based park as we were launching our canoes for a day’s paddle along the Withlacoochee River North. There are many springs named ‘Blue Spring’ in Florida and rightly so as the topaz blue waters sparkle like a gemstone in the bright Florida sunlight. Madison Blue Spring has certainly earned its name as its pool of blue waters sit in a pristine setting surrounded by the temperate hardwood forest commonly found in northern Florida. Take in the view from all angles as you follow the path around the rim of the spring. Follow the stairs down to the observation deck to gain a more intimate experience of the spring. The best view is along the southern rim looking down the corridor of cypress and hardwoods that line the spring run as it empties into the Withlacoochee River North

Located approximately 10 miles east of Madison off SR 6 in northern Florida, Madison Blue spring is one of the tributaries for the Withlacoochee River North. This first magnitude spring is one of Florida’s newest State parks. Its clean cool waters make it a popular swimming hole in the summertime. The park also has picnic pavilions, grills, volleyball court, restroom facilities, and fishing areas. The park holds another smaller spring emerging from a funnel of limestone that is popular with experienced divers. This smaller spring is connected to the main spring by a series of caverns that is confined but navigable.
Madison Blue Spring is certainly a worthy visit when in Northern Florida.

Address:
8300 N.E. State Road 6
Lee, Florida 32059
(850) 971-5003

A typical pine forest surrounded by waterways, Inglis Island offers many opportunities for birding and viewing wildlife.  Inglis Island is sandwiched between Lake Rousseu at Inglis Dam and the Cross Florida Barge Canal at Inglis Lock just off SR 40.  Once a prosperous waterway this area now belongs to the Marjorie Harris Cross Florida Greenway and designated for mainly for preservation and recreation.

Park at Inglis Dam and enjoy the park that sits on the beautiful shoreline of Lake Rouseau. An American kestrel keeps watch perched high up on a power line while a pair of eastern bluebirds perch themselves near the boat ramp. The coots fill the shoreline and awkwardly run on top of the water to escape from an intruder as you approach them. Morehen, brown pelican and pied billed grebe float comfortable amongst the coots fishing for their next meal. A Belted Kingfisher roosts atop the Dam rail ready to fly in a moments notice. Cross over Inglis Dam to Inglis Island to hike, backpack, camp the Great Florida Birding Trail.

This 4 mile trek takes you through pine flat woods over to Inglis Lock and along the canal. Watch for wild turkey trotting along the trail atop the berm. Listen for hawks and woodpeckers as you pass through the pine uplands. From the Pine Forest trek up a man-made berm made of misplaced soil from the creation of the barge Canal.  Take time to relax on a birding bench along the canal and watch for gulls, terns, morehen, coots, pied billed grebe, and Osprey activity in the canal. From here the trail leads you back past a modest Cypress Dome into a hardwood hammock full of mighty oaks and cabbage palms. The return loop then leads you along Lake Rousseau.  Here the boyscout camps are often full of troops spending the weekend out in the wilderness.  Look for Blue Jays and Cardinals as you finish the trek back to Inglis Dam to complete the loop.

Inglis Island by B A Bowen Photography

History: Back in the late 1800′s John Dunn of Dunnellon Phosphate built Inglis Dam and Inglis Lock to transport millions of dollars worth of phosphate mined in the area that is now known as the City of Dunnellon. The Dam built on the Withlacoochee River created Lake Rousseau which is now a haven for freshwater fishing, boating, paddling, hiking, camping, backpacking, and birding.  This area is managed by the Office of Greenways and Trail in Ocala Florida.

Mossy Oak Primitive Camp

If you are yearning for a get-away to experience Florida’s wilds, hiking/backpacking the 12 mile Bee-Hive Loop in Myakka River State Park will offer adventure and scener that is more than satisfying. Trek through tropical Oak-Palm Hammock dripping with Spanish mosses, resurrection fern, and a multitude of epiphytes. Airplants that were commonly spotted were Gold Foot Fern, Shoe string fern, Wild Pine, Butterfly Orchid, and Giant Airplants. Giant Airplants are a rare spot outside of the Everglades and seem to thrive happily in these mature live oaks. The trail then takes you out into a globally-impaired habit, the Florida Dry prairie comprised primarily of saw palmetto, with intermittent splashes of color added by Florida Wildflowers. Silver aster, sabatia, giant yellow bachelors button, candy weed, are complimented by the chocolate brown color of the prairie grasses. Listen for the musical sounds of the Meadowlark in distance of this vast endangered habitat. This loop has two primitive campsites for overnight hiking: The Mossy Oak Campsite is 2.5 miles from the Trailhead and the Bee-Island Campsite is 4.5 miles counter clockwise from the Trailhead. Both sites offer protection in the cover an Oak Hammock with fire rings and a utility post on which to hang packs and such. This hike is recommended for the cooler, dryer months as the Oak Hammocks show signs that they are seasonally under water in places. The dry prairie can also be harsh in the hot sun for there are no sources of shade along the trail until you reach the pine forest.
Myakka River State Park has a unique back country scenery like no where else and is worth a visit. Trails are maintained by the Florida Trail Association, Sun Coast Chapter.  Myakka River State Park also offers biking, paddling, airboat rides, fishing, equestrian trails, and wildlife viewing as other recreational opportunities.  Myakka Lake provides a shallow habitat that attracts large wading birds.  It is not uncommon to see large flocks of Roseate Spoonbill and Sandhill Crane foraging in the shallow lake. There is also a Nature Center, gift shop and Cafe  in the Park for those who have families and would like to stay several days. Myakka River State Park has approximately 39 miles of continuous hiking /backpacking trails.  Click here for more information and trail maps.

Click the Bee Island Trail to view more photos on Flickr.

Young Buck

With Deer Hunting season officially underway for the next couple of months, recreational opportunities such as hiking, camping, backpacking, fishing and paddling are greatly diminished in the State Forests and Wild Management Areas. When I have the need for wilderness and solitude, I turn to the Preserves, Reserves, and National Wildlife Refugees for wildlife recreating and photography.

Here is a recommended list of places:

Great Blue Heron head with fish

Arthur R Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge – Recreational Opportunities include: hiking, canoe, fishing, birding, and wildlife photography.The Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge is 221 square miles of saw grass marsh and wet prairies. Best known for birding and a good place to see the endangered predatory bird, the Snail kite.

Red Shouldered Hawk

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary - Recreational Opportunities include: hiking, birding, wildlife and nature photography. This facility is maintained by the Audubon Society and boast the largest colony of nesting wood storks in the state. Walk the 2.5 mile boardwalk that winds through one of the larges virgin Bald Cypress Strands left in South Florida to experience life in the swamp without getting your feet wet. A large variety of epiphytes and orchids can be seen along growing from the Cypress Trees. Migratory birds such as painted bunting, tanagers, red-shouldered hawks, night heron, purple gallinule, red-bellied woodpeckers, and many others that call this strand home during the winter months. Panthers, bobcats, and white-tail deer have also been spotted in the marshlands. $10 entry fee.

Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park- Recreational Opportunities include: Hiking, camping, paddling, birding, wildlife and nature photography. Fakahatchee Strand is a special place containing the largest stand of native Royal Palms and the largest concentration and variety of wild orchids growing in their natural state. This unique habitat is also home to the rare endangered Florida Mink, Florida Black Bear, and Florida Panther. Several hiking routes can be accessed from Janes Scenic Drive to allow you to submerse yourself in the wilds of this habitat. There is a also a wheelchair accessible boardwalk into the strand along US 41. The Big Cypress Bend Boardwalk is a 1/2 mile linear boardwalk that takes you past ancient giant cypress trees, the evil strangler fig, giant leather leaf fern and giant alligator flag.

Roseate Spoonbill

J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge – Recreational Opportunities include: Hiking, paddling, fishing, wildlife drive, birding, wildlife and nature photography. This 5,000 acres refuge on Sanibel Island just west of Ft Myers is home to over 278 resident and seasonal migratory birds with peak birding season usually occurring in February. This is one place that you are almost guaranteed to see a Roseate Spoonbill if not several.  Waterfowl, birds of prey, wading birds, shorebirds, are also  common sights. $6 toll is required to access the Island.

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge- Recreational Opportunities include: hiking, camping, wildlife drive, paddling, fishing, birding, wildlife and nature photography. Located on the east coast near Titusville, the salty and brackish waters are a perfect breeding grounds for small shell fish and snails. This is a perfect habitat to support and abundance of large wading birds. Merritt Island is also home to the peregrine falcon, sea turtles, bobcats and the West Indian Manatees.  The Kennedy Space Center is also located in Titusville and makes an interesting place to visit if you have the time.

Paines Prairie Preserve State Park – Recreational Opportunities include: Hiking, camping, swimming, fishing, paddling, wildlife photography. Paines Prairie just outside of Gainsville, Florida, is the only prairie in the state that hosts a small Buffalo population. Climb the observation tower to view the vast treeless prairie consisting of wet prairie and marshlands during rainy season. Waterfowl, birds of prey and Sandhill Cranes are the most common wintering species in this preserve.

Tidal Flats near Shell Mound by Riverbanksoutdoorstore

I had a great day hiking and exploring the 53,000 acre Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge this past weekend. This refuge was established in 1979 to protect one of the largest undeveloped and most scenic river-delta estuarine systems in the United States. The numerous off-shore islands, salt marshes and tidal creeks create an excellent wildlife habitat.

As I set out to hike the Dennis Creek trail, I am amused at how the Fiddler crabs run abundant as they quickly scatter from my seemingly giant footsteps.  I veer from the main trail to explore the trail created by Fisherman along Dennis Creek.  To my surprise I see several oyster bars and two great white egrets feeding across the creek and a few fishing traps. The marshes explode with color as the lime green of the perennial glasswort and the brown cord grasses contrast with the blue water and sky. I cross one of several boardwalks over a salt flat to an island inundated by pine trees.  This offers a welcome shady relief from the hot sun while day hiking this scenic trail. I notice one tree has a CatFace….a scar cut over 70 years ago to drain the tree of its sap.  I spot a Pileated Woodpecker and pause to watch as he flys from tree to tree in search of insects.  The trail leads me back over the salt marshes of Dennis Creek. Again the view is breathtaking today with the white fluffy clouds hovering over the treeline in the distance.  This side of the trail is lined with hardwoods.  The Red Cedars really stand out from the oaks as they are filled with baby-blue berries.   This trail leads me back to my truck.  A short hike but breathtaking scenery in these untouched lands!  One can only hope these lands are spared from the tragic Gulf oil spill that is haunting the Gulf Coasts……

This refuge was established in 1979 to protect one of the largest undeveloped and most scenic river-delta estuarine systems in the United States. The numerous off-shore islands, salt marshes and tidal creeks create an excellent wildlife habitat.  The refuge is part of the Great Florida Birding Trail and also the FWC Big Bend Saltwater Paddling Trail.  The FWC Paddling trail has maps and GPS coordinates for designated campsites.   For day paddling, there are several Canoe put ins through out the Refuge to allow for paddling shallow salt marshes and along the designated Canoe Trails.

Click here to view more photos of the Lower Suwannee NWR on Flickr.

Guide Books: Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State, Author Sandra Friend