nature

I purchased a new camera and decide to do some hikes to try to learn it and hopefully improve my photography skills.

The Bluffton Interpretive Trail is a 1.2-mile loop located in the Lake George State Forest near Astor, Florida. It’s an easy trail, and is perfect for birding, camping, and fishing. The trail is open year-round and offers a peaceful experience with minimal crowds. However, dogs aren’t allowed on this trail. The trail features interpretive markers that provide insights into the area’s natural and historical significance. There’s also a boardwalk leading to a fishing pier.

De Leon Springs State Park, located in De Leon Springs, FL, is a destination with over 6,000 years of cultural and natural history. The park features a recreational swimming area with crystal-clear 72-degree spring water, trails through lush subtropical forests, and a fascinating history tied to the Mayaca Indians and early settlers. Unfortunately do to recent hurricanes the main trails were only partially open but still enjoyable. The park also offers a unique experience at the Old Sugar Mill Pancake House, where you can make your own pancakes at the table.

Doris Leeper Spruce Creek Preserve is a natural area located in Port Orange, Florida. It spans over 1,600 acres and offers a variety of outdoor activities, including hiking, kayaking, birdwatching, and fishing. The preserve is named after Doris Leeper, an artist and environmentalist who played a significant role in its conservation. One of the highlights of the park is the 536-foot-long boardwalk that leads to an observation tower, providing breathtaking views of the surrounding wetlands and Spruce Creek. There are also several trails, such as the Creekside Trail and the Spruce Creek Trail, which showcase the area’s diverse ecosystems.

Welaka State Forest, located in northeastern Florida along the east bank of the St. Johns River, is a beautiful natural area offering a variety of outdoor activities. It spans over 2,287 acres and features diverse ecosystems, including river swamps, pine flatwoods, and sandhills. Visitors can enjoy hiking, birdwatching, fishing, and even horseback riding, as the forest includes an equestrian campground with facilities. One of the highlights is Mud Spring, which flows clear spring water into a half-mile spring run that connects to the St. Johns River. The forest also has over four miles of river frontage, providing scenic views and opportunities for wildlife observation.

Looking forward to our next adventures in Richmond VA. and a tour of southern Japan.

2024 Cross Country Trip #11

Palo Duro Canyon State Park – The second largest canyon in the country lies in the heart of the Texas Panhandle. Palo Duro is a canyon system of the Caprock Escarpment. As one of the largest canyons in the United States, it is roughly 25–40 mi long and has an average width of 6 mi, but reaches a width of 20 mi at places. It was formed by millions of years of water erosion by the Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River and the West Texas wind. With a descent of some 800 feet to the canyon floor and more than 16 miles of paved road, Palo Duro Canyon State Park offers fantastic scenic views, historic sites and markers, miles and miles of hiking and biking trails.

Cloudland Canyon State Park – Located on the western edge of Lookout Mountain, this is one of the most scenic parks in Georgia, offering rugged geology and beautiful vistas. The park straddles a deep gorge cut into the mountain by Sitton Gulch Creek, and elevation differs from 800 to 1,980 feet. The most spectacular view into the canyon is found along the West Rim Loop Trail a 5-mile hike which we took.

High Falls Waterfall – Just north of Cashiers, on the northern banks of Lake Glenville, the West Fork of the Tuckasegee River pours over a 100+ foot cliff, tumbling in a dramatic multi-tiered waterfall and plunging into a boulder-filled pool below. It’s one of North Carolina’s most beautiful falls.

We are now back in Florida and hope you enjoyed traveling with us. We visited 26 states and traversed over 11,000 miles visiting many new sights that we had missed on our 40 earlier trips across country. We still enjoy traveling the red and blue roads rather than Interstate highways. Stealing words from another traveler – keep on traveling – until next time be well.

October 6, 2024 12

2024 Cross Country Trip #10

City of Rocks gets its name from the volcanic rock formations found here. The park encompasses a one-square-mile area in the scenic Chihuahuan desert region of southwestern New Mexico at 5,200 feet. The “city” is a geologic formation of large, sculptured rock columns, or pinnacles, rising as high as 40 feet and separated by paths or lanes resembling city streets. These rocks were formed about 34.9 million years ago when a very large volcano erupted. Then, erosion over millions of years slowly formed the sculptured columns seen today, creating an otherworldly landscape. The rock formations at the park are so unique that they are only known to exist in six other places in the world.

Gila Cliff Dwelling National Monument – For thousands of years, nomads used the caves above Cliff Dweller Creek as temporary shelter. In the late 1200s, people of the agricultural Mogollon (Southern Ancestral Pueblo) culture made it a home. They built rooms, crafted pottery, and raised children in the cliff dwellings for one or two generations. By approximately 1300, the Mogollon had moved on, leaving the walls behind. Five naturally eroded alcoves contain the homes of the Tularosa Mogollon. About 42 rooms were constructed from local stone. All wooden beams seen in the dwellings are the originals. Tree-ring dates range from the 1260’s through the 1280’s.