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52 Hike Challenge: Hike #5 - Manatee Springs State Park

3/24/2016

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Hike #5 of our 52 Hike Challenge is in the bag after we spent the day at Manatee Springs State Park. I know, it's almost April and we're only on Hike #5 - we need to get moving! 
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Ellison was determined to see manatees this Spring Break and I know there are some great spots in the central Florida area. We were initially planning on going kayaking but, honestly, I didn't feel like driving for more than an hour (ruling out Blue Springs near Deland, where we were likely to see the most) and I'm tired (kayaking would have meant a day of paddling and I just wasn't up for it this week). Plus, she has seen them many times before. That being said, the girl wanted manatees, so manatees are what she got. Because I'm pretty much a sucker for a kid who asks to spend the day outside.
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The park and campgrounds are expansive with the focus obviously being on the springs and related aquatic activities. You can swim, dive or rent a canoe, kayak or paddle board from an outfitter right in the park. On a clear day the water is the most intense shade of bluish green - a color unique to freshwater springs simply because of the way the water flows up from underground. We have a painting in our dining room that looks almost exactly like the photo below and it makes me smile every time I see it because of the vibrancy of the colors.
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Since Ellison was chasing a manatee sighting, we decided to first walk down the boardwalk and see if we could spot any from the docks. In the colder months, Manatee Springs is a great place to see tons of manatees as they come in to stay in the warmer water of the springs - a constant 72 degrees - and the picture below (not taken by me!) is an example of what it looks like in the winter. But it's the end of March and the weather has warmed up and most of the manatees have left their larger herds to go back out on their own.

I wasn't sure we would see any and had prepared Ellison for this disappointment, but she was adamant that there would at least be a few. And there were. Six of them swimming right at the entrance to the springs run - four adults and two babies. The kayakers and paddle boarders were lucky enough to watch them from a relatively close vantage point, but we could still see them clearly from our spot on the dock lookout. They are so slow, friendly and curious - making it easy to forget that touching (and interaction of any kind, really) is prohibited. We watched them for about ten minutes until they swam off away from the springs and up the Suwanee River. Ellison was super excited, the brush with manatees making the day a success regardless of whether or not we did any hiking.

​Just FYI, if you are looking for places to view manatees throughout Florida other than Manatee Springs, this article is really helpful.
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The boardwalk takes you through cypress swamps, with the knees popping up from the water like miniture headstones in a murky forest graveyard, and offers an opportunity to see a variety of wildlife. We saw turtles, a bard owl, numerous water snakes and countless types of water birds. It can be crowded so it's best to go either in the early morning or late afternoon - not only will there be fewer people, but your chances of seeing animals is better, as well. And if you're anything like us, wildlife sightings are a big part of the fun. 

In addition to the boardwalk, there are some longer trails at Manatee Springs and we covered about half of them on this hike - total mileage combined is around 8.5 miles and we did about 4.5 this visit. The paths are wide and well maintained, making for a very easy walk. And except for a pair of four wheelers, we didn't see a single person the entire time we were on the trails. The springs were relatively crowded, but apparently not one of them wanted to explore the park on foot. It really is their loss because this area is so beautiful. 
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While we have been here before, Manatee Springs is not somewhere we visit often though I'm not really sure why. Ellison and I had a great time! It is less than an hour west of our house and is a great park with a lot to do for the whole family. It will definitely be added to our regular rotation. 
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See you back here soon!
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Family Fun for Spring Break

3/16/2016

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If your life revolves in any way around an academic calendar, then you know it's Spring Break season. While the beach is always a classic Spring Break option, you might want to try something different. So Ellison and I decided to put together a list of fun family activities that incorporate the natural side of Florida. That being said, the picture below is of Ellison at the beach with her cousins many Spring Breaks ago. Adorable. So, the suggestions below are very general ideas - just click on the link to get more regionally specific details. We're going to be hitting up the springs - probably Blue Springs - next week to do some canoeing (and hopefully have a manatee sighting or two). 
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Here are ways to explore the more natural side of Florida this Spring Break:
  • U-Pick Farms
There are a number of u-pick farms offering all sorts of fruit throughout the state. Kids love to pick fruit, y'all. They just do. 
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  • ​ Florida's various freshwater springs
Florida has more freshwater springs than any other state. And we also have manatees. Enough said.
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*image courtesy of nationalgeographic.com
  • ​ Florida National Scenic Trail
Obviously you're not walking the whole thing. Or maybe you are. That would be impressive. Especially if you brought your kids. 
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  • Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail
Divided into 5 different birding regions, Florida has a huge variety of bird and wildlife. Spring is a great time to catch the migratory birds before they fly north for the summer. 
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* Image courtesy of bioexpedition.com
  • Trailwalker Hiking Program 
This program would be perfect for families to do together as it encourages you to visit Florida state forests by providing you with a trail log, postcards to mail in after each visit (you get mailed back stickers to put on your log) and reward patches upon completion of a certain number of forests visited (It's 10, then 20 and then 30). 
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  •   Trailtrotter Horeseback Riding Program
This is the equestrian version of the Trailwalker progam. The number of trails to visit in order to receive your patches is different, but the concept is the same. A log, stickers and patches. 
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* Image courtesy of deepcreekstables.net
In addition, there are numerous state and national parks, monuments and historic sites throughout the state that are beautiful this time of year. While this list is Florida-specific, there are sure to be similar options in your area. Just check your local Department of Agriculture website for natural activities in your state.  
​See you back here soon!
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52 Hike Challenge: Hike #4 - Big Talbot Island State Park

3/8/2016

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 This past Sunday we went to Big Talbot Island State Park where we completed Hike #4 of our 52 Hike Challenge. We haven't really gotten out much lately and the chance to not only hang out with our friends, Mandy and Charlie, but to visit a park that had been on our list for quite a while seemed like a great reason to head to the beach. 
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About 15-20 miles from downtown Jacksonville, Big Talbot Island is part of a group of seven different sites that make up Talbot Island State Parks (see list at the end of this post). I have been to Amelia Island a number of times and once to Little Talbot, but never to this particular park. Mandy had suggested it a few months earlier and has been here with her Master Naturalist class (because she's all outdoorsy like that) so she had all the details.

The two trails that lead you to the water are the Black Rock and the Shoreline. The Shoreline trail starts at the north parking lot picnic area and takes you to a beach covered in uprooted live oaks that form sun-bleached driftwood forests along the shoreline, thus earning it the nickname 'Boneyard Beach'. The Black Rock trail leads to Black Rock beach (obviously) where the eroded dunes create bluffs that make the coastline appear rocky and there are sections of black mud that sit almost lava-like over the sand, wallowing out tide pools that are sure to be full of sealife during the warmer months. (Ellison and I couldn't believe how much it looked like Hawaii. No, for real, it was so surprising for a Florida beach.) We all had fun scoping out these pools to see if there were any minnows or crabs, but they were empty, minus a few limpets and barnacles. This area is truly unique and Ellison and I loved every bit of it. Ellison said her favorite part was being able to climb on the driftwood trees and look out into the ocean (although she later revealed that her most favorite part was being able to pet Mandy and Charlie's cat, Chloe). 

If you want to get away from the beach, then you can take the Big Pine (less than a mile) or Jones Cut (about 1.5 miles) trails , both of which lead you through maritime hammocks and salt marshes. The Jones Cut trail is notoriously hard to find so be prepared to search around a bit for the trailhead. There is also the shady, paved Timucuan trail (around 4.5 miles) that connects Little and Big Talbot Islands. At the north end, it also links to the George Crady bridge, allowing for access to Amelia Island. Ellison and I really want to go back and walk or bike across the bridge and take the Amelia Island Trail. The trail is currently being extended with help from the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and there are all sorts of awesome additions in the works. You can check out a map of the future plans for the Timucuan Trail multi-use pathway here and read more about the Timucuan Trails Park Foundation here. (There are so many great parks!) 

Gratuitous beach pictures below mainly because the sky was the clearest blue and so beautiful and because Ellison and I couldn't agree on which ones to include so we included all the ones we liked. And because we wanted you to see just how black the sand really was and how we weren't even lying when we said it looks so much like Hawaii. 
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Talbot Islands State Parks includes the following 7 parks:
  1. Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve State Park
  2. Amelia Island State Park
  3. Big Talbot Island State Park
  4. Little Talbot Island State Park
  5. Fort George Island Cultural State Park
  6. Yellow Bluff Fort Historical State Park
  7. George Crady Bridge Fishing Pier State Park

I feel like I'm late to the Talbot Islands party. Has everyone been hanging out there forever without me? This whole area is so pretty that I think Ellison and I are going back for more hiking over Spring Break (less than two weeks to go!) and then possibly on down to St. Augustine for a few days. And then I think we'll be going back again and again. And probably even again. 
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See you back here soon!
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    Welcome! 

    My family and I love to get outside and explore every chance we get. My daughter and I started this blog as a way to chronicle not only the places we have visited, but also as a way to preserve our time together. We hope you enjoy it and will make a little time for a hike with friends! 
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