Black-Necked Stake

Being the atypical gal that I am, all I wanted for Valentine’s Day was to visit Myakka State Park.  For years I had heard of this uniquely beautiful park and the river that gives it its name.  At last I got my wish and wasn’t disappointed.  In fact I was surprised at the seemingly pre-historic beauty of the park and the abundance of wildlife found there.

Located off Highway 72 east of Sarasota, the Myakka River winds through 58 square miles of prairie, wetlands, pineland and hammock.  The diversity of habitat attracts a broad variety of wildlife.  During our visit I had opportunity to photograph birds, wild boar, alligators and even an armadillo (to my husband’s chagrin).

Chillin' in the Florida Sun

One of my goals during our visit was to find out what activities we could plan during a longer stay.  I learned that the park offers canoeing, kayaking, bicycling, camping, over 39 miles of hiking & horse trails, log cabin rentals, airboat rides, birding, an elevated canopy walkway and observation tower and some really awesome homemade gumbo served at the concession.  Being a bit of a foodie I would visit just for the gumbo.

With 39 miles of trails configured in loops the options for a weekend backpacking trip to any of the six backcountry sites are many. This is my plan for our next visit. During this visit we were warned that recent rains have made the hiking trails extremely wet.  Having hiked the swamped trails in Wekiva State Park recently, I respect the warning and plan to time my return to avoid a swampy trek.   It’s either that or I bring waders!  Before planning to hike here call to check trail conditions.

Look for future posts featuring this dramatic Southwest Florida State Park.

Heron

Kayaking one of Florida's spring fed rivers.

Fall is knocking on our door at last. In Florida fall arrives later than for most of the country, but I think we appreciate it more. After a summer of hot humid days spent cooped up inside an air-conditioned house, the first cold front to arrive is a relief.

You see, we don’t do spring cleaning, we do fall cleaning. This is the first time in months we get to throw open the windows and air out the house, inspiring a major cleaning spree in my house. It’s also time to sweep the cobwebs from the soffits, clean off the patio and get ready to resume outdoor living.

This is when I start to plan family campouts and backpacking trips. By November the weather will be ideal for Florida adventures. The Florida Trail stretches for more than fifteen hundred miles passing through temperate and subtropical ecosystems. Florida also has a multitude of fresh water springs providing swimming, canoeing and kayaking opportunities. Campgrounds such as Juniper Springs also offer shady campsites and easy access to trails.

Of course I’ll miss the sleepy days of summer. The quiet waterways and beaches were a real pleasure. So were the summer deals many hotels and restaurants offered. But those days will be back, and for now it’s time to get outside and enjoy the first breaths of cool air in months.

My son and I spent four days packed with activities in Rabun County last week. Our base was the Tallulah Gorge Campground. Located on the north rim of the Tallulah Gorge, this campground offered wooded campsites, hot showers and a reasonable price. An added bonus – it is dog friendly. The campground also provides access to the gorge rim trails.

On the first day in camp my son headed down the 620 steps to the gorge floor and back up – in flip flops. It’s a good thing the Lord looks after the innocent. His reaction was a testament to the beauty of this place. Over and over he commented on the scenery and sounds of the river plunging through the gorge carved in granite.

The next day we rafted Section IV of the Chattooga River. For this we headed to Southeastern Expeditions on Highway 76 near Clayton. I have rafted and kayaked with them five times and never have been disappointed. Our guide reminded us to keep our “nose and toes out of the water” if thrown from the raft. “This is known as the whitewater swim position,” she explained, “there is a risk of foot entrapment in the rocks however; there has never been a case of butt entrapment.”

Rafters Near Raven Rock

Exhausted but ready for more, my son signed up for a kayak clinic the next day. He and his guide ran Section III of the river while my son learned some kayaking basics. Meanwhile I headed out to one of the many hiking trails in the area. I chose the Raven Rock trail which leads down to the river near the cliff which bears the same name. Knowing this is the same place where the movie Deliverance was filmed, I felt a bit apprehensive driving miles down a dirt road to the trail head. “Keep driving – you are not hearing banjos,” I told myself.

The Chattooga at Raven Rock

This area is home to the Bartram Trail, Chattooga River Trail and is near the start point for the Appalachian Trail. Besides these well know long trails there are numerous shorter options for day hikes and loops. Just over the SC state line, the Andrew Pickens Ranger District has just published one of the best maps of the area covering both the GA and SC sides of the Chattooga River.

After all of our hiking and kayaking we were ready for a big dinner. The Dillard House Restaurant is famous in this area for its all-you-can-eat family style meals. My teenage son’s eyes popped when he watched the waiter fill our table with a wide variety of meats, sides and breads. In the end it looked like we hadn’t touched the food yet we were stuffed.

Wanting to master his kayak roll, my son headed back to the river for another day. I went about exploring Main St. in Clayton. My first stop was Prater’s Bookstore. Greeted by a cat and a thoughtfully stocked store I was in heaven. Then I noticed that they serve coffee too. Angels were singing…

Having busted my budget buying a stack of books in Prater’s, I set out to find a new restaurant called Zeppelins Pasta House. The first thing I noticed was the funky color scheme and the album covered walls. Classic rock played – but not too loud. The menu is all homemade and organic featuring flat bread pizzas, pasta and grilled items. I had a great lunch. Full and impressed by this new addition to Clayton’s cuisine I vowed to return. The owners, Mark and Cappy Taylor, have done a great job from concept to performance with Zeppelins.

Occasionally an area has so much to offer I find myself planning the next trip even before I get home. This is one of those places. Years ago I backpacked my way down the river for four days and I plan to do it again. I also suspect that my son’s new love of kayaking will bring us back regularly.

We planned to hike from the Glacier Gorge Trail-head. The trail was initially crowded with families until we reached Alberta Falls 0.6 miles up the trail.

Alberta Falls

Past the falls the crowd thinned and I felt privileged to overhear a teenage boy tell his friend that this trail made him “want to paint a picture with words.” I felt inspired as well. This trail really is about both the journey and the destination. Just when I thought the view was as stunning as it could be – there was another around the corner that stopped me in my tracks.

The trail continued upward and entered a rocky basin bordered by shear rock faces. I was intrigued by how beautiful such harsh terrain could be. Throughout RMNP the contrast between harsh rock, vegetation and water combine to form beautiful landscapes rarely found elsewhere.

A Trail of Contrasts

As we approached Mills Lake the trail was under snow and then crossed a massive rock slab marked with cairns. Similar rock formations plunged into the clear water of lake providing a perfect lunch shot. Areas of snow along the shore added to the beauty. From here we had views of Longs Peak, Pagoda Mountain, and Chiefs Head Peak. Continuing up the trail to Jewel Lake which is bordered by softer terrain and grasses we noticed that the weather was returning. Time to head down.

Though this is an out and back hike, the return offered a new perspective just as enjoyable as the hike out. The rest of our group missed one of the nicest hikes of the week.

From the trail head to Jewel Lake is a 2.9 mile hike. This hike – at over 9900’- had me catching my breath in a few places. Especially on a set of steps just before the lake that I have dubbed the “Stair Master.” Over all this is an easy to moderate hike. The parking lot at the trail head fills up early – plan on parking at the park and ride. Pack a warm coat and a rain shell for any hiking in this area. The mountain weather changes fast.

To see a trail profile for this hike visit: The Spirit of th Rockies

Many thanks to @RMNP4MS for recommending this trail. Check out his forum RMNPFORUMS.com or follow him on Twitter for updates on Rocky Mountain National Park.

Rock Cairn

Mills Lake - Clouds are Rolling In

When it came time to raise my own children I promptly dragged them outdoors to hike, camp and backpack. It was important to me that they grow up as I did. However, hiking with kids takes some planning.

This article has some great suggestions on how to have a fun adventure with kids in tow. Enjoy!

The Great Outdoors 2009: Hiking with Young Children, By Katie D.

Kids that hike become grown-ups that hike ~ Rocky Mountain National Park

I wonder if the people who live here get so used to this?? I can’t imagine it could be possible.

We tried to capture the landscapes with our little “point and shoot” camera but it never really did them justice. I finally looked up a local photographer in his studio just off of the main drag in Estes Park. At last I could find the awesome landscapes of RMNP captured on film. I dug through his collection of prints until I came upon a shot of one of my very favorite lakes in the park, Dream Lake. Here on film he captured the scene that had made my heart race when it came into view during my first hike here three years ago.

The harsh granite plunges down toward the tree line and the lake while clouds try to creep over the ridge. All of this reflected in the calm cold water. I purchased the print and had it shipped home for a very reasonable price. When it showed up on my front door a few days later, I was drowning in Florida heat and a little melancholy. The “Dream Lake” photo brought our trip rushing back to me and will now be a constant remainder of RMNP on my wall.

The photographer, Erik Stensland, has both the eye and the talent to capture all this on film. Check out his images at www.imagesofRMNP.com

This photo, which I took, pales when compared to Erik Stensland's work.

View of Shady Gators from our room.

For those of you not familiar with this lake, it was formed when the Osage River was dammed in 1931. This formed a lake that winds for more than 90 miles and has numerous coves. It is sometimes referred to as the “Dragon Lake” for its unusual appearance from the air. The surrounding area offers several State Parks with hiking, camping and backpacking opportunities. There are even several caves to explore, another favorite hobby of mine.

If a little party action is more your speed, check out Shady Gators or the Horney Toad. Both offer live music, a lake view and very lively crowds! Sadly our flight schedule did not allow us to take in any of the festivities – this trip…

Instead we hit the lake in a boat and headed to the Four Seasons for breakfast. Cool ride. This lake is packed with every kind of water craft you can imagine. In fact we are told that on weekends this lake belongs to the “big boys.” Because of the steep shoreline, wakes reverberate creating a rough ride for a small boat by lunchtime.

We also noticed some VERY nice real estate along the shoreline. One cliff-top home sports two man-made waterfalls spilling over into the lake. Awesome!

It looks like this will be a regular trip for us from now on. Look for pictures, trip reports and more in the future. If your travels take you near The Lake of the Ozarks, take the time to visit. It will be worth your time.

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National Trails Day - June 6th, 2009