Tosohatchee State Preserve

Typically Florida's dry season with gorgeous weather is December, January, and February.  But this year, it has been a very wet season!  Today is March 1, and the weather today was like it usually is in the prior 3 months. 

Clif and I decided to take advantage of the glorious day and ventured out to Tosohatchee State WMA in east Orange County for a hike.  We didn't have in mind any particulars other than just enjoy a day outdoors.



We started our hike from parking area 29 which is the northern most parking area.  We thought we'd complete a loop by combining a variety of trails.





It wasn't long before we were on the Florida Trail.  We took a small detour and headed north because the creek was in view from the trail that we were going to be taking south.





It is going through areas like this that you are grateful for a well marked trail.  This is the view directly in front of me...



....and this is the view to my side.



No sooner had I taken my pictures, and Clif calls out for me to turn around. 



His side view area was a denser than where I was standing.



After assessing our map, we began calculating.  We had already hiked 2.5 miles in just over an hour.  We were only half way along the Florida Trail before it intersected with Powerline Road to head back creating the loop.  But in the woods directly to the right of this picture we could see we were paralleling the road.  We decided to ditch the marked trail, cut across the grassy area and start our loop back.  I am glad we did because as you can see 2 1/2 miles in a straight line looks endless!!!  Can you imagine  how long this road would look if we continued another 2 miles through the woods before it officially came onto this road?



After hiking on the road about a mile, we decided to take another trail heading north so we'd be back in the shade.  It would eventually tie into another trail we could take west and catch the road that would then take us back to parking area 29.



I was relieved to be back in the canopy.  It was about 10 degrees cooler in there.



From all the rain we had been getting, the resurrection fern was fully resurrected!

 

Clif found some interesting shots to take.







Once back to the truck, we drove down Powerline Road to the St. John's River.  Along the way, I spied this gator in the canal.



Some views of the St. John's River.







Next stop, Peek a Boo Pond.



Last stop Lake Charlie.



Lake Charlie was created when the 528 was constructed.  Dirt was needed to build the road and this is where they got it from.  The depression left in the ground soon filled with rainwater and became a lake.  The Wildlife Management team stocks the lake with fresh water fish.

We had an enjoyable day.  It was quite exhausting!