Fall Foliage In Florida?
*If using a cell phone, hold phone horizontally for better view of photos
That is a question from a good trivia game, and we decided to explore it.
When we relocated to Florida after a five years stint in New York City, we knew that we were going to miss fall foliage. For years we used every opportunity to travel north during the fall season. Whether it was to the Carolinas, upstate New York, Vermont, or the Berkshires, one can never get enough of the colors associated with the changing of the seasons.
Most online searches pointed at the Florida Panhandle for Florida fall foliage and the most colorful photos were of Torreya State Park. The park is eight hours drive from Miami and we decided it was time for another road trip. We stopped in Orlando at one of our favorite outdoors recreation stores, REI Coop, to buy Smadar a new pair of hiking shoes. We continued with the Turnpike to Gainesville and left the freeway at exit 399 to connect with US441 /State Road 27 N. There is no better way to experience Florida heartland on a road trip than driving its country roads. Pay attention as you pass through High Springs for the Talented Cookie Bakery and Café or The Great Outdoors Restaurant in case you forgot to pack your picnic basket.
Torreya State Park is named after the Torreya Taxifolia Tree (also known as Florida Nutmeg or Stinking Cedar) native to the area. It resides on the east bank of the Apalachicola River and occupies over 13,700 acres. Its bluffs rise to over 200 feet over the river and it is home to a wide variety of hardwood trees such as Florida Maple and Florida Tupelo as well as many flowers and plants. Deer, black bears, bobcats, copperhead snakes and over 100 bird species are can be seen during different seasons.
There are two main hiking trails in the park. Both are 7.2-mile-long, shaped as loops and are linked via a connecting trail. The River Bluff Loop runs along the river and has many connecting paths in case hikers wishe a shorter hike than the entire 7.2 miles. The Torreya Challenge has no connecting trails and hikers must complete the entire loop.
We chose to hike the River Bluff Loop (see picture 14). In our efforts to become more botanically informed we downloaded an application called PictureThis. The application uses pictures of plants or trees the user takes with the phone, it identifies the plant and warns the user of any potential illness the plant or tree may be suffering from. (see picture 13). The hike started in a moderate difficulty level. The trail was surrounded by a most colorful blanket of flowers. We slowed down numerous times to try our new application and on a few occasions were urged to consult a botanist as the plants were showing signs of illness. The trail became progressively more difficult as it climbed to high bluffs overlooking the river. Some of the inclines were slippery as it rained the previous night. In several spots the trail was blocked by thick tree trunks and we had to climb over or crawl under to pass. We stopped occasionally to listen to the wind blowing through the trees, hear the birds singing and meditated to the music of nature. Since the park is remote from major freeways, no modern life noises interfered. (see pictures 2-8)
We exited the trail through a connecting path at Gregory House on the north part of the park. The beautiful southern mansion was originally built across the river in 1849 by Jeffery Gregory, a plantation owner. The plantation and the house fell into despair following the civil war. In the 1930’s after the creation of the state park, Neal Lumber Company donated the house to the park. It was dismantled and transferred across the river and restored on the top of the bluff overlooking the river. During Covid, organized visits are conducted on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. It is recommended to check with the park ahead of time.
Another interesting site is the Battery at Hammock’s Landing. During the Civil War, in efforts to protect the Apalachicola River, a major supply route from the Gulf of Mexico and the plantation belt to Georgia, the confederate army set up heavy artillery battery on high spots along the river. The remains of the battery are 3-5-minute walk along the connecting trail from Gregory House. While the canons are not there, detailed schematics and explanations about the battery are posted. From Gregory House we walked back to the trail parking lot along the park road for a mile. We hiked altogether about five miles in three and a half very pleasant hours. (see pictures 9-10)
So, did we find fall foliage in the Panhandle? We did some, not nearly as colorful as we experienced last year in the Hudson Valley and in Vermont. We did visit with the park ranger’s office to find out why fall foliage is not as colorful as we saw in the pictures on various web sites. The explanation was that Hurricane Michael, that impacted the area in October 2018 destroyed many of the Tupelo and Florida Maple trees known for their colorful leaves during fall season. Last year fall foliage began later and ended earlier than normal, and this year may be the same. They suggested coming back in early to mid-November.
Worth noting is Weeping Ridge Family Campgrounds in the park. It has 30 sites including two yurts and two cabins. The yurts and cabins are accessible and are equipped with heating and air conditioning as well as outdoors picnic and BBQs deck (see pictures 11-12). The RV sites have water and electric hookups. The central bathrooms and showers were very clean. The yurts and cabins were booked during our visit. We ended up staying at the Homewood Suites By Hilton in Tallahassee, only one hour away.
The park is certainly a year-round attraction and we are already planning our trip back.
Join us as we discover Florida one backyard at a time.
Suggested Links
Weeping Ridge Family Campground