Highlands Hammock State Park



We are on the move again this time to Highlands Hammock State Park which is 4 miles west of Sebring FL. We arrived early yesterday and thankfully our site was vacant so we just pulled in. Highlands Hammock is one of the oldest state parks in Florida. Slated to become a national park in 1930 but was considered to be too small, a private group purchased the land to create the park.

Entrance to park with it's bike friendly roads

The view from the back window while I'm drinking my coffee in the morning. Our campsite is across from the bathrooms and of course everyone cuts through the site. Tell me if I'm wrong but were we not taught as kids not to cut through others campsite. Well that doesn't seem to apply anymore. For that reason I didn't take a picture of the campsite #130.

Primitive campsites maybe I should have opted for this site

 Florida's only Civilian Conservation Corps(CCC) Museum offers a glimpse into the life of the CCC camps.

 

  

A statue outside the CCC museum dedicated to the memory of the CCC enrollees who were injured, disabled, or lost in the performance of their duties.

Across from the museum is the Hammock Inn Restaurant which was just reopened. The restaurant provides breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There is also a small supply of camping needs.

One of the many reasons we came to Highlands Hammock State Park is their trail system.The park has nine nature trails averaging from one-half mile long to three miles long. I was able to walk most of the trails capturing pictures of wildlife and the fauna.The park is also linked to the town of Sebring via a paved multi-use path.

Extensive hiking trail system

The one trail that I continued to walk each day and sometimes twice a day was the Cypress Swamp Trail because of the shear beauty and diversity of fauna.

The trail starts with a nice handicap accessible boardwalk

Continues along a narrow "catwalk"



Cypress knees





 

These distinctive structures called cypress knees form above the roots of a cypress tree. Their function is unknown but it is thought they help in oxygenation of the tree's roots or they assist in anchoring the tree in the soft muddy soil.

Look closely we called this the
octopus

A nice seat in the middle of the
forest

Another trail, the Alexander Blair Big Oak Trail has an oak tree that measures 36 feet around and is said to be approximately 1000 years old.

In the earlier part of the 20th century arboreal experts claimed to preserve trees from further disease and rot , the use of concrete could extend the life of a rotten tree significantly. Once the decay was removed concrete was packed into the cavity and the exposed surface was troweled smooth.

Note the cement closure lower right

For $5 one of the feature of the park is to take a one hour tram ride through the back country of the park. Not the most comfortable thing I've done but it was exciting. The tram starts at the CCC museum and travels around the park with a ranger narrating the history of the park. She also pointed out some things that I missed while biking the same route numerous times.

Golden Silk Spider about 3-4 inches

Type of swamp plant

 

The highlight of the tram tour was watching a Bobcat walk down the trail in front of us. The ranger allowed me to jump off the tram to get a little closer. 

 

Bobcat

Not sure if I was his next meal or he was just curious

Penisula Cooter enjoying the sun












Small gators sunning themselves

 

 

 



Gopher Tortoise



Black-and-white Warbler

These guys were everywhere

Another Day At Myakka

It's hard to take another day in paradise but someone had to do it. Today I went to the airboat area to see what I could see. It didn't take long. Myakka never disappoints.


Black Vulture

If you don't think there's snakes in Myakka your kidding yourself. These guys are the nonvenomous type thank goodness I stepped over them to take the pictures.

Beautiful Snowy Egret in breeding plumage

Bald Eagle looking for breakfast

If your looking for gators, they are here, they are everywhere

Roseate Spoonbill

Great Egret fishing with success

Little Blue Heron having a bad hair day

Moving Day

Not very often when I book a campsite we have to move to another site. Well, Myakka is a tough place to get 5 days in one place. So today we had to move about 100 yards down the road but that  didn't stop me from playing first. I went straight to the birdwalk to try and catch some of the early morning birds. Going there so early in the morning you have to watch for wildlife on the road.



Wild Turkey

Getting to the birdwalk you never know who is going to be there or what you will see. Besides a camera one of the most important items you need is a good set of binoculars. Mine are at home in Canada. This snipe was sitting down in the grass quite some distance away. His movement caught my eye.



Wilson's Snipe














Wilson's Snipe in morning dew







Deer grazing at birdwalk







I had to hurry back to back up and change sites. Nice pull-through site with some privacy. Open to the sun but cooler only 80 degrees. Will need the AC here.





Site # 64

One of my favorite places to take pictures is the outpost and tram area. The Gator Girl which is the name of airboat was just arriving. The Gator Girls claim to fame is being the largest airboat around. Looks like fun but I don't have time other things in mind.

 

Gator Girl

There is never a shortage of alligators in Myakka whether on the bank sunning themselves or swimming lazily down the river. This guy was sunning himself at the launch area for canoes.



American Alligator

At the end of the day, or I thought it was the end of the day, a turtle comes out of the bush starts digging a hole on the side of the road. Quickly I pull over and watch this for over an hour. Soon others did the same but most just flew by in their cars oblivious to the nature around them. I found out later with a little reseach this was a Peninsula Cooter native to Florida. Peninsula cooters are normally found in still water, such as wetlands, marshes, and ponds. They are mostly herbivores feeding primarily on aquatic vegetation. Peninsula cooters construct an unusual 3-hole nest, digging one deep center hole and shallower ‘false nest’ holes on either side. The female lays most of the eggs in the center hole, putting only one or two eggs in each of the false nests. The false nests are thought to distract predators from the main nest.

 

Peninsula Cooter digging three holes

After digging the holes within 10 minutes she layed 20 eggs in the center hole and 1 in each false hole.

Covered the eggs and away she went never to return

The site on the side of the road where she dug the holes. Absolutely no evidence to indicate she was there. She even placed leaves over the site. What an amazing experience. Momma didn't seem to care she had an audience.

 

Myakka River State Park

 

Everyday in Myakka River State Park is exciting and new. The sites you see and the wildlife you encounter each day is jaw dropping. Today was know diffferrent. The best time to view these sites are first thing in the morning. So I was up and out the door by 7 am and yes it was still dark and a little foggy but the sun had started peaking out above the tree canopy.

 



Sunrise over Myakka River State Park









After watching the sunrise I ventured down the road only to spot my first live yes live not roadkill armadillo. He was so fast crossing the road that I was only able to capture his back end. He must have learnt from seeing most of his relatives dead on the roadside. I called him armonee armadillo because of his nice suit. I have know idea whether it was a male or female I just called him Armonee.  

 

Armonee Armadillo

 

Deer feasting on the limb branches

Wild hogs are becoming a serious issue throughout Florida. Florida's wild hogs are often referred to as feral hogs. It is believed that hogs were first brought to Florida, and possibly the United States, in 1539, when Hernando de Soto brought swine to provision a settlement he established in Lee County. However, it is possible that hogs had been brought to the same site in 1521 by Ponce de Leon's brief visit. During the next four centuries, explorers and settlers brought pigs with them. Many of these animals were given to or stolen by Native Americans, who expanded pig numbers and distributed throughout the state. Europeans and Native Americans alike often raised these swine in semi-wild conditions (at least until the mid-1900s when open range ended and it became illegal) where hogs were allowed to roam freely and only rounded up when needed.

Wild Pigs

One of the attractions of Myakka is the well known canapy walkway. Completed in 2000 and inspired by Dr Margaret Lowman it became the first public treetop walk in North America. The walkway is suspended 25 feet above the ground and extends 100 feet through the hammock canopy. The tower rises 74 feet to a spectacular view of treetops, wetlands and the prairie. The building of the Canopy Walkway and Tower was a culmination of park volunteers, park staff, and professional contractors together providing 2,571 hours at a cost of $98,860.50.


 

Canopy Tower

 

Canopy Walkway

 

If your afraid of heights this is not where you want to be

 

View from Tower

 

On The Road Again

After staying in one place for nearly a month it's time to hit the road. We headed north to one of my favorite parks that being Myakka River State Park. It's only a short 1 1/2 hour drive but it's quiet and loaded with lots of bird, deer, hogs, and gators. We are getting a late start as know one checks out until the last minute consequently we can't check in until after one pm.

Entrance sign to Myakka River State Park

Myakka River State Park is a short 15 minute drive or 11 kms east of Sarasota on FL 72 Clark Rd. The entire park consists of 37,000 acres of which a small portion (1,920 acres) was donated from the original land owner Bertha Palmer.

 

Site # 074

Didn't take me long to get all set up, now it's time to play

 

Beautiful tree lined road through park



Undergrowth making a comeback

 

Few trees and wide open prairie

 

Sun shining through spanish moss

 

Sunset over Myakka River State Park

 

Can't wait 'til tomorrow, I'm so excited