Whether or not padding via the wild Everglades, biking pine-laden paths, or exploring subtropical Dry Tortugas Nationwide Park, winter is the most effective time to cruise via Florida for quite a lot of adventures.
We had been simply previous Jacksonville, driving south on forest-lined I-95, when the temps started to rise.
Whereas looking forward to swerving autos, I seen the ambient levels creep upward from the excessive 50s to mid-60s. We’d reached the peninsula, surrounded by heat waters on each side. Additionally, loopy drivers, I assumed, as a sports activities automotive careened via site visitors at 90 mph. Out of the blue, the motive force slammed the brakes, minimize off a semi, and took the subsequent exit.
It was December 1, and my spouse and I had been embarking on a 10-day street journey to South Florida. We’d by no means explored a lot beneath St. Augustine, largely as a result of we don’t take into account ourselves “Florida folks.” We’re extra about inland adventures—like mountain biking, whitewater paddling, and summit mountain climbing—than seashore lounging or yachting.
That mentioned, a number of parks had lengthy intrigued us. The delicate winter, when bugs and humidity are down, appeared the fitting time for a whirlwind journey. Plus, the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays supplied a lull in tourism. Frankly, we figured we’d tick the packing containers and possibly by no means return.
An Undeveloped Coast with Area Rockets
Departing the subsequent morning from a motel, we drove throughout the causeway to Merritt Island Nationwide Wildlife Refuge and Canaveral Nationwide Seashore. With 312 sq. miles of untamed seashores and wetlands, the mixed items characterize the most important undeveloped portion of Florida’s east coast.
After strolling a brief nature path, we dropped contained in the customer middle to purchase an $80 nationwide parks move. Besides the register was cash-only, and we forgot to hit an ATM. In a state recognized for unlawful slot machines, I busted out my first “Florida” transfer.
“Would you are taking quarters?”
The retired volunteer blinked, then chuckled. “By legislation, we’re required to simply accept all types of authorized foreign money.”
The small employees—and my embarrassed spouse—watched, as I retrieved a heavy plastic bag crammed with quarters, rolled and unfastened. I’ve them in case the apocalypse hits and we gap up in a laundromat.
With restricted time, we cruised Wildlife Drive out to the Manatee Remark Deck. We’d by no means seen these so-called sea cows in individual. Regardless of murky canal waters, the spherical grey our bodies and fan-like tails had been spectacular. However we hoped for a better look whereas kayaking atop clear waters later in our journey.
One cause these pristine parklands exist is NASA, which acquired the swampy space within the Nineteen Sixties. A lot went unused after the development of the adjoining launch facility. So, that’s the place we headed subsequent: the Kennedy Area Heart Customer Complicated. We had a good time circling towering rockets, genuine spacecraft, and experimental spacesuits.
Then we returned to the interstate for what felt like a NASCAR race south. Aggressive passing. Brakes squealing. Not solely was the shoulder one other lane, generally the grass was a lane, too.
Like a Eighties Movie Shot on Location
We arrived at Boyd’s Key West Campground simply after darkish. Whereas constructing our tent, we admired moonlight shimmering on the water. After an early night time, we woke earlier than dawn. Driving the principle boulevard towards the ferry terminal, we encountered one other traditional Florida scene: a wrecked and deserted sedan and tire marks working onto the sidewalk with two night time cops within the roadway, struggling to hold the palm tree toppled by the sedan.
Throughout the catamaran trip to Dry Tortugas Nationwide Park, we sped at 30 knots via translucent waters previous the uninhabited Marquesas Keys. On the highest deck of the Yankee Freedom, salt spray flew via sunny skies. The jovial tour guides combined pertinent data with knee-slappers, whereas passengers looked for dolphins.
Two hours later, we approached Backyard Key, the place an enormous red-brick fortress rises three tales above the Gulf. Constructed within the 1860s to guard U.S. delivery routes, the hexagonal Fort Jefferson is the spotlight of a singular park that sees solely 75,000 guests yearly. With the ferry restricted to 200 passengers per day, the expensive tickets can promote out months forward. The large query: is it price the associated fee and lengthy drive?
After disembarking, most passengers cut up into two teams. Half aimed for the seashores, whereas the remaining went to the parade floor and joined a ranger-guided tour. Not us. I needed most worth. Thus, I’d used the self-guided brochure to plan a strolling route via each chamber, casement, journal, quarters, and bastion attainable. I may need climbed contained in the cisterns if allowed.
My spouse’s response was her traditional look: right here we go once more. So, on an island solely 1 / 4 mile broad, we proceeded to stroll almost 4 miles. Upon rising from the sallyport, my spouse glanced longingly on the seashore.
“Not so quick,” I mentioned. “We gotta stroll the ocean wall enclosing the moat.”
“In fact we do,” she mentioned.
Lastly, we handed the small campground and arrived on the snorkeling seashore. After donning tools, we plunged into the mellow waves for some underwater exploration. For over an hour, we adopted subtropical fish swimming round sea grass, coral stacks, and the brickwork.
“I’m going to swim across the fort,” I informed my floating spouse.
“In fact you might be,” she mentioned, waving goodbye.
Throughout the return trip, the catamaran turned a floating bar. The guides remodeled into wise-cracking bartenders, and this uber-Floridian scene felt like a Eighties film shot on location. My new favourite cocktail-slinger defined he purchased a ship to go to the park on his off days. And when the guides recreate the place they work—whether or not an Appalachian river or out within the Gulf—you recognize it’s a particular place.
So yeah, Dry Tortugas was price it. One of the crucial enjoyable nationwide park day journeys we’ve ever taken. If we return, we’ll attempt to snag a restricted tenting slot.
Wild Days and Everglade Nights
After a pleasant night strolling outdated Key West and dodging rowdy vacationers like we had been locals, the subsequent morning we drove north on the well-known Abroad Freeway. The glowing Keys had been fairly, however we skipped previous a number of promising state parks. We’d reserved the majority of our journey—4 days—at Everglades Nationwide Park.
On the Ernest F. Coe Customer Heart, I inquired about maps and situations for biking and paddling routes. We obtained loads of the previous, however concerning the latter, we obtained wide-eyed stares. “We’ll determine it out,” I declared, and I acquired one other stare, this one from my narrow-eyed spouse. At Royal Palm, we walked via wetlands with gators and birds and right into a forest with gumbo-limbos, a local tree with peeling bark that jogged my memory of manzanitas and madrones out west.
After organising at Lengthy Pine Key Campground, we hopped on mountain bikes. A 14-mile out-and-back trip took us on a mellow filth path via the Pinelands. This forest of matchstick slash pine represents one of many eight main ecosystems discovered throughout the 2,538-square-mile nationwide park, the third largest within the Decrease 48.
That night time, we had been preparing for dinner when the bugs appeared. My spouse was organizing her issues on the open truck door, so I prompt she get inside fast. Massive mistake.
“Should you rush me, it solely takes longer,” she warned, clearly drained after one other lengthy day.
I raised my arms in give up. So, about 2,538 mosquitos joined us contained in the truck for the 30-minute drive to dinner. Whereas swatting our means alongside a rural freeway, the wild Everglades night time grew in scope. 4 dudes in caged UTVs surrounded us, rushing previous within the reverse lane and on the shoulder. I ended on the subsequent intersection, however they ran the signal, and one almost collided with a farm truck.
Certain Felt Like a 9 Mile Canoe Path
The following day, we explored the principle park street. We noticed a dwarf cypress forest. Huge mahogany timber on a hardwood hammock, primarily a vegetated island surrounded by freshwater slough. A preserved Chilly Battle-era missile base. The Flamingo Customer Heart on the fringe of buggy Florida Bay.
Our principal occasion was paddling the 9 Mile Pond Canoe Path—supposedly a mellow five-mile loop. We began at 2pm, proper as a guided kayak journey returned, figuring we had loads of time. However maybe the identify is extra like a warmth index? As a result of it positive felt like paddling 9 miles.
The primary 1.5 miles concerned half-hour of straightforward navigating via fascinating mangrove tunnels. The following three miles felt like paddling via soggy cereal, given the dense mats of periphyton algae. This took three hours. Alongside the way in which, we found the water-trail markers had been disturbed by previous storms and solely partly restored. We ceaselessly misplaced time looking for the route.
Usually, the markers would go 10, 11, 12, and so forth, at hundred-foot intervals. However often, the markers would go 54, 55, 55a, 55b, 55c, and onward, with the gap between rising, as much as 1 / 4 mile. With the solar getting low, we began getting fearful. We carried a compass and headlamps however didn’t wish to paddle the Everglades after darkish. Then the markers went bizarre once more.
“It’s that silly A, B, C factor!” blurted my exasperated spouse.
I kicked myself for not kayaking first and doing all the pieces in reverse. Fortunately, the periphyton mats quickly ended. The markers returned to regular. The ultimate mile was via mangrove tunnels and blackwater lakes. The vibe was saved with a stunning sundown on the water, a scene we’d have missed had we not paddled till nightfall.
A River of Grass and Ten Thousand Islands
Our last morning, we biked the Shark Valley Tram Street. On the southernmost bend within the 15-mile paved loop, we locked bikes and walked up the commentary tower. Constructed in the course of the Mission 66 period, this modernist cement construction intently resembles the Clingmans Dome tower within the Smokies.
From the highest deck, we surveyed an enormous slough, with freshwater flowing previous sawgrass and hardwood hammocks towards the ocean. Known as the River of Grass, the poetic identify was bestowed by writer Marjorie Stoneman Douglas within the Forties. Her efforts shifted impressions of the Everglades from a nugatory swamp that must be drained to a dynamic ecosystem price preserving.
Within the northwest nook of the park, we moved camp to the Chokoloskee Island Resort. Then we ferried our kayaks via the currents of Chokoloskee Bay into the Ten Thousand Islands. At mid-tide, some channels had been like swift rivers. I actually loved eddy hopping from island to island, however my spouse discovered some currents too quick and squirrelly. After exploring 20 islands, we paddled again to Chokoloskee Island and visited the Smallwood Retailer, a historic buying and selling submit and museum.
Encounters with Diseased Monkeys and Solitary Manatees
We had one last cease on our lengthy drive north: Silver Springs State Park. From the campground, we walked trails to the Silver River. There we met a pleasant Midwesterner who visits Florida each winter for outside adventures. Collectively, the three of us watched a tree-climbing monkey that seemingly had herpes.
Extra exactly, a rhesus macaque descended from a troop launched on a close-by island within the Thirties by a wacky glass-bottom boat captain. He needed a vacationer spectacle however didn’t understand the macaques had the B virus—and will swim. Right now, these wild animals roam components of Florida. So that every one checks out.
Our final morning, we launched kayaks into crystal-clear waters on a mission. Silver Springs is certainly on the vacationer path, however the crowd was pleasant paddlers. Tangled jungle, draped in Spanish moss, created a phenomenal shoreline for 2 miles. Turning again upstream, we noticed the primary one. About ten toes deep. A spherical grey physique and fan-like tail.
“Manatee!” chirped my spouse.
Twenty minutes later, we encountered a herd and child. Because the paddling crowd gathered, we cut up off. So did one large manatee. We paddled alongside this solitary sea cow for almost 10 minutes, simply the three of us.
The water was like aquarium glass. Regardless of its bulk, the manatee swam gracefully, meandering often, which supplied views of its droopy snout and stubbly flippers. My spouse and I’ve paddled throughout the nation, and this was the most effective days but.
Our journey was almost full. The lengthy drive north allowed loads of time to debrief. Was it price it? Would we ever return? Certain, the highways felt just a little harmful, however there have been extra parks to go to, extra forests to discover, and extra manatee-filled rivers to seek out. When it got here to outside adventures throughout wintertime, seems we had been “Florida folks” in spite of everything.
Mike Bezemek is an journey author and photographer of tales and books, together with Area Age Adventures: Over 100 Terrestrial Websites and Out of This World Tales.
Cowl photograph: The Fort Jefferson moat wall at Dry Tortugas Nationwide park. All pictures by Mike Bezemek
