Everglades National Park – Pinelands
Pinelands is a very short and easy walk, but I think it’s one not to miss because it features an important feature of the Everglades National Park that is key to the survival of many species – solution holes.
Everglades National Park – Long Pine Key
Not far from the Nike Missile site lies Long Pine Key, an area which encompasses nearly 19000 acres of slash pines, one of the largest and most threatened expanses of pine rockland remaining in the US. At one time, these pines dominated the entirety of South Florida, but have been eliminated by the growth demands and raw material harvesting.
Everglades National Park – Nike Missile Site
There are a multitude of unique plant and animal species that set the Everglades apart, but there is another feature which separates Everglades from every other National Park – the presence of a nuclear missile base.
Everglades National Park – Royal Palm (Anhinga Trail & Gumbo Limbo Trail)
Both Anhinga and Gumbo Limbo Trails are easy hikes amongst the diverse ecosystems of the Everglades, and truly the best opportunity to spot wildlife.
Everglades National Park
I spent weeks leading up to this trip doing research and pouring over the best way to utilize our time, since I only had one day inside the largest wilderness in the Eastern US, and 3rd largest park in the contiguous US. The miles and miles of grassland are roughly the size of Delaware, over 2300 square miles. Unlike many of our National Parks, Everglades does not boast unique grandeur or geographical wonder; instead, the Everglades are unique in their ecological diversity. There are over 700 species of plants, 360 species of bird, 300 species of fish, 50 species of reptile and 40 species of mammal that call the rivers of grass home.
The Galloping Galette & Mulberry Riverwalk
The trail is wide, easy to follow, relatively flat, and the perfect way to spend a beautiful afternoon.
Amicalola Falls State Park & Lodge
I can’t wait to go back to Amicalola – it’s one of the parks that I visit again and again. I love that every trip feels a little different than the last, and there are always new and wonderful things to do because the area has so many attractions.
Helton Creek Falls
Helton Creek is my favorite kind of falls – loud, imposing, stacked rock that rises into the sky, the kind of place that I could spend for hours, listening to the water as it plunges into the pool below. The white noise is captivating, and seems to help clear some of the static from day-to-day life.
Chimney Rock State Park
Because I am a mischievous child, I did not tell my mom that there was an elevator, instead leading us to the trails.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Cades Cove
As we wound our way through the heart of the park, there were brief glimpses of color here and there, but just outside of Cades Cove, we found an absolute treasure trove of color, protected from the storms by the valley.