Florida State Parks|Travel

3/20/2022 As the day waned, and we being 30-40 minutes behind plan, we moved on further west to Bushnell for a stop at the Dade Battlefield NHL and SP. Also called the Dade Massacre site, it preserves the Second Seminole War battlefield where Seminole warriors fought soldiers under the command of Major Francis L. Dade in 1835. The VC was closed here, but we did take a pleasant walk down the woodsy trail where Dade and his men were attacked by Seminoles, and saw the vertical cannon markers to where some men had fallen.

The park entrance ...

... and sign

Ken Photoing ...

... the NHL plaque

Some historic info ...

... including reenactment

A nice trail ...

... to see some monuments

Dade monument

Ken and me

3/21/2022 On the road again on the Big Bend NSB we continued to Wakulla Springs and Wakulla Springs NNL in Edward Ball Wakulla Springs SP. Paleo Indians are known to have camped at this, the state's deepest artesian spring, 12,000 years ago, where they hunted mastodons, bison, and other ancient animals. While still quite attractive, this park and springs is more recreation oriented. Like in Silver Springs there were glass bottom boats. There is also swimming, along with a tower where kids can show off and jump into the springs from different levels. As a bonus however we bagged our second intentional NNL plaque.

Me photoing ...

... the park sign

"The Lodge at Wakulla Springs"

Another Lodge view

Nice sign with the Lodge

Ken photoing ...

... the NNL plaque

Beautiful panorama

Kids having fun

Glass bottom boats

Can you see ...

... the Manatee?

Ken and me at the docks

The park sign

Me on the trail

3/20/2022 Having plenty ahead, we drove back north of town a little to Fort Mose SHP for the Fort Mose Site NHL. Runaway slaves from the Southern colonies escaped to freedom in this first free Black settlement legally sanctioned in what would become the U.S. This site is also in the Gullah-Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor NHA [FL]. We took a walk along a boardwalk over the swampy area for a view to where the two consecutive fort sites had been. We then checked out a series of interpretive panels about the history of the enslaved Africans and Spanish influence.

The park sign

Me near ...

... the boardwalk

Good interpretive info

View of wildlife ...

An aerial view ...

... of the fort area

FL state info

More interpretive ...

... fort info

Ken photoing ...

... the NHL plaque

Some info on ...

... Gullah-Geechee

3/21/2022 From there a very short drive in St. Marks to the Fort San Marcos De Apalache NHL and SP. This is the historic site of a wooden 17th century Spanish colonial fort, from 1753 a stone fort controlled by Great Britain, Spain, and the U.S. We took a walk around this area as well, in a pretty spot at the confluence of the Wakulla and St. Marks Rivers, checking out ruins of various structures.

The park sign

Ken photoing ...

... the NHL plaque

Some fort remains ...

... near the pretty rivers

Ken ...

... and me checking out ...

... more remains ...

... of the fort

More remains ..

.. with a 360 degree shot of me and Ken ...

... and a regular picture

3/21/2022 then returned on our route to Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings House and Farm Yard NHL and SHP in Cross Creek. This was the 1929-1953 home of the Pulitzer Prize-winning (for The Yearling) Florida author. Although we planned to keep things moving here, we just had to spend some time wandering around - it was really pretty. Lots of orange trees with new fruit and some on the ground already, animals like roosters, some excited inquisitive ducks and a cat, and the nice home and other outbuildings on pretty grounds made it an enjoyable place to stroll around.

The park sign

Interpretive info ...

... about Ms. Rawlings

Me photoing ...

... the oranges

Ken photoing ...

... the NHL plaque

Barn/shop area ...

... and the main house

Sprawling Rawlings house

Nice 360 degree

Ken and me

One of our animal friends

3/21/2022 From there we went to another enjoyable and more time-consuming stop than expected - Paynes Prairie Preserve NNL and SP, a freshwater marsh in one of the state's largest sinks, the Paynes Prairie Basin. We took an enjoyable stroll through dense woods of both “regular” and palm trees, only to emerge at the edge of a large marshy prairie. We climbed an observation tower and enjoyed the views of the prairie where, although we didn’t see any, there apparently could be bison, wild horses and alligators. We also got photos of our first intentional NNL plaque (we accidentally got one at Bear Butte previously, thinking it was NHL!)

The park sign

Our map to the tower

Nice VC

Me photoing the prairie by the tower

A nice panorama ...

... and close-up of the prairie

Weird and cool 360 degree

Another prairie view

Ken and me on the tower

The back of the VC ...

... with Ken photoing ...

... the NNL plaque

3/21/2022 We got on the Florida Black Bear NSB and immediately stopped in Silver Springs at Silver Springs NNL and SP. This is the largest artesian spring in the world and the site of the oldest commercial tourist attraction in Florida. It was still early with not many people, and we enjoyed the views of the spring with a low mist hanging over it in the sunshine. There were a few kayakers heading out and more preparing to set out. Unfortunately, some construction prevented us from finding our new goal of the NNL plaque - oh well. From there we continued past our desired turn to do another 5 miles or so of the NSB ...

The park sign outside ...

... and inside

One more with Ken and me

Some nice views ...

... with early fog

Glass bottom boat area

Almost looks eerie ...

Me photoing ...

... the route and sign

A sign close-up

A couple of views ...

... along the Byway