I stumbled onto Hopkins Prairie when I saw the campground sign south of Salt Springs (see Logistics Section) and was very pleasantly surprised. A strip of Spanish moss covered live oaks surrounded on three sides by prairie, very pretty, very quiet and not a soul in it. I immediately signed up for 4 nights and will probably add on to that. I'd rather be paddling but the Florida Trail passes through here, a couple other trails are nearby as is Silver Glen Springs Recreation Area, Salt Springs Recreation Area and Juniper Springs Recreation Area.
I chose a campsite overlooking the prairie. My definition of a prairie here is several miles of tall grasslands with interconnecting lakes and ponds & marsh. I had no sooner set up camp and sat down to enjoy the view when I spotted a pair of sandhill cranes. These birds are over 3 feet tall with bright red foreheads, long legs and neck and a pale tannish body.
Then I noticed a red headed woodpecker overhead, not a red headed sap sucker but a wood pecker half that size. I think these are supposed to be very rare nowadays. A while later I noticed one in a nearby dead tree. Then another appeared followed by a third. One of them was then chased away. I'm still not sure if their nest is in that tree or if they just hang out there.
Several signs warn of black bears and alligators. I don't think there are any alligators out there now though.
Just sitting at my camp I've observed several blue herons, many American egrets, cormorants or anhingas and limpkins. It's great to look out on the water and see a large white egret or blue heron standing perfectly still with neck extended waiting patiently for a critter to come in range. Or to see one flying here to there.
One time I was sitting with my back to the water facing the oaks and palmettos when I saw some palmettos start to shake. A few seconds later I watched an armadillo rooting its way out. It had its snout buried in the sand or under leaves most of the time as it searched for insects.
This morning I watched as 1000's of blackbird size birds swooped back and forth just above the prairie trying to find a place for each to land. Finally they all disappeared into the grasses and there was no way to know they were there.
A really cool place.
11/30/06 Hiking Hopkins Prairie:
This morning was warm and very, very humid. I found a trail labeled the Hiker's Trail. that is actually part of the Florida Trail I thought it might make a circle around a couple of lakes and ponds so off I went. It skirted the prairie along the outer rim of the forest. I followed it for over 3 miles and then turned back when I saw some dark clouds moving in from the east.
Half the way was along the water and I found numerous ducks and coots here. Also half a dozen piles of fresh bear scat plus numerous older piles. Deer tracks too. Big game hunting season in Florida is from November 1st to January 15th. Where I'm camped is a no hunt zone but I had on my orange vest because I had no idea where the boundaries were.
I had met a guy who was out poling his canoe through the prairie. He told me you could go about 4 miles if you knew what you were doing. Presumably he meant being able to find your way to/through navigable waters. I saw no signs of the trail letting up when I turned back. He had also told me after several years of drought, all the prairies filled up with water after they had been hit by several hurricanes a couple of years ago. The drought is back again though as you can see where the water used to be.
12/01/06 Hiking the Florida Trail:
The Florida Trail passes just outside the campground. I didn't expect much and got even less. I followed it .25 miles or so and came to a large sink hole filled with water. I skirted the sink hole and popped out on FR 88, the access road to the campground. Oh well, since I was on the road I just kept walking.
The trail was mostly smaller live oaks and palmettos. The road was mostly tall pines all in a row indicating the area had been stripped bare in the past while harvesting timber. I knew there was a put in where I'd seen trucks parked while canoe and kayak fishermen were out on the water. I found it 1.5 miles up the road. Even looked like a decent camping area.
On the way back I found the sign where the Florida Trail picked up, 50 feet or so from where I had emerged from the sink hole.
12/03/06 Hiking Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge:
It's been rainy and foggy for the past few days and again this morning. This is the kind of day I like to explore new areas. I came down here near Deland because I had heard this was a good spot for wintering sand hill cranes.
By 10am the sun wasn't out but I knew it was up there... hot and humid. I started out onto the levees but my bare legs and arms were soon covered by mosquitoes, the first I've actually seen since I've been in Florida, believe it or not. Back to the van to put on some clothes.
Back out on the levee I watched 3 sand hill cranes fly overhead. I was hoping that was an indication of things to come but that was it for the cranes. Off in the distance I could see two separate groups of buzzards of more than 50 each circling around. That's the most I've ever seen in one area.
I followed to a nature trail a mile or so before turning back. Very pretty but nothing but palm trees and palmettos... no variation I followed my first levee a mile or so and turn back on it too. Canals on either side but nothing much in either one and nothing in the distance either. So I decided to just follow a set of levees around and back to the parking lot.
The buzzards were gone from the sky and I soon found out why. They had taken over a good part of one levy, still pretty much in two separate groups. They were not much intimidated by me at all, hardly moving as I walked closer. I was close enough to kick some of them as I walked through them. Then I remember Alfred Hitcock's movie "The Birds" from the 60's and started looking behind me to see what the were doing back there. Many of the second group had their wings spread out when I got near. I don't if they were trying to make themselves appear larger or were getting ready to take flight.
Several great blue herons seemed much less shy then usual, allowing me to get a couple of good pictures of them. Usually they're off into the air when I get within 50 yards.
Some egrets and limpkins and some coots and one small alligator (my first this year) rounded out the day's viewing.