21 January 2023, Southern Camping Trip Day 16

 Rodman State Park

Cross Florida Barge Canal

Palatka, Florida

Marc-  This is our last day here before returning to Tomoka State Park.  We continued our morning walking routine (about 5.5 miles) at three different locations.  We first tried Salt Springs National Forest (only fifteen minutes from our campground) but were denied entry through the campground (yesterday we were told that would be fine to enter with a $ 6.50 fee).  They sent us to a trailhead about a mile South.  We found a very poorly maintained 2 mile loop trail to the Salt Springs River.  The trail was a bit overgrown and had several large trees that had crashed on its walkways and paths.  The highlight was the jumping fish in the river.  

 Our next trail was at Caravelle Ranch Wildlife Preserve.  This trail started out fine for the first 3/4 of a mile then turned muddy with fresh black bear tracks of a certain size.  We turned back.  

Cladoniaceae fungus in the forest.

Small fields of this fungus (an important food for deer).

The third walk was at Ravine Garden State Park and we completed a 2 miles loop in a rather deep ravine with many azaleas in bloom and and several spring fed streams.  There were two suspension bridges spanning the 100 foot deep ravine.   

Azalea blossom.

Orange trees in the Ravine.

One of two Suspension bridges.

Spring gushing from the azalea bushes. 

Bald Cypress (note the Pneumatophores that grow from the horizontal roots just below the surface and come upward from the ground or water.  Since bald cypresses often grow in swampy conditions, it's thought that they transport air to drowned roots underground.).

Birds we heard in the ravine, identified by the Merlin app.

Bird puzzle we made in the evening.