Yes, this state park day began like many other before it, with a plan and then, those plans were changed! The plan was to start the day at the Florida Caverns but we got such an early start that we decided to go to the parks furthest away and work our way back. Our course changed more than once as we drove because we were just tired of being in the car and ready to see some parks!
We chose to visit Blackwater River first. With the time change into Central we still arrived pretty early; the ranger was not even there yet. We found our way to the river through a cool boardwalk and they were right, the river was black! We really came at a unique time of the year. This park is made for people to enjoy by canoe and kayak but I wonder if the water was even high enough for that to happen.
It was time to find the next park but the GPS said it was closed, forever! We called the park ranger and asked what was going on and he simply said that sometimes the internet lies. Yellow River Marsh Preserve did exist but he strongly encouraged us to pretend it didn’t. It was not even big enough to be picked up on GPS. He gave us written directions and off we went. He was right, there was not much there, not even a state park sign but the marsh was nice and I’m happy it was preserved!
Tarkiln Bayou trail had a great boardwalk leading to the bayou. Now I have never been to an actual bayou but I am not sure this was like how I imagined, the kind you hear about in Louisiana. With the rain starting up again we turned around and headed back to the car to see what Perdido Key was all about.
I prepared to be amazed because I had heard so many great things about the area! Not so much amazement though! It was a nice place with some neat sand dunes but there was nothing really there that held my interest. It was still pretty early in the morning, the day was very cold and the rain was off and on. We may not have been as wowed as places before but I still could not have been happier spending New Year’s Eve morning exploring these awesome parks.
