I was really looking forward to my visit to Ravine Gardens State Park. Of course with gardens in the name I was intrigued but I did not expect to be so taken by this park. The drive to the park was amazing. I tool all of these nice, quiet back roads & I got to see a part of Florida I don’t remember ever seeing before. Palatka, the town the park is in, is actually quaint and kinda beautiful.
Pulling into the park was exciting. The entrance was so unique and actually reminded me of a resort I went to in Mexico years ago. I parked the car, got Casey and bolted to the gardens. It was so beautiful and according to the handout I grabbed, it is even MORE beautiful from January – April, when the Azaleas are in bloom.
We had a choice of going to the azalea trail or the spring trail so we headed to the spring. We actually encountered some wildlife along the way. A beautiful snake (going away from me) and a few cardinals. No pictures because if you know me then you know I am NOT an action photographer! Casey started panting from our walk in the woods so we headed up the first set of stairs I spotted. I was upset because I thought my time there was done. If Casey couldn’t walk anymore without getting over heated then it would be best that I left. As I was heading out of the park I noticed a paved road that went around the whole garden. How exciting! This trip was not going to be a bust after all.
I hopped in the car and started the tour. I was able to see the most beautiful sights. Being in the park reminded me of being in Maryland. There were suspension bridges, stone walkways, little ravines; oh it was breathtaking! I was there for hours and it seemed like minutes. Casey stayed in the car most of the time but I did take her with me to walk to the bottom of the bridge. Her dramatic struggle up the stairs confirmed that these are not the adventures she was built for. Who knew? A girl and her dog and their misadventures; not happening in this life. Oh well!
I am pretty sure when I went to the bottom of the bridge to take pictures I was standing in a place usually filled with water but that was just a guess. Every corner I turned was just as good as the one before. I just loved it there. I would live there if they let me! That park went to the top of my favorites list immediately!
Before you visit, make sure you check out the parks website for all of the up-to-date park information: https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/ravine-gardens-state-park
