Lost Lake at Tilley Landing.

Old growth swamp forest sparks the imagination

Driving down the sloping gravel road, I felt the temperature drop slightly, and soon noticed the changes in the flora as I ventured into the swamp forest of the Choctawhatchee River Basin.

About 1.7 miles down, I felt a bit like Alice in Wonderland as she tumbled down the rabbit hole.

I finally arrived at the end of the road to Lost Lake; an oxbow-shaped lake filled with old-growth cypress trees and murky calm water. So quiet and peaceful, this place appeared frozen in time.

I felt I was intruding on Mother Nature’s artistry… an exemplary example of a swamp river forest, with the only interruption to this peaceful calm were water bugs, as they skated across the surface of the lake. Read More…

Posted under Birding, Eco tourism adventure, Nature, Outdoor Family Fun, Parks, Trails/Hiking

Explore some of the many creeks and tributaries in a kayak with Into The Wild Eco Diversions.

Expert guide service offers unique nature adventures

Into the Wild Eco-Diversions in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida offers a unique guide service accommodating anyone looking to explore nature in the Florida Panhandle. With such a vast amount of natural beauty in the area, ITW offers the opportunity to experience it all with the unique variety of platforms – biking, hiking, kayaking and sailing.

ITW’s concept is to bring people closer to the natural world, as the content of the tours are interpretive discussions on the ecosystems, history and current events affecting our environment. The trips range from 2-4 hours and vary from easy to strenuous. Longer outings can be scheduled and can be customized to an individual’s preference. Read More…

Posted under Biking, Eco tourism adventure, Kayak/Canoe, Nature, Trails/Hiking

A look at the hiking, biking, riding and birding trails in the Walton County area

Walton County, Florida offers a number of trails available to the hiker, biker, birder and horse rider. Maintained and managed by several different agencies and properties, including the state’s Florida Trail, Division of Forestry, and the County, there are a diverse number to choose from depending on a trekker’s interests.

Here is a comprised list of the larger trails available in the area. Some of the maps complementing the information below has been provided by the respective agencies, and Walton Outdoors shares these maps as general guidelines. Read More…

Posted under Biking, Birding, Eco tourism adventure, Fishing, Nature, Outdoor Family Fun, Parks, Trails/Hiking

Nature festival a weekend of outdoor fun

Join the South Walton Community Council for a fun weekend of nature activities.

Sponsored by the SWCC, the Back to Nature Festival offers visitors and locals a chance to explore the natural beauty of Walton County beyond our magnificent beaches.

Kayak the dune lakes, take a river safari, go on an ecology walk, or bring the family to Seaside for a day of family fun.

Most events are about two hours long and cost $10 unless otherwise noted. Events will be closed after maximum participant limits are reached so register early! To register,  Click here

Friday, Oct. 16

Welcome Night – 7 p.m. – Come to our free welcome night at Bud and Alley’s Restaurant in Seaside! Enjoy food and cash bar, event registration, meet event leaders and fellow participants. Enjoy live music by local musician Jim Ward. FREE. ::MAP:: Read More…

Posted under Birding, Kayak/Canoe, Nature, Outdoor Family Fun, Parks, Trails/Hiking, paddle/surf/boat

Friday, July 31

Williford spring on the Econfina.

West Florida Canoe and Kayak Club hosting paddle down Econfina Creek
There will be a paddle from the Econfina Livery down to SR 388 Friday, July 31. Meet at the livery prior to 9:00 so we can start paddling at 9:00.  There is a $5.00 fee to use the launching site, and the group will run a shuttle.
Paddle downstream and see Williford Springs and another spring group above SR 20. It is a 6 mile paddle, and the springs are in the first two miles, and then there is a four mile paddle down a very large clear stream without obstructions to the take-out.
Bring your paddling gear, lunch, mask and snorkel if you wish, cameras, sun screen, PFD, and anything else you might need for your comfort.
Frances Stone 850-482-4480 or ffstone@hotmail.com
Econfina Livery has rentals available along with shuttle. For more information and pricing call: 850-722-9032
Directions: The Econfina Livery is located off Hwy. 20 on Strickland Road north of Panama City Beach, between Hwy. 77 and Hwy. 231. Click here for map Read More…

Posted under Beaches, Fishing, Kayak/Canoe, Nature, Outdoor Family Fun, Parks, Trails/Hiking, paddle/surf/boat

A view of Rocky Bayou from picnic area.

Paddle, hike, picnic and bird watch at State Park in Niceville

Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park, known by most as Rocky Bayou State Park sets nestled along State Road 20 in Niceville along Rocky Bayou. The park boasts 357 acres of wooded walking trails of sand pine scrub, longleaf pine, sand hill forests, pine flat woods and wetlands.

More than 100 different species of birds may be spotted in the diverse area, including kingfishers, ospreys, warblers and woodpeckers. Along one of the walking/biking trails, you will find an interpretive kiosk, which visually describes some of the many birds that can be found in the park. Read More…

Posted under Biking, Birding, Eco tourism adventure, Fishing, Kayak/Canoe, Nature, Outdoor Family Fun, Parks, Trails/Hiking, paddle/surf/boat

Friday, June 5

Movie night under the stars at Seaside
Grab your blankets and head to the Amphitheater for a movie under the stars: Madagascar 2: Escape from Africa
- 8 p.m. at Seaside Amphitheater

Saturday, June 6

Celebrate National Trails Day by taking a hike

Click here for local organized hikes

/

/

Digital Graffiti at Alys Beach
- 8:30 p.m.
Digital Graffiti is the world’s first outdoor projection art festival, with artists using the latest technologies to project original works onto the town’s iconic white walls.
Click here for details

Sunday, June 7

Full moon paddle boarding at Senor Mojitos – 8:30 p.m.

Posted under Outdoor Family Fun, Trails/Hiking, paddle/surf/boat

Take a hike along the Florida Trail

Saturday, March 21, 2009 at 8:30 am.  Join the Florida Trail Association for a 7.6 mile hike on Eglin from Hwy 85 to Jr Walton Pond.  (You need an Eglin pass) Details: (850) 683-0803 or http://choctaw.floridatrail.org

.

Learn about the plants and animals that live in a dune ecosystem at Topsail Hill

Topsail Hill State Preserve Saturday, March 21, 9:00 am
Park at the Day-use area off Hwy 30A and take a tram ride to Topsail Hill Beach and see one of the most intact coastal ecosystems on the Gulf Coast. A $2.00 entry fee is required. Outdoor tours canceled during severe weather. Call (850)267-0299 for more details.
For more information about Topsail Hill State Preserve go to: www.floridastateparks.org/topsailhill

DeFuniak Springs Garden Club hosts native plant sale

Native Plant Sale and Education Day at the Defuniak Springs Library.
Saturday, March 21 – Sale begins at 8:00 a.m.

Posted under Beaches, Home/Garden, Nature, Outdoor Family Fun, Parks, Trails/Hiking

Matt Keene. Photo courtesy FloridaGreenwaysAndTrails.com.

Entire Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail paddled

Matt Keene’s and Jodi Eller’s Sunshine Expedition reached a significant  milestone on Jan. 5 as Matt arrived at Big Lagoon State Park near Pensacola. In a 3-½ month sea kayaking trip, Matt Keene became the first ever thru-paddler of the 1600-mile Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail.

He was welcomed by family, friends and supporters in an event coordinated by Escambia County’s Marine Resources Division.  Having also paddled for much of the trip, Jodi took a family holiday break and has now rejoined Matt for part two of their plan to hike the entire Florida Trail. To enjoy descriptions of their travel experiences, check out sunshineexpedition.com. For more information on the Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail, visit FloridaGreenwaysAndTrails.com.

Posted under Kayak/Canoe, Nature, Trails/Hiking

Signs marking Great Florida Birding Trail sites will be popping up all along the trail during December and January. Photo courtesy FWC

New signs installed in the Panhandle area of trails

The 2,000-mile Great Florida Birding Trail reaches another milestone with the installation of the Panhandle section road signs this month. Signs will mark each of the designated sites along the trail.

The Great Florida Birding Trail is a conservation program initiated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) in response to the rapidly expanding sport of bird watching.  More than 485 exceptional sites throughout Florida have been chosen based on their quality and compiled into trail guides representing four geographic regions.

The sign installations should be completed by early next year and will help bird watchers find the designated sites throughout the Panhandle. Gateway sites at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, near Tallahassee, and Big Lagoon State Park, in Pensacola, provide extensive trail-related resources, with loaner optics available on site.  They also act as hubs of regional birding information.

Field guides in both English and Spanish also are provided to enable visitors to identify which birds they are viewing.  Additional materials for beginning bird watchers also are available at each gateway site.

The Florida Panhandle offers remarkable birding experiences and fewer crowds, with sought-after species like the red-cockaded woodpecker, swallow-tailed and Mississippi kites, snowy plover, Swainson’s warbler, Sprague’s pipit and a remarkable diversity of winter visitors (including hummingbirds) not typically found in the peninsula.  The Panhandle’s coastline is an important migration corridor for waterfowl, shorebirds, songbirds and birds of prey.

Birds like this snowy plover are abundant in the Panhandle at sites along the Great Fla. Birding Trail. FWC photo by Jeff Gore and Nancy Douglass

A sign-dedication event, complete with birding hikes, will be held at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge on Jan. 17 at 1 p.m.
For more information Contact: Mark Kiser, 850-488-9478

Posted under Birding, Nature, Outdoor Family Fun, Trails/Hiking