Old Victory Bridge

Checking out The Old Victory Bridge

On banks of The Apalachicola River I found the ruins of the old Victory Bridge that was built in the 1920's. Just off of the new Victory Bridge crossing over the river are the remains of the old bridge. There are remains on both sides of the river on the border of Gadsden and Jackson Counties. On this visit I saw the ruins on the Jackson County side.

Modern Day Victory Bridge

Old Victory Bridge Built in 1922

Old Victory Bridge Built in 1922

Old Victory Bridge Built in 1922

Where the Bridge used to span The Apalachicola River

Link to Original Photo of Victory Bridge

My Video of Victory Bridge Ruins

A Refreshing Dip in Itchetucknee Springs

Itchetucknee Springs

Nothing like taking a refreshing dip in a Florida Spring after a long hike in the heat on a Florida summer day! It is a perfect way to cool off, relax and reflect back upon the day's journey.

One of my favorite springs to visit is in Itchetucknee Springs State Park in Fort White, Florida. It has a couple springs you can swim in plus you can canoe and kayak down the Itchetucknee River. The Ichetucknee River flows six miles through shaded hammocks and wetlands before it joins the Santa Fe River. In 1972, the head spring of the river was declared a National Natural Landmark, and today the upper river remains Florida’s most pristine spring-fed river.

This is just one of many springs you can visit around Florida and many having hiking trails nearby as well. I posted some links to help you learn more and some of my videos I did while swimming in the springs there, enjoy!

Resources

Florida Springs

Itchetucknee Springs State Park

History of the Area

My Videos

Swimming Around at Itchetucknee Springs

Blue Hole Spring at Itchetucknee Springs

Snorkeling at Itchetucknee Springs State Park

Old Windmill in Withlacoochee State Forest

In the Withlacoochee State Forest near the River Trail area at Ridge Manor I found this old windmill. It was in an old pasture that runs by the Windmill Loop trail. Now I know where that trail got got it's name... 

Old Pioneer Windmill

This windmill could be from the early settlement once in this area called "Oriole" which was nearby the old town of "Croom" Both were pioneer towns in the mid to late 1800's up until the early 1900's before vanishing. These areas now located in the Withlacoochee State Forest contain some remains leftover from those places. 

This windmill seems to be sitting in what used to be a pasture, I saw old fence posts surrounding the area along with fallen remains from the windmill scattered about. You could spend a lot of time searching back here and who knows what you could find. It is finding things like this that will inspire you to learn about the history of these places and it adds another layer of adventure to your hikes! Comment if you would like to find out more.

Windmill Remains

My Videos

Old Windmill in Withlacoochee State Forest 1

Old Windmill in Withlacoochee State Forest 2

Tip

The River Trail can be found at the Ridge Manor Trailhead off of Croom Rital Rd.

Exploring Half Moon Wildlife Management Area

Entrance

On a recent hike in Half Moon Wildlife Management Area in Sumter County I found some very old graves back in the forest. It was quite the adventure finding them since I was unsure of the exact location. It took a lot of walking on trails and forest roads to finally reach the site. It is called "Alto Cemetery" Alto is one of the many communities that no longer exists in Sumter County. Located north of Rutland and west of Oxford near the Withlacoochee River, all that is left is a cemetery. It is believed that the community was settled around the 1870's.

Alto Cemetery

Along the way I found some interesting areas and saw a beautiful wilderness. Just off a forest road back there is the old site of the "McKinney Flatwoods" homestead. There is a sign nearby that tells about this history and who once lived there. Not much remains of the homestead just some debris laying about. Although it is still fascinating to look around and experience the history, I imagined what life what must have been like for the family. The family lived there from around 1916 to 1945 time frame. The McKinneys raised cattle until the combined effects of screw worms and World War II forced them to sell the land for watermelon and sod production.

McKinneys Homestead Site

The Carltons acquired the land in 1969 for cattle ranching; they used existing fields and converted sections of palmetto scrub to improved pasture. A hunting club also leased the area from the early 1980s until the state purchased the Carlton Half Moon Ranch in 1989 in an effort to help preserve the water quality of Withlacoochee and its tributaries. In May 1992, the then-Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission entered a lease agreement with the Southwest Florida Water Management District, and an additional 4,021 acres were added to the management area.

I really enjoyed exploring this area I feel there is much left to discover so I look forward to returning. I posted a couple links below to help you find out more on this area. Be sure to check out my videos below as well from the some of the places I saw there. If you have any questions or would like to leave more information feel free to leave a comment.

Resources
Half Moon WMA
Half Moon-Gum Slough SWFMD
My Hike/Route

My Videos
Alto Cemetery
Alto Cemetery 2
McKinney Homestead Site
McKinney Homestead Site 2
Hiking in Half Moon

Davenport Historical Site in Ocala National Forest

Sign at Trail Entrance

One of my more memorable hikes was in the Ocala National Forest near Lake Delancy just north of the campground area is a short but neat historical trail known as Davenport Landing Historical Trail. It is several miles back off of Forest Road 74 from the main road S.R. 19. From the parking area you can access the trail and it leads to a former 19th century steamboat port, where riverboats headed up to Silver Springs would stop for fuel and supplies. Along the way, you'll learn about middens along the Ocklawaha River and encounter a Civil War-era gravesite if you look hard enough.

Ancient Indian Mound

The landing area contains an ancient mound site that is said to be dated from 500 to 1200 years old. Though humans have been present along the Ocklawaha River going back 12,000 years. The mound has a fence around it and it is meant for observation only. You'll notice the informative kiosks where you can read about some of the history. The mound was first excavated by Clarence B. Moore in 1894. He was an American archaeologist and writer. He is more commonly known as C.B. Moore. He studied and excavated Native American sites in the southeastern United States.

Informative Kiosk

Thomas Cassidy Fillyaw lived from 1830 - 1873 and is buried on the banks of the Ocklawaha River he was the Landing Master. He was a confederate soldier who survived the war and you'll find a lot of history on him and the landing at the kiosk.

This is one of my favorite areas to see because of the scenic wilderness and the rich history. Nearby is The Florida Trail and Lake Delancy. I also saw lots of wildlife while hiking in the area including a couple Florida Black Bears. Lots to see and learn about when you visit here! I posted some links and videos below if you have any questions or input on this place feel free to leave a comment.

My Videos

Lone Civil War Soldier Gravesite at Davenport Landing

Historical Davenport Landing

Davenport Historical Trail in Ocala National Forest


Resources

Ocala National Forest - Davenport Landing Trail

Florida Hikes! Davenport Landing Trail

View My Hike/Route

Thomas Cassidy Fillyaw

The Goethe Giant

Hugging the Goethe Giant

Deep within Goethe State Forest in Levy County there is an ancient giant cypress tree. It is known as the Goethe Giant and it is 9 ft in diameter, 105 feet tall, and 342 inches in circumference. This amazing tree is located off of the Big Cypress Boardwalk Trail.

Trailhead Area

Boardwalk Trail

To find the trail, follow SR 121 east from US 19 or west from CR 336 and look for Cow Creek Road, a dirt road leading north from the pavement at the forest’s western edge. It’s in great shape for passenger vehicles. At the first fork, stay right. Drive 3.2 miles north on the dirt road to the parking area on the left. You'll see a trailhead with a sign that says Big Cypress Trail, a kiosk and picnic table. The trail is really shaded and is very lush and green. The trail is short only about a quarter mile or so and you will eventually come upon a boardwalk that was made from the trees harvested in this forest. Follow this boardwalk to the end and you will encounter this giant cypress.

The tree is massive and there are similar large trees nearby in this forest but this one is the highlight. I took some time here to reflect upon the history and imagined the countless others that passed by and touched it over the centuries. I hope it will be here for many years to come for others to see and experience. Stand at the base of it and look straight up you will be amazed!

Goethe State Forest was named for J.T. Goethe from whom most of the land was purchased under Florida’s Conservation and Recreation Lands (CARL) Program in 1992. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, much of the original old-growth pine and cypress was harvested. Railroads were built by lumber companies to haul out the timber and evidence of raised railroad beds can still be seen in Goethe’s flatwoods. The remaining residual timber was allowed to grow and some interplantings were conducted during the years under J.T. Goethe’s ownership. Although most of the old growth timber was harvested, small areas of longleaf pine still remain in the forest with some trees reaching over 200 years of age. The giant cypress tree here was left alone by the logging companies because it had defects and was not suitable for harvesting. Well that is good news because today we can still enjoy this rare beauty. Many trees this old around the state have either been destroyed or have been harvested. I posted the coordinates, a link to my hike that I tracked and videos below as well. Enjoy!

View My Hike Here

The Florida Trailblazer Interview on iTalk's FM Breakfast Show

Hello folks, Florida Trailblazer here checking in! I took some time off of the trails to sit down with my friend Venerina Conti for an interview on here morning radio show. It was a blast talking about the trails and beautiful Florida Wilderness. I hope everyone enjoys it and that it inspires others to get outside and explore nature! Click here to listen to the interview